Floating above the fish - Heli-fishing on the Adelaide River

By: Ngarie Curran

One-and-a-half tonnes of steel, thundering engine noise and wildly rotating blades were no match for a two-pound plover protecting its nest. Head thrust forward and wings outstretched he was a worthy adversary. Our pilot, Ben, didn’t seem threatened, though, and skilfully landed the chopper on a large dried-up mud flat in the Mary River system, about five kilometres from the sea. Waiting for the rotors to slow, we grabbed our rods and then headed for the water in search of barra.

This was my first heli-fishing experience and it is by far the best way to experience fishing in the Top End. It’s all so simple really – no 4am starts, no journeys along bumpy four-wheel drive tracks and no boat to clean at the end. And the views are amazing.

After meeting Ben at 8am we took off, flying parallel to the Arnhem Highway that leads to Kakadu. Houses and cars became smaller and fewer, then non-existent as we flew over the expansive wetlands still holding water from the late rains.

My previous fear of flying in choppers was dispelled from the moment I saw the Adelaide River. Approaching the line of trees along the edge of this massive river, Ben dipped the chopper and within seconds we were only 20 feet above the water. Images of crocodiles flashed into my mind and excitedly I scanned the banks for them. No crocs. We followed the zigzagging river for about a minute and then rose up higher and continued towards the next big waterway, the Mary River.

Once the plover surrendered, we got down to business. Ever conscious of crocs lurking in the area, Ben made us stand a sensible distance from the water’s edge. My fishing companions were Patrick and Jenny, one experienced angler and one not so experienced. It didn’t take long for the barra to start hitting and by the time we left 45 minutes later we had caught several 60 centimetre-plus fish as well as a few undersized, but still no crocs.

We bid the plover farewell and started off to our next destination. Flying west toward the Adelaide River, just about every shade of green could be seen; tufts of grass looked like islands scattered throughout the wetlands. Buffalo and feral pigs bounding through the shallow water and mud, startled by the noise of the chopper, as we dipped lower for a closer look.

Our next stop was at a narrow section of water near the mouth of the Adelaide River. Ben set us down on a deceptively solid grassy plain and we ventured to what would be our most productive fishing spot.

We all congregated on a dirt mound that rose about two metres from the water. Thick spear grass formed a barrier between us and the water and any interested reptiles. After rigging up our lines and navigating the topography, we cast our lines in different directions. Almost immediately, Patrick and Ben (who was illustrating the art of casting amid trees to Jenny and I) were hooked onto some barra. The trademark ‘boofing’ sound of the barra hitting the lure shattered the peaceful silence and raised our adrenalin even higher.

This bonanza continued for about 20 minutes and the fish we caught and kept were placed in a shallow pool of water to to keep cool. Even though Jenny and I weren’t successful with landing any fish, we were still caught up in the action; so much so that we didn’t see the 4.5 metre croc until it was gently but forcefully nabbing (the largest) barra from our holding area. As quietly as it had appeared, it slunk off with 90 centimetres of barramundi clamped in his jaws. Safely viewing from our vantage point, we watched the giant glide past and around the bend. Needless to say, our adrenalin had pretty much reached its peak and we decided to call it a day.

Travelling back to Darwin, we flew parallel to the coast for some time and saw kilometres of untouched stretches of sand and sea; estuaries snaking inland, sometimes dissolving into the wetlands and sometimes expanding to form some of the largest rivers in the Territory.

Within the hour we had touched back down at Darwin. Bidding Ben farewell, we took our fish and stories back home. If you’re up for an adventure, this is truly one of the best Territory experiences you can have.