Monduran Stiffys

[Roo]

It's about the general public Nagg. That's the bottom line. I'm happy to stick my nose out now so poor old Joe Bloe gets a fair chop. The full story. No harm in truths, more positives than anything. The only thing I'm keen to protect is the absorbent minds of learners. It doesn't bother me, I know the full yarn, I'm sure others would like to advance beyond their time too.
Cheers,
Johnny

the proof is in the pudding.
To be honest, Johnny I have found the articles you've written to be thought provoking, slightly cryptic and lacking in the detail that the "sponge like public" like myself, who is lucky to get 2 cracks at impoundment barra a year, really need. I don't have the time or the opportunity to work it out for myself. What WE need is the How, Where and Why kind of information if we are going to get maximum benefit from our rare opportunities to fish for these creatures. So far, I have found the Fishing DVD, The major magazines and Harro's book to be about all there is on offer. the DVD's are exciting and give valuable lessons on techniques that just don't explain that well in print or still photos. The text from various fishing writers in the Major magazines gives another perspective on "Their" experiences. Harro's book gave us some of the Basics to base ourselves upon, kind of like a baseline starting point.
My point is They all have a place, a purpose and a value to the sponges like me.

Here I am, Fill me up.

Thanks, Rod.

[NAGG]

Jonny , Jas , Trev , Rod ... & others that fall into the guru category ...... you guys are legends & we all feed off what you guys have to say ....... I'm sadden to read some of the responses of late which seemed to be based on protecting a bit of turf .... be it for commercial reasons or competitiveness
Get over it ....... help others , make a living ....... or whatever ......... Just dont make digs at one another as a means of point scoring.
For Christ sakes you guys are better than that !

sorry

Nagg

Sorry Everyone ..... It was the that made me write it! .......

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

Roo,
You are so right. Impoundment barra fishing is extremely cryptic and much deeper than can be portrayed in a short piece. The detail you wish for cannot be printed in small pages. It goes way and beyond the simplicity described. I'm working on the big picture for you and anyone interested.
Simple answers or responses that go unquestioned become set in stone over time. It's hard to break old habits and I'm prepared to start now to re-align certain elements of bias before Joe public gets sold more brain wash material.
My sweetwater articles are in place to keep doors wide open for anglers so they don't become lost in the closed door world. Much of what I say contrasts a lot of popular belief but it is there to keep anglers awake and thinking. If no thought went into our fishing we would all become lame fishers. As a guide in business it was hard to give all clues away in writing hence why pieces that contribute to the mental side of angling need close attention. It is my profession, but if I can help anglers think in a different perspective it might keep the dream alive for some. If I jumped on everything written that was incorrect I'd be labelled as a nasty cowboy, but instead it is worth copping a few slaps in the face so anglers get a broader spectrum on the whole barra fishing industry. It does not affect me what gets said but it's what material that people believe that hurts. The how, where and why that you mentioned is often the material that is suprisingly off track. That is my point. If I don't stick my noggin out now only god knows where marketing will take the minds of anglers. I'm only doing it for people Roo. I have nothing to prove. I know my lake and salt barra to extremes and I stand to make sure that anglers get a fair go. I am working on several big projects that will come soon, so please be patient. You are right, there is not a lot out there so all you can work with is what is available.
HARRO'S Book is golden and if anyone hasn't read it word for word I suggest strongly that they do. Hidden among the skillfull writing style are keys and double meaning material that is spot on. You can't afford to skip a page. As mentioned in the previous post, we need a big boost in Australian Barra Fishing Standards if we wish to keep up with the world. I'll be doing my bit as an Aussie to fill some gaps with raw material.
Cheers Roo. I hope this expands my thoughts a bit more. I'm nearly happy to pull my head in and not say anything, but the genuine Aussie battler needs to see it all.
Regards,
Johnny

[BR65]

A couple of comments, if you dont mind, re the previous posts:

Jas, it was the fishing dvd with you and starlo up at Awoonga chucking gaddens classics that really hit my go button with impoundment barra fishing, I knew nothing, still know nothing, but that piece inspired me to have a go. A visual demonstration of a successfull on the day technique was worth its weight in gold to a newby sweetwater fisho.
Was there marketing attatched to that, in my opinion yes, the first half a dozen lures I brought were gaddens classics, it took me a little while to work out that other HB's catch barra as just well.


