Darwin, Northern Territory

No Australian capital city offers fishermen more than Darwin.

Gill netting and commercial crabbing are banned in Darwin Harbour, and barramundi, mud crabs and various sportfish species are abundant.

You don’t even need a boat licence, boat registration or a fishing licence.

Despite this seemingly relaxed attitude, there are very few boating accidents.

Though the gas industry is visible from the city, most of Darwin’s vast mangrove-lined harbour is undeveloped and in good condition, offering a wilderness experience.

The harbour’s three main arms have sheltered waters with many tidal creeks and flats that are ideal for chasing fish in small boats.

There are several artificial reefs, as well as World War II wrecks and cyclone wrecks that fish well.

Natural reef is abundant, although the best of this is in the shipping lane, where anchoring is not permitted. Drift fishing or spotlocking with an electric motor is the alternative, as long as skippers move their boat well before a ship draws near.

The main species caught are barramundi and mud crabs, but common species include blue and threadfin salmon, golden snapper, goldspot cod, various trevally, mangrove jacks, queenfish, jewfish, tricky snapper, Indon snapper (redfish), various mackerel and longtail and mackerel tuna.

Whiting, bream and flathead are about, but with so many more exciting fish to chase, they are rarely targeted.

Darwin is also within day-trip distance of iconic barramundi waters such as the Daly River, Corroboree Billabong, Shady Camp, Dundee Beach and Kakadu National Park.

Bynoe Harbour is an undeveloped “sister harbour” south-west of Darwin, with excellent fishing.

Shoal Bay, near Darwin’s northern suburbs, is a barramundi and crabbing hotspot with a large wetland.

Dundee Beach and Mandorah can also be done as a day trip, and a ferry service operates to Mandorah.

A popular pastime in Darwin during the wet season is driving to flooded culverts or bridges where barramundi will be found.

Darwin has a stocked impoundment at Manton Dam.

Small lakes at the satellite city of Palmerston are also stocked with barramundi.

Darwin has active fishing clubs that hold a range of competitions.

The annual Million Dollar Fish promotions sees 100 or so tagged barramundi released across the Top End, each worth $10,000, and plenty of these are caught in the harbour. There is also a $1m prize. The MDF event usually runs from October to February, although it varies.

Detailed fishing maps of the harbour and the Top End’s best rivers, including rockbars, are in the North Australian FISH FINDER book.

How to fish Darwin

Harbour fishing is all about the tides, which alternate in roughly a two-week cycle between large tides of up to 8m movement, to neap tides with little movement.

The bigger tides require trip planning, as most boat ramps are high and dry at low tide, as are many of the harbour’s reefs and rockbars.

Fishing and crabbing can be good on big tides, but the water is usually turbid, and the currents are strong.

Neap tides provide clearer water, and longer windows of bottom fishing in deep water when the current ebbs.

Barramundi are generally caught as mud drains empty out as the tide flows out.

Drain fishing is generally best with low tides of 1.5m or less.

Neap tides provide sight-fishing opportunities among the mangroves and on the flats.

High-tide fishing is problematic as most estuary fish move into the mangrove forests to feed.

The harbour arms and side creeks have rockbars and rubble bottoms which hold mangrove jacks, cod and golden snapper.

Big jewfish are caught on deep wrecks at the turn of the tide, as well as over natural reef that extends out to Charles Point.

Off Lee Point, big spanish mackerel are usually easy to find in the dry season from May onwards, along with longtail tuna.

Lee Point is home to arguably the best artificial reef system, with three sites consisting of multiple components.

Queenfish and trevally are where you find them around Darwin, but usually are best around current rips off rock walls and headlands.

Some small areas around the harbour are off limits, use the Northern Land Council’s Kenbi Land Claim map here to understand where you can and can’t fish.

Landbased fishing can be had off Stokes Hill Wharf, Mandorah Wharf, various rock walls, and around Mindil Beach, Lee Point, East Point, Nightcliff and Buffalo Creek.

Keep in mind that crocodiles can show up anywhere, and box jellyfish and stonefish are abundant.

Local bait that can be harvested are sardines and herring, which live around the wharves and in creeks, and can be caught with tiny jigs or cast net. Small prawns are available during and after the wet season.

Mullet are also easy enough to find in the creeks, with mainly whiting along the beaches.

Small torpedo squid can be caught under wharf lights, along with the occasional larger tiger squid.

Trolling and casting lures works in the harbour arms, using around 15kg braided lines and well-made Australian lures such as Reidys and Classics and soft plastics and vibes such as Vibelicious. Leaders of around 40kg are needed.

Many imported lures are not strong enough for barramundi.

Barramundi are caught all year but the best time in the harbour is the Build-up, from September until the wet season breaks.

The harbour has no run-off creeks, but nearby Shoal Bay does have wetland and some run-off fishing during the wet season.

Pelagic fish are best in the dry season, with golden snapper and jewfish good in April and May.

Mud crabs are caught almost all year, but tend to be most full in the dry season.

Be sure to fish the harbour with a copy of the local ‘bible’, the North Australian FISH FINDER fishing map book, which has marks, detailed maps and information.

Each year the harbour receives tagged fish for the NT’s Million Dollar Fish promotion, these fish are worth $10k each if caught and entered by registered fishos. There is also a single $1m prize for which several tagged fish are eligible, these are released across the Top End.

Darwin is a popular destination in the dry season, be sure to book accommodation early.



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Darwin tides
NT fishing regulations
Kenbi Land Claim no-go areas
Recent NT rainfall
NT fishing holiday accommodation
NT’s Million Dollar Fish promotion
NT fishing regulations
North Australian FISH FINDER fishing map book

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