Well - that’s a wrap for another trip to Kinchant dam ….. & what a trip it was . Two boats towed from Western Sydney , Me & old mate Whitey + his two young blokes (Daniel & Shane) & a mate (Hayden) towing Whiteys boat . The youngsters have never undertaken a trip like this , nor had they ever fished for barra before – so you can only imagine the anticipation.

2 full days drive had us arriving earlier than planned so we weren’t able to get onto our waterfront sites – but that’s ok … we set up pretty close & would just move onto our site later the following morning.
Had a morning fish prior to moving sites & managed to get the monkey off my back with an 81cm fish & later in the day a 75 & 85.
We had some good intel from a couple of mates you had fished the place over the previous two weeks & just prior to our arrival. So we knew where to go & were pre warned that last years hot spots were dead (weeded) …. That’s ok – Kinchant is never the same & changes over the course of days. Conditions were very good – hot (33-35 deg) & predominantly NE , E winds + a building moon.
The next day I managed 3 & old mate 1 small 60 - but there was a highlight with me catching a 94cm off the back of the boat (at camp) in the middle of the day - all to the delight of the peanut gallery up at the bar who couldn’t believe what they just saw . camp barra.jpg
It took the youngsters a few sessions to start to work things out (the hard way ) but they started to get some fish including some in the high 80s & low 90s - for us oldies we were catching fish (mostly small) but old Whitey was struggling till the 4th day . It was interesting that his much beloved slick rig was just not working for him - He had watched me fish a 8” Megabass Magdraft which the barra absolutely loved – though it was a expensive exercise with the barra destroying several Magdraft barra.jpg ….. I’d be broke if I continued – so I went back to the 6” Hollowbelly (my go to placcy). True story – Whitey is frugal ( to say the least) he picked out a packet of placcies that were out of the bargain bin at BCF - I thought “yeh whatever” but at least it was a larger paddle tail (155mm). We were on our sunset spot & as the sun started to set behind the hills the magic really started to happen for him - 68, 60 , 92 & 78 ….camp bay barra.jpg He missed at least 10 including 5 in 10 casts – most right at the back of the boat . Me I never got a touch . The boys fishing 30 meters away – not a touch .
Next morning we drifted the same location & I managed several fish – Whitey nothing …… well not until we returned to the scene of yesterdays bite for sunset …… then it happened again - he landed a little 45 then a nice 94 – jumped several & missed heaps - I had barely a touch before asking him for one of these placcies (I’m not proud) unfortunately the bite had stopped. The boys got a fish but compared to the old man - we were blown away.
Whitey & I were up early for a surface fish at our favourite surface fishing location - straight across from camp. pitch black & the bugs were thick – they got in your eyes , nose …. Just don’t turn on the light - but hey it was worth it ….. never landed a fish but jumped a few & had many explosive boofs on the topwater lures ….. love it . That was a great day for me with 9 landed with the best going 98 - Old mate managed 3 including our double hook up in a very shallow bay in the middle of the day.Doubles.jpg
Old mate went down crook (sunstroke) & so my last full days fishing was with young Hayden – who was going to have his first surface fish ( he wasn’t impressed with the 3.30am wake up – or the bugs) but he did get some hits (boofs) & landed his first topwater. I managed to land 3 incl an 84 & 91 … jumped a couple . That was a 12 fish day for me. topwater barra.jpg
Never landed the big fish – Jumped a meter plus fish & lost a big girl in the weed towers - close being just a few feet away with her waving her tail at me head buried deep in the weed …. Big fish & eventually the leader wore through.
All up a great trip with over 50 fish landed in my boat - many more jumped off . It’s a long haul but well worth it. The young blokes are hooked - they had a great last evening with quite a few landed & more lost / missed.
Kinchant Oct 2024 …. You betchya

Daniel barra.jpgHayden barra.jpgShane 87.jpgWhitey 94.jpg