Runoff Resilience on the Mary River 2026: Chasing the Meter-mark Barra

Runoff Resilience on the Mary River: Chasing the Meter-Mark Barra

The runoff season in the Northern Territory is one of the most exciting times of year to chase barramundi. It’s also a season that demands flexibility, patience, and local knowledge. With heavy monsoonal rain recently causing flooding across parts of the Northern Territory, access to some fishing areas can change quickly.

Roads in and around Mary River National Park have been affected, with government crews working hard to repair sections and keep routes open. For our trips, safety and reliability always come first. We constantly monitor road access, weather forecasts, river levels, and fishing conditions to make sure every charter runs as smoothly as possible.

With that in mind, we set off for our first extended runoff tour of the season — ready for whatever the river had in store.

Into the Wild

Our base for the trip was the iconic Point Stuart Lodge, right in the heart of the Mary River system. The mission was simple: two days, one night, and one big goal — a meter-long barramundi.

Joining the adventure were Rob and Sherry, an incredible couple celebrating 35 years of marriage and plenty of fishing experience across the Kimberley. These two know their way around the water, running their own 6.2m Quintrex, but this time they were onboard with us to experience the runoff bite on the Mary.

What none of us could control… was the weather. Watch vlog here

Brutal Conditions from the Start

From the moment we launched, the river reminded us why the runoff season is both famous and challenging.

Monsoonal rain hammered the boat.
Strong winds whipped the Mary River into a frenzy.

And day one didn’t hold back on the drama.

Early on we hooked a true meter-class barramundi — the fish every angler dreams about. But after a powerful fight… it slipped away.

Then things went from bad to worse.

A rod snapped.
A line broke right under the boat.
And the raging current even claimed our favourite hat.

Wet, tired, and empty-handed, we eventually called it a day and headed back to Point Stuart Lodge, where the great food and warm hospitality helped us reset for the next round.

Day Two: Patience Tested

The rain continued through the night.

By morning, it was still pouring, and it didn’t ease until 11am.

The sudden drop in water temperature slowed everything down. The fish were there — we could see them clearly on the sounder.

Huge arches stacked across the screen.

Big barra were holding deep, but they simply weren’t interested in feeding.

It became a test of patience and persistence.

When the Tide Turned

Then the moment we were waiting for arrived.

The tide began to drop.

As floodplain water drained back into the river, baitfish were pushed into the main channels — and suddenly the system came alive.

We deployed our secret weapon: four different coloured Stix Customs lures, trolling slowly while watching the water carefully.

Then we heard it.

BOOF.

The unmistakable sound of a big barra smashing bait on the surface.

The feeding window had opened.

Chaos in the Best Way

The first strike came hard.

BANG!

Then immediately —

DOUBLE HOOK-UP.

Two screaming reels, two big fish, and Rob and Sherry working together like a perfectly tuned team.

Moments later we had both fish on the deck.

An 80cm barramundi.
Then a bigger one — 95cm.

Just 5cm short of the magic meter mark, but what an incredible start.

We dropped the lures straight back into the water.

Almost instantly…

Another double hook-up.

An 88cm barra and a powerful 80cm threadfin salmon joined the tally.

The Mary River had well and truly woken up.

The One That Got Away

With the tide pushing hard, we knew the bite window wouldn’t last long.

Then another massive strike bent the rod over.

This fish felt enormous.

We cleared the other lines and focused on the fight. Slowly we worked it toward the boat.

At the net…

One violent head shake.

The lure flew out.

Gone.

Another heart-breaking loss.

One Last Chance

The tide was racing now. The window was closing.

But we weren’t ready to quit.

One last cast.

One last opportunity.

BING!

The rod buckled again.

Rob took control for the final fight, playing the fish perfectly as it surged and pulled deep.

Finally, a heavy silver barra slid into the net and onto the deck.

Tape measure out.

97 centimetres of Mary River gold.

Just 3cm short of the meter, but after everything the river had thrown at us, it felt like a massive victory.

The Runoff Has Begun

Fishing the runoff isn’t always easy. Conditions can be wild, access can change due to flooding, and success often comes down to persistence and timing.

That’s why we constantly monitor road conditions, river levels, and weather forecasts to ensure every trip is both safe and productive.

But when the tide turns and the barra start feeding…

There is nothing quite like it.

A huge thanks to Stix Customs for the lures that produced the action, and to Point Stuart Lodge for providing the perfect base in challenging conditions.

And of course to Rob and Sherry — absolute legends and fantastic company on the water.

The runoff season is here.

Now the real question is…

Who’s ready to come chase their meter-mark barra on the Mary River? 🎣