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View Full Version : Monduran and The Big A - A Beginners Report



BR65
07-11-2006, 06:22 PM
Let me open by saying Im new to this whole Barra game. I dont own a flash v-nose bara boat or a shiny fiber glass rocket with 115 horses on the back, Im more at home sneaking up the creeks in Pumistone Passage, chaseing whiting, flathead and the mythical jack.
My creek tub is a 3.9mt blue fin tinny, 30 on the back, but I have lashed out and bolted a 55lb minn-kota on the bow, more to help out with the plastics fishing for the lizards than any thing else.
Unfortunately for me, the barra bug has bitten, and bitten hard. This has resulted in the credit card coping a hideing, with the purchase of new rods, reels and a mountainous supply of lures, much to the bemusement of the other half, who cant fathom why I would want to catch a fish that she wont get the chance to eat!
With the week end being a four dayer, a trip to Monduran, my first, followed by a dash up to Awoonga was planed, this time fishing by my self as the regular crew were tied up.


Arrived Sat morn at the camp ground at Monduran following a good trip up in drizzly rain, pitched the swag and was on the water by 11am, with absolutely no idea where to go, except for a few clues from other Aus fishers.
Fish the bays was the call, so I worked my way around to the north flicking at lantana patchs and any other likely looking spots, result being one smallish fish jumped off at the side of the boat in about 6 foot of water, caught on a silver B52. Bit of a storm rolled in and it was interesting to see how different fishos regarded it, with some saying the rain sent the fish deep and others saying it would bring the fish on. Didnt make any difference to me though, as that fish was the only one I saw that arvo. Still it was a start, and a good one I thought.
Next day saw me heading up the dam, looking for bank side structure, but on the way through I just had to have a flick at a big old tree standing alone in 60 foot of water.
Second cast saw the barra classic get slammed, and I managed to wrassle out a lovely fish of 715mm, my best barra ever and the day had only just started. A couple of quick pics and he was sent on his way, giveing me a face full of water in the process.
Rest of the morning was spent casting at bank snags, un eventfull until I flicked the lure up against a tree root and was absolutely smashed. Locked up 50lb braid made no difference to this fish, it just dragged the tinny into the structure with it, busting off the 60lb leader in the process. That was a good fsh that left me shakeing.
Pulled the pin in the early arvo and headed up to Awoonga, staying at the motel along with some of the ABT boys as my neighbours.
An early start in the morning saw me up the Boyne arm, casting at bank snags again, hooking one small fish, only to have it spit the lure back in my face. Rest of the morning was very slow and very warm, with no wind. For something different I slipped back out to the main basin and had a troll with deep divers along the old river bed drop off, then a troll up into the shallows with nil results. Dont think Im cut out for trolling, the buzz of being smashed in the snags is just to strong, so I changed lures and headed up the Boyne again for the arvo session, along with half of the ABT boys by the looks of things.

A good northerly was blowing by know, makeing it difficult to get a nice steady drift along the banks, but perseverence paid off with 2 small fished jumped off (Im starting to see a pattern here), and a very welcome 730mm fish pulled out of the snags. This one put on a real performance, jumpng 4 or 5 times, with the lure well and trully lodged down his big bucket mouth. Again a couple of quick pics and he was on his way home, none the worst for the experience, but I was stoked.
No more fish that arvo, and haveing promised the missus no night fishing by my self, I called it a day, sun burnt, sore twitching wrist but as happy as larry.

Tossed in a couple of pics, cant wait for the next time I can scratch the bara itch.

Cheers
Brian

BR65
07-11-2006, 06:24 PM
First Monduran Barra

BR65
07-11-2006, 06:25 PM
This snag stood out like a sore thumb and I had to have a flick

BR65
07-11-2006, 06:26 PM
For all those asking "should I up grade my trebles", this is a vmc 6x after the 715mm fish

BR65
07-11-2006, 06:27 PM
Dont know where these blokes came from. Party up the Boyne?

BR65
07-11-2006, 06:28 PM
Awoonga 730mm, my new pb, hopefully not for long

BR65
07-11-2006, 06:30 PM
Same fish, a real greeny gold colour

BR65
07-11-2006, 06:31 PM
Thats a Bara Classic down there. This one wasnt throwing the lure back at me

Fish_gutz
07-11-2006, 07:03 PM
My cook wants to know whats the good if ya don`t eat `em ...? they just don`t understand , anyway I havn`t put one in the boat yet and I`m well and trully Bitten. They surely put ya gear to the test hre`s what happened to my trebles

flickflack
07-11-2006, 07:11 PM
Great report mate, scary that barra bug and no matter how much bushman you spray on it, it just wont go away.

