Monduran Barra 20th Apr

[The BeaR]

Hi All...


With a break in work and weather, the boss told me I had to go to Monduran for the day (She reckoned I was becoming unbearable without a fishing fix), so who was I to argue. So Saturday had me getting everything ready for a Sunday fish.

Got to the boat ramp at around 6:00am and the first thing I noticed was the water level was down about a metre. Decided to head up to B arm to have a look around my favourite tree that I found a while ago that used to produce quite well, but on arrival it was already being fished. After fishing around the area a while with no luck, with the water temp being only 23 deg, decided to go and have a look on some of the bigger shallower flats. The water temp over these flats was 23.8 deg. It doesn’t sound much but it made a difference. Put the boat in 10ft of water and started casting towards the bank, this is where the first fish was taken. Although we were casting Hard bodied lures, it was caught on a weedless slick-rig, that I altered a little by pushing a light bullet weight up into the cavity towards the head and by also burying the hook point of the Gamakatsu 7/0 Worm 323 monster hook into the back of the plastic which made it totally weedless. This is a good system, as it meant I could cast it anywhere without getting hooked up.

From here went back to another little bay that I go to that gives up a fish nearly every time I go there. Water temp in this bay generally holds very well, and today was no different, it was 26 deg, and whether or not there is always going to be fish in there, it always looks fishy. The water depth in this bay on most of its little points is around the 15ft mark. There is a lot of timber in this bay, which is probably what makes it look fishy. Went to one little area in here and fished it pretty hard using a gold B52 120mm, with no success. By this time it was getting to the point of nothing here, time to move on. But before doing so, decided to pick up the BeaR B6-L and give the weedless slick rig another go. Second cast and there she was, another nice Monduran Barra that wasn’t interested in Hard Bodies.

It was decided after releasing this fish that we would head back early as some serious black cloud and rain was moving in fast. The dam had given up another two of its finest, so a good day was had; it was time to go home.

Eric&Deb...

[Whitto]

Hi All...


With a break in work and weather, the boss told me I had to go to Monduran for the day (She reckoned I was becoming unbearable without a fishing fix), so who was I to argue. So Saturday had me getting everything ready for a Sunday fish.

Got to the boat ramp at around 6:00am and the first thing I noticed was the water level was down about a metre. Decided to head up to B arm to have a look around my favourite tree that I found a while ago that used to produce quite well, but on arrival it was already being fished. After fishing around the area a while with no luck, with the water temp being only 23 deg, decided to go and have a look on some of the bigger shallower flats. The water temp over these flats was 23.8 deg. It doesn’t sound much but it made a difference. Put the boat in 10ft of water and started casting towards the bank, this is where the first fish was taken. Although we were casting Hard bodied lures, it was caught on a weedless slick-rig, that I altered a little by pushing a light bullet weight up into the cavity towards the head and by also burying the hook point of the Gamakatsu 7/0 Worm 323 monster hook into the back of the plastic which made it totally weedless. This is a good system, as it meant I could cast it anywhere without getting hooked up.

From here went back to another little bay that I go to that gives up a fish nearly every time I go there. Water temp in this bay generally holds very well, and today was no different, it was 26 deg, and whether or not there is always going to be fish in there, it always looks fishy. The water depth in this bay on most of its little points is around the 15ft mark. There is a lot of timber in this bay, which is probably what makes it look fishy. Went to one little area in here and fished it pretty hard using a gold B52 120mm, with no success. By this time it was getting to the point of nothing here, time to move on. But before doing so, decided to pick up the BeaR B6-L and give the weedless slick rig another go. Second cast and there she was, another nice Monduran Barra that wasn’t interested in Hard Bodies.

It was decided after releasing this fish that we would head back early as some serious black cloud and rain was moving in fast. The dam had given up another two of its finest, so a good day was had; it was time to go home.

Eric&Deb...

Thanks for the report and foto's Eric, Hard bodies one day Plastics the next, a variation in temp and bingo, well done, Cheers Whitto

[tiges]

Well done Eric, great report. Thanks for the insight to your rigging technique.

[Barraboss]

Eric,

Thank you for the report and also showing a pic of the rig that worked for you on the day!!!

Cheers

Matt

[Frank OO]

Nice Work Eric,

Weightless Plastics eh??? How many Catfish did you catch??

Nice work mate, I believe that you had to work pretty hard for every fish.

Frank OO

[McCod]

Good stuff mate!
Thanks for the detailed report..... Those 7/0 monter hooks are great on the Barra and take some punishment if needed. Can't wait to get up there in a week or so and get a few bends in the new S-10


Cheers Les

[rc@hinze]

thanks for the report. The weedless info & photo was very helpful. You certainly found a big difference in water temp. We couldn't find such avdifference on our recent trip.

[Brad Clark]

Great report Eric. It is funny what turns a barra on. I fished with a plastic for about 2 hours and not long after changing to a hardbody I got my barra.

Tania gave her new S10 a run but only caught a cattie. A great rod all the same for a little lady to cast consistently for three days. Maybe next time.

Brad

[BR65]

cheers mate for the report, nasty looking clouds in the background
Im up this wekend with a new B8-5 to try out

cheers
brian

[eotbmg]

Nice effort again Eric. I reckon that the boat was a green Extream and had the brothers of darkness in it eh.???? Looks like its time for another hairy!!!!!!
Cheers
Ben

[black_sheep]

That may have been us Ben - Shhhhhhhhhh !

Sorry Eric, I was just firing them up for you . You did really well to get those 2 fish mate. Things were tough. We got 2 just around the corner after talking to you and that was it for the day.

Unfortunately, we stayed out in the hope the storm would miss us - it didn't .

We used HB's 70% of the time and surface lures for the remainder but I did give a weighted slick rig a go for a while to no success.

Cheers
Navi

[Steve B]

Eric and Deb,

Hey well done on the fish. That was a tough day for most. You still keep producing the goods when its tough!! Great pics again!

There has been some good catches latley on weedless squidgies. You old tree is a popular hangout these days, even though the dynamics of the area have changed completely. The tree is nearly as famous as your rods!!

I WILL call you soon. Cheers Steve.

[1337]

Hey Eric,

Some really nice fish there mate. Is it safe to assume that these warmer bays were furthur up the dam?

Regards
CT