Monduran - Rattlin The Sticks

[BR65]

Well, have just spent another cracker week end at Monduran chaseing barra in the sticks with mate Noel, been 5 months since the last cast so to say we were keen was putting it lightly.
An easy 4 hour run up the highway and a new record in setting up camp saw us on the water Saturday at lunch time, haveing a look around. That afternoon we fished a spot that had been successfull previously, but with water levels lower again, we only managed a parade of grunting catties and a number of missed barra, pulling hooks or haveing lures tossed back at us on the jump. This piece of water was a series of open stretches, each about the size of a back yard swimming pool, totally surrounded by the biggest log jam Ive ever seen, so drags were tight and no quater was given, resulting in no fish boated.
Sunday morning we fished B arm, along with the rest of the campground, a couple of dropped fish early and a heap of other boats in the area soon gave us the sh#ts, so we turned the hornet upstream, looking for some peace and quiet and hopefully a few fish.
This turned out to be the right decission, fishing a section of creek that varied between 10 to 19 foot, we landed some nice fish, includeing a new pb of 99cm for me, as well as loseing a number of good barra, filling in the time between boofs with a never ending supply of cat fish, each one bigger than the last.
Tired and sun burned, we made the call to fish the same stretch on Monday morning, then come back to camp and finish the weekend with a troll in the basin.
This was a top little session, 5 fish boated up to the high 80's, a couple lost in the sticks and Noel getting absolutely monstered by a great fish that he dragged into the open, only to see it scream across the 10 meters of reasonably clean water, screwed down drag and thumb locked, and bury him into the sticks on the other side of the creek. I found it all very funny, untill a nice fish smacked my classic between two gnarly trees and did a bit of knitting in between the timber, Noel standing at the back of the boat with a grin saying "yep, good luck getting it out of there", another classic gone.
Monday arvo saw a change in the weather, with a storm brewing we dropped the boat in around 4 for a troll in the basin, not something we normally do, but there were to many good fish being caught to not give it a go. We finished with a nice 80 for Noel, and a wet bum for the run back to the ramp.
So, no metereys for us again, but getting closer. Water temps were high, a lot of big fish were being taken in the basin on the troll, and most people we spoke to were getting a fish or three. A great trip, good company, cold beer or two and some down and dirty brawling in the sticks, does it get any better.
cheers Brian

[BR65]

couple more pics

[NAGG]

Great read Brian ! .... you cant be too far from that metery:P ... Nagg

[Cammy]

yer mate good post, almost there, you only had 1 cm to go, have you checked your brag mats real length?
awsome fish by the way!!

cam

[eotbmg]

Hey Brian Congrats on some great acion.
Monduran has relly hit its straps lately.
Just a question regarding leaders and braid. What set up etc? Cos some of those fish can be boated if using the right gear and then again some cant!!!!!!
Ben

[BR65]

Ben, gear as follows:

t-curve with luna 203, 30 finns and 50penn 10x leader
penn 56bch with cvz-203, 50 bionic and 60 penn 10x leader
loomis crankbait with chronarch 100b, 30 bionic and 60lb penn 10x leader
all reels carbontex drag up grades
all hooks on lures vmc 6x
most splits up graded
no snaps
if there is a weak point it is in the leader, after last season I swore I would not use 60 again, all 80 from now on, but I just hate that clunking sound an allbrite in 80 makes going thru the guides

cheers
brian

[wheezer]

great trip! at monduran we are now using twisted 60lb FC....tight structure and dirtier or cloudy water there so the barra certainly don't mind. no leader knot so smooth casts...also means you can muscle down on a fish with confidence if necessary

[eotbmg]

Brian
It souds like you have it pretty well sussed
Ben

[the_matrix]

all hooks on lures vmc 6x
most splits up graded
no snaps
if there is a weak point it is in the leader, after last season I swore I would not use 60 again, all 80 from now on, but I just hate that clunking sound an allbrite in 80 makes going thru the guides

cheers
brian
Nice report Brian, but can I ask you a few questions in a friendly manner?
Im not having a crack at you but sheesh theres some holes in your metre fish game plan mate.

