Converting barra taps , nips & bites to hookups

[NAGG]

Now dont you go claiming 4inch finnese fishing as 'your discovery' Chris...its been done by quiet achievers for years.

Not by me it wasn't ...... never read about it either - So at the time ....... it was all my idea!

Chris

[PaulMark]

I have been using 50lb fins on all of my outfits with 80lb Black magic leader and having difficulty picking the taps every time.Next time out I'm having a changing of the guard,1 outfit with 50lb Fins and 60lb leader,1outfit with 40lb Power Pro and 60lb leader and a spin outfit with 30lb Fins and 60lb leader.Fingers crossed and with correct application there'll be a monduran barra actually in the boat.
Paulo

[birko]

Now dont you go claiming 4inch finnese fishing as 'your discovery' Chris...its been done by quiet achievers for years.

HA HA. Now that is a great bit of wit. Love your work Steve. Most I have chuckled in while. Looking forward to november dude. See you then.

Craig

[NAGG]

I have been using 50lb fins on all of my outfits with 80lb Black magic leader and having difficulty picking the taps every time.Next time out I'm having a changing of the guard,1 outfit with 50lb Fins and 60lb leader,1outfit with 40lb Power Pro and 60lb leader and a spin outfit with 30lb Fins and 60lb leader.Fingers crossed and with correct application there'll be a monduran barra actually in the boat.
Paulo

Hi Paulo

A little bit of trivia for you

These days I'm only fishing 30lb on baitcast ......... I've only had the line snap on 1 fish ( wrapped on a tree & the fish surged with a jump - snapping the line)

All other ocassions it was hooks opening or leaders worn - admittedly ...I dont try to muscle a fish in the timber.

Also at this time of year ..... I spend more time in more open areas.... - just a thought , but I think that I have a better feel .

Chris

[PaulMark]

I did have a bit of trouble with Mikey last trip,he was insistent that the best place was in the timber and was a little bemused by my decision to go lighter,using the drag and trundling after a fish with the electric.However hopefully I can convert him,but he's a big lad and brawn plays a big part.I was concerned as when I mentioned using the Avaya which is an 8kg spin rod for Barra the guy at tackleworld said "whoa,don't expect warranty"I think he was joking,I hope he was joking.By the way when you use surface lures do you use fluorocarbon or mono leader?
When I'm chasing Bream,whiting and Bass I use mono as it presents the lure better at rest,thoughts?????
Paulo

[NAGG]

I did have a bit of trouble with Mikey last trip,he was insistent that the best place was in the timber and was a little bemused by my decision to go lighter,using the drag and trundling after a fish with the electric.However hopefully I can convert him,but he's a big lad and brawn plays a big part.I was concerned as when I mentioned using the Avaya which is an 8kg spin rod for Barra the guy at tackleworld said "whoa,don't expect warranty"I think he was joking,I hope he was joking.By the way when you use surface lures do you use fluorocarbon or mono leader?
When I'm chasing Bream,whiting and Bass I use mono as it presents the lure better at rest,thoughts?????
Paulo

I just find FC a biatch to tie in heavier gauges - so mono for me

My spin rod is a 8-10 ....... & I feel its probably too heavy for what I want to cast - but plenty of grunt when a fish is on.
You should be fine ....... specially if it suits the lures that you want to use

Some like to muscle fish in the timber - I like to trundle along with the leccy & have been more successful than going hard ( specially on big fish)

[Steve B]

HA HA. Now that is a great bit of wit. Love your work Steve. Most I have chuckled in while. Looking forward to november dude. See you then.

Craig

Thanks Craig,

I am looking forward to teemburra too. It was fun last year. Good bunch of social blokes, with a few fish in between.

For the record we got most fish on a 3 inch rage tail, trimmed up to work better at slow speed...on a OS bass jighead.....and Jackalls, and the biggest lure used was a 4 inch Storm susp shad, mini flaps and dare I say frogs.

See ya at the Pinnicle Craig...Probably be up there Wed or Thurs.
Cheers Steve

[NAGG]

Thanks Craig,

I am looking forward to teemburra too. It was fun last year. Good bunch of social blokes, with a few fish in between.

For the record we got most fish on a 3 inch rage tail, trimmed up to work better at slow speed...on a OS bass jighead.....and Jackalls, and the biggest lure used was a 4 inch Storm susp shad, mini flaps and dare I say frogs.

