Is my gear sufficient?

[Sergio_kutz]

Hey, I'm looking to go to the world barra comp in march next year and i was wondering if my gear would be up to the challenge or if i should get a new reel and stick. My rod is a 5'6" Jarvis walker GenX plus #GXP 5601 BCLM and the reel is an ebu ambassadeur 5000c and i'll be putting 30lb fused spiderwire on it. Will that do or am i going to break something?

[clutter]

Would depend on where it is being held eg the type of terrain you are fishing. The abu sounds like it would do but not real sure of the rod, try a Loomis crankbait.

clutter

[Jeremy]

You are looking to go in the 'world barra comp', you have a jarvis walker rod, and you don't know whether your gear is up to it? Have you ever caught a barra before? What sort of comp is this?

I'm confused [smiley=help.gif]

Jeremy

[damons33]

hmmmmm, why not get a new stick and rod!
i dont think that the abu is up for over 5kg of drag anyhow.
and a nice high mod graphite rod would be a killer!
hahhaa
damo'

[mackmauler]

sounds to me like your heading for a black tie event wearing speedos ???

[caloundra]

LOL mackmauler [smiley=uhoh.gif]

[Sergio_kutz]

Hey, what's with all the cutting comments? You need to ask questions to find new things out, otherwise you can't learn. So mabye some more constructive comments instead of pointing out that i'm new to serious fishing in harsh ways.

Thanks.....

[mackmauler]

take it easy tiger, there is some good info there for ya.

[jeffo]

i think everything was only said in good fun sergio....as the guys have pointed out though... if you are only starting out with serious fishing then "looking to go in a world barra comp" you might be biting off more than you can chew. maybe you should give your gear a run for barra for a year till you find out what will work best for you then next year have a crack at the tournament?? gotta walk before you can run :)

[Maria]

Serg,

No harm was intended by anyone's comments - I assure you. Maybe post this thread in the saltwater or general section to get some more views and comments. There are quite a few blokes on here that are seriously into their barra bashin - especially some of the blokes up north. And yes, I'd be upgrading the gear.

Ben

[sooty_mad]

Sergio

I would assume by the numbers on your rod (bclm) that it stands for Baitcast light/medium. If so, your rod is way too light. You would need a rod rated to at least 6kg if fishing creeks and estuaries and preferably 8kg for somewhere with plenty of cover like Peter Faust Dam.

The old ABU 5000 would stand up to it but you would need to upgrade the drag washers. Contact Erskine Tackle Shop in Cairns for a set of quality drag washers.

My personal opinion is that 30 lb Spiderwire (which fishes closer to 40 lb) would be more than adequate, however many would disagree with me. Line any heavier than this will only allow you to put too much load on the fish and pull the hooks.

Happy fishing... David

[Sergio_kutz]

Thanks for the info guys. Hopefully i'll be making about 3 or 4 trips up north with some guys from bundy to get some practise before i take on the barra in march. Bad day today, so comments earlier weren't seen to comedicly. Exams for uni are on during the same time some friends of mine are going up to peter faust so that's one less trip i'll get to take. I'll look into getting a new stick. Any ideas where around brisbane i should be looking to get one?

[Maria]

By the way, what nationality's your name?

Ben

[Sergio_kutz]

Russian, both first and last name. It pretty cool, better if i could speak the language tho. Should get my babushka to teach me.... *muses to self*

[Maria]

Yeah thought it was Russian. Learn it - good fun.

Ben

|
|
|
|
|
\|/

[Jeremy]

as stated, my comments were not meant to be taken too seriously. Stick with this site and you will find that we are all OK.

I am going fishig for barra for my first time in November and I am taking an ABU 4600 and an ABU 6500 spooled with 6 and 8 kg mono and yes I expect to get done over a few times.

Take your reel to a tackle shop (eg the warehouse on Old Cleveland Rd) to get some advice on a good rod. Be warned, the more expensive high modulus graphite rods are easy to break if you are not careful. I would suggest something more forgiving at first.

And then practice practice practice your casting so it is flawless for when you go fishing.

Jeremy

[damons33]

hell ....... mine were!
get a high modulus graphite rod that over loads over 10kilo!
not a frikken bream rod!
the reel will "do" my a$$!
get something "flash" try the new calcutta 400 with jacks new type washers and if your really serious get it worked by jack to suit the line type and class you intend to use!
other choice of reel would be a boss accurate in the small size for trolling this would be the best reel you could use(around$600aust) but i dont know how it casts.
abu where a great reel 30 years ago but now days there is a lot more reels that are far better. i would take an egg beater as well for lighter lures. but from what i've heard the trolling seems to get the the biggest barras'
damo'-unremorsefull as always!
::)

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

Sergio the reel will do fine - One or two big fish aren't going to blow it away - 30lb is well over the reels sensible load though, the change of drag washers will allow you to lock it up but put the brass gears at risk.

I run an ABU 5500c with a custom ugly stick I made myself #- it is one of my "must have outfits" it caught everything from blues to 10kg on the reef (below) & big trevors on Hinchinbrook, to live baiting tailor & jew at the pin or trolling flatties & flingin' rubbas - i use it to jig live baits even.

Its small enough to cast accurately all day - but big enough to take some grunt.

Alot of nancy-pants, limp wristed guys #:-X don't like Ugly sticks cause they are heavy & sloppy compared to the likes of Loomis etc - I luv 'em. Gotta admit it effects the accuracy though - a lot harder to correct mid swing.


chris

[Render]

Bloody hell, Jeremy...