You have gone to all the effort (and its all the good gear) of getting the right reels, rods, drags etc......paid the big bucks for it all plus fuel to get there and you are still using inferior trebles???? Whats with that?
VMC was good ten years ago. Owner are the only hooks to use, even they get opened up. They are WAY stronger than VMC, trust me I wouldnt even consider throwing a lure with those hooks in the jungle.
Most splits upgraded????
Forgive me, I aint the smartest bloke in the world but why would you not prepare 100% ???
Surely the 4 hour drive aint that much fun?
Your leader is not your weak point, overlooking those other critical factors is.
200lb leader wont help with inferior hooks and standard rings.

Allbright knots are rough alright, slim beauty is the go. Put it in google and there is a heap of detailed diagrams on how to tie. Very simple.

This aint a cheap shot, its about challenging your mindset and helping you reach a milestone next trip.
99% preperation will never let you catch that fish of a lifetime, coz believe me, you will need 100% to land it, and even then its still in the fish's favour.
Good luck!
Jas

[1337]

Hey Jason,

Great advice there mate but are 4xxx halco splitties considered an adequate upgrade?

Check this site out guys - I too have had knot issues, took all but 5 mins to learn and tie.

http://www.anglers-outlet.com/slim_beauty_knot.htm

I wouldn't mind finding out how hese instructions compare to the way you tie your knot Jason... The knot seems TOO easy to be true! Do you close the figure of 8 knot before tightening/pulling on the braid? Any tips for closing the knot properly would be greatly appreciated....what is the best way to get the figure of 8 bit as slimline as possible? (I am guessing pulling as hard as possible!!)

Regards
CT

[1337]

Hey Brian,

What model classics did you use in the timber/on your trip - I am assuming the shallow 3ft divers did the majority of the damage?

[Awoonga]

Slim beauty is the way to go.... l use owner hooks....even they bend :'( But they are a bit better than the rest

[the_matrix]

l use owner hooks....even they bend :'( But they are a bit better than the rest
Bit better than the rest?
The "rest" are way behind.
I, you, we pay through our ass for them but its still the cheapest way to get results.
I'd rather pay the $price$, than pay the price.

Hey CT,
4XX fishrings are fine, I rather use hyperwire now, nice and round, gives the hooks good freeswim.
Yeh I close the figure 8, but not super tight until end.
How to make it smaller? Yep pull like hell.
Once knot is tied get wraps from both ends of your mainline, close your knee's and put the line around ya knee's then force them open. Welds the knot, will also make your knot as small as can be, and you can test its strength.
Yes your dead right, seems too bloody easy.
A great knot.
Good luck with the topwaters too.
Cheers
Jas

[Roo]

well done Brian,
Glad you had success, the main thing is you had a good time. Appears that we all can learn a thing or two from each others experience.

Jas, you make a good point. the biggest pain is why would all these "quality" aussie lures intended for barra come with 3x VMC fitted? it has me stuffed. We've used the standard hooks and had them bend. The missus had a 99cm fish fold them out, still got the fish tho and that may have been more due to the rod not being a stump puller (only 3-6kg river raider) and the reel being a fairly cheap Pflueger Echelon (performed faultlessly with out any mods) and not capable of massive drag. Perhaps the folding of these hooks in our case was more to do with leverage in the fish's jaw than outright tug-o-war.:-/ I do think the st66 owners may be my next lure upgrage.......just a pain do it :P

oh and the slim beauty is my "go to" leader knot for practically everything now. I was using this knot with 4lb braid and 6lb FC leader on the weekend and the failure point is always the @ the jighead...... my albrights were always breaking:o . Albights in 60lb 10x are too clunky and tend to unravel after a few casts. slim beautys last all session and cast like a dream.

cheers Roo.

[Peter4]

Great report Brian.

Sounds like you had a fantastic trip. Don't worry the metery will come.

Can't wait to get back to Monduran for my next battle with the barra....2 months to go.

Pete

[Awoonga]

why would all these "quality" aussie lures intended for barra come with 3x VMC fitted? it has me stuffed.........One word Price

[Roo]

would be good if you could buy them bare!!!! and the put your own(er) hooks on at your leisure.

[1337]

Re: The slim beauty lads

I was still experimenting with the knot last night and found that if you cut the mono tag too short and don't tighten the figure of 8 properly, you can actually work the tag end back through the figure of 8 knot and un-do the connection (its even easier to do with thicker gauge leader).

