Its time to rethink the metery!

[Steve B]

Perhaps it may apply to impoundment fish but in the river a metre is still a metre fish

Definatley Dick,Couldnt agree more. They make impoundment barra look ordinary in the fitness stakes. My best in salt is 115cm at South Aligator river....took a long time to land, they use the tide ect to there advantage dont they!!!!

Deffinatley two seperate catagories!!!!

cheers steve

[Dick Pasfield]

Deffinately two separate categories!!!!

about right so comparing the two does not do either fish justice. They're all a challenge in their own environment.

Here's a few salty horses, I should point out both my kids have fish longer than me at the moment

[the_matrix]

Great pics mate.
Jas

[Brad Clark]

I think the whole idea of the benchark length of any fish is a personal thing. I was lucky enough to catch a 114cm barra on my first barra outing at Awoonga. I then fished Monduran and my best on my second trip (fishless on the first) was 95cm. I was stoked with this fish as I got a barra at Monduran in the sticks. My next goal was to crack the metre mark at Monduran. Now I had already boated a 114cm at Awoonga but I was really hoping to just crack the metre mark at Monduran. My next trip to Monduran I got a 103cm. I cracked the Monduran metre mark and I was as stoked with that as I was with the 114 at Awoonga. The next time I go to Monduran I want to beat 103 and the next time I go to Awoonga I want to beat 114.

I think generally if you say you got a 120+ barra from anywhere you are onto a really good fish but any sized barra caught is a bonus especially if it was bigger than your last personal best.

I agree though, if you get a 125cm+ barra you can lay claim to something special.

[Gordie]

This is great to read fellas but to those of us who havent made the metre mark yet, there is a lot of time, effort and study goes into reaching that point.

I just spent 3 days on M and all I have to show is a leg bitten off a frog lure and photos of other peoples fish, so back to the drawing board until next trip.

Regards Gordon

[Barraboss]

Coming from the far south coast NSW, every meterey I catch is a real thrill for me, and reminds me how damn fortunate that I am to live close to an area where this is possible either in salt or fresh.

A benchmark is a personal thing. For some, just catching a 30cm barra in a farm dam is good enough, through to (my goal) boating a 130+ is a pretty high one to aim for. All are possible but it comes down to self satisfaction.

Right now I am aiming to get a meterey again after four meterless trips, but know it could happen on any cast, so I keep going back....and back...and back!!!!

Cheers guys

Matt

[Magella]

I personally don't get over excited about benchmarks example I believe a 85 cm fish is a top effort for someone who has only ever fished for whiting and bream, might not be to impressive to guys who catch meter plus barra all the time but still is a great achievement for that angler. Barra fishing in lakes is a bit like golf or any other individual sport who just try harder to beat your last score or in fishing, catch a bigger Barra.
I always fish in hope of catching a bigger PB [117] but am happy with any barra from the sticks

Cheers Foxie

[black_sheep]

Agree with most post that a 120 fish is special and would love to get one but like others have said, it's a personal thing and everyone sets their own benchmark. To guys like Jas and Johnny M, I'm sure 130's+ is their next goal as they've caught countless over a metre but like Foxy said, if you a trout or bream fishermen, any barra in the sticks is a great achievement. I also rate a fish in the sticks higher then one off the weedbeds or trolled up in the main basin so those who have landed 120's+ in the sticks is an awesome effort.

It still freaks me out a bit to try and fathom what our strategy will be in 5 yrs time when 120's are common and you'll hear of 130's, 140's, 150's.........being boated. As Ben said, bring out the PNG gear. I struggle to fish with anything heavier then a 200/250 size reel so I guess it just means less time on the water and more time drowing your sorrows with a coldie - not such a bad thing.

Dick, those are awesome salties mate. Trade 5 impoundment metrey's for one of them in a blink.

As Steve says - IMHO!!!

[the_matrix]

IMHO is a good thing.

My two bobs worth?
Barra are Barra, they are challenging and skillful, whichever way you go.
In timber, on weedbeds, trolled deep or caught on fly, they are all special in their own way. Who am I to tell a guy who trolled a Barra up on his first ever attempt that his fish is lesser fish than one caught casting? Not likely.

Goals? My goals are not measured in centimetres, more like hours on the water learning more stuff about these wicked fish. There is so much to learn!
The path of least resistance does not appeal to me, I reckon the more you learn about these fish, the higher your chance of getting some obese crazy lengthed fish.

Personally dont think 120's will ever be common (they are not now) too many fish get taken.
Same goes with 140-150cm fish. I dont reckon they will make it.
Just my view.
Jas

[black_sheep]

Personally dont think 120's will ever be common (they are not now) too many fish get taken.
Same goes with 140-150cm fish. I dont reckon they will make it.
Just my view.
Jas[/quote]


If anyone knows Jas, you would but I hope you are wrong. However, thinking about it, Tinaroo has been stocked for a lot longer than other impoundments and although big fish aren't uncommon up there, a 120 is still a talked about fish.

