Big barra at awoonga this easter

[Jeremy87]

Went up to awoonga this Easter with a few friends to do the barra thing. We Left brissy by 3 on Friday morning and made our way up. By 10:30 we were on the water sussing the place out. After 5 minutes of casting my line came tight and I let out a quick 'yep' followed by 'I don't think its a barra' after a 10 second struggle up pops a catty. Oh well we moved to a likely looking weed bed dropping into deep water and resumed casting.

We eventually swapped to shallow runners and I put on a weightless 6" atomic jerk shad we had several hits from what appeared to be longtom. I watched my plastic as I twitched it rhythmically just below the surface as what appeared to be a metre long barra lazily roll past it giving it an enquiry nudge. This lifted our spirits for a few more hours but a move was in order.

We made our way up the borne river to cast at some likely structure. At around 2 o’clock I was rewarded with another catty. John also had a solid hit that failed to hook up again on a weightless plastic. This was the limit of our success on softies for the rest of the trip. By 4:30 with diminished spirits we decided to have one last attempt at enticing the barra for the day.

We anchored up on a spot shown to us by John Mitchell on a charter earlier that year and commenced casting. Our spirits lifted again shortly as mike felt a solid hit closely followed by matt hooking up and landing a healthy 80cm specimen. A few photo’s and the fish swam away healthily we recommenced casting and John hooked up. The water erupted and every one called at once ‘metre’.

After a few minutes John had recovered most of the line and the barra again launched itself clean out of the water not 5 metres from the boat. At this point we realised the shear size of this fish. I frantically began to clean deck space as matt and mike prepared to land the fish. After a fight that lasted well over five minutes we lifted the massive fish into the boat. And started taking photo’s it’s true measurement was never determined as its tail hung entirely over the end of the brag matt. We called it 130cm but after closer inspection of photographs it would appear that it was closer to 135cm(not bad for a first barra me thinks). The fish swam away strongly so it’s still out there for someone else to catch on a later date.

This barra was soon to be followed by mikes first barra measuring 102cm. Not until later that night did I managed to hook up and land a fish around the 70cm mark. So at the end of day one we had all successfully landed a barra this would be the end of the fish for matt and I only managing a few hits over the next two days and matt dropping a fish into the fight due to pulled hooks. The next day we developed a point system being 2 points for a metre plus barra, 1 point for a barra and –1 points for a cat fish. I had some work to do currently sitting on –1 points.

One of the highlights of the trip was Mike’s 93cm barra caught in thick timber caught early Saturday morning most of this fight was recorded on video camera. This was to be followed by another fish in the 60’s later that night and John landing another two barra measuring 108cm and 94cm. Sunday proved fruitless other than the odd bump and an aggressive hit on a fizzer late in the evening. But the scenery in the borne river and the fantastic sunset that evening more than made up for the lack of action.

At the end of the trip the score stood at 5 points to John, 4 points to Mike, 1 point to Matt and me bringing up the rear at –1 points. All in all a great few days on the water, we seemed to have done the best out of the other boats we talked to the better of which landing 1 or 2 barra for the weekend largely due to John Mitchell’s secret spot. All the fish were caught casting hard bodies and were released to fight another day.

I'm waiting for phot's to be emailed to me but i'll post them asap.

[Mak579]

Great report, sounds like an awesome trip
looking forward to seeing the pics

Matt

[Awoonga]

Please lets see those photos...135.....That would be the biggest or should l say longest barra to come out of Awoonga that l know off....128 is my best and that has taken 5 years.....Great work....They will only get bigger

[Kayak1]

Hi Jeremey,
Great report. Lotsa boats out over Easter, surprised you found a spot to fish. I like your points system .... I'd be at minus a gazillion. I keep the catties occupied while my daughter bags the barra.. its a dad thing. ::) Keep the reports coming as I live in hope. :-/
Cheers,
Steve.

[TinarooTriumph]

135 aye? Hope you got the pic's to back her up ;) . Sounds like you a had a good time which was the main thing.