Has this ever happened to anyone when out in the field? And how short do you guys cut the tag end/or is it best to leave just abit in excess?

Regards
CT

[Peter4]

A drop of Loctite superglue will resolve this issue!;)

Pete

[the_matrix]

Jas, you make a good point. the biggest pain is why would all these "quality" aussie lures intended for barra come with 3x VMC fitted? it has me stuffed.

Perhaps the folding of these hooks in our case was more to do with leverage in the fish's jaw than outright tug-o-war.:-/ I do think the st66 owners may be my next lure upgrage.......just a pain do it :P
cheers Roo.
Howdy Roo.
These "Quality Australian" lures are mostly made in China...........cost effective.
Is a big deal for them to change hook suppliers, mostly they are tied up with a particular brands.

Its why Bushy's stiffy's, and the eco-gear hardbaits are selling so well.
Owner hooks and hyperwire rings standard.

In regards to your second question, yes the hooks are folding because of jaw pressure. It has nothing to do with how hard you are pulling on them.
Leverage from the upper and lower jaw open trebles in a flash, esp if you have a set in the top jaw and a set in the lower.
The fish dont have to be big either, Ive had 60cm fish open up Owners, but the hooks still hold most of the time. It depends how they are hooked, and its why the odd fish is landed on standard terminals. Playing with fire though.

Size 1 and 1/0 STN -66N will see more fish landed, they are super strong compared to #2 and#4.
Be aware of light gauge Owners as well, used for different applications.
Yep its a pain to do, but take it from me, before long you can do it in ya sleep with the right pliers.

Too right Roo, great knot, one I have been using for a few years now, and does not let me down.

If you need super glue, then you have to pose the question, "was it tied correctly in the first place"?
If its tied correctly, you wont need glue.
Cheers
Jas

[Peter4]

It's called insurance, Jas.

I use an albright rather than a slim beauty. With a drop of glue I have yet to have a knot fail with barra up to 114cm!

Trebles are a different story. Had quite a few VMCs straightened on barra classics last time out.

Have now upgraded them all!

Pete

[BR65]

Jas,
thanks for the input mate, I'll just reply in a friendly way,
you are certainly passionate in your preference for owners over vmc, I'm sure thats from time spent on the water, gear up gradeing is an on going process, and your thoughts on hooks are noted. The vmc's 6x are straightening , this was the first trip following the drag upgrades on the reels, and Im seeing the difference when fishing tight into cover.
Re splits, most have been upgraded because, like I said, its an ongoing process.
Funny thing tho, no fish dropped this trip were due to hook or split failure, all leader rub offs, go figure, guess I got lucky, I reckon there are some fish you will absolutley never land in the sticks, no matter what gear you are useing but I want the odds in my favour as much as possible, so the upgradeing continues.

brian

[Steve B]

Great reading Brian. Good fish and good pics too. What happened to cause leader rubboffs brian as a matter of interest?? was it after a few hookups or landed fish etc?

I might sound like a bit against the majority, but the old 'muscle up' teqnique has gooone out the window for me. I dont care about upgrading drags, I hardly use the 6kg I have on the reels now. these big girls have no where to go! they will stop sooner rather than later due to lack of physical stamina and endurance.

The more hurt you put on fish the more pressure you are putting on your terminal tackle particularly the braid and leader rubbing against the trees and that important connection between trebble and fish. ( as Jas said ...MUST have OWNER trebbles and split rings....nothing less)

Minimal pressure has increased my fish landing rate from about half to about 90% of fish hooked in timber. I have more scratched on the boat now from chasing them!. gives it charicter i spose. As brian said some fish will always accidently brick you in unlandable spots. I can count on one hand how many times that has happened. The rest generally find open water to be safely landed.

