BLOG: The sanctity of the secret spot

THROUGHOUT mankind many an act of treachery or treason has taken place. I guess for some, top of the list would have to be that villainous dude Judas who betrayed JC for a bit of coin. Then there was that shady bloke named Brutus who was probably the first of an infamous line of historical back-stabbers when he decided to cut short Caesar's reign. Locally, in more modern times a well known AFL footballer didn't cover himself in glory either when he was caught in a compromising position with his best mate's missus. Yes such skulduggery can take many forms.

While not in the same class as committing adultery, in angling circles a heavily frowned upon act takes place when someone's secret spot is trusted to an individual, who then goes on to tell all and sundry, effectively ruining it forever. To do this is a surefire way to sink fishing friendships and for the divulger to rightly become a piscatorial pariah in the eyes of those betrayed.

As a born and bred Territory fisho, over the years I have seen plenty of what were once secret spots up here now so busy a set of on-water traffic lights is needed to stop boats running into each other. I guess over time that's going to happen. However, one surefire way to make it happen overnight is for someone to either write a post on a forum about a local's secret spot X, or even worse write up a detailed "How to" article and stick it in a fishing publication.

As a bloke who writes a bit about fishing, I am constantly mindful of my obligation to readers to try and impart some useful advice on how and where to catch a fish, but this is tempered against a deeper obligation to protect the location of someone's secret honey hole. Blowing the lid on someone's secret spot is a complete breach of trust and in my view akin to a journalist outing one's confidential sources.

As was often said back in WW II, "Loose lips sink ships." Up here in the Top End betraying a local's secret spot puts the blabber mouth at risk of taking a torpedo in the mid-ship. But worst of all, no one is going to throw a Judas-like character a lifeline when his boat starts filling with water and heading south.

When entering the Finniss River at low tide a troll around the mouth is always a good idea before heading upstream to fish the rock bars.