Calm seas certainly fitted the bill for sailfish action

It seems the super-calm seas last week coincided with some great sailfish action wide of Darwin and down at Dundee.

Josh Kerr’s weekend sailfish came from The Forks wide of Darwin

It seems the super-calm seas last week coincided with some great sailfish action wide of Darwin and down at Dundee.

NT Billfish Classic co-ordinator Peter Dienhoff reported that Doug Saunders, Josh Kerr and Ben Maclean fished The Forks last Saturday, raising nine sailfish and catching two between three boats on the morning low tide.

It was action aplenty too down off Dundee, including some surprising fish captures and unusual sightings.

“It all seemed to happen Friday and Saturday at the area known as the ‘Witch’s Nose’, a contour line that runs offshore from Roche Reef,” Peter told me.

Apparently, the area was rife with huge sailfish, wahoo and whales, all congregated along a large coral spawn line.

At least one big wahoo was caught which is the first time I’ve heard of one of these ocean-going speedsters being caught so close to shore off the Top End.

There were plenty of boats fishing the area, and all reported huge numbers of sailfish free swimming around their boats.

These recent sightings and captures of sailfish certainly augur well for Darwin Game Fishing Club’s annual NT Billfish Classic which is scheduled for November 1-3 .

“The neap tides coincide nicely with the weekend and I believe it is the first time the tournament has been run over a weekend, so we are hoping to see a few more boats competing over the three days,” Peter said.

Doug Saunders (left) and Ken Roderick with a ripper Dundee sailfish.

Quinten Pope’s 79cm barra was the biggest caught in the NT Saltwater Fly Fishing Challenge in Bynoe Harbour.

“We will also be holding the Bait Rigging Demonstration Night on Tuesday, October 7.

“This Darwin Game Fishing Club event is getting bigger each year and once again we will have some of Darwin’s best riggers on the night to share their secrets.

“We now have included live commentary and live video streaming on the big screen.

“Once again, all of the baits rigged will be auctioned off at the end of the night so a lucky competitor has the chance to take enough rigged bait home, on ice, in a new esky, to see him through the duration of the tournament,” Peter said.

The bait-rigging event is open to anyone who has an interest in bait rigging and not just to competitors and club members.

“The tournament again this year will encompass the waters from the Peron Islands through to the Bathurst Trench, including the Fenton Patches and the North ­Gutter,” Peter explained.

“Teams may once again choose to stay on the fishing grounds over the three days and not return to Darwin.

“The only change this year is that the teams that choose to stay out must have a satellite phone on board so that they can report back to Billfish Base at the end of each day’s fishing.

“Surprisingly, over the last couple of years, teams have not been fishing the local waters of the Fenton Patches and the North Gutter which are easily accessible in a 5-6m trailer boats, and have produced plenty of billfish over the years.

“I’m sure the fish are still there in numbers, but it’s great to see that anglers are exploring new grounds for billfish,” Peter told me.

“One team that has taken the opportunity to fish the ­waters off Dundee on a regular basis is Doug Saunders and Ken Roderick, and they’ve been catching quality fish too.

“Doug and his team have won the NT Billfish Classic twice in six years and continue to demand short-price odds in the tournament.

“In saying that, the journey across to the Bathurst Trench is always taken with a great deal of expectancy.

“Last year’s tournament was won from these grounds, and The Forks – which is the start of the trench above the South Gutter – is a great place to start.

“Numerous sails and marlin have been hooked from this area in the last 12 months and this was the very area that the Team “Boss” had its double hook-up on marlin giving them the outright honours for the 2013 tournament.”

Peter also suggested that competitors get hold of the seven-day wind forecast from the BOM site and see where the calmest waters will be; the wind can vary enormously ­between Dundee and the Bathurst Trench.

There’s $10,000 prizemoney for the Billfish Classic. Phone Leigh and Debbie Halprin on 0412 848267 or email info@darwingamefishing club.com.au for information.

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Congratulations to Warren Jeffery and Tony O’Malley in Team Backcast for winning last week’s NT Saltwater Fly Fishing Challenge.

Held over three days in Bynoe Harbour, a total of 1292 fish were caught on fly, including 211 salmon, 234 queenfish, 440 trevally and 186 snapper species.

Surprisingly, only nine barra were caught, the biggest measuring 79cm, a standout capture for Quinten Pope.

Warren Jeffery took out the individual honours, narrowly beating Craig Leslie. Runner-up Champion Team were the Bynoe Tigers (Craig Leslie and Leigh Eldridge).