[BR65]

Leaders are constantly checked Steve, any scuffs or nicks and they are replaced immediantly. Dunno, maybe Ive just got to stop casting into spots where the odds are so heavilly stacked in the fish's favour.
Interesting thoughts on the softly softly approach, I tend to go hard early, try to get the head up and take my chances with the jumping/head shakes/lure tossing thing, keep em out of that sub surface structure I cant see, but know is there. I do cast into some pretty horrible spots, just a glutten for punishment I guess. Youre right re the stamina thing.
Jas's comments on hooks and splits are valid, and taken on board, and Ive looked at the slim beauty knot before (used goggle and everything), just havent given it a go yet.

cheers
brian

[the_matrix]

Brian,
Yeh mate its through my learnings in the past, nothing else. I'd much rather read a tale of triumph (when you hook and land that metrey), rather than "split ring failed, or hooks opened up"
Considering the effort you guys from down South put in to get fish in our local dams, if I can help ya then good.
Looking at all your preperation, it was plain to see how much effort you have put in to reach your goal, thats what provoked the response.
I too, need a sharp jab at times, it seems the more bases we cover, the higher the chance we leave a stone unturned.

If I was in your neck of the woods, I'd surely want the good oil, time on the water is valuable, and as life goes on its harder to get. Its all good if you are just down the road, but hell road trips suck IMO, esp the pathetic goat track of an excuse they call the Bruce Highway.

Anyways, gald you took it the right way, I expected ya would.
Cheers, keep us posted on your future trips.
Jas

[Steve B]

yeah brian, thats OK about the leaders, I thought you would have that sorted out replacing it etc! Never stop casting into that timber you love to hate!! Aint it a dilema when you cast into that heavy stuff and think "no way am I going to get a fish out of there!!!:D But we all still do it! Its the thrill of the hook up and havin your best crack at retrieving against the odds which does it!!

Jas your right about the 'goat track bruce hwy' As a paramedic in Gin Gin I can guarantee the Highway keeps us busy. We pulled another truckie out of a wreck last night on the burnett river bridge south of Gin Gin. Hes in a bad way unfortunatley. 3 trucks pranged on a bridge 30 meters above the ground, in pouring rain is a daunting sight. One of the biggest messes i have ever seen. averaging 3 prangs a day just in our area of coverage while its been wet. Mostly trucks. Not good. the Highway leaves a lot to be desired!

[NAGG]

I might sound like a bit against the majority, but the old 'muscle up' teqnique has gooone out the window for me. I dont care about upgrading drags, I hardly use the 6kg I have on the reels now. these big girls have no where to go! they will stop sooner rather than later due to lack of physical stamina and endurance.

Hmmm .... Steve , I lost my only fish at Faust when after a few jumps .... & having it on the surface , I made the decision to back off the drag to protect the terminals ....... Only to have the big girl run at 45 deg to a lone tree some 25 meters away:'( ... But dont tell Whitey ..... because I blamed his boat driving;D ;) .... Nagg

[the_matrix]

Jas your right about the 'goat track bruce hwy' As a paramedic in Gin Gin I can guarantee the Highway keeps us busy.
Steve,
I take my hat off to ya, I have a good friend who is a para, you guys are a special breed.
Same goes with guys like Greeny, who on a daily basis deal with stuff most of us hope we never see.
I dont know how you do it, but Im glad you do.
Cheers
Jas

[Mak579]

Something to think about guys,

When your targetting timber, I find, moving the boat to get your cast into "that spot" gives you a better chance of ëxtracting the fish once hooked! Always have an exit plan, your hookup, landing ratio will improve dramatically!

Tight Lines,
Matt C

PS Medicos are magicians, the rods and screws that help me walk are testament to that, I applaud you all.

[Steve B]

Nagg, love ya thinkin...blame the driver. thats the go!!;D I probably should clarify a bit. I use this apporach in shallow water casting around bigger trees etc at Monduran. Not in the deeper water with spindley upright trees way under the surface. Like parts of faust has from memory. I remember trolling through the gaps between tree tops at faust in 30+ ft of water. When they can run deep to cover....muscle was the the only hope....and we lost plenty. I feel for you with the one going into the trees., I would have done the same as you....and probably would have copped the same result too:( .

Thanks jas and Matt for the kind comments. Its generally not that bad, you get bad runs. You see some really funny stuff too, especially in the city. I dare say your mate has shared some stories about the stupid things people do...its mindboggling!!! Wish they would pay us more!! like any job I spose!!:-/

cheers steve

[McCod]

Good to see you had a fun trip up there again Brian’
Hope you get that metery next time;) !

I just spent 22 days from mid September to late October over 2 trips @ Monduran and had a ball! Just booked another 6 weeks leave for December -January so I can torment them some more;D .