TinarooTriumph 8-)

[tiges]

Well done Jeremy, sounds like you guys done well. I was up there also wed arvo thru till sat morn. My first time there so I was a bit overwhelmed. Managed a 64cm barra casting in a shallow bay with a bit of timber on the fri night you mentioned. Had another one of similar size jump and throw the hooks too. Sorta cracked the code that night but unfortunately had to leave the next day. You guys right up the back were you, I never ventured much further than Dingo Is, kinda regret that now. Flogged too much territory that looked good, but dropped off too steeply in hindsight. Shallower, weedy banks on the western side seemed like the place to be. Learnt lodes and can't wait to get back up there, your report only whets the appetite more. Was amazingly uncrowded on the water with heaps of room to explore, many boats where you guy's were? I'll chuck a pic up of my fish, gonna look lame against your pics when they go up. But hey, it was enough to make the trip a memorable one for me.

[Poseidon]

Good to hear that there was plenty of room on the water Tiges. I was going to ask how busy it was on the water over the Easter Break, so I guess that there is plenty of water for all to share ?

What about around the camping areas, was there still room for all to get along.

I have been put off contemplating trips to either Awoonga or Monduran over long weekends for fear of the crowds, however may give it a go from what you indicate.

Regards Cameron.

[Jeremy87]

Alright here's the pics. so from the tip of her nose to where the tail starts is approximately the length of the brag mat. If it is the biggest we will never know but it sure was big.

[Jeremy87]

better shot

[Jeremy87]

first barra of the trip

[Jeremy87]

sorry last one was an old photo

The first barra for the trip

[Jeremy87]

Mike also joined the metre club with his first barra

[Jeremy87]

my little one

[Jeremy87]

and finally a sunset shot on the last day. If anyone wants a full sized shot of the big girl let me know and i'll email the full sized shot.

[Jeremy87]

Well thats it from me. Just to answer a few q's the camp sites and boat ramp was packed but when you got on the water there was little competition for a spot. I think you had the same idea as us tiges, your fish may have only been a small one but whats important is that you got one (and potentially next time you could catch one twice that length doing the same thing) and next time you go you'll have a starting point. My fish was also only small but seeing the other fish come onboard was almost as good specially when casting when potentially every cast could produce a fish, the number of casts we made over the long weekend it was just sheer luck that other people in the boat caught more fish. Also i'd like to remind new comers to braid that it will cut you. Our neighbour almost took his finger of after trying to pull a lure from a snag when the outboard prop took up the slack line and sliced his finger tip like a ring saw. Also nav lights aswell. seriously guys its like $50. we nearly hit 2 dickheads trolling in the main basin coming back friday night because they didn't have nav lights. fair enough if you trying to be stealthy in the shallows but in the middle of the lake! Anyway thats my rant. Good luck to anyone heading up there and i'll see you all there next time.
Jeremy

[Jeremy87]

oh and also would anyone with a bit more experience like to hazard a guess of the things weight.

[tiges]

Yeh Cam, campsite was chockers. I was camped with 5 other couples, all with kids. So it was pretty hectic, and a bit of a juggle moving the cars & trailers around. But worked out alright. Also only 3 fishing boats between us, so I had to be tour guide to some very inexperienced fisho's. Made serious fishing difficult, and sometimes a little frightening with their casting ineptness. But all in all it was good fun. Can't imagine any time being busier than easter weekend, so I'd go there any time I got the chance, long weekend or not. And most importantly plenty of room to move on the water regardless.

Jeremy, mate excellent pics. But you've made me look silly.

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

Jeremy,,,
Weight, thats not really an issue, as the smiles and the memories created by that fish are the most important of the lot. It looks a fantastic fish. The length to weight can only be estimates as each fish varies in condition immensely and each individual photo can also either enhance slightly or detract from its true form.
But to have a rough and close guess from experience mate, at 1300mm, it would be very fair to say the fish would weigh over the 30 kg mark, but without actually seeing the fish myself it would be madness to make anything more acurate than a guess from a picture.
We have had 1200mm fish (kept)at 29.8kg, 1260mm fish at 30.8kg(weighed and released), and 1210mm fish at approx 29-30kg. Another barra of 1280mm weighed 28kg, more like the proportions of a wild salt fish, so with saying all that,,,,,,,,,,,,,your kick-butt barra weighed what it weighed, and it is still in the system hopefully available to grow into a mega-barra in the coming years to greet you once again at the easter bunny time.
PS,,,,keep outta my spot,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Not!!
Regards and all the best,
Johnny M
Lake Awoonga

[Poseidon]

Thanks for the info Tiges, Jeremy they are wonderful pictures and you must be pleased with the outing, thanks for the report.

Regards Cameron.