Cheers Rod

MORFIN
07-11-2006, 08:43 PM
Well done BR65, pretty good start @ those 2 dams, great report .Looks like you will be unloading some more funds now upgrading trebles. ;D.
The barra bug strikes again!
PETE MATE

BR65
07-11-2006, 10:50 PM
yeah fishgutz, read your report, near broke my heart.
I took the easy way out, upgradeing the deep divers to owners and every thing else to vmc 6x.
Didnt do the splits, but looks like thats next
cheers
Brian

seajay39
07-11-2006, 11:54 PM
with 2 small fished jumped off (Im starting to see a pattern here)

Cheers
Brian




Try keeping your rod tip down,and don't let them jump,That might help you stay connected.. ;)

My Missus is bad for it,she's been hooked up to at least 20 Barra and only landed 2 and she only landed them because i was behind her yelling ROD TIP DOWN ;D
High sticking will always make a barra jump and most likely throw the hooks.. :)

Awoonga
08-11-2006, 07:14 AM
MMMmm Rod tip down.....the idea is to stay tight to the fish...no slack line...... Dont let them jump....So thats what l am doing wrong....My 5 cents worth....Keep the fishes head up.....Again keep your line tight most of the time my rod tip is up.....Some barra jump some dont....Anyway Brian top report mate.....The barra bug is not a nice thing....no cure..l have spent thousands on travel ,rods ,line and l live next to Awoonga......cheers Trevor

Smailesy
08-11-2006, 09:03 AM
congrats on your pb great pics

SeekingBarradise
08-11-2006, 09:49 AM
Well done Br65 a great trip straight up.

Your fishing instincts did well and put you in the right areas as 2 different boats of lucky anglers up the boyne way crossed paths with the perfect 10m strike zone and landed fish at will - the boys next to us on the last night caught 20 after we told them we sounded fish up that way.


The previous 5 days they only had one fish so right place right time for them - what made it even worse was that they said " no skill needed as plastics were hit on the drop and we could cast anything and it got hit"

lucky buggers ha (good on them) we cast our arms off up there for no fish up there in the day but didn't go back in the night because we thought abt was on sunday ha- we had better luck in the bottom arm of the dam.

We have found it hard to stop fish with even heavier line at Monduran as timber is everywhere - even 89 + 93cm models pull like hell near timber + ran us around trees for a great fight.

How far away from timber was that hook straightening fish you got on to at monduran?

TIM-DONSELAAR
08-11-2006, 11:30 AM
Nice barra there Brian...Well Done [smiley=thumbsup.gif] [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

Hope you can better your PB soon ;)

cheers tim :)

Big_Ren
08-11-2006, 02:40 PM
Loved the report Brian, great pics, and as others have said, the barra bug has no cure....more trips will ease the itch but they have to be regular ;D

Cheers
Paul

chicken
08-11-2006, 05:11 PM
Top read and congrats on the fish.

BR65
08-11-2006, 08:34 PM
Cheers all, the itch has been scratched, but not for long.
Hard to keep that rod tip down Seajay, know what you mean about high sticking, but getting em out of the timber and heading towards the boat is first thought, worry about the rest as it comes, maybe a new look at technique is required.

Seekingbarradise, mate the bugger that smashed me up was in about two foot of water right on banks edge at the base of a scabby looking tree root dangling into the water, just something you cast at for practice while you wait for the kota to edge you onto the next snag.
Funny place the Boyne, spoke to a couple of the ABT boys on Tues morn and they definately wernt going up the Boyne again, talk was all about slick rigs over the weed beds at nite?
Who knows, guess thats why its called fishin, not catchin.

Thats what its all about for me, dropping the cast into the guts of the snag, worry about getting the fish out after, tried to explain it to non fishos and just get that look of "what tha?"
Didnt say thanks to those who responded to my queries prior to the week end, but THANKS to those who helped out via this forum when ever Ive asked a question. The learning curve steepens!!
Saw Brett from Stillwater up the back on Sunday morn, but he had his head down bum up with a couple of paying customers, so I didnt want to intrude
Bring on the metery!!
cheers
Brian

BR65
08-11-2006, 09:16 PM
Hey Awoonga,
if I calculated the costs of rods, reels, lures, braid, camping/accommadation, SIP fees, lost OT from work, travel costs, boat costs, tucker, planning, man hours spent unproductively casting, bribeing the pay mistress with shiny baubles to keep her quiet, funding the lawn mower dude etc etc etc I think Id just curl up in a liitle ball and refuse to talk to any one.
Bugger, that itch is back!!