Eating Monduran Barra?

[NormC]

My wife can handle the flavour of impoundment barra (just above legal size), but I cannot.
We have tried most remedies - soak in salt water and soak in Lemonade to name a couple. Might make a small difference, but not enough for me.

If I want to eat Barra that catch myself, I head North. Fortunately we are able to do that regularly these days. Spent 5 months in NT this year and will spend at least 6 months up there next year.

Up there, I love catching Barra and we keep some to eat. But Threadfin Salmon, Mangrove Jack and Fingermark are all better eating fish in my opinion.

My suggestin is that if you can, keep a small one (60cm) and give it a try. That way you will know. If, like most, you don't like it much, enjoy the fishing and let them go for someone else to catch.

Norm C

[FNQCairns]

Lateral ....... Yes this is one of those threads that can easily develop into a C&R Vs Take ......... Yes I just deleted Kill & Fillet.
As we know ..... These are put & take fisheries ...... & people are entitled to catch barra & take them for the table ....... & very few would begrudge that! Most people that C&R except it ...... As long as its not wasted

Now ...... What does get up my goat

Are the people that roll up with 2 & 3 Eskies / Trailblazers/ industrial fridges ..... & go out & attempt to fill these bad boys during their trip .......... Gone is the Aussie spirit of a fair thing & in comes greed - - as if it is their god given right

These tossers are the ones ....... that I dislike with a passion - They will even use the excuse that their bag limit includes their wife ..... who never touches a rod ..... or their kid that is too young to even attempt to land a barra .......... & yes there are enough of them!
This is no exaggeration ....... I've seen it .... Last Month we spoke to a guy that knocked a metery on the head ........ & had to give it to some others because he ran out of room in his Trailblazer ........... "He had his relatives that wanted some barra " - This is the stuff that sucks

Chris

Yeah but you know there is a whole other level, we have a lake called Tinaroo up here, lot's of easy access foreshore, second last time I was there the rangers came down to make sure we were just day tripping because they wanted their sleeping tax.

I asked how many Mum/dad and kids do you see around the foreshore fishing for fun while visiting, "hardly never" was the reply....what a strange reply

I know why, this dam is elitist and enabled by SIP, is monduran forcing the same behaviours, never been there so cannot say.

Anyway I cannot help thinking that if someone ate all the barra the typical family could come back to the lake armed with just 20 dollars worth of rod reel line float hook and a worm, without jumping through costly and minority serving (dare I say it again) - hoops to enable recfishing elitists.

cheers fnq

[NAGG]

Yeah but you know there is a whole other level, we have a lake called Tinaroo up here, lot's of easy access foreshore, second last time I was there the rangers came down to make sure we were just day tripping because they wanted their sleeping tax.

I asked how many Mum/dad and kids do you see around the foreshore fishing for fun while visiting, "hardly never" was the reply....what a strange reply

I know why, this dam is elitist and enabled by SIP, is monduran forcing the same behaviours, never been there so cannot say.

Anyway I cannot help thinking that if someone ate all the barra the typical family could come back to the lake armed with just 20 dollars worth of rod reel line float hook and a worm, without jumping through costly and minority serving (dare I say it again) - hoops to enable recfishing elitists.

cheers fnq

Hmmm ....... Having spent some time at Tinaroo back in May - I didn't see too many people doing anything on that magnificent dam ( a few boat fishoes & a couple skiers) ..... 1 or two camping
On the SIP ....... Most Qld stocked impoundments require you to have one ....... & the money goes into the stocking program - I think its a good thing ....... but that little bit of paper shouldn't be viewed as a rite to harvest fish - Thats what I'm saying
.......... Is it elitist what we do I dont think so - we fish for the love of the sport - & in an odd kind of way .... most of us care for the fish ( knotless nets , lip grippers , lay the fish on wet brag mats , support the fish when holding it - take a photo as quickly as possible ...... & swim the fish

Yes.... I've seen mum / dad & kids fishing the bank at both Mondy & Awoonga recently ......... which is great to see!

Cheers

Chris

[Tim_N]

Brian,
I'm not too sure about the Red Claw situation at Mondy, there's plenty at Awoonga though.
I have never fished Mondy, I thought it would hold Red Claw too.
I know, I'll have to go and find out for myself, mmmmmmmmmmmm.
Tim

[black_sheep]

Tim - from what I've heard, Mondy has never had red claw! At times they've had blue claw (very similar) but they are few and far between. No one really targets them at Mondy.

When we fished Tinaroo recently, I couldn't believe how many pots we saw up there - considering there were hardly any boats out.

[Steve B]

Redclaw...i am prettyy sure not....Some say yes others no.....If so, there wouldnt be too many. Barra love them.

Lateral: heres an idea if you want a fresh feed. Get a couple of schrimp pots. put them around a few of the weed beds near the ramp etc......get some live schrimp.....tie up near some trees (apparently under any bird/eagle nest) and send em down live on a bream style rig........catch some bass.....they taste OK.