See ya at the Pinnicle Craig...Probably be up there Wed or Thurs.
Cheers Steve

Teemburras' such a great impoundment hey

Rage tails ....... look like little donuts - cant believe they catch fish

So you wont be doing Faust Steve - you did mention that you were cutting back

Chris

[Steve B]

Teemburras' such a great impoundment hey

Rage tails ....... look like little donuts - cant believe they catch fish

So you wont be doing Faust Steve - you did mention that you were cutting back

Chris

No faust, No Awoonga...going camping and fishing in the middle with family and mates...back for Monduran though.

The rage tails with 1/4 oz jighead....if you cranked them they worked well on the surface too, got a good hit doing that. I trimmed a bit of the guts out of the tail (the tail looks bigger than the body!!) that gave them a great action.

cheers Steve

[setthehook]

I think short leaders could help in the hook up stage but a longer leader will help stay connected esp when only just hooked. I run 4 too 6 ft leaders and never heavier than 60lb trace. 3 years ago i was biten off with a slicky and once with a minnow and its never happened since. When bite off and rub offs become a problem then ill jump too 80lb but i doubt that will ever happen. Personally i think 50lb is enough and I even got away with 30lb this winter.
For those fishing mondy, lately the fish i have come across have been happy hiting hard body lures just as much as plastics and this seems to be hooking them up very well.

[BR65]

Luck of the draw I reckon, a middlin sized active fish, say one in the 90's with a rocket up its bum in hgh water temps, and deep hooked, will do terrible things to a leader on a prolonged fight. I stll shudder about the day I was smoked multiple times on 60.


Rob, I'd be happy to drop leader size in winter as well, 2 reasons, both tied to lower water temps, cleaner water with less suspending matter, and slower, more sluggish fish with less aerials and head shakes.

[Steve B]

I think short leaders could help in the hook up stage but a longer leader will help stay connected esp when only just hooked. I run 4 too 6 ft leaders and never heavier than 60lb trace. 3 years ago i was biten off with a slicky and once with a minnow and its never happened since. When bite off and rub offs become a problem then ill jump too 80lb but i doubt that will ever happen. Personally i think 50lb is enough and I even got away with 30lb this winter.
For those fishing mondy, lately the fish i have come across have been happy hiting hard body lures just as much as plastics and this seems to be hooking them up very well.

yeah Rob, you did do well with 30lb..theres no doubt the lighter it is, the better the action on the lure....better action....better at getting committed hit...especially as you downsized to get the results as I recall...its a ballsy move that worked..good stuff.

Cheers Steve

[darylive]

I think short leaders could help in the hook up stage but a longer leader will help stay connected esp when only just hooked. I run 4 too 6 ft leaders and never heavier than 60lb trace. 3 years ago i was biten off with a slicky and once with a minnow and its never happened since. When bite off and rub offs become a problem then ill jump too 80lb but i doubt that will ever happen. Personally i think 50lb is enough and I even got away with 30lb this winter.
For those fishing mondy, lately the fish i have come across have been happy hiting hard body lures just as much as plastics and this seems to be hooking them up very well.

From memory you are using some pretty flash wind on jobbies while most of us have reverted to single strand?

[NAGG]

Luck of the draw I reckon, a middlin sized active fish, say one in the 90's with a rocket up its bum in hgh water temps, and deep hooked, will do terrible things to a leader on a prolonged fight. I stll shudder about the day I was smoked multiple times on 60.


Rob, I'd be happy to drop leader size in winter as well, 2 reasons, both tied to lower water temps, cleaner water with less suspending matter, and slower, more sluggish fish with less aerials and head shakes.

Its just the luck of the draw

I remember fishing Awoonga the first time with Trev & landed my first half dozen or so fish with no dramas on lighter leaders - then bang ....... big fish ..... & a fight that lasted seconds.
I did another fish the following day ...... & changed to 80lb.

Still blown plenty of fish on 80lb ...... then I tinker & drop down .... till I get done again.

Last weekend ...... The barra were the most explosive that I have seen fish at Mondy - plenty of jumps ....... & fast runs - two fish went from clean water ( after several jumps) & got to cover When the fish are going like that ...... I want 80

Chris

[setthehook]

for me i think of it mathamaticlly, Does the probable amount of bite offs out weigh the probable extra hookups due to the lighter trace. And with bite offs being so rare (for me sofar) i think the lighter will always end with more fish on the carpet. And if one day I lose a fish and lure, im prepared to take that as its way overdue lol