That’s what will happen at this year’s two big barramundi competitions on the Daly River. Conditions will be challenging.

This cool dry season weather follows one of the slowest wet seasons on record, with only the year 1952 coming close in terms of low rainfall.

The Daly River has gathered a lot of silt in places. NT Barramundi Classic and Barra Nationals teams have faced challenges before, but usually from late flooding.

What will be the best tactics under the prevailing circumstances of low water and high turbidity? Chase smaller fish on snags? Troll down the guts? Or something else?

The beauty of these big competitions is the insight they give into barramundi fishing.

Techniques and strategies are shown to work or fail under a harsh spotlight.

The previous year, an interstate team did exceptionally well by targeting single fish on the bottom at midstream, a winning tactic pretty much unheard of in the Territory. But that year also had a near-record wet season.

Targeting single fish may well work again, but where will the fish be?

This year the NT Barramundi Classic is first on the Daly calendar, starting on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the great bluewater fishing continues off Darwin, with plenty of golden snapper and jewfish.

Tuna and mackerel have shown up just outside the harbour and this should improve as the Dry progresses.

There are already plenty of tuna and mackerel to be had off Dundee, and this weekend’s “Carton Comp” should give an indication of billfish activity.

In reports, Fishing and Outdoor World’s Ronald Voukolos said the dry season was well under way.

“There have been dragonflies everywhere this week,” he said.

“People have been stocking up for the Barra Classic. The Daly is starting to clear up a bit after the wall of water that went through for the ladies’ competition.

“George Voukolos Jr caught a 116cm barra at the Daly during the week, fishing at night.

“When the river is dirty he seems to get them in the day and when it is clear he gets them at night.

“But the bluewater has been the place to be, with lots of jewies on the big tides, the wrecks and Charles Point.

“Some of our customers have been out on charters and got some great jewfish.

“There have been billfish caught, including one of around 150kg.

“Billabong reports have been quiet, but one crew fished Yellow Water and got some fish.

“Tourists fishing off the Deckchair Cinema foreshore on the big tides did well on queenfish.

“Shady Camp has been good at times, with one guide getting some 90cm barra for his clients.

“With the spring tides it has been hard without the run-off.

“The Finniss River has been a bit slow.”

Tackle World Coolalinga’s Steve Compain said offshore fishing had been good.

“Last Sunday we did a family trip for reef fish and we caught golden snapper to 70cm and plenty of jewfish, and that was on huge tides,” he said.

“We were fishing the Fish Reef and Bass Reef area and in just 4m to 6m of water.

“The fish fight really hard in water that shallow and you can release them too without barotrauma.

“Another crew told us they also bagged out on reef fish around the same time.

“They are getting plenty of mackerel and tuna off Dundee.

“There have been marlin and sailfish around, including a 150kg marlin, and there’s been plenty of action at Dundee on reef fish.

“On the barra scene one of our skippers has been fishing Hardies Lagoon and getting barra in the 60 to 70cm range.

“There have been good reports from the East Alligator River, most of the run-off seems to have been out there, and it has really turned on in the past week, My son Shane went there and caught barra to 90cm.

“The Barra Classic is on next week at the Daly. I am fishing it, I think that with the lack of rain this year it will be all about targeting small barra on snags.

“There have been plenty of mud crabs reported already, everyone is getting them at the usual hotspots such as the harbour’s Middle Arm and Bynoe Harbour.

“The harbour always seems to be fishing well these days, the rockbars in the creeks are always reliable producers.

“It has cooled right off now, we are having beautiful days for fishing.”

Craig’s Fishing Warehouse’s Trevor Robb said the dry season wind had cut in.

“I went to the Daly for a look, and it was blowing hard,” he said.

“I’ve got two teams I have been coaching for the Barra Classic, it is going to be very different this year as the river is silted.

“The water will clean up a little but it will be interesting.

“A lot of the trolling runs that were 5m deep last year are now around 2m or so deep.

“There was not much bait when I was there although No Fish and Elizabeth Downs creeks had some small fry about and there was some some boofing by small barra.

“There were a few good fish showing on the sonar.

“We fished all over the Daly on Tuesday and Wednesday and we got three undersize and an 83cm fish.

“I predict that the leading teams will be getting only their five scorers a day.

“I don’t think the river’s billabongs got flushed enough and so many of those landlocked barra didn’t come down.

“On a good year there will be fish everywhere in the river.

“But there were a few tourists there and they’ll probably all get a fish.

“The South Alligator River has been fishing well on the big tides, some big fish were caught and some big numbers.

“It will quieten on the neap tides but will fire again on the next big tides, from Nourlangie Creek and above.

“Shady Camp has thousands of threadfin salmon, with only a few barra in comparison.

“One boat trolled from the mouth of Sampan Creek up and followed the salmon with the tide.

“The bluewater has been brilliant, especially for those going a little wider, they are getting snapper, jewies, red emperor and coral trout.

“Some boats are getting 20 tuna in an arvo off Dundee.

“There have also been tuna out of the harbour around the Six Mile Buoy, so the schools will be pushing into the harbour as the water cools.

“I have not heard much from the Finniss River, the bottom of the Adelaide River has produced some good mud crabs and barra are being caught in Shoal Bay.

“Corroboree Billabong is still quite high and there is a bit of a current line but in some areas the water is smelly, with mostly toga and tarpon being caught.

“Billfish reports have been mixed, it changes from day to day. The Carton Comp this weekend has a lot of people keen and we’ll see some results from that.”

On the www.fishingterritory.com forums, Round 3 of the FFF Seadogs brag mat competition kicks off from next Wednesday.

There’s still time to enter for a chance to win in 2019, just grab a FFF sticker at Craig’s Fishing Warehouse, register on the website, then post your best fish for each month.