Traditionally between March and April the territory rains ease as the monsoon season fades away, and the big rivers start to regain their shape as the floodplains drain into the sea.

According to fishing guides and tourism experts in the top end, there are a some major contributing factors that create a good "run-off" Barramundi fishing season.

Firstly, the barra still up on the plains or in the channels must move out before water levels get too low, and their exit points into the main river are the creek mouths, according to Northern Territory guide to fishing the run off.

Secondly, all other aquatic life must also make a timely exit. The small fish, tadpoles and crustaceans that barramundi eat are funnelled down these creeks and barra hang around the creek mouths to ambush them. While in a feeding frenzy, they can be caught one after the other on artificial hard-bodied lures and lead-head soft plastic lures that resemble the baitfish they're feeding on. Similarly, fly fishermen can enjoy considerable success using flies tied to a pattern that matches the baitfish.

There are also many tidal rivers in the Top End that provide great fishing during the run-off, but the window of opportunity is not usually at the same time for all of them. Wet season rainfall figures and flooding levels vary from catchment to catchment and, while the Daly River south of Darwin, for example, might be well into its run-off season, the South Alligator River in Kakadu National Park might still be heavily flooded with water levels rising.

The run-off is very popular with locals, who have often been biding their time over the wet to get into some serious barra action. Thousands of interstate anglers also descend on the Top End during the run-off.