Awoonga Quickie

[Apollo]

My dear wife Oked a couple of guided trips for me for my 40th. The first was a run with Harro at Awoonga over the last couple of days. had the young family and MIL in tow so fishing was limited to the charter, plus two short sessions.

Got up there late Thurs to absolutely magic conditions with near glass out conditions. Friday morning my beginner fishing wife and I head out with Harro with the aim for me to catch my first barra, but more importantly to extract as much info as possible from Harro about improving my lot and thinking. Wind was blowing, water and air temp had dropped considerably overnight, so things might be a bit challenging.

Here is the part where I can't speak highly enough of Harro. Top bloke with a no BS approach and far removed from the elitist rubbish so prevalent in today's many self preclaimed experts.

Plans being as they are, it was not me but Deb to hook up and with Harro coaching the fight with patience, yet firm instructions to assist an absolute beginner. A nice 85cm barro is boated with plenty of happy people. Deb was stoked and so she should be. The day moved on with lots of questions being answered and techniques discussion, reviewed and developed. Even simple things like slight changing to my casting grip to improve accuracy. The discussion also drifted to other species with some hints on what to try with togas. Also discussed other locations and things to consider for each. As part of the guide we wanted to spend a bit of time doing some fly work and casting. Again Harro has a simplistic approach to this black art and it made a read difference. After a while, I got the hit on fly but due to my own error, didn't get the hook to set properly and it was all over.

The wind picked up more for our short sessions on our own and the electric motor wouldn't work (later found to be a battery issue), so it limited our options a far bit, especially in the shallow weedy areas where stealth is so important. A quality accurate cast into a point and I thought it deserved a barra and bang I am on. Cool, fish listerned to me. Plenty of weight, but not a spirited fight. Hmm may not be good. After a while a stonking great, grunting, whiskered cattie slides on up. Bugger.

Spotted Johnny M & Jason W up there as well, so looks like all the guides are working hard, which is good.

All in all a quick but great trip with a hell of a lot learnt.

[vinny78]

Thanks for the report Apollo.

It's a shame you missed a barra on that trip but I bet your wife was happy with her efforts.

Cheers, Andrew

[flairj]

Sorry, I truly ask this question because I don't know what you mean and don't want to start any arguments and there's no need for specific names, but when you refer to "the elitist rubbish so prevalent in today's many self preclaimed experts" What do you mean?

I think compared to some of the grade A bullplop that comes from Bream and Bass circles, the Barra crowd are some pretty down to earth guys.

Josh

[SeekingBarradise]

Hi Apollo congrats on a great trip mate.

Quote: "Here is the part where I can't speak highly enough of Harro. Top bloke with a no BS approach and far removed from the elitist rubbish so prevalent in today's many self preclaimed experts."

I agree and i hope many a dad & mum give their kids the opportunity to experience half a day with Harro to pass on some of Australia's Fishing History for the future generations to learn from and remember.

It would be a shame to have a generation of future anglers holding only tournament anglers in high regard and not a lot of respect for guides or older writers. This has been one of the bigger changes of the last 10 years.

I've asked some kids who they get their info from and they usaully say " The Pro's" meaning tournament guys and no-one else. I thought Pro's were Guides and people that fished to supply our markets with fish.

Many people now don't have respect for guides or other writers. Some haven't heard of Harro, Col Cordingly, Buffalo Ross, Johnny Mitchell, David Green, Neil Schultz and so on. I wasn't game to mention Mcsea.

So it might be time to give our future generation a few prods in the direction of Aussie History. The history of the best country in the world.:)

It's a Very scary thought if a whole generation of anglers comes through with this blinded attitude.

Some of my best mates are tournament guys so i'm not having a go at them, i'm just passing on what i have documented in my travels. You only have to look at how some kids hold their rods in their photo's and have a look at the shirts they wear and gear used to see a bit of brainwashing as it's worst.

