The Best Fishing Spots in Northern Territory
The Northern Territory offers exceptional recreational fishing across rivers, estuaries, mangroves and coastal reefs, with opportunities for both freshwater and saltwater anglers. Key targets include iconic barramundi in rivers and estuaries, powerful giant trevally and hungry queenfish around reefs and flats, schooling threadfin salmon and fast Spanish mackerel along the coast, as well as reef species like coral trout and tasty snapper, plus big mud crabs in the estuaries. Expect varied methods from light-tackle and lure fishing to fly fishing and sport big-game trips, making the NT a diverse destination for anglers of all skill levels.
Top Cities For Fishing
Sea Fishing
Alawa
(2 km to coast)
Alyangula
(0 km to coast)
Anula
(4 km to coast)
Bakewell
(4 km to coast)
Bees Creek
(11 km to coast)
Bellamack
(2 km to coast)
Berrimah
(5 km to coast)
Berry Springs
(10 km to coast)
Brinkin
(1 km to coast)
Coconut Grove
(0 km to coast)
Coolalinga
(8 km to coast)
Darwin
(0 km to coast)
Driver
(3 km to coast)
Durack
(4 km to coast)
Fannie Bay
(1 km to coast)
Farrar
(6 km to coast)
Galiwinku
(0 km to coast)
Girraween
(14 km to coast)
Gray
(4 km to coast)
Gunn
(5 km to coast)
Holtze
(9 km to coast)
Howard Springs
(10 km to coast)
Humpty Doo
(16 km to coast)
Jingili
(2 km to coast)
Johnston
(7 km to coast)
Karama
(6 km to coast)
Larrakeyah
(0 km to coast)
Leanyer
(2 km to coast)
Ludmilla
(3 km to coast)
Lyons
(1 km to coast)
Malak
(5 km to coast)
Maningrida
(1 km to coast)
Marlow Lagoon
(2 km to coast)
Marrara
(4 km to coast)
McMinns Lagoon
(12 km to coast)
Milingimbi
(1 km to coast)
Millner
(0 km to coast)
Moil
(3 km to coast)
Moulden
(2 km to coast)
Muirhead
(1 km to coast)
Nakara
(1 km to coast)
Nhulunbuy
(1 km to coast)
Nightcliff
(0 km to coast)
Palmerston
(4 km to coast)
Parap
(2 km to coast)
Ramingining
(16 km to coast)
Rapid Creek
(1 km to coast)
Rosebery
(3 km to coast)
Stuart Park
(1 km to coast)
The Gardens
(1 km to coast)
Tiwi
(0 km to coast)
Virginia
(7 km to coast)
Wadeye
(9 km to coast)
Wagaman
(3 km to coast)
Wanguri
(2 km to coast)
Woodroffe
(3 km to coast)
Woolner
(2 km to coast)
Wulagi
(4 km to coast)
Wurrumiyanga
(0 km to coast)
Yirrkala
(1 km to coast)
Zuccoli
(5 km to coast)
River Fishing
Katherine River
Top Saltwater Fishing Spots
Shoal Bay (Glyde Point side)
The eastern flank toward Glyde Point features clean Dry-season water, rubble patches and ledges that hold golden snapper, tricky snapper, and roaming mackerel; drift-jig the edges on neaps and cast metals into bait showers pushed along the bay’s outer points toward Beatrice Hill waters.
Channel Point
Sitting near the mouth of the Daly, Channel Point puts you onto big-tide bluewater and estuary edges for golden snapper, black jewfish, and roaming queenfish, with nearby creek mouths holding barramundi during the run-off; fish pressure points and reef drops on neaps, or work bait balls along the point toward Anson Bay .
Bynoe Harbour
A sprawling estuarine maze of creeks, flats and reefs, Bynoe Harbour offers year-round action: barramundi and jacks in the creeks, golden snapper and black jewfish on ledges, and Dry-season queenfish; work neap tides to access the back creeks off Crab Claw Island and drift-jig reef edges when the current eases.
Bathurst Island
Part of the Tiwi Islands, Bathurst Island is renowned for bluewater and estuary variety: barramundi in creeks, queenfish and GTs on headlands, and Dry-season mackerel and tuna offshore; work pressure points and reef edges around Wurrumiyanga and adjacent headlands on the making tide for fast pelagic action.
