Monduran - Beer, Bangers, Barra and The Ol Boys

[BR65]

You know what; I reckon there’s more to barra fishing than just catching a barra!
Last week end I spent 2 ½ days in a 4 meter tinny with my old fella Ken (64) chasing a Mondy meterey, and shared the time with my mate Noel and his old bloke Ross (a little older than 64!), and Noels young fella Braden (10 going on 20) as well.
We had a house this trip, and vowed to take it easy, no early morns or late nite sessions, a roof over our heads, air con and pay TV – happy days.
Now my ol bloke hasn’t caught a barra since he worked in the territory in the 70’s, I’m not to sure about Ross, Braden has a 90+ to his name, but is mega hungry for another, me and Noel have the passion and drive, we both have a couple of fish under our belts, so it was a good mix of youthful enthusiasm and old bull vs young bull cunning that dumped their gear off on Friday arvo and hit the water for a quick session.
We worked over some old favourites that arvo, wind blown points and bays, but failed to draw a response. With the dam levels down a wack from the last run up, previous spots that we pulled fish were high and dry, grazing spots now for the herds of cattle, un-seen before spots were appearing, and old favourite lay downs were beckoning.
Friday nite, big feed and an esky full of ice, Coronas and black cans resulted in a couple of dusty heads the next morn. The old bull vs young bull cunning had paid dividends with the old boys having an early night, and me and Noel cracking the top off a couple or twenty frosty bevies. End result saw us on the water at a leisurely 6.30AM or so, to have a cast or two, and see what was happening.
We tried a spot or two, and around mid morn I pointed the hornet into some nasty lay down logs, a big snag pile we used to fish at lower levels, and only now starting to re-appear. I didn’t even have the leccy down when the ol man has fired in a cast, 2 cranks and he is smacked on the guns n roses classic pro, big fish bounding away in a series of thrashing head shakes. Problem was, line entered the water at spot x, and fish was rapidly departing the scene at spot z, with the end result a spectacular bust off as the 80 leader gave way on a gnarly submerged tree, bugger.
No more interest for the morning, so a quick call to Noel on the UHF revealed Braden had been smoked on a big fish that inhaled his soft plac, and then lassoed itself around the only tree in the small weed fringed channel they were fishing, lodging the leader into a crack in the tree just below the water line, and before Noel could get the boat there to un-wrap, another bust off, bugger again.
We met up with the boys for smoko, a sausage sizzle on the bank under the shade of a couple of trees up the back of H, and ever keen, Braden couldn’t help but have a cast from the bank into the tiny, green tinged creek mouth where we had the boats beached. 4 casts in and he is hammered by a feisty fish that decides the best way out is to head for deep water. Braden has slipped on the steep bank, and is trying to fight this fish on his back, I’m in the back of the tinny trying to steer his line away from the beached outboard, and this fish, one of those cranky teenagers in the 90’s, is playing up like a second hand mower. It eventually won its freedom, chaffed leader the culprit, and a pleased as punch young fella left on the bank wondering at the speed and pulling power of a good fish in tight water.
Sunday morn and another late start, a very quiet morning for us, and around smoko we met up again for a feed of prawns and sausages, same spot as the day before. Braden couldn’t replicate his previous success, but with a bit of lateral thinking, the plac was removed from his ¼ ounce Nitro, a bit of left over sauso threaded on, and the catfish comp was on, providing some mid day entertainment for all.
The ol boys drifted off for a nana nap under the shade, and Noel and I chilled with a cold one and watched the boy wrassle with the whiskered fiends, until eventually even he was over it, and wanted to go lure casting for barra again.
We fished the arvo in a new spot for me, a just emerged island, still damp and muddy, and I finally put the boat in the right spot at the right time, with a brief bite window that co-incided with moon set seeing me off the ‘nut, but un-fortunately, only net work for my deckie.
That was it, 3 bust offs, and 3 on the mat, nothing huge, but a great trip!
We saw plenty of wild life, heaps of birds, snakes, roos, wallabies, foxes and bunnies, feral pig and goannas. Drank a heap of beer, ate a heap of burned meat and salad, got sun burned and rained on, even trolled a bit.
Noel hit a prop buster up near J, nasty but we had the gear to do a bank side replacement, just might pick a firmer bank next time!
There were some good fish caught over the week end, if you didn’t mind siting in the que at the island at the top of the basin, we gave it a miss and went further up away from the crowds, and enjoyed it immensely.
Happy days, counting down till the next one!

cheers
brian

[BR65]

couple more

[leelee]

Well done mate.

Some pretty good pics there.

Sounds like it was a great trip.

Well done.

Cheers

Lee

[DEANO68]

awsome brian, been waiting to here from ya ...sounds like ya had a ball with some good friends and family mate, a few beers , a laugh , and some good fushy action...tops...

deano..

[nipsta]

that was a great read brian it sounds like a great trip good fun and sore heads woth the effort

[Tropicaltrout]

nice mate, sounds like the crowds are circling the basin areas..... Top pics show what R N R and a barra trip is all about...

[NAGG]

Good one Brian ...... Great to see that you could get away from work & have a bit of a trip ......... not a bad result either

Chris

[Obi _ Wan]

Thats a bloody good report Brian, thanks for sharing what was obviously a great trip.

Good pictures to mate what snakes did you see, don't like those things.

I'm going to try and catch a jack with the boys this weekend, should be good.


Cheers,
John.

[Barraboss]

Great report Brian, got me itching to dust of the boat and have a crack this weekend with some friends....It's not all about the fishing

Cheers
Matt

[Callop]

Great stuff Brian. Catching Barra is great but doing it with booze, bangers and blokes is even better

[Whitto]

Thats what it's all about Brian......Your Dad.......Good Friends.......Some R&R......and Barra to boot.......Priceless..........Good report and Piccies......Thanks Mate

[robersl]

Well done brian good report and photo's how much timber did you hit with the lower water levels looking at the split prop good to see all had fun

shane

[vet]

Great report Brian, I was down there at the same time, lovely weather and good fishing. Barra fishing doesn't get any better when you can do it with friends and your kids.
Thanks for the report, scott.

[King_Kong]

Great report , makes me want to drop everything and put the boat on and get back up there even though I just got back. Mick

[Barry Ehsman]

Great report mate,,, has got me itchin to get there at the end of the month...

Cheers Baz