[Awoonga]

Yes thats some Fish ;D ;D ;D And the good thing is that you put her back ! !

[TonyM]

Fantastic stuff Jeremy! Pretty incredible considering how many boats must have been zooming around.

Awoonga dam hasn't allowed me to join the metre club yet (not for want of trying) One thing I know is that I'll never get tired of fishing for these amazing beasties amongst the snags :D

[Kayak1]

Hi Jeremy,
Thanks for following up with the photos. Fantastic fish.

All the best.
Steve.

[Zahly]

this one caught today #;D

trolling just on dark with a lure we found, where someone had mis-cast into the trees and didnt bother retreiving it. #we dont know exactly how big it is as our tape measure runs out at 90cm but it is around 115cm +. #also caught another 2 barra, one going around 1m and another around 95cm in a space of 10 mins of the biggun. They were obviosuly feeding as the sounder was blacked out with baitfish. #Just one of those days #:D

[Owen]

Some serious fish there Jeremy
Well done [smiley=tekst-toppie.gif]
Be interesting to know how old that fish would be.
I know what you mean about the nongs running around without lights out there.
I've only been on the dam once at night and could hear a few trolling around in the basin, but no lights to be seen :(

cheers,
Owen

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

Jeremy,
This barra was caught by the lady in the photograph today on charter, caught casting prior to sundown. A pretty dam good effort I reckon. It was 1230mm and by far a great way to end a day. It was caught doing similar things to what you mentioned you did in a similar spot that you, Matt and I fished on your charter visit! Great to see good fish like that and your whopper on the move.
Johnny M

[TinarooTriumph]

Some great fish fella's. Keep em' coming.

TinarooTriumph 8-)

[Zahly]

a_dif_perspective. seen you around the dam a bit. can u pm with a days charter price please? i cant pm yet because i havent posted 10 times.

[Big_Ren]

Some beautiful fish Jeremy. I had my first barra trip ever last week (to Monduran) and my first went 83cm. What a thrill to see it tagged and swimming healthily away to fighht another day. Two boats caught 28 for the week (all tagged and released) and I managed 4 with plenty smoking me, throwing lures and flashing them. What an extremely satisfying yet nerve-wracking form of fishing when you just never know when your lure will be crunched. Had a death grip on my rod all week and have cramped hands and bruises on my guts from the strikes/fights. A stunning experience i would recommend to anyone.

Cheers
Paul :)

[black_sheep]

As Big Ren mentioned, great fish Jeremy. I think Big Ren was getting his rod butt caught in his panty hose which caused the awesome bruising to his gut.

Paul, you should post a trophy shot of your bruises. May encourage or discourage some from planning their first Barra trip.

Johnny M - I assume the lady that caught the monster above was casting in fairly open water???

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

Black Sheep,,,
Awoonga is a place of 'fairly open' type water, so yes, hooked and landed in not so super tight crowded and enclosed timbered water, but that type of stuff isn't that common in Awoonga. Many big fish that get hooked, panic and run deep and away from any submerged hazards. I just pulled away with the electric and stayed wide keeping the fish clear from the undergrowth so to speak!!
Awoonga isn't a tough fishery, you can make it hard if you want to or keep it a lot more simpler for good results!
The barra she landed pulled pretty hard for a bigger fish, it jumped, changed direction many times and went deep for a while also. She did well to land it.
Cheers.

[Big_Ren]

As Big Ren mentioned, great fish Jeremy. I think Big Ren was getting his rod butt caught in his panty hose which caused the awesome bruising to his gut.

Paul, you should post a trophy shot of your bruises. May encourage or discourage some from planning their first Barra trip.

Johnny M - I assume the lady that caught the monster above was casting in fairly open water???


Thanks Navi. I will post the shot of my guts provided the 'puter allows me to reduce the pic enough lol. Thanks again for a breat trip and the loan of your panty hose. ;D

Cheers
Paul

[Big_Ren]

My war wounds as promised. Sorry to hijack this post for the moment Jeremy.

Cheers
Paul ;)

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

paint ball? ;)

[Darren_R]

Sweet report Jeremy, I agree about the lights as I have had the same thing happen. I have also been trolling along the bouy line at the wall and had another boat troll past me about 3 meters from my boat so I could not turn and basically I had to turn across their lines or hit the bank. And they abuse me for cutting across their lines?
Not as though there is not enough room there.
There is always the idiots!!