JM, dont shut up shop and not say anything, sometimes I struggle to read between the lines in your articles, but each and every one is read, re-read and then re-read again.
As a travelling barra fisho, and Im luckier than some cause its only 41/2 hours travel each way for me, time on the water is like gold, and anything I can glean from others experience is assessed, kept if deemed usefull, discarded if considered bullshit, and generally slotted into the knowledge bank, to maybe make an apperance sometime if the situation seems applicable. Probably the most important thing I can take away from your articles is dont lock in on whats allways worked before, I think haveing the confidence to step outside the comfort zone of famillularity comes with runs on the board, or in this case fish on the mat.

OK, so thats said, and moveing on, again I'll speak from the view point of an average joe blow dangler, works as a wage slave, fishs when he can, dreams about catching big, slab sided silver barra
How do I become a better impoundment barra angler? By that I mean being able to successfully fish what ever conditions/weather/crowds/gun shy fish Im faced with on any particular day. I dont have the job to be on the water 300 days a year, I dont have a barra impoundment at the end of my street, I dont have the resources to trial and test new, or refine existing techniques, so what do I do.
Of course, I fish at the drop of a hat, but other times I read, I watch dvds, I attend seminars, I participate on forums, I absorb others experiences, yeah, the big companies marketing plays a part, but in the end what really works in the field and what doesnt soon becomes obvious, hopefully we can pick the fools gold from the real thing. Its about loading your gun with the right bullets, then fireing them at the right spot. Problem is, ya gota get the bullets from somewhere??

[chewy01]

Or Roo u can just lob on my secret spot lol
chewy..

[Roo]

That pretty much sums it up Brian. Well said.

Chewy, Spots X, Y & Z are all marked in the GPS for next time. Hopefully I wont have to walk to them tho'

Cheers Roo.

[Dick Pasfield]

Used a bony bream a couple of times now, all I can claim is a longtom and a sootie. No big deal no other lure has worked of late.

Interesting action, unlike about all other lures I've used it doesn't stop when you stop, rather it glides on for a while and drops a bit deeper before stopping in its tracks.

Looks just as good suspended under the water as it does when it flashes a bit. Pity I've not being able to convince any fish about this

[BR65]

Dick, I gave a silver boney a cast or two last run, no fish but was impressed with the broad side flash, and the suspending properties after a bit of tweaking, maybe will be a bit more effective when the water warms up, hoiked deep into a gnarly snag, rip, pause, rip pause.........
They certainly have a differant action on a slow roll retrieve, very wide
cheers
brian

[NAGG]

Looks like the Stiffy is back ...... someone must have taken a little PILL

Nagg

PS ... picked up a green/gold one the other day ( couldn't keep it up ...... So unlike Roo , I had to de- ring it )

[BR65]

Lets not let this thread die a natural death chris, way to much fun to be had here

[NAGG]

Lets not let this thread die a natural death chris, way to much fun to be had here

Very true ....... Keep it up

Chris

[Roo]

well in the interests of furthering our knowledge base on the do's and don'ts......and the how and why's of how to best rig your stiffy.....my observations from using my modded up stiffy where thus:
1. mean green floating machine that i modded up with a heavier front treble to make it slowly rise.....promtly sank when tied on to a leader.....not sure what the leader was made of as it was on steve's reel, just know it was 80lb.

I removed the #1 front treble and refitted a #2 and hey presto it was a floater again.

2. no matter what i did to the silver sinker.....it was a sinker. endedup with #2 owner on #6 split ring up the front and a #2 VMC 3X down the back.

Cheers Roo.

[NAGG]

Don't you just love consistently balanced lures My 4 are all rigged differently
Nagg

[chewy01]

hey all,
hey roo i like ur modded r2s triho with the lightweight hooks,i reckon its bouyancy made the barra think his dinner was gettin away n couldnt resist.nice work on thinking outside the box.lol any more tips u can pass on?
chewy..

[eotbmg]

The ol stiffys. Every one has one, and those who dont, want one!!!!
We spent an hour or so twitching and tweaking the bloody things, found out that in the end the front ring was too much for them to float and it was discarded on most lures. I know they are made overseas, but what has happened to quality control??? Great lures but very frustrating as they are all different in sinking,floating rates.
Ben