I’m a big believer in only sticking it to em if ya have to!!! Especially with really big fish’ once I get em into a bit of a clearing I just lead them around like a puppy dog’ then back the drag off if they have another squirt and apply some more brake if required. But in saying that…… there are plenty of places in Monduran that you have to go hard or they are going home!!! One thing I’ve found that’s a big help with dealing with Barra in heavy timber is to get rid of the 3 hook scenario that so many barra lures have and replace them with 2 larger trebles “4X strong Owners” and use 2 split rings per hook . The Halco #4 XXX are the go for this sort off thing as they are stronger and cheaper than the #6 Owner Hyperwire rings. The 2 split rings allow more rotation and you’re less likely to pull hooks. Been using the 2 hook set up on near 100% of my Barra lures for almost 5 years now with great results……. And there is a plus in going to 2 trebles instead of 3 and that is you keep the cost down aprox 30% per lure re -rig’ And 3 trebles tend to mess up the Barra pretty bad at times!

Cheers Les 8-)

[NAGG]

Nagg, love ya thinkin...blame the driver. thats the go!!;D I probably should clarify a bit. I use this apporach in shallow water casting around bigger trees etc at Monduran. Not in the deeper water with spindley upright trees way under the surface. Like parts of faust has from memory. I remember trolling through the gaps between tree tops at faust in 30+ ft of water. When they can run deep to cover....muscle was the the only hope....and we lost plenty. I feel for you with the one going into the trees., I would have done the same as you....and probably would have copped the same result too:( .

Thanks jas and Matt for the kind comments. Its generally not that bad, you get bad runs. You see some really funny stuff too, especially in the city. I dare say your mate has shared some stories about the stupid things people do...its mindboggling!!! Wish they would pay us more!! like any job I spose!!:-/

cheers steve

You didn't expect me to put my hand up & say " I Fu@%ed (Fu@%ed) up" did you;D ..... Yep & thats the type of tree she ran to .... a few spindly sticks ( which were attached to a bloody big gum tree) ....... Anyhow that fishin!!!!! .... Nagg

[SeekingBarradise]

Great post Brian you have started one of the more interesting posts on here in awhile (on barra gear etc). Great trip report and pics.

Thanks for putting your setup out there. It's great to see lots of people who contributed with good ideas/techniques that many travelling anglers would appreciate.

A well timed to the point thread with many planning long barra trips over the summer.

Cheers K&L

[Roo]

I've got a bit of upgrading to do....I went to K mart last night and found the 25%off fishing......they had a pile of our fav F18 Guns'n'Roses so i just had to pick up a few more......and some gulps....and some jigheads......and so on and so forth. yesterdays and some other recent purchases will see me needing the best part of 2 dozen owners and a few packs of halco fish rings....bugger me i'm gonna be busy. And the theres the survivors from the last trip.

Cheers roo.

[Peter4]

Roo,

They also have the Halco 4xx fish rings at our local K mart. You should have picked up a few packs at 25% off!!

Pete

[BR65]

gday Les, with the two larger hooks/double split ring set up, do you find the two hooks can touch and potentially tangle on the cast, Im guessing not with 120mm and larger sized lures???
Do you notice a marked difference in lure action or buoyancy

cheers
brian

[Roo]

gday Les, with the two larger hooks/double split ring set up, do you find the two hooks can touch and potentially tangle on the cast, Im guessing not with 120mm and larger sized lures???
Do you notice a marked difference in lure action or buoyancy

cheers
brian
I had a similar problem with classics. the front hook would swing around the front and snag on the loop knot. Tangles between hooks isn't a issue if you remove the middle set altogether.

Peter.......I know, i know.....i was bamboozled by all the new jigheads they had..... appears Kmart is stocking Nitro's now....i got 5/0 1/2oz saltwater pros for $5.95 (reg price $7.95 not bad eh!) a pack. actually they weren't on the shelves yet... i spotted them in a box in the floor and pounced.....saved someone the bother of putting 5 packs up on the wall;D

roo.

