THE crabs are running, the barramundi are fighting and the salmon are on the bite.
It's dry season in the Top End, and anglers are revelling, The Australian reports.
Recent pollution scares, strong winds and unseasonal rain have failed to deter Darwin fishos, who are taking advantage of a local long weekend to hit the seas, creeks and waterways around the northern capital.
"Look out his claws don't get you," warned local Matt Daly, 21, yesterday, as he and a mate hauled in two 14cm male mud crabs off Channel Island, just south of Darwin.
"You could get a decent feed for four people out of these two," Mr Daly said. "Add a nice bottle of wine. It's all good."
Amateur Fishermen's Association head Chris Makepeace said it had been another good year for crabbing and fishing.
"There's been a lot of big crabs this year with plenty of meat in them," he said.
"I've even had some around the 22cm mark, real big buggers."
Another person smiling is Mike Baxter, owner of the exclusive Melville Island Lodge, on the Tiwi Islands, just north of Darwin.
Each year, he receives hundreds of visitors, including high-profile guests such as former Test cricketer Matthew Hayden, who pay $1000 a day in the hope of a decent haul.
"Fishing is the great leveller," said Mr Baxter, whose customers have reported good catches of threadfin salmon, golden snapper and saratoga.
But the fish most anglers want to hook is the elusive barramundi.
"It's the iconic Territory fish," Mr Baxter said. "There's better fish to eat but they look the part, they taste good and they hit the lure hard. Over 100 barra in a boat is not unusual. Even my 78-year-old mother caught a 94cm a few weeks ago."
Each year up to 40,000 anglers visit the Top End, according to NT Tourism. On average a thousand tonnes of barramundi and threadfin salmon are netted, worth about $5 million.
Despite the impressive hauls, the Territory government imposes strict rules to ensure stocks are replenished.
Any crab caught must be at least 13cm across the shell, and there's a limit of 10 per person.
Any barra under 55cm must be released.
But for some, it's more about sport than eating.
"We let 98 per cent of what we catch go," Mr Baxter said.
Read more on The Australian.
