Geoff Corry

Geoff Corry grew up on a dairy farm a short distance from the banks of the Murray River in the Goulburn Valley, Victoria. When he wasn’t helping his father on the farm, his formative years were spent fishing and hunting.

Like many fisherman that have made their passion their career, Geoff has memories of holding a rod as soon as he could stand. 

Geoff’s earliest memories in the late 60’s are of catching trout at Lake Eucumbene and Murray Cod in the Lachlan River. In those days there wasn’t the catch and release mentality that many hold today, so there were great numbers of fish caught and filleted. Geoff recalls one particular turning point in his young life when he was fishing the Lachlan River with his Father Allan. 

He was sitting up on his father’s shoulders while Allan sight cast at what was to be a 25 pound Murray Cod.

It took three casts before the silver Eucumbene spinner was presented well enough for the

fish to strike. From that experience Geoff says sight fishing was all he ever wanted to do. Back at the farm the closest he got to sight fishing on a regular basis was dry fly fishing for European Carp in the Channels, with his Jarvis Walker rod.

                                                                                                                                                                               

Geoff had his drivers license three weeks when he packed up his HQ Ute and drove to the Gulf of Carpentaria, with his best mate, to chase the famous Barramundi. The trip was far from a success and he was to come away with the knowledge that there was more to Barramundi fishing than he had realised. 

The challenge drove Geoff’s passion and soon after he was on his way to Darwin. The first stop was the local tackle shop where he milked as much information as he could. He had decided that he would tackle one river at a time and started with the South Alligator. He was to find success and a two week trip ended four months later. Geoff continued to fish the Top End each year spending less time down south and more time on the water up North. And each year he learned a new river or estuary. When Geoff was offered a job guiding on the South Alligator River in the early 80’s he jumped at the chance. 

In the late 80’s Geoff started a guiding position at Barra Base (BarraBase). This was a very popular fishing destination on the Tiwi Islands. At first Geoff remembers struggling with the huge tides, something he had not had to deal with growing up fishing the fresh water of Victoria. One day he says, “It all just clicked.” He learnt to read the water and where and when to be according to the tides. 

Geoff worked his way up to Manager at Barra Base (BarraBase) and it was during this time that he built Jessie Camp, (also on the Tiwi Islands), and managed both Bases. It was here that Geoff made a name for himself in the fishing industry. 

Geoff has been part of many National fishing shows and many an article was written after a fishing trip with him.

 

He not only imparted his knowledge to his clients but readily took under his wing young blokes wanting the same opportunity as himself years before. Geoff gave many of the guides working in the NT today their first guiding opportunity. Geoff was manager for five years when Barra Base (BarraBase) closed at the end of 1998. 

Geoff now works out of Darwin. He combines local lodges, motherships and heli fishing to cover as much of the Top End coastline as he can and provide clients with the trip of a lifetime. Geoff’s priority is his clients and making sure they go away with great stories of success and knowledge they can use in their own fishing. He says helping others realise their dream gives him the satisfaction that the challenge of working out the NT waters in his earlier days did. 

When Geoff’s not guiding one of he’s favourite pastimes is to pack every piece of warm clothing he has and head south to visit his mate Dave in Tassie. He passes the time casting many a dry fly at trout and then sitting by open fires, drinking red 

wine with the locals and sharing fishing stories. Geoff is also working with Pandanas Productions to produce a series of  DVD’s. 

Today Geoff is regarded as one of the best and most experienced guides in the Northern Territory. At this years Melbourne fishing show Geoff was introduced by Rex Hunt as, “The best Guide in the Northern Territory bar none.” But the truth is in the big picture and as one of Geoff’s many saying’s goes, “You’re only as good as your last day out.”