Thats how most blokes were catching them in the MASA fishing classic. healthy fish too.

just a thought.

steve

[FNQCairns]

Hmmm ....... Having spent some time at Tinaroo back in May - I didn't see too many people doing anything on that magnificent dam ( a few boat fishoes & a couple skiers) ..... 1 or two camping
On the SIP ....... Most Qld stocked impoundments require you to have one ....... & the money goes into the stocking program - I think its a good thing ....... but that little bit of paper shouldn't be viewed as a rite to harvest fish - Thats what I'm saying
.......... Is it elitist what we do I dont think so - we fish for the love of the sport - & in an odd kind of way .... most of us care for the fish ( knotless nets , lip grippers , lay the fish on wet brag mats , support the fish when holding it - take a photo as quickly as possible ...... & swim the fish

Yes.... I've seen mum / dad & kids fishing the bank at both Mondy & Awoonga recently ......... which is great to see!

Cheers

Chris

yeah I agree not elitist from the perspective of the next bloke (brothers in arms) in a boat casting for barra that's for sure but from the day tripping spur of the moment traditional family that would cast a line if allowed like they were allowed to under management that did not favour only a specific self interest user group.

What sort of outcry would we see if the typical family was denied access to say the bribie foreshore with a $20 rod to catch a whiting unless they extra-organised their simple day and paid a tax under threat of punitive punishment so the offshore boys can have better fun fishing for a species the average punter couldn't care less about??

Elitest for sure and in absolute terms but of coarse the traditional family and traditional family fishing behaviours/values must be ignored to deny it.

The greenies are not the only ideology placing recfishing in disrepute IMO.

SIP is the only recfishing arena where if the greenies had it their way and banned just C&R, it would benefit the general public by a factor of 100/1.

They could fix it today by simply no longer under law directly disadvantaging anyone not outwardly fishing in any SIP elitist style from the shore, we can justify anything these days with PC self interested blinkers so they could do it with the stroke of a pen but I wouldn't expect the average committed sip dam user to believe it would benefit them personally so it will not ever happen.

cheers fnq

[Jeremy87]

I've tried billabong barra and considered it palatable. It was bled straight away and cooked up in a curry. I am of the opinion that with a strong enough curry you can make just about anything taste edible.

Generally speaking i've found that most fresh water fish taste like crap and the people who eat them have been brought up on these fish and don't actually realise how bad it tastes. when i eat fish i like to actually like to taste the flavour of the fish itself. If you have to soak it in vinegar or lemon or some fandangle sauce then i can't be bothered.

If impoundment barra were as good to chew as salties i would definatley be keeping a couple to take home for the freezer. Unfortunatley they aren't so i practice catch and release not just because of sustainability and sport reasons but because i'd rather eat a piece of snapper from a shop than a piece of mud i caught myself.

[Steve B]

yeah I agree not elitist from the perspective of the next bloke (brothers in arms) in a boat casting for barra that's for sure but from the day tripping spur of the moment traditional family that would cast a line if allowed like they were allowed to under management that did not favour only a specific self interest user group.

What sort of outcry would we see if the typical family was denied access to say the bribie foreshore with a $20 rod to catch a whiting unless they extra-organised their simple day and paid a tax under threat of punitive punishment so the offshore boys can have better fun fishing for a species the average punter couldn't care less about??

Elitest for sure and in absolute terms but of coarse the traditional family and traditional family fishing behaviours/values must be ignored to deny it.

The greenies are not the only ideology placing recfishing in disrepute IMO.

SIP is the only recfishing arena where if the greenies had it their way and banned just C&R, it would benefit the general public by a factor of 100/1.

They could fix it today by simply no longer under law directly disadvantaging anyone not outwardly fishing in any SIP elitist style from the shore, we can justify anything these days with PC self interested blinkers so they could do it with the stroke of a pen but I wouldn't expect the average committed sip dam user to believe it would benefit them personally so it will not ever happen.

cheers fnq

FNQ

I am trying to understand what your saying.

So, If a family fishes off the edge, $20 combo in hand etc.....they shouldn't have to pay the $7 SIP????.....what are they fishing for catfish??? no barra......without SIP there would be no barra for them to catch......or for the so called elitists.

You fish..you pay. simple. Whether your the local guide on the dam or a first timer having a BBQ and a beer on the bank with ya kids

MASA has been stocking Monduran for 15yrs......not for any particular agenda......just to give people a chance to catch a barra without having to travel to FNQ or NT. Without the SIP program....we'd be stuffed.....so would Tinaroo, faust, teemburra.....most dams with fish.

Steve

PS what I do wish is that ALL SIP money went to stocking and not the % that is 'administraion costs' being sliced off our contribution to a sport we love.

[black_sheep]

I too do not have a problem with paying $7 a day or $35 a year. Gee, can't even buy a pack of worms with that nowadays. As Steve said - no SIP, no barra, bass, togas etc in a lot of our dams.

