How to Stop Barra Throwing Hooks?

[Splash]

I hooked 2 nice barra today, and both threw the hooks as they jumped.

What are the known techniques to reduce the chance of this happening when fishing for barra?

SPlash

[3rd degree]

I've never really had an issue jumping barra off... But then again I only fish for them for 1 week a year

Was it the same lure that both jumped off? How are the barbs on your lures? How often do you sharpen or change your trebles?

Cheers

Jim

[Splash]

different lures - brand new.

I guess i shoudl sharpen my hooks even though they are brand new...

What shoudl a sharp barb look like?

How do u know?

Splash

[Feral]

Keep pressure on the line whilst playing them, make sure you use short strong quality hooks. Very few Barra lures I will use with the hooks that come on them.
My preference is for 6x VMC's.

I dont sharpen hooks, most hooks these days are chemically sharpened. I'm certainly not good enough with a sharpening stone to better that.

[marto78]

As Feral says you have to keep the pressure on them but when they jump try dropping your rod tip into the water instead of leaning back on the rod this will keep a similar line angle on the fish as when they are in the water and you have less chance of being hit by a flying lure if the hooks do pull.

[NAGG]

set the hooks ...... jam those hooks in a couple of times after the initial hook up . use sharp hooks .

chris

[Floating Rib]

My Brother who lived in the NT for years and has several 1m plus salties to his credit reckoned a lot of fish were lost at the boat jumping, he used to keep his tip down at that stage with pressure still on, reason that the angle of the line didnt encourage the fish up and out, seemed to work for him and ive used the same method on the few i caught up that way.

[Camhawk88]

The rod should always be kept low even below the water line with pressure coming from the side. This basically minimises their aerobatics and while not as spectacular will result in more fish.I would resist the urge to try setting the hooks with multiple strikes etc. all this does is tear a larger hole in the mouth making it easier for them to throw the hooks. If they are hooked and running there is no need.

[NAGG]

A barra will jump if it wants to jump ( often depending on where it is hooked) - At best low rod angles only reduce the frequency - I've seen more than many a barra jump when the rod is plunged straight into the water .
At times a higher rod angle is beneficial - snaggy environment ....... A fish will tire quicker if it is jumping. specially if you can see that you have a good hook set in the hinge of the jaw ....

Chris

[whiteman]

Try this - hold the rod at a 45 degree angle and get someone to pull the tip like you had a fish on. Now do the same with the rod held parallel to the ground. Notice the difference? The fish sure does as there is very little resistance when the tip is high (and it is all power when low) and that is probably the main thing giving the barra the chance to throw your lure out of its mouth. If you use barbless hooks you will become much more aware of having to keep the line tight in the fight and you'll naturally keep the rod angle much lower.

[BigE]

If your using braid then use a softer tip rod and keep the tip low or even level to the water. You can use a rod with some more grunt if your fishing mono. You will get tonnes of advise on this subject and lots of it will be conflicting. how ever they are common tips which will increase your conection rates in different situations. My tips are below for certain situations.
Rock bars: I prefer mono and to place my boat so I'm pulling the barras away from the bar on an angle use the tide if possible. (down side Jacks will smash ya into the bar)
Flats or drains into deeper channels: My personal fav. Go light mono with a twisted leader keep the pressure to a min and the barra seem to jump less. ( success rate is very high)
Snags and other structure: hard to go past braid and twisted leader (short) you will pull a few and they will want to jump, barras don't nibble so when it inhales your rig smack it hard twice for solid hookup and get the fish clear then work on keeping him low in the water (not easy) fishing close qtrs with Barra is best done with a net man (two people) Have seen them poled (whacko poles) like tuna out of snags not very sporting and ruff on smaller fish which is not good.
Natural Water falls (Weirs but that won't be legal) Handline and live bait as close to the wall as possible (which would be 500m of course)

BigE

[Splash]

Great replies guys. THanks! I will certainly try most of these tips.

I also hear that people buy fast retrieve reels (like high 6' to 7's) to combat this issue of barras jumping off. Your thoughts on these high ratio reels?