Nightcliff
Nightcliff’s rocky ledges and the famous Nightcliff Jetty offer accessible fishing for queenfish, GTs, mackerel during the Dry, and golden snapper and cod around structure; time sessions to the last of the run-out and first push of the tide, casting metals, stickbaits and live baits along current lines and bait schools sweeping past the headland.
Cullen Bay
Sheltered waters at Cullen Bay and the adjoining reefs hold golden snapper, cod, and bait schools that attract queenfish and mackerel on the turn of the tide; launch for quick access to reef edges and wrecks in Darwin Harbour , or fish the rock walls and marina mouth on neaps with vibes, micro-jigs and livies.
Mindil Beach
A broad urban beach with sand gutters and nearshore reef, Mindil produces Dry-season queenfish and trevally on the afternoon sea breeze, and run-out tide threadfin salmon and blue salmon after dark; work the edges of the reef flats toward East Point with stickbaits and metals, or bait-soak in deeper gutters during neap tides.
East Point
Prominent rocky platforms with tidal eddies make East Point a top land-based spot for queenfish, trevally, and roaming mackerel in the Dry, with golden snapper and mangrove jack tight to the rocks; work sunrise and sunset windows and the first of the flood for ambush bites, or prospect the reefs between Fannie Bay and Nightcliff with hardbodies and vibes.
Lee Point
Facing bluewater and intersected by gutters and reef patches, Lee Point shines for queenfish, GTs, longtail tuna busting bait just off the beach in the Dry, plus threadfin salmon and blue salmon along the sandbars; spin metals into surface feeds or slow-roll plastics through the rubble as the tide pushes bait around the point toward Buffalo Creek .
Buffalo Creek
A classic mangrove creek at the edge of Darwin’s suburbs, Buffalo Creek fishes well on the run-out for barramundi, threadfin salmon, and mangrove jack around creek mouths and drains; small boats and kayaks work the snags toward Shoal Bay , while land-based anglers cast vibes and hardbodies from the ramp and adjacent banks on neaps.
Top Saltwater & Freshwater Spots
Victoria River
The NT’s largest river by volume, the Victoria offers classic run-off barramundi action at feeder creeks, with persistent Dry-season trolling on vast tidal reaches; fish colour changes and current seams from Timber Creek downstream, and target mid-river rock bars and snags with deep divers and soft vibes.
South Alligator River
Flowing through Kakadu, the South Alligator’s tidal and freshwater zones offer prime run-off barramundi fishing at feeder creeks and rock bars, with Dry-season trolling and casting along channel edges; launch near Mamukala access and work drains on the last of the run-out for ambush bites.
Roper River
A big east-coast NT river with long tidal reaches and clear Dry-season water, the Roper holds quality barramundi at snags and bends, plus queenfish near the mouth; target drains and rock bars from Roper Bar downstream, trolling hardbodies along colour transitions and casting plastics into eddies on neaps.
McArthur River
Near Borroloola, the McArthur’s broad channels and coastal flats produce run-off barramundi, with Dry-season sessions for queenfish, GTs, and threadfin salmon toward the mouth; work junctions and drains on the ebb, and prospect inshore reefs between Borroloola and King Ash Bay with vibes and jigs.
Mary River
The Mary River’s tidal reaches fire in the run-off with large barramundi staging at drains and junctions, while the billabongs hold fish through the Dry; launch near Shady Camp to work the lower river and coastal creeks, slow-trolling hardbodies along colour lines and casting plastics into the flow on neap tides.
Finniss River
A tidal-fresh system with snags, rock bars and junctions, the Finniss River produces quality barramundi—especially during late Wet run-off—and Dry-season threadfin salmon; cast hardbodies at rock bars upstream or slow-roll plastics along channel edges toward Bynoe Harbour , with occasional queenfish on the lower tidal reaches.
Daly River
One of the NT’s marquee barra rivers, the Daly is famous for big run-off barramundi off feeder creeks and floodplain drains, plus Dry-season trolling along rock bars and bends; focus on colour changes and eddies from Nauiyu downstream toward Anson Bay , mixing hardbodies, soft plastics and vibes to match bait size.