[McCod]

gday Les, with the two larger hooks/double split ring set up, do you find the two hooks can touch and potentially tangle on the cast, Im guessing not with 120mm and larger sized lures???
Do you notice a marked difference in lure action or buoyancy

cheers
brian

Yeah mate the trebles do not hang up on each other ‘But on occasions the front larger treble with hang up around the bib tow area…… but it don’t happen lots.
I just like the wider gap that the bigger trebles have and the extra split rings let it hang down giving more hook exposure you just have so much more strength in #1 & 1/0 Owners as apposed to 3 X #2 trebles. And most times the set up affects the buoyancy but not the action as the 2 split rings help with the action by giving it a extra articulation point or double jinks action. And a slower rising lure will usually get belted more often than a fast riser.

Cheers Les

[Steve B]

Thanks Les,

I am going to try the double splitring 2 trebble thing now. I am imagining the lure swimming, Would you reckon with 2 split rings per trebble the lure would get a better action and the trebbles would stay more still and in tow due to the length and flexibility that 2 plit rings provides. rather than the side to side swing of 1 spltiring 3 trebble setup...which would have a negative effect on lures action.

Geez you come up with some good ideas Les. I still havent tried your special leader yet!! I am experimenting with a dacron spliced leader that is just awesome. I just havent worked out how to make them myself yet! I aint real bright. cant put brains in coconuts they reckon. Give me a yell next time you come up for a fish, If not, see you at ABT rounds.

cheers steve

PS I just re-read you previous post, answered my question thanks;D What did I say about brains and coconuts!:P

[LOCKEDUP]

Try Some Good Forged Singles Instead Of Trebles, Heaps More Guts Than Any Treble On The Market, Not That I Dont Have Owners Own Plenty Of Barra Lollies, But It Gives U That Extra Bit Of Confidence When Fishen Those Extra Narsty Spots Like Mentioned Above Also Cuts Down The Snag Rate. Dont Recon It Affects Ya Hook Up Rate To Much Either, Most Lures Are Fairly Hoovered When A Barra Wants It. Fair Amount Of Fishos Using It Up North With Great Sucsess. I'm Sure It'll Be A Bit Kind On Barra As Well. Food For Thought Anywho..

[LOCKEDUP]

Try Some Good Forged Singles Instead Of Trebles, Heaps More Guts Than Any Treble On The Market, Not That I Dont Have Owners Own Plenty Of Barra Lollies, But It Gives U That Extra Bit Of Confidence When Fishen Those Extra Narsty Spots Like Mentioned Above Also Cuts Down The Snag Rate. Dont Recon It Affects Ya Hook Up Rate To Much Either, Most Lures Are Fairly Hoovered When A Barra Wants It. Fair Amount Of Fishos Using It Up North With Great Sucsess. I'm Sure It'll Be A Bit Kind On Barra As Well. Food For Though Anywho..

[1337]

what brand of forged hooks do you recommend mate?

[LOCKEDUP]

Hey 1337, Personaly I Use The Gamakatsu Or Black Magic Singles But I'm Sure Theres More That Will Do The Job, Just Keep In Mind That All Forged Hooks (as Far As I Know) Have A Flat Pressed Shank. Size Of Hook I Base On Lure Size And Remember To Oppose The Hook Points When U Rig Up. All The Best Trenno!

[LOCKEDUP]

Just Thinkin And Realised If U Use The Singles With The Above Mentioned Double Split Ring. It'll Spin Your Hooks 90 Degrees And Make The Hooks In Line With The Lure Body, Not That It Caused Any Problems For Me Yet But It'd Only Help Hook Up Rates And Make It Harder For A Barra To Roll The Hook Out Of His Mouth.

[McCod]

Hey Steve B'
Yeah mate look forward to catching up @ the Barra Tour!



And re the single hook thing blokes'
I bought a pack of these forged decoy Jig hooks the other day in the 4/0 or 5/0 intending to give em a go on a few lures that will not handle heavier trebles........ namley some Jap swimbaits!
I know they work a treat on a lot of off shore trolling and casting plugs and handle some mean toothy critters and game fish.

http://www.river2sea.com.au/categories.asp?cID=375


Cheers Les

[tanglefoot]

Top Report Brian, Heading to Awoonga with the daughter on the 17th threw to the 24th YeeHaa

[BR65]

Gday Brett, will be back up at M from the 22nd till 24th, good luck at Awoonga
cheers
brian