Splash

[lucee81]

More than happy to take you out and show you how it's done. I'm heading out Friday 14th.

[Goodoo haven]

More than happy to take you out and show you how it's done. I'm heading out Friday 14th.

That is a generous offer Lucus. Good on ya mate.

[warti]

I agree with BigE, i set the hook hard. I lost a lot of barra early on when I used a heavyish bait cast combo. I now mostly use a lighter spin outfit and catch most that I hook. I also think most barra that i have lost are that ones that don't fully inhale the lure, but are the ones that push or roll on them causing less than ideal side of the head hookups. The more barra you catch you will also feel the bite more and realize when they have it in the mouth, sometimes the take is very subtle. Not all barra hits are as explosive as you see on tv, especially when slow fishing plastics. I do love the explosive hits on surface lures though.

[Splash]

thanks mate.

i'll send a pm....

[Splash]

thanks boys.

warti.

what is your model reel, rod and line?

SPlash

[Daintreeboy]

I always use harsh language....before and after the hooks are thrown.

[BigE]

D/Boy ...... LOL me too me too sometimes for quite a while after!

[MudRiverDan]

Never chased Barra, though when I fish I find the stiffer rods tend to lose fish more often to this kind of thing.
Maybe try a rod with a slower action, where as with a stiff rod the power it exerts back on the fish also makes it easier for the fish to use it as "leverage" for want of a better word.

When a fish shakes on a softer rod it tends to absorb a lot of the friction.

Dan

[Dicko]

Some good advice already given which will help, but realistically you also need to get used to it.

You'll never land every one you hook. :)

[Camhawk88]

At best low rod angles only reduce the frequency - I've seen more than many a barra jump when the rod is plunged straight into the water .

Chris
And thats the idea- it greatly reduces the frequency in my experience. The less jumps the less chance of a thrown hook. How long it takes to tire the fish is irrelevant to the chances of a thrown hook and with a good rod technique using sideways pressure rather than vertical you will bring the fish in quicker anyway.

[warti]

I am using a 4000fj stradic, G-loomis force light 10-25lbs mod/fast action 7'3" 30lbs braid. It is a bit of a long rod but I was using it for throwing plastics for trout with a Stella attached. The Stella was overkill and heavy so I put a stradic on it. Started using it for barra and never looked back. It has a light tip but heaps of grunt. My other barra outfit is a 6-12kg T-Curve with a 300 Daiwa Luna. While the rod is a similar rating the action is heaps stiffer. I use it mainly for live baiting now. I also have a chronarch & 4-6kg tairyo nano speed for a 20lbs braid outfit for jacks,salmon small barra etc. I am addicted to barra as ou can see and go out at least twice a week.

[Splash]

thanks Warti.

WHy threadlines over baitcaster overheads?

Splash

[warti]

Probably because at the time I didnt want to spend extra money on a bait cast outfit! I also prefer it for the ease of throwing light plastics. I think i am just comfortable with this outfit.Don't get me wrong, I still like the bait caster (chronarch) for the small creeks. Took my old man out to get a barra the other day and he was using an old okuma bait runner with a Berkeley IM6 and he caught a 93cm barra no worries. Don't get caught up on the best reels hype or the best rods hype, I have probably caught more barra on a handlines and live bait. These days I mostly lure for the fun.

[Splash]

thanks warti

do barra prefer any time of day to bite more often?

what is the ideal water temp for barra biting?


splash

[warti]

Mate,I am no guru. I am in awe of people like johnny Mitchell etc. I just go heaps (ask my wife!). I have caught them all times of the day and night. I like the tidal changes more than anything. This year and last year I caught barra in the middle of winter with the water temp in the 17deg and 18deg area. lately around 21deg and hopefully the water will get warmer and they get more aggressive. I think the barometer has a lot to do with their feeding.

[Splash]

What size single hooks are best for Barra?

What size trebble hooks are best for barra?

Brands and shapes would also be appreciated.


Splash