Some of Australia’s – and indeed the world’s – most secret places reside in the tiny creeks which feed into rivers. Being shallow and thick with riparian jungle, sweetwater locations are often the hardest to reach.
North Queensland provides myriad access opportunities to these pristine and life-filled jungle streams set amidst some of the most scenic, mountainous and densely vegetated locations.
Let’s take a look at some of the fishing opportunities that arise for anglers willing to get off the beaten track.
Care is needed
By tiny boat, kayak or on foot, access is the main challenge to overcome when fishing these locations. Unlike some of the trout streams of the southern end of the country, far-northern streams tend to be rather impenetrable places. Being on foot is only for the agile, as every conceivable barrier will be placed in front of forward progress. Most banks are steep and just a slip away under foot to float downstream.
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Kayaks or any method of paddling is suitable in some of the streams, however this tends to be chasing fish like sooty grunter or jungle perch way above the tidal limits. A tiny boat sometimes allows anglers to drift down and rendezvous with a second vehicle downstream to ferry back. This can provide some incredible sweetwater fishing opportunities, picking the eyes out of all the best spots drifting past.
Pretty much any far-northern creek or river will have a crocodile population, and local knowledge, as always, is paramount before wading, swimming and walking the edges. But so much depends on where the upper limit applies. Crocs definitely inhabit more upstream reaches than most people remember from bygone years.
Species
Barramundi is perhaps the most iconic far-northern species of fish right across the top end of our continent. It inhabits both the coastal fringe and right the way up most northern rivers, at least until a natural barrier blocks their progress upstream. Barramundi will travel huge distances up tiny creeks and streams to gorge on prey coming off floodplains and out of feeder creeks, especially during the northern wet seasons.
Targeting barramundi is not hugely challenging, but equipment and tackle will need to be up to the task. Plenty of people will get blown away by a healthy barramundi when expecting smaller fish. Remember, most places you get barramundi, you also get crocodiles.
Mangrove jack are often a surprise packet for those fishing the sweetwater.
Better known as a saltwater species, they are happy to live right up in the fresh. They will need access back to saltwater at some stage, so expect them to pop up at the end of the navigable limit of most northern systems. These red devils absolutely crunch a lure and are super aggressive when they decide to attack. They taste great. even out of the freshwater reaches, so long at its flowing.
Tarpon make it right the way up many northern systems, well past the saltwater influence and up in the fresh. Although not a sought-after table fish, they provide endless fun for enthusiasts fishing the sweetwater with light spin and fly tackle.
Jungle perch is a lovely little freshwater species that lives in the jungle streams of FNQ. They have many similarities to bass further south, only they have a lovely spotted colouration and are even more aggressive at chasing surface lures. These little carnivores will chase anything that hops, jumps, digs or falls into a little creek. They hang in small groups and are super competitive to get to a meal first.
Sootie grunter are one of the mainstays of the tiny freshwater creeks that criss-cross the farthest north. Almost every system will have some form of sootie in its upstream reaches, ready to dish out punishment to any small prey the falls foul of this little river thug.
Sooties have strong mouths and jaws and will really thump a small lure, especially anything replicating a wounded morsel on the surface.
Saratoga are a prehistoric-looking river monster that resides in many of the upstream and freshwater systems across the top end. Although missing from much of the east coast of northern Australia and in WA; much of Cape York, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Arnhem Land and Kakadu hold these majestic creatures. They have an incredibly bony mouth and are challenging to hook and even more challenging to land. Their colouration of gold on pink spots is one of nature’s wonders.
Archer Fish are prolific in most northern sweetwater streams and creeks. These are the little fish known for shooting a jet of water at prey flying overhead or sitting in branches. They only grow to around a kilo at best, but are a willing adversary on very light line – aggressive and fishing hard.
Rounding off the species list are sleepy cod, catfish, coal grunter and, these days, bloody tilapia in many systems of north Queensland.
In the house
There’s an encyclopedia’s worth of fishing advice written about the type of lures to trick these predatory fish.
However, matching the type of prey likely to be found in your destination is key. A weedless frog imitation works very well around wetland areas. A little surface walker might be great where cicadas and terrestrials fall from the trees. Little paddle-tailed plastics will work well when small baitfish are the primary target of predatory fish.
If your lure is not touching down within 30cm of your target, often the cast will be a miss. Too far to one side or the other, up in a tree or snagged on the million-and-one places there are to snag – miss. It can be a game of persistence as much as a game of accuracy. At times the fish need to be lured into action, peppered over and over. And some days they just seem to chase everything in sight.
Either way, the more time with your lure in the water and in the perfect spot, the more you increase your chances to catch fish. Interacting with so much terrain is actually a very fulfilling way to fish. Fly fisherman in the sweetwater know well the frustrations of back casting in riparian jungles. All sorts of rod angles to throw all manner of casts helps big time in this situation, but nothing beats having your lure or fly in the water.
One of the best ways to do this is with weedless soft plastics. This type of fishing has revolutionised fishing in extremely snaggy country. The lure is cast into structure without fouling up, giving resident fish the chance to ambush prey from their living room. There are some great products on the market at the moment, with many of the fish taken in this feature on ‘In the House’ jig heads. Made by Barra Hank up in Cairns, they provide great innovation to a sweetwater problem. A light gauge wire protects the hook point, making them virtually snag-proof.
Working a lure in a way that mimics a wounded or fleeing prey item takes a little time to master. As does making long accurate casts through or into vegetation. But these are two skills very much required for those wishing to be productive fishing the sweetwater. Combining exercise with catch-and-release fishing has grown enormously popular in recent years. Applying stalking techniques with today’s incredible tackle makes this type of fishing really feel like a sport, especially when most of the fish captured are returned unharmed.
The right spots
Travelling downstream through a creek will show reaches absolutely devoid of fish, and others where fish of numerous types are congregating. It’s a strange phenomenon exacerbated by fish coming on and going off the bite. An ideal situation finds many fish in an area all on the bite, but every fisherman knows this isn’t normally the case.
Lily pads and weed banks will usually offer good cover for fish and bait, especially those with a little water moving past. Fallen timber and weed beds are other habitats to look for as they tend to hold many prey items and provide cover. Working steeper banks, points and deeper pools at the end of funnelling water are good places to start.
A resident fish will often be found in the tiny little backwaters and bays and behind corners in the creek banks. One accurate cast to the back of each of these should be attempted during a drift downstream. For those fishing down the creek, try and make casts to the upstream side of a structure. Most predatory fish will sit facing upstream, awaiting prey to come to them with the current. The pressure edge created by the structure gives them the perfect ambush point from which to attack.
Points and the ends of braided channels provide great ambush places. Anywhere that has a never-ending supply of food items being washed downstream will hold a swag of fish. Where prey items are mixed up with oxygenated water, a deeper pool and some nearby structure, all the better.
Fishing the tiny far-northern streams and creeks is a hugely addictive form of fishing. If you love fishing, hiking and the great outdoors, but are not too sure where to start, perhaps this is a pastime you will love. A light spin or overhead outfit or for those who are crazy enough to try a light fly rod outfit will suffice.
Sturdy walking/wading shoes are a good idea for those planning to do this fishing on foot.
It takes quite a bit of research for this style of fishing. Planning is crucial, as is understanding the type of fish and terrain likely to be found. Get out and amongst the wonders of fishing the sweetwater for yourself.