It appears that blokes with 'Serge' in thier names really have it in for you ;)

Cheers

R

[Jeremy]

It's alright for Damo to talk up the really expensive gear. You're doin' alright so you can afford that stuff. Been a long time since you've outfished me now mate, even with your loomis and live fibre rods and stella and calcutta reels.

There is alot more to catching fish than the gear you use, although quality tackle does make things alot easier.

Remember, in the end "flash counts for nothing"

Jeremy

[damons33]

well seeing i've turned into a steve slobodzian! having only gone fishing 6 times so far this year i can see where your coming from...jeremy
but i buy the best available because of my past encounters of xos fishes! again i can see where your coming from buying abu .....jerm
also you will know what a sail looks like when you catch your next "opppps" i mean your first one.....dude they are un-mistakable, i got 6 in my first session on them....how are you going in your "hunt" for a sail?
next lession will be barras' have you caught any barras?
no,no i thought so!
see you wedsnday nite, you can show us your barra lures
haha' hehe' hoho' damo
;)

[Jeremy]

Mate, firstly I don't think it's good form to name names on a public forum like this Damo. Poor Steve!

Second, I wrote "been a long time since you outfished me" which is true. You come back firing shots #[smiley=rifle.gif] [smiley=rifle.gif] about my 'sail' and my not having caught a barra which is true - so what? I've never fished for them before.

I don't think that is called for. You are obviously a bit sensitive about being outfished by me with cheaper tackle and a much smaller boat. Actually I think that's at least 3 times in a row now - the FishTag trip, Jumpinpin trip, and the State titles....and the Brisbane SFC comp in April as well.

In the end, talk is cheap. What matters is who gets the fish and the points.

Cheers mate,

Jeremy

[damons33]

#yeah yeah yeah its all guood! if one year is a long time! :P
one good year for you' a few desent fish and your littering my name already. as you say "talk is cheap" yeah dirt cheap!
:-*
damo'-seems like you want more then just the serge's to attack you'
<----you sound a bit like the cartoon guy next to this sentence!
>:(

[mackmauler]

hahahahaha ;D ;D

[Jeremy]

yeah mate, all good fun in fishing comps and war ;D ;D

Jeremy

[Leo_N.]

This is getting a bit off the point.

Here is my opinion on your question.

The simple fact is that you can catch a barra on a very wide variety of tackle.

The specific quality of tackle you need depends a lot on where you will be fishing. If you are fishing in an area that has very little cover (snags), than you could probably land a few barra with the gear that you now have.

I would however assume that you will want to be fishing some places that have some heavy cover at least some of the time. In these places it is important to turn your fish before they take too much line on you. For instance some mates of mine went to Peter Faust Dam last weekend, using ABU 5500 and 6500 reels with 20-30lb line and got absolutely outgunned.

Like others have stated, it is really difficult to lock up with ABU reels and I would buy a Calcutta or Diawa Millionaire if I could afford it, the sturdier construction and better drags allow you to put a lot more pressure on the fish.

Like Chris said, I like ugly stick rods - they are just so tough it is really hard to break them (which is kinda nice when you are locked up onto the fish of a lifetime). Jarvis Walker rods are accesable because they are cheap. They are probably fine for someone who fishes rarely, but they scrimp on quality to get a cheap product to the average Joe. If you are serious about getting into some good fish, a better quality rod would be advisable.

I have used Spiderwire fusion before and absolutely HATED it. It really lacked the knot strength and abrasion resistance that I am used to from braided lines. My choice of line would be 50lb platypus superbraid. If you can't afford the true braid, I have found Fireline to hold knots better and have more abrasion resistance that Fusion, but Fireline can be a bit stiff, where braid is limp - limp line casts better.

Get some good quality leader material - my choice for barra fishing is 60lb Jinkai.

You are probably already adept at tying knots, but it is a good idea to practice this when you are barra fishing, not only so that they hold under a lot of pressure, but also so that you can re-rig reasonably quickly after being busted up. I tie in a binimi twist line double to the main line, then join the double to the leader (about 1.5m of leader) with a double uni knot.

I hope this helps, happy fishing.

[notts_so]

Leo you were write with up sizing rod but with reel until 3yrs ago i fished only with abu and loved it caught my fair share of barra and some nice trevaly. But serge if you can afford it go get a ugly and o millionare with 30 pnd braid 50 pound leader youv got a hole year to practice tying nots and getting use to the rod and how it handles but if you carnt afford that kind of dollars then go with the abu get a cheap heaver stick and upgrade the drag just before you go so you dont push it to much as you wont be use to it any different then when you first got it .........PS where the comp at

[mini696]

The simple fact is that you can catch a barra on a very wide variety of tackle.

Too right. Seen a huge one pulled in on a $25 Rex Hunt special.

Completely buggered it after, and was off the beach (no snags), but hey, it was still caught.

[Sergio_kutz]

The comp is at burketown on the easter holiday weekend. I can't remember the website but just search for the town and barra comp or something along those lines and u should find it.

[Leo_N.]

Notts,
Don't get me wrong, an ABU 5000 is my primary barra reel, but have used the upgraded reels mentioned and wish I could afford them. It just depends on the situation whether you will catch as many fish with the ABU.

[NQCairns]

Serge, just use what you have got, if you felt the need to ask this question the fun for you must still be in the basic act of fishing (you dont know how lucky you are!).
So you will have a great time regardless, spend the extra on lures and the above line advice. cheers nq

[Sergio_kutz]

They day that fishing, even just for little whiting, stops being fun is the day i stop fishing. What other reason is there to go fishing?

[notts_so]

Burketown barra nats Take time to do what you thinks best surge cause up there ya gonna have a ball its 1 off the best barra tournament going.
Have fun tight lines
....notts so