Well all .... I'm back from what was a most memorable barra trip - One that started with no great expectations & the likelihood of several relocations.
The trip didn't start off too well .... me moving into my new pad the evening before I was due to leave for Mondy...... rush , rush , rush ( bound to leave something behind + MW (jet set fishoe) leaving me waiting for his phone call - that never came .....distracted by a lady walking in front of him = locked phone anyhow drove past the terminal & picked him up (1 hour late) arrived at Mondy after a provision stop & Gin Gin ..... + a chat to Foxy ....... A sort of quick set up of the camp & we were on the water for a mid afternoon fish in very cold threatening weather .......... no great expectations.
Not 40mins into the session at the previously mentioned SPOT X (The Producer) whitey is hammered on a Black & Gold Slick rig ............. a nice 110cm fish is boated Attachment 43730 . Missed several more......... what a way to start the trip
Day 2 saw us fish all day for SFA till we went back to the producer MW lands a new PB of 114cmAttachment 43731 , a awesome looking 97 & a 95 . While I got off the nut with a 95.
The next day Trev joined us & with a biteless day fishing D & the South arm of B .. We found ourselves back to the producer for the evening bite Trev shows us his wares by landing a awesome 117 Attachment 43732 & a high 90s ( man can Trev catch barra) .With my contribution a 95 (MW started his run of 5 consecutive donuts)
The following morning saw us off to LakeGregory for a bass session .. A bit of fun with several low 40s landed & lots of little takers . After that it was off to get some welding done on my trailer ( broken guard support & keel roller mount) .. Thanks to Trevs mate Stuie .. Who knew of where we could go .
At this point of time we were making plans to bypass Awoonga & fish Kinchant / Teemburra due to poor forecast ( Cyclone off Fraser Is) .. But the decision was to be based on the next days results.
After returning from Gin Gin on the water for our evening session . Just after dark I manage a 99 . & with the crescendo of barra boofing in adjoing bays I* dropped 3 fish on surface lures (X walks) .. before producing a new PB of 123cm on a deeply fished 6 storm swim shad Attachment 43733 .. Attachment 43734Barely able to lift her for a pic or two , she swam off strongly after destroying my brand new Zillion HLC ( MW put her down on the reel) .. Well thats just about the end of the notion of heading for greener pastures The following day killed the idea completely with a late start ( fishing had been poor during the daylight hours though the bite was getting earlier - On our location around 2ish we relaxed , sinking a couple of coldies before commencing our casting .. What happened over the next few hours was mind blowing - 2nd cast I land a 108Attachment 43735 , 4thth cast a 104 Attachment 43736 followed shortly after by a 98 & 95 . Two consecutive jump offsAttachment 43744 & another 95 another jump off .Attachment 43748 & finally an 88 ( MW lost a fish on our tie off tree) .
I landed another couple of fish the following day including a 100 even
What happened the day after was bizarre .. Between us 5 out of 5 jumps offs . & a donut day .. But still lots of fun.
At this point of the trip the weather turns sour with a cold SE wind replacing the 3 days of glorious NE winds . We both donut on the back of plummeting water temps ( 5 deg drop)
The weather continued to deteriorate & through sheer madness we hit the water with a rather nasty storm brewing not 500m from the boat ramp I realise that I had forgotten both cameras .. & going against MW insistence I continued to our location .. I did say Well probably land a cracker!) Well MW certainly came back from the dead with a session in appalling conditions & results that beggars belief .. remember what I said about the camera - Yep we had to blast up to some fellow fishoes to get them to take a photo of MWs new PB ( 121cm) this was followed up by a 105cm & 1 jump offs and a fish that MW was never going to stop by the time I threw the buoy .. The big girl made it to a tree some 100M away - put her head out of the water & ripped out the slick rig on the tree ( still waiting on the photo of the 121 to be emailed to me)
Trev joined us again . & with MW landing the only fish (mid 80s) . Things looked pretty sad with the life being ripped out of south B on the back of the SE winds
We decided to look elsewhere the following day giving 2 mile a try .. Not exactly great conditions . But we were fishing . My very first cast of the day into some spindly bank side structure .. Saw the stiffy twitch bait disappear in a boil - & realising I was in trouble, immediately backed off the drag . Which was all to no avail ( I was running a lighter gauge hook on the back which was opened up.
What happened next could only be described as amazing .. Trev was working his way through the timber when he points out the little wake of a barra next to a tree Trev lands his cast perfectly & the spray of water says it all Yep barra Unfortunately after some jumps & an entangled line ( a broken twig) . All he ended up with was a straightened jig head .
Further in . I see what was the ideal ambush scenario . In the distance & waiting for the right moment . I make the cast & land my Twitch bait right on the money ( I wish I was 2 cents short) .. the treble catches the log - MW then lands his slick rig over the log , slides it over it & gets himself a 110 Attachment 43737 which had to be landed while I was still snagged .
Trev lost another fish around a small tree a little later . Back to the Producer for sunset .. but it was dead , though we did hear that Culbura managed a fish on the next point ( well done).
Our final days fishing had us chasing warm water / currents .. & we eventually found 29 deg up around H . We had a lovely warm day with winds driving the currents our way .. Life seems pretty good . Around 11am I got a bone jarring hit casting into the lantana but we couldnt entice another bite over the next 10 mins . as we were moving away MW casts back toward the area and is smashed on another slick rig .. The fish quickly make a B line for some standing timber , wraps the braid but is clearly visible on the surface . MW fortunately listened to the advice being yelled at him , which gave me the chance to unwrap the braid & get the fish into open water . After a great scrap MW lands an awesome 102.Attachment 43739
Not long after .. He breaks off another decent fish ( panic thumbs on spool = POP!)
An hour later I land a golden fish that was picked from a lily pad- Attachment 43738 You have to love a fish that swims straight out between all the timbers & leaps 5 feet boat side . The 88 was our last fish of the trip.
That evening we had a few beers , cheese & crackers with Steve B & BR65 A great way to finish off our trip.
Aside from the fishing , it was great catching up with fellow ausfishers , Culbura & son , Mylestom & wife , Pete62 , BR65 , Steve B & Awoonga , Foxy + a great bunch of blokes from Cobar .
cheers
Chris
PS ...... Post 19 has the photos of MWs 121
PPS ..... As for spot X - I'm sure any shallow point that is prominant with access to deep water , could fire on the right conditions - Our formula was a simple one! We fished hard during prime bite periods , lots of casts sometimes in appalling conditions ........... More often than not , all the other boats left the area just when the fish came on. ( 2 boats that remained & fished the next point scored barra over 3 different nights)
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Tropicaltrout
)
......... just awesome
I feel so sorry for the person he sat next to on the plane this afternoon 
