Barra From A Kayak

[Gordie]

Please excuse my ignorance on this fellas but I dont get on here too often.

Is there any feedback you can give on catching a Barra from a kayak.

I have remodled a Rosco slalom for the 2nd time, opened the cockpit, added bouyance plus rod straps etc.

Thinking that next time I go to Monduran I might tow it up into the sticks and have a go.

The benifits that I can see are, quiet, low centre of gravity as my bum is below water level and you can follow them in and around the snags.

If I get a dunking then I had a ton of fun.

Happy to hear from anyone on the pluses and minuses.

Regards Gordon

[snagking]

Well, you could easily troll right past the snags.

And if you do hook up...
well, hold on :)

[Jeremy87]

I've done a few 60-70cm (hooked bigger but they've all bricked me) barra from a canoe. Mondy would not be the easiest impoundment to try it. Too much timber and too many big fish. You'll get dragged around like a water skier in a labrynth. If you want to get barra from a yak in mondy i'd be sticking to the more open weeded areas. In saying that it would be an interesting prospect going for a metrey in the sticks. If your up for the challenge and willing to lose a few lures then i say go for it.

[Steve B]

Go for it Gordon. You will catch fish. Yaks are so quiet and stealth. Worry about landing the fish when she happens!!!

I remember screaming past a yak at Peter faust a few years back to go cast on the other side of the dam.......about 1 hour later he paddled up to us and asked 'how many fish fellas'....'none yet' we replied. He said 'since you guys went past me at the ramp I have caught 5 fish trolling across the dam to here'.!!!!! He had the pics too!!! He even took a photo with us in the background to rub it in!!! He had a cool little camera tripod on the front with a timer on his camera...took great pics.

IMHO, go for it Gordon.!! closer to nature = closer to fish.

Steve

PS: another tip: If you get a drunkin you'll get a dunkin!!;);D I just made that up....pretty poor form!!!

[rc@hinze]

Gordie, a group of guys took some Yaks up to Awoonga a few months back. You should find their report if you do a search in the fresh water reports section - RC

[Hardb8]

G'day Gordie,
I've dabbled in it,And done alright.With the right layout it can be done,And done pretty effectively.

On the bad side :-

You do have a low centre of gravity,But you don't have the beam in a kayak that you do with a boat,So at times it can get sketchy if ya runnin a fair dinkum drag setting.Your added bouyancy may very well negate this problem though.As will softer drag settings.

Landing and releasing fish can also be a task.I thought I had it all sorted untill my first decent fish came up beside the kayak.Seems to be magnifyed even more when ya sittin on the water.:o :o :o

The sheer bulk of the larger fish is very hard to handle,Especially if you need to bring it aboard to remove hooks that are down a bit.Ask yaself this,As you may very well be in this scenario....Can you lift up to 60lbs of slippery,Angry Barra,With 6x hooks in it's mouth into your vessel safely?

In that confined space,It has the potential to get nasty.REAL NASTY.

The alternative is to tow them along aside till you reach the shore.This also can be hard without an electric on ya rig,And hard on the fish.

Fish up to about 80cm are quite manageable,But over this size,Things start to heat up a bit in that tiny cockpit.:)

If recording the capture is your thing,This is another act that can be hard to achieve in a yak.Getting the fish flat for a true measurement is difficult with limited space,As is getting the required distance for desired photography.

I don't wanna sound like too much of a fairy,But to be honest,When you actually sit down and think about it...It can be dangerous.

Thinking about it carefully will prepair you though.Try to be ready for the worst case scenario.

Mine is :- Hookin a 120+ boatside.The fish,Green as,Jumps straight over ya ride.And on the way,Drives two sets of ST66's deep into the side of ya face (Lets make one go in ya eye).The pure bulk of the fish drags you into the water,And she procceds on her way into the depths with you still attached.....Impossible.This could never happen you say??? I'm not so sure.;D

The good stuff :-

Seein fish jump well clear of ya head height.Sneakin around with unreiveled stealth.Accessin hard to reach areas.Gettin towed at 3 knots when ya drag pressure evens out with the fishes strenght.Gettin towed foward while ya Minn Kota is in reverse at full noise on 3.8-)

For me captures are sweeter from my kayak than when they are from a boat,Not sure why?They just are for some reason.

It can be done with thought.Just take care m8.And plan as best you can.;)

Below pictured are a few pups that have made it aboard.My best landed and released from my kayak is :- 114 at around 50lb.A great sence of acheivment.:)

Regards. B8.:)

[Gordie]

Thanks for all the above fellas. What Hardb8 said made a lot of sense. It is a pity we cant target the size we can handle.

This is a lot smaller than the usual kayaks we see around.

I think I enjoy fishing from my kayak more than the tinny, great up rivers and creeks.

When on M, I might use it to travel quietly up into an arm and cast from the shore.

Steve I dont want to appear on one of your incident reports.

Thanks again

Gordon

[LeeannP]

All I can say is that they go a hell of a lot harder than those cod you've been catching! :-)
Take note of HardB8. I don't think you'd be wanting to lift a metrey into your boat. Fish with someone else so they can help out if need be.
One thing is certain though, you'll have a ball. We're finding our catch rates are pretty bloody good from the yaks.

[Gordie]

Okay I am listening. Looks like I might have to try bunge jumping or sky diving for a bit of fun.:'(

That has got to be a typographical error above as I am sure that lovely Leeann would not swear.::)

Regards Gordon

[Barraboss]

This is my plan for this year so am reading with anticipation :)

Cheers
Matt