15kg Barra
"So, Lets Go Catch a Barra!"
by Arthur Dobe
Introduction:
Some call him old pink eyes, others mister paddle tail, I’ve heard large ones called pigs , especially after it has successfully treed the angler. But it doesn’t matter what you call him Lates Calcrifer seems to be the goal of most if only once in a recreational anglers life time. So your ready for the challenge, well be warned the Barramundi season is open midday 1st of Febuary, and I wonder how many of you are coming down with the fever ‘Barra Fever’ that is. For those anglers new to North Queensland this is a common ailment which is usually caught by recreational fishers who are at most risk after landing their first barra. The first symptom is a shaking of both hands as the angler struggles to hold his prize catch up for that once in a life time photo. The second symptom is an eternal desire to do it all again and again. If your first hook-up was more good luck than skill, or you goal is to land you first ever barra, even at the risk of catching the "fever" then read on. You may even join the ranks of that few 5%, who, catch barra on a regular basis. Myself I’m a live bait man, so I will give you the method that works for me. Now lets get down to business.
Look around and learn:
When I give lectures on the art of live baiting for barra I usually ask the punters how many of them have caught a barra? The response is usually a few hands go straight up, but in general on again asking how many have not?, it is usually the majority. Well this should not be the case, especially in the Townsville district, as it is one of the most barramundi rich areas in North Queensland. Most anglers who fish our waters have experienced a barra on their line but have never realised or landed it. Remember that mullet you thought had a hit and came back de-scaled. So why are these barras so hard to nail?. I personally feel it is all a matter of approach and keeping focused on the target specie, not losing site of your goal. You must become observant of your surroundings, and learn to read the area you wish to fish, the depth, the banks, the likely hood of a submerged snag. I can give you all the practical hints and instruction but until you can bring every factor together then and only then can you catch barra on a regular basis. Also remember to keep a diary of the time and the conditions of tide, weather and other factors that may have helped with your success.
Habit and Habitat:
Barra like all animals even mankind are creatures of habit and habitat these are the two most important clues to your success. They are opportunist and would prefer to hold up behind a snag , a old mud slide or even an impression on the bottom. They will pick off bait that swim by. Especially in the cooler months barra become lazy and will require your bait to be drooped on its nose. But when he inhales hang on. The exception is in the breeding season and hotter months, when they will move around more and will usually move into an estuary or travel its length on an incoming tide. They will become more active and hungry, and even fresh dead bait won’t be ignored.
Baits and Rigs:
The best bait for barra is anything live like prawns, herring and mullet. Presentation is also a major factor and one of the best rigs for presenting a live prawn is on a dropper rig. This rig consists of a length of 60 lb. Jenki leader about a meter long with a led ball sinker slid on one end with only one granny knot tied to the leader. This stops the lead sinker from sliding off but will allow it to pull free over the knot and thus releasing the rig should the sinker become snagged. A very sharp 3/0 karl or wide gape hook (I prefer a laser sharp Eagle Claw due to the heavier gauge wire used in there manufacture.) attached to the other end of the leader secured with a half blood knot with the lock. At about 400mm from the hook end attach the doubled main line using the Geoff Wilson’s improved albright knot. Of coarse always use a doubler in your main line . These knots are all shown in Geoff Wilson’s Book of knots and is well worth the purchase and are available at most good Tackle shops. The dropper rig is best fished with the reel in strike mode (in gear, not free spool).
Bait Presentation No.1.
The prawn is attached to the hook by pinning the hook sideways through the last link in the tail allowing it to swim free and flick which is an attention getter for a hungry barra. If mullet are to be used with this rig pass the hook through the bottom lip and out through the top roof of its mouth. The dropper rig also makes for easier casting with a bait caster or over head reel. Small herring work best by using the butter fly method by putting one on the hook through the eyes and a second under the dorsal fin, the fluttering action is another attention getter. Large herring can be either lip hooked or threaded under the dorsal fin. Make sure you thread the hook from the rear of the dorsal on one side and exit to the front on the other side so as the hook is pointing forward along the length of the bait and not across. Other wise the hook point may pull into the side of the bait and not expose the point. This is especially so on free spooled live mullet baits. Now this brings me to another popular rig when live baiting for barra.
Bait Presentation No. 2.
Live baiting in open waters like sandbars at night and the upper reaches on high tides can be interesting and only requires a standard running rig. The rig consists of a hook attached to 800mm of 60lb jenki attached to a swivel, attached to the mainline on which runs a ball sinker. This rig is best used on spinning gear or thread line reel with a rubber band attached on the fore grip of the rod. After the bait is cast the bail arm is left open and the line slipped under the rubber band which should be tight enough to hold the line from being taken free buy the swimming mullet or fish bait. When our barra picks up the bait it likes to descale and swallow it head first. If any resistance is felt old pinkeye’s will become suspicious and spit out the bait. So I also suggested you lay your rod down in a straight line and allow the line held by the rubber band to be pulled free and off the face of the reel with out any resistance. Don’t be too impatient count slowly to ten then strike. If the fish jumps wind in quick and hit it hard, do not give any slack. Remember lift and wind down let the rod do the work and do not have the drag set to light.
The best times to Fish :
Tides can be critical but not always. I prefer a difference in run between 800mm and 1500mm. The larger the tide and run the smaller the fishing window. Tides on the neap side seem to work the best, which usually occurs 3 days after the full moon. The last of the run out first of the run in of the tide and an hour either side of the top (when the tide is full) seem to fish best but is not always the case.