Imagine if you are a keen barra fisho and you never take the time to say Gday to one of Australia's pioneers of fishing in most forms. What a missed opportunity, maybe an opportunity missed for life, and it would have only taken a few mins out of your day.

Apollo thanks for sharing your trip, your photo's are great.
All the best on your future trips.

Cheers Lyndon.

[TonyM]

Way to go Steve - Happy Birthday mate! :)

Your time spent with Harro will show benefits for years to come I'm sure, and good on you for giving such a fantastic gift Deb! (even though one of my first thoughts when I read Steve's post was "bloody women") :-X;D Nice fish, they get the heart rate up don't they!

Whilst you still are catfish king Steve, your chances of getting onto the Toges again at Borumba (if we don't get blown away before then) are greatly increased now, and what's more to get one on fly would be ultra neat.

My birthday is week after Borumba however I might be getting an early present for myself to use at Borumba 8-)

Cheers
Tony

[robersl]

well done on the trip mate

shane

[trymyluck]

Sounds like you had a good time looking at the title, so how was the fishing;D;D;D


Mark

[Apollo]

Sorry, I truly ask this question because I don't know what you mean and don't want to start any arguments and there's no need for specific names, but when you refer to "the elitist rubbish so prevalent in today's many self preclaimed experts" What do you mean?

I think compared to some of the grade A bullplop that comes from Bream and Bass circles, the Barra crowd are some pretty down to earth guys.

Josh

Josh


No problems with asking the question and I will try to explain where I am coming from.


Firstly, my comment was certainly not aimed at any Ausfisher or barra person, but rather a comment in general.


Many years ago, I competed in another sport at a fairly elite level and was well ranked. The top end of competition consisted of maybe a dozen blokes. Some of these were full of themselves and their own worth whilst others (I would like to include me here) acknowledged that they were here due to hard work and years of building up knowledge on different situations and how to get the best from them. The tossers would hold themselves out as something special and punce around like they were some elitist special and others would never get to that level or ever understand what it would take to get there. You could alway tell them a mile away as they were a walking billboard. At times, I had sponsorsI and many other didn't hold these tossers in much regards as most were not as good as they think or much chop in a different class.


I see a bit of the same in fishing. Too many tossers claiming they are all that and sprouting it to the world. Some are one trick wonders with knowledge of a particular location or fish, but outside of these they struggle. Having a sponsor, schmick boat, $000's worth of gear doesn't impress me if it comes with too much tosser factor. If someone has these and earned it, then good on them and I applaud you. I just think there are too many loud mouth, self promoting, one trick tossers with more logo stickers and brand names that they just love to endorse or name drop at every opportunity. I have also seen too much over complication and zen garbage dribbling from their mouths/writings thus holding themselves to an elitist level.


My comments on Harro is that he is a no nonsense sort of bloke that is extremely easy to talk to and understand and does hold himself out as better than the rest of us. He gives freely of his extensive knowledge to those that are willing to learn and his words are carefully chosen and meaningful. I for one found him great to learn from, even if only for a short time. No pretension or wasting my time telling me about how he has caught this fish or knows such and such or how great he is. I found it refreshing to spend time, learning from a bloke who is genuine guru status, but would be embarrassed to be called such.


Watching him coach my beginner wife to her first barra was impressive and the smile on both of them when landed was priceless – pure enjoyment of fishing without ego.

I would like to say that I don't consider myself as a good fisherman but am trying to learn to be one, hence to trip with Harro.

I am sorry if it is a bit of a wordy answer but I hope it explains what I meant. This may caused some disagreement and some flak but that is ok. This is my opinion and I am entitled to it as other are to theirs..

cheers
Steve

[Apollo]

Sounds like you had a good time looking at the title, so how was the fishing;D;D;D


Mark


Love birthdays;D

[warrior]

apollo great read ,i had the oportunity to meet harro in the park up the top before chrissy and have a couple of sherbies with him and a mate,his knowledge of barra is unbeleilable and the stories of his fishing the territory with alex julius was entertaning to say the least ,a real nice fella and definately not in the big ego basket. cheers AL