PDA

View Full Version : Casting for Barra?



Roman
21-02-2002, 11:56 PM
Call it a stupid title but im crapped as to how you guys get these fish to take a plastic thing or anything with a hook in it for that matter. yeah yeah its called skill. :-[

anyway i my question is when i am casting do i have to be casting practially into the snags, ie the lure should be crashing through the mangrove leaves if any, almost hitting tree logs or hitting tree logs and most of all if im not getting snagged am i not trying hard enough? Also can i be casting into what looks like open water with no snags and still hook them? ie the middle of a creek, instead of casting to the side mangroves.
if i feel the lure hit something like a mangrove root should i keep reeling in? stop and let it float alittle over the root before continuing(if its a floating lure)?if its a sinking lure should i get the tackleback ready?
Im not asking to describe "the way to cast" but a few examples and stories so i get the feel of what i should be doing. Same goes for trolling. :-[ :)
:-[ :-[ :)

Katrina
22-02-2002, 06:10 AM
;D #Practice practice practice. #Try and get as close as possible to the snags without snagging your lure. #I practice in my swimming pool, but have certainly sacrificed many a lure while fishing. #(Just have a look up when fishing, #I might have left a few in the trees!! LOL) #Fish love structure, cover, somewhere to lay in wait for ambush. #This is where you are most likely to find fish. #This structure may not be visible on the surface, that's when a sounder in your boat is useful. #Use a rod that you find easy to cast, and develop a technique that works for you. # It's really a trial and error thing. #Floating lures - a good idea to stop retrieving and see if they'll float up. #Jerking and flicking your rod around to see if you can loose it off first. #Back off the drag on your reel so it set to around 5-10lb. #Tackle back is a good idea, though! #What in particular do you want to know about trolling? #Depends on what you're fishing for. #Some of the guys here know a lot more than me, but I've learnt a lot, partly from listening to others, but mostly just giving stuff a go! #

Roman
22-02-2002, 08:56 AM
Thanks for the post, i suppose if i know what works for other people it gives me alot more faith.
About trolling basically should i be trolling right above the snags? As in right on top of them. Even though they are only 30cm under say a boat?

DR
22-02-2002, 09:34 AM
Roman,
one quick [maybe lazy] way to get it sorted out is ,if you can afford it, is go out with a reputable Barra Guide for a 1/2 or full day charter. Pay close attention and you can shorten your learning curve considerably.
Good luck

Roman
22-02-2002, 09:43 AM
That is on my list. :) :)

Steve_Ooi
22-02-2002, 04:05 PM
No doubt that with a bit of practice your casting will improve and you'll be able to place your lure into the toughest of territories.. and with a bit more practice you'll get use to the feel of walking your lure through the snags. Using braid or other similar lines during these situation can be of great help as it increases the direct response your lure has and its actions which are transmitted you. After a while you'll get a feel for what is a strike and what's timber.
What i'd also throughly reccomend for anyone that is starting use lures for the first time is to buy lures that are not only reccomended as being successful fish catchers, but are also quite snag resistant ( eg halco scorpions is just one that comes to mind, i will post a whole new thread on this topic). This way it allows you to work the lure more productively though timber which equate to more strikes and it will cost you less in lost lures...
Although barra quite often will reside in snags there are plenty of other haunts that barra will hang in. For instance around this time of the year with the rain about, you'll get rain water run-offs, and a lot of the times these will be quite muddy looking, as the muddy fresh water runs into the saltwater rivers , it forms a layers. Muddy fresh on top and clearer salt water below, the barra will sit under this cover waiting to ambush prey, so any run offs are always worth a flick. In fact barra quite often use dirty water, or stagnant green water in the case of fresh water system as cover to ambush prey.
Being a lazy fish by nature they will also use eddies to sit in out of the current waiting for small fish, behind rocks ,snags or even a section of bank side which is cut out.
One of the important thing to remember with barra is they generally like a slow jerky retrieve, a constant twitch and pause retrieve generally works better. Many a times the barra will hit the lure on the pause or as it's slowly rising.
Most of my favourite barra lure either have neutral bouyancy or a slow rise to them( with the exception of the gold bomber).


Cheers Poony

Roman
22-02-2002, 09:31 PM
Thanks for the posts.

I am getting the feel of what i am suppose to be doing now.
i suppose you just cast straight into the snags and the further you can go in the better?
and lost lures is not a common thing? Say after a day of fishing is their a good chance you would of lost a lure?

Moffy
22-02-2002, 11:14 PM
Roman,

Generally, you'll only lose lures from fish smashing you up or bricking you around the snags. As you need to throw your lures right up tight into snags to get the most hits/interest in your lures it's quite common for your lures to get snagged.

However, if you've hooked up in a straight retrieve of your lure - it's normally pretty easy to get it off - whether by flicking the rod/line or changing the angle that you're pulling the lure (i.e move the boat and get behind where you are snagged) - or using a tackle back if needed. just be careful not to pull the rod /line straight back at yourself or anyone else in the boat - its a very quick way to lose an eye. If the lure is stuck down fairly deep, you could even try pushing it off with an oar or something similar.

it would be fairly rare to lose a lure in those circumstances.

Most of the lures that go missing in action are usually the result of a big fish connecting after a great cast - ( but hopefully not too many of those brick you either - and you get them to the boat)

As stated in other posts above, you'll gradually get the feel of "walking" your lures over the branches etc (whether underwater and over the surface) - under in general retrieving - and over if you got a bit too enthusiastic in your cast. - so as you have more practice and your "feel" grows you'll get snagged less often just retrieving and as your casting accuracy improves - you'll get more hits/interest in your lures - The downside is that you may end up getting bricked by fish more often - but hey - its great fun.

Hope this helps.

Moffy