BARRA hervey bay style

[BARRAkid]

hey
I went down to one of my spots this avo fishing for barra started casting at about 5:15pm and finished at 7:00pm after a few casts i did one long cast hard against the bank and after a few winds i was on i landed this barra about 70cm took pic and let it swim. My mate who doesn't fish that much caught his second barra and third barra tonight both on my rod and lure i told him to use. one was about the same size as mine and the other was about 60cm (his first was at the barra farm )
here is a pic
Cheers BK

[black_sheep]

Well done Barrakid, doing well to get salty's this far south. I treid chasing them up that way 3 weeks ago but the water was churning with mud so didn't stand a chance on lures. Will be back to target a few spots over the next month or 2 when the water clears a bit more. Not huge fish but always more rewarding getting a wild barra then an impoundment fish.

My hat goes off to you.

[BARRAkid]

thanks mate but these fish are freshwater i don't really fish for salties but i have caught one before.

cheers BK

[the_matrix]

I treid chasing them up that way 3 weeks ago but the water was churning with mud so didn't stand a chance on lures.
My hat goes off to you.

Well done young fella get amongst them.

Didnt stand a chance Navi? Why so??
Jas

[Big_Ren]

Well done young fella get amongst them.

Didnt stand a chance Navi? Why so??
Jas

Are you talking fishing up Trav way Nav? (how poetic).

Jas, I think Vinny got blown away once or twice but they called 'em for cod .

Cheers
Paul

[black_sheep]

Reno - The Trav fishing was for Mary River Cod you knob .

Jas, OK, I guess if you have a lure in the water you always stand a chance and if you know the area well - that's even better.

We fished it Easter weekend and the water was not dirty, it was literally rolling with mud to a point where I could not see my lures until it breeched the surface. I used manta rays and classics as they have load rattles to try and attract the fish over. We also fished an out-going tide which added to the lack of visibilty problem. There were heaps of other factors such as 30kt cold SE's, squalls and heavy showers, cool temps, lack of bait presence as well as huge tidal variations so the current was ripping through.

So what's your opinion on dirty water in creeks that are generally fairly clear?? I know rivers up in NT are always chocolate like the Mary and still produce but have those fish adapted to the conditions?? Whereas the fish we chased are use to clearer water or does this not matter. Again, is it other factors that coincide with the dirty water?? like oxygen levels, bait??? Interested to know your thoughts?

[the_matrix]

Navi,
Your thoughts are correct, the conditions didnt suit and fishing the ebb is hard enough without recent rainfall. All the mud is coming off the flats. Big SE blow, yep bloody hard.
I fish neaps and the first of the flood in dirty water area's around here, the last thing you want is big run to stir up the bottom.
Many other places the waters deep so the water colour isnt as much of an issue.
Just remember, Barra's primary bait detection method lies with its lateral line, some of the soup I have caught barra in up north in the territory has to be seen to be believed.
Cheers
Jas

[black_sheep]

Thanks mate. always interesting and appreciated feedback.

I knew conditions weren't going to be favourable but couldn't sit at home for 4 days. Hadn't fished that system before so was a bit of a reccy but really didn't expect it to be that muddy. Got my lure stuck on a rock bar and decided to hop out of the boat and walk the bank to retrieve it rather than risk the fibreglass smashing into the rocks. As soon as I slip off the boat on the bank I sunk to my sack, was not a nice feeling and lost both my thongs .

Vin didn't do much to help me - Barra obviously love the mud!

Another ques Jas. Is there any way of guestimating oxygen levels WITHOUT a probe? i.e. condition of vegetation, sounder readings etc? I would expect not but I'm not about to lash out on a probe.

I think Pauls Ranger has one that self deploys from the bow mount it has just about everything else

[black_sheep]

Barrakid,

Freshwater at Hervey Bay?? You have me scrathing my head now.

Are they stocked???

[black_sheep]

Jas, I haven't been on ausfish much lately but just read the post on DO Probes. Quite a few of my questions were answered there - thanks.

[BARRAkid]

Barrakid,

Freshwater at Hervey Bay?? You have me scrathing my head now.

Are they stocked???

haha
yer they are stocked but are pritty much wild
there is a lot of places in the bay like this
last season i caught around 20 barra out off a different dam in the bay this is my first for last season

An the second pic is one off the 120 barra i put in my mates dam last march and it was caught on a popper just after Xmas nice and fat

[chewy01]

mm i was handfeeding some that size b4 xmas on the way to toogoom....

[eotbmg]

Hey Paul,
Looks like rainbow villas!!!
Ben

[Big_Ren]

Hey Paul,
Looks like rainbow villas!!!
Ben

Very much so Ben. Very much so