# Herping at Fogg Dam?



## sarah_m (Mar 3, 2011)

Hi all, just looking for a bit of help.
We are going to the Top End in April and are spending 3 nights at a B&B near Fogg Dam so that we can go herping. I have been before, just for day trips but what I am wondering is if anyone knows if you are allowed in at night?

Is it safe to be out on the dam wall after dark? 
Any tips or advice would be very much appreciated!
Thanks


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## waruikazi (Mar 3, 2011)

It's not safe to walk near tall grass at night anywhere near any water source. Stay in your car is my advice.


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## guzzo (Mar 3, 2011)

You are allowed to drive there at night. As Gordo said be carefull near the water esp near the lillys too. You just about always see water pythons and small crocs but there are some very big ones too.


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## Jay84 (Mar 3, 2011)

I was there not long ago and we saw a croc on the dam wall!


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## gillsy (Mar 3, 2011)

We found just on dusk is the best time, make sure you check the water at night your likely to see file snakes and macleays water snakes. 

We found at night a better drive is between fogg dam up the Arhem Hwy to the river, especially if it rains.


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## saratoga (Mar 3, 2011)

You're biggest danger there in april is the mosquitoes and other insects, especially if you are walking around with a torch...they can be overwhelming at that time of the year. Watch your ears and eyes.....a blister beatle in your eye can be very nasty. Seriously consider wearing long loose pants, long sleaved shirt and perhaps a flyscreen headshield at night if you're not used to it.

You do need to be crocodile aware, some big crocs live in the dam and will often lie on the dam wall and edges at night to try and cool off. Both salties and freshies live in the dam and on the surrounding floodplain. They could be anywhere in this area....including small isolated drying pools on the floodplain. If the croc is on land you're probably quite safe and they seem to be more scared of you. Keep your wits about you and don't turn your back when close to the water. With caution you are ok walking back and forward across the dam wall at night and you should see quite a bit of stuff...it's a great spot; although I haven't been there for years now. On many occassions I have been there later during the dry and stopped the car for one water python and seen another 2 or 3 crossing at the same time in range of the headlights!

During april things are still quite spread out although there will be some movement back from the floodplain to the main dam. Used to be lots of big panoptes there during the day, before the toads. Just before dusk keep an eye out for Golden tree Snakes in any of the trees near the dam, very common. There's a good chance of seeing long necked turtles crossing the road as well. Just on dusk is when you see the peak activity time for keelbacks moving around. After dark you should start seeing the water pythons although not in great numbers at that time of the year. You may also see Slatey greys and macleays, and file snakes on the road and watered edges. Back in the verging monsoon and pandanus forest you could come across adders (although they have taken a huge hit from the toads along with king browns), carpets and childrens and often frillys during the day...lots of northern water dragons as well.

The drive out across the marrakai plains on either side of the adelaide river can also be very productive. Watch out for road trains!!!
Also keep an eye out for pole 207 on the eastern side of the adelaide river, it leans and is on a slight bend in the road. Of special significance to me. Wet season 1997 following on from Cyclone Rachel I tied my troopie to that pole at 10 pm one night. The old troopy stopped in 1.4m of water. At that stage the nearest land was 1.7 km away on the edge of the floodplain. We had to abandon ship and tied it up to the pole for safekeeping overnight although I don't think the lean of the pole has anything to do with us!

Enjoy your time around Fogg dam and the Adelaide River..a great place to spend a few days and make sure you put up a post with pics when you return.


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## sarah_m (Mar 4, 2011)

Thanks guys, will take all that on board. I am always a bit jumpy when herping at night anyway so might stick to doing the dam wall during the day when I can see properly.

There will be pictures when I get back!


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## gillsy (Mar 4, 2011)

I found no reps during the day, we could drive our car all the way over the dam wall at night so just stay in your car if your worried.


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## Jay84 (Mar 4, 2011)

You will love it! But take heed of saratoga and cover up from the mozzies. I got back from Darwin 4 weeks ago and i still have mozzie bites clearly visible and still itching from that trip! Holding the torches at night and we were swamped by flying insects, moths, beetles and mozzies. It was horrible lol

We only saw the one freshie on the dam wall at night but im sure they are there in large numbers. 

We found the nights that rained were most productive, on dusk it was teeming with keelbacks. After dark we found over 10 hatchling water pythons in one night, slatey greys, one file snake, childrens pythons, a death adder and a few macleays water snakes. It certainly was a great spot!


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## sarah_m (Mar 4, 2011)

I remember the mozzies were pretty bad when we were there last and that was during the day! Hopefully it will end up being worth it, as with both our previous trips we were unlucky with the weather and saw very little.

We are also spending time in Litchfield and Katherine so with a bit of luck we will come back with lots of pics to share!


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## guzzo (Mar 4, 2011)

Hey on a bit of a different note if you are looking for a cracker torch you can't go past a Led Lenser P7 awsome little torch. very versitile and can quickly change from spotlight beam to a big wide beam. They only use 4 AAA which last a long time. I got one a while ago and love it!!!!Perfect for night herping

Oh and if you like owls (like in my Avitar) as you turn off Arhnem Hwy to Fogg Dam look on the power lines usually Owls everywhere


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## gillsy (Mar 4, 2011)

I'd like to take that challenge with torches. Mine is 1800lumens! Lite up from where u turn onto fogg dam road all the way to the dam wall!


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## guzzo (Mar 4, 2011)

Wow...what kind is it gillsy? I just like the P7 cause it is pocket size but heaps bright enough.


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## waruikazi (Mar 4, 2011)

guzzo said:


> Wow...what kind is it gillsy? I just like the P7 cause it is pocket size but heaps bright enough.



And because there is a clip to attach it to your rifle! The led lenser headlamps are pretty smick too!


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## gillsy (Mar 4, 2011)

1800 Lumens Led Flashlight Torch Lamp +18650+Charger (eBay item 400149823088 end time 30-Mar-11 21:41:58 AEDST) : Sport 
Similar to that, but I have 6 seperate LED bulbs and can have it 2,4,6 bulb settings.


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## guzzo (Mar 4, 2011)

gillsy said:


> 1800 Lumens Led Flashlight Torch Lamp +18650+Charger (eBay item 400149823088 end time 30-Mar-11 21:41:58 AEDST) : Sport
> Similar to that, but I have 6 seperate LED bulbs and can have it 2,4,6 bulb settings.


 
GEEEES man that thing looks like the Hubble telescope....no wonder it bright.....Sarah_m a great torch is worth the money esp out there at night.


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## gillsy (Mar 5, 2011)

Yeah I don't know how many times we were driving along that road and found a snake only to find another one in the outer reaches of the torch beam.


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