Staaten River Barramundi Fishing

The Staaten River

The Staaten River Fishing Lodge on Dinah Island

It would be difficult to argue that there is a better or indeed, more prolific, big barramundi river in Australia. There’s no statistics, so it’s purely speculative, but there would not be any other river in Australia that there is so few barramundi caught between each metre fish.

Yes it is one of them rivers that you want to be fishing on the right tides.

If you are there on the wrong tides there are more barra caught in the Yarra River.

Staaten River Fishing and Wilderness Lodge is a destination for serious anglers in pursuit of barramundi and saratoga, but the natural beauty of the surroundings and its amazing birdlife can prove equally arresting.

It is a picture of serenity and beauty: flowering waterlilies cover the dark water of the billabong. Look closely and you’ll see native bees collecting pollen in the yellow core of the blooms. In the late afternoon, the sun loses its sting and the colours start to change into warmer hues. It is time to kick back and enjoy the calming splendour of this tropical oasis. But fishing guide Dean Watt won’t have any of it. He knows that beneath the tranquil, lily-clad surface, under submerged snags, lurk hungry monsters. Again and again he casts a white plastic frog, letting it hop across the leaves, skimming the surface. And then the water erupts. A golden flash, a brutal tug. The flexible rod bends, the line stretching tight like a violin string. But it is not, as hoped, a barramundi. After a short fight, Dean presents a large saratoga, its golden large-scaled skin decorated with little pink dots. After a quick photo of the catch, Dean gently puts the fish back into the water and releases it. “Generally, once people get a taste of the billabongs they don’t want to go back to the main river chasing barra,” Dean says. “They love the ’toga.”

• MEALS & DRINKS

  Every meal is prepared by our resident cook, who takes delight in exceeding your culinary expectations. Our mouth-watering meals are not complicated, but the quality of the food will have you feeling as though you were being served at a 5-star restaurant. We understand that you are not escaping the hustle and bustle of the real world to then encounter complicated food.

  All meals and non-alcoholic drinks are provided on your fishing trip. Meals are expertly prepared by our chef using fresh ingredients and, of course, the days catch. Premium cuts of red meat also feature on the menu.

  GETTING THERE

  The team at FishingEarth will work with you to put together the most cost-effective and time-efficient travel plans for you. We will work with you to make sure that your budget and time limitations are taken into account and the best route there and of course the best route home. At FishingEarth we get excited for you when you are going on a FishingEarth Fishing Adventure. But the thing that makes us smile is when you walk in your front door ‘home’ safe and sound.