[NAGG]

yeah I agree not elitist from the perspective of the next bloke (brothers in arms) in a boat casting for barra that's for sure but from the day tripping spur of the moment traditional family that would cast a line if allowed like they were allowed to under management that did not favour only a specific self interest user group.

What sort of outcry would we see if the typical family was denied access to say the bribie foreshore with a $20 rod to catch a whiting unless they extra-organised their simple day and paid a tax under threat of punitive punishment so the offshore boys can have better fun fishing for a species the average punter couldn't care less about??

Elitest for sure and in absolute terms but of coarse the traditional family and traditional family fishing behaviours/values must be ignored to deny it.

The greenies are not the only ideology placing recfishing in disrepute IMO.

SIP is the only recfishing arena where if the greenies had it their way and banned just C&R, it would benefit the general public by a factor of 100/1.

They could fix it today by simply no longer under law directly disadvantaging anyone not outwardly fishing in any SIP elitist style from the shore, we can justify anything these days with PC self interested blinkers so they could do it with the stroke of a pen but I wouldn't expect the average committed sip dam user to believe it would benefit them personally so it will not ever happen.

cheers fnq

FNQ ...... maybe you view it as elitist . > Me I come from NSW where once we hit 18 - we have to hold a licence to fish anywhere for anything ....... no matter be it for a stocked bass or trout ...a prawn or yabby... right through to snapper or marlin ..

So I really cant show any empathy for your argument ........ & I am all for paying a tax if it is used to benefit a fishery.
I drive 1000s of Km a year to fish your magnificent stocked impoundments & handing over $35 is money invested IMO

Chris

PS ...... Go to NZ & see what you pay for a trout licence ($100 NZ from memory .... about $1.50 Aus )

[Roo]

I get a yearly SIP for $35 for myself and themissus even tho' this year was the first time I've ever used it more than once! as Chris has said, Coming from NSW, we are used to paying to improve our fishing opportunities and habitats. Looking forward to Hinze Dam being added to the SIP program.....its a pain in the Ar$e to have to get another permit just for that dam.....and I can't get it online or from anywhere Local to me so It precludes an early launch on this dam without having a fishing buddy in QLD to pick one up for me!

[Barraboy7]

Jeremy 87
What a load of self opinionated bollocks you just wrote!
Thousands of Aussie fisho's eat freshwater fish, and according to you they all are eating mud are they? They dont realise how bad they taste?? What sort of elitist mumbo jumbo is that? Very derogatory.
I grew up eating lovely yellowbelly and Murray Cod from the Condamine, still love them today, they are great tasting fish. As are many other fresh and salt water fish.
You completely contradict your self saying fresh water barra are palatable and then refer to them as mud, make up your mind.
Why cant some people just get over it, its OK, its legal, to eat a Dam Barra. Like most comments, if thats what you want to do, fine! Why is it though that other intolerant people come out and talk down to other fishos who do things differently... beyond me???
After all, This thread was started with an enquiry on how to prepare and cook a fish, thats all.
Regards
Barraboy7

Barraboy7

[oldboot]

I think it is possible that we have been spoilt by having so many top quality eating fish in this country.......most of which can speak for them selves in flavour and texture.... with no particular cooking fancies.


overseas they east all sorts of stuff we consider most unpalatable..... carp, tapalia, catfish ( don't the creole's go on about cat fish stew).

In this country fish stews, curries and all the thinks we do with cheap cuts of meat are most uncommon.

perhaps that weedy or muddy tint is an aquired taste...... who knows.


Afterall some people eat asparagas from choice..........I am convinced there are two sorts of people..... thise who like asparagas and those who can actulay tast it.

cheers

[Jeremy87]

Jeremy 87
What a load of self opinionated bollocks you just wrote!
Thousands of Aussie fisho's eat freshwater fish, and according to you they all are eating mud are they? They dont realise how bad they taste?? What sort of elitist mumbo jumbo is that? Very derogatory.
I grew up eating lovely yellowbelly and Murray Cod from the Condamine, still love them today, they are great tasting fish. As are many other fresh and salt water fish.
You completely contradict your self saying fresh water barra are palatable and then refer to them as mud, make up your mind.
Why cant some people just get over it, its OK, its legal, to eat a Dam Barra. Like most comments, if thats what you want to do, fine! Why is it though that other intolerant people come out and talk down to other fishos who do things differently... beyond me???
After all, This thread was started with an enquiry on how to prepare and cook a fish, thats all.
Regards
Barraboy7

Barraboy7

If you missed the sarcasm of the first two sentances its not my fault. Every time i've had someone cook me fresh water fish it's either tasted like crap or the flavour has been smothered so much that i couldn't tell wether i was eating fish or chicken. I don't have a problem with people taking fish from impoundments but from my experiences when eating fresh water fish they have all tasted like mud and on that basis i wouldn't personally bother when i can just as easily go and catch some snapper, flathead or mackeral. If choosing to eat something that doesn't taste like mud over something that does makes me an elitist then ok I'm an elitist.