Fraser island barra

[tangles21]

Headed up the fraser coast for a week on a houseboat last friday 9th. Stoped at kauri creek the first night.Fished there in the morning for some nice flatties and my first whiting on a plastic 35cm.Checked the crab pots and got 9 muddies.

Pulled anchor and headed up to garrys anchorage for most of the remainder of the week.By the time we got there it was blowing a good 20knts and got stronger sunday.

Come monday the winds started to ease and with the anchor pulling due to the wind the day and night before,I was left to man the houseboat while the girls took the kids to the beach and my mate checked the pots.

The tide was full and the houseboat had swung nicely around infront of some snags.So out came the softies for a flick.

First cast bang im on nice little gt so i run and get the camera to take a shot.Next cast right into some sunken logs.Two Flicks then smash im on again this time it feels better the reel was losing line gradually and then i saw a big silver flash and it must seen me as it took off big time.I first thought good jew.

After about a 10 min fight with some awesome runs i saw the fish and it was a barra.By now my heart was pounding as i only had been using my light gear 4lb braid and 2-4kg live fibre.I grabbed my camara took a shot as i thought there was no way in hell i was going to get this fish by myself.

He took off again for a couple more runs and then he just floundered at the back of the boat.How am i going to land this thing,no net, no gaff,nobody to help.So i got on my knees and grabbed him by the bottom jaw and he went crazy the leader snapped at the jighead but there was no way i was letting go.I draged him on board and couldnt believe my luck.

The barra measured 86cm and weighed 15lb on the dot.I still cant believe i got the fish in.

All up it was a great week at we got a heap of fish all on softies.

Here are some pics to prove my tale

cheers leigh

[tangles21]

In the water.I had the rod in one hand and the camera in the other,You do some strange things in the heat of the moment.

[tangles21]

In the esky

[tangles21]

The plastic

[tangles21]

Me and the fish

[tangles21]

One of the gts

[tangles21]

kauri creek catch

[tangles21]

Some of the good weather we had

[Big_unit]

Yep thats awesome.

Where abouts in garys, did you get the Barra ?

Cheers
James

[luskin]

Congrats Leigh
Great pics, and excellent story

Cheers

Sy

[tangles21]

Got him out the front of the old logging station.Should have seen the boats there over the next couple of days as word got around.

[DICER]

I can just imagine...beaut catch and feed. Absolute stunner story of a barra in that region!

[NeilD]

Nice Fish. Its a shame that the pros can still net them during their spawning migration each year. They should be a rec only fish in the southern areas.
I have had some hang around my squid lights in Garry's but could not tempt them
I once gott a 100cm model a few K's north at Ungowa on a stretch 20. To see a 1m Barra jumping around 1/2 dozen boats at 11.00am on a Sunday morning was pretty spectacular.

Neil

[mattooty]

Great barra. Ripper of a story too.
How big were the flatties in the pic? and is that a flounder in the front?
Matt

[chillers]

Gday Leigh, nice catch there mate, how much was the house boat? and who is it through?. Did you have any problems witht the boat?. I was thinking of taking the family up there for a week aswell .
pm me if you want with any information

chillers