Limited Time: Schooling Monster Macks & Tasty Tuna
To catch the ever popular sporting run of monster Macks and the tastiest NT Tuna visit Cape Don in either September or October. Big old Macks are actually full time residents of Cape Don but this time of year their migratory Spaniard brothers & sisters as well as their cousins the Spotted and Grey Mackerel, school up in huge fishing numbers along with the fiesty Northern Blue Fin and the always-exciting, big Mack Tuna.
Mackerel
To get you onto the Macks your expert fishing guide will take you to the best Mack spots and typically have you utilising a variety of effective Mack fishing techniques.
Fishing for Macks is a top Northern Territory fishing experience from a premier fishing lodge location that you will treasure for all time!
Deep jigging with seven inch soft plastics and heavy metals outside Lingi Point, the wreck, the shoal and Allaru will be your opportunities for the ultimate darwin fishing experience and sublime Kodak moments! Your guide will have you jigging as you drift along current lines where schools of macks have been identified on the always-on-target echo sounder.
You will also find the Macks feasting on bait balls. This is when its time to get out your popper. Seeing the almighty Mack smash a surface popper like a virtual torpedo will get your adrenaline pumping, satisfaction guaranteed! But make sure keep a wary eye out as they often explode out of the sea up to 6.8m in the air when hooked. Tip: if a Mack is flying towards the boat — hit the deck pronto!
Tuna
Chasing seagulls will often lead your guide to bait balls boiling on the waters surface. You can guarantee that close by are the predatory Tuna having a good ole’ snack. Once amongst the action your guide will have you throwing metals, marabou jigs and soft plastics or jigging for them from the bottom. Don’t say that you weren’t warned but landing these Northern Blue Fin and Mack Tuna will require all your focus, muscle and attention.
Best Time of year
The migratory schools of Macks & Tuna traditionally arrive sometime in September or October. They stay around for approximately six weeks (however it is not always possible to predict exactly when they will show up.) Visiting the NT’s most exciting fishing destination either in late September or early October should maximise your chances of catching these glorious and sought-after fish on the run.
Best Tides to target Macks & Tuna
The best set of tides to target mackerel and tuna are neaping tides and the start of the build to springs. This means that the water clarity should be good, which these species prefer. But you have to be quick to secure this set of tides as they always sell out first. However in saying that with these fish ‘when they’re on they’re on.’ Take advantage because there’s no stopping them.