Maybe we should be stocking with Nile Perch .

Jas, what's the biggest you've heard of? Someone once mentioned a 160 elctrofished by DPI out of Faust and I have also heard of 150's? All anecdotal info.

[the_matrix]

Navi,
I think 120's will always be a special fish. I cant see them becoming common.
John Mitchell and I were talking about this very subject the other day. He reckons they wont reach their full potential, I agree. Too much effort directed at them, only a handful sneak through. The only way would be to lock people out of impoundments for say 5 years, leave them to their devices, then open the gates. Same thing but, they'd get caught and not many would go back.
Hence the shortage. Its nice to think we'll have a dam full of 120's, but its not going to happen in my opinion. They wise up incredibly too. Remarkable differences between Monduran Barra behaviour compared to Awoonga Barra behaviour. A huge difference.

Whats the biggest I have heard of? 157cm out of Awoonga. He went to every tackle shop in Hervey Bay and told them all, then I got the pic.
I politley told the guy that 1057mm isnt quite that big.
Biggest I have seen? Shit its easy to offend people here, but the Tinaroo fish that you sent me pics of is up there, a Copperload mammoth which doesnt really count cause no one can fish it, Barraboss's 127, but the standout is without doubt Tony Mitchells 130 from Awoonga. That thing and Matts fish from Tinaroo were epic in proportion. Maybe better have been caught but I havent seen them. I saw the Monduran monster too, but its hard to tell how big it is cause the guy is leaning back and the fish is further in front. If your not sure what I mean check the photo of Greenies young fella Michael In the latest Barra Bass and Bream. Big fish, a cracker 120 something from memory, but if someone told you it was 150cm, you'd believe it. Camera's do funny things.
Ive seen a few legit 150+ salties caught locally but rarely dam fish are lean and long.

I have heard all the 150cm 160cm electrofish stories, Faust, Tinaroo, and even Awoonga. They are rubbish, stories made up by bored people.
Trust me, if a 150+ gets zapped, you think the DPI is going to hide that! No, I dont think so. Its all mythical.

[black_sheep]

You going to break a lot of hearts with your opinions Jas- even if it's being realistic.

On the monduran/awoonga scenario - is it more so to do with the structure of the dam rather than the number of anglers/fishing pressure. Mondy obviously has less 'open' water and more hiddy holes for the barra so therefore, the fish are less spooked?

BTW - have you personally caught a 150 salty??

Funny how you never see these 140+'s on a brag mat!

[shaynes_god]

you guys are spoilt.
honestly i have spent most of my life in the territory. and i remember spending long weekends up the mary river system catching three hundred barra between two of us in 18hrs but all under 80cm and while they were great days all we wanted was to get the magic meter fish. i know guys still up there that have spent years fishing all the rivers and still haven't landed the meter fish. i don't want to offend anyone writing this but while it is good that we as fisherman are pushing ourselves to bigger and better fish i think that we should still be greatful for the fact that we can readily catch fish that alot of people only dream of.
i believe that a greater goal is to further develop your own knowledge and try and get to the stage where you can head out from the boat ramp and know without a doubt that you will catch a few fish that day.
thanks for listening.
shayne

[Steve B]

As Steve says - IMHO!!![/quote]

OOY you lot, are yous takin the p.i.s.s. out a me

I'd rather catch 1 fish on a new method, in new water....after I have a brain theory that actually works, than 5 fish (ball park figure ) caught using a same ol same ol method. Although thats fun too.....just not as rewarding in your own head.

I'd rather share the moment with a mate too.....I noticed that the other day when there wasn't anyone to jump up and down in the boat with me and celebrate my 127cm. It was quite an anti-climax IMHOOOOOOO

Steve,

[Steve B]

you guys are spoilt.
honestly i have spent most of my life in the territory. and i remember spending long weekends up the mary river system catching three hundred barra between two of us in 18hrs but all under 80cm and while they were great days all we wanted was to get the magic meter fish. i know guys still up there that have spent years fishing all the rivers and still haven't landed the meter fish. i don't want to offend anyone writing this but while it is good that we as fisherman are pushing ourselves to bigger and better fish i think that we should still be greatful for the fact that we can readily catch fish that alot of people only dream of.
i believe that a greater goal is to further develop your own knowledge and try and get to the stage where you can head out from the boat ramp and know without a doubt that you will catch a few fish that day.
thanks for listening.
shayne

couldnt agree more Shayne, we are spoilt for size and proximity (well I am anyway). Not a day goes by that I am not greatful for many things in life...big barra on my doorstep is high up the list.

300 barra in 18hrs would be a rewarding 3/4 of a day out in anyones fishing life!! Ahh whats a metre anyway??...its just a number. The challenge you speak of is more important.

thanks for the post, keep em coming.