‘A dream come true’ The 1st Dhipirri Metre Barra of the 2024 run-off goes to Rory Gibson

Rory Gibson from Yamba, NSW delivers the 1st Dhipirri Metrey caught on the opening trip of the 2024 run-off!

Welcome to the Metre Club Rory!

What a start to the 2024 run-off at Dhipirri as Rory pulled in this fantastic Barramundi on the final day of the opening tour.

Fishing with Dhipirri Guide Rob Robinson, Rory’s 100cm Dhipirri Barra was caught in The Glyde River – about 15 minutes boat ride from the Lodge… and we’ll let Robbo’s first words when Rory hooked up set the scene for a wonderful recap.

“A little drain rat to start the day!”

Over to you Rory.

“I got lucky. Our guide Robbo pulled up at a drain that looked just like dozens of others along the Glyde River.

The tide was on the run out and the water a bit dirty from rain upstream.

About my third cast I hooked up.

Robbo was busy tying a leader, so he hadn’t seen the strike but uttered what were to become the hilarious words: “A little drain rat to start the day!”

“Yeah Robbo, I think it might be a bit bigger than that,” I said. And then it jumped, a huge, beautiful silver horse of a fish that was clearly in the high 90cm range.

It stayed hooked up despite some spectacular efforts to ditch the lure, and when finally netted I dared to dream that perhaps this might be the fish that got me membership of the metre club.

And it was. 1001mm of dream come true.“

Rory also caught an 88cm Dhipirri Barra on Day 1, but his tour’s unofficial leader Russell Dalton (who first visited Dhipirri in June 2023 – and couldn’t wait to get back, so he came in March!) had got close to a Metrey of his own with a 97cm Dhipirri Barra a day later… but we’ll let Rory tell you again about the full Dhipirri experience.

“It’s a great thrill catching big Barramundi, and the rivers around Dhipirri have a healthy population of quality fish.I’ve been on annual fishing trips to the Top End with the same group of mates for about 20 years now, and the closest I’d got to joining the metre club in Australia was a 99cm specimen on the western side of Cape York.

The other boys hadn’t fared much better … we’d all caught plenty of great fish but none stretching the tape to 100cm.

But from the moment we arrived in Dhipirri, we all felt this was the place where it would happen.

On the first day I pulled up an 88cm specimen. The next day my buddy Russell scored one of 97cm.

And we all hooked big fish that looked like they’d make the grade only to lose them with a mighty head shake or an acrobatic somersault.

On our last day we set off thinking that Russell would finish the trip with bragging rights, and let’s face it , a 97cm Barra is something to be proud of.

But I got lucky. 1001mm of dream come true.

Thanks Robbo. Thanks Dazza. Thanks Dhipirri.”

Thanks Rory – what a recap – the look on your face when you got your Metre Club Shirt and the new Venom Rod from our great sponsors Wilson Fishing – an extra perk for Dhipirri Metre Club members in 2024, is a sight to behold.

Congrats Rory.

Want to go after a Metrey of your own?

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