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Opening
Day.
The
first day of the Barra season was upon us and it looks like I was going
to busy not only for the opening day but for some days after. Wayne
Keene and his mate Morgan (Morgs) Lindley were driving up from Mackay,
stopping with us for 4/5 days to flog the Hinchinbrook Channel to foam.
Ross Paton and his mate Mark Goodin had booked me for the Sunday, which
wasn’t a problem as Wayne had towed up his new boat, a Quintrex “Topender”.
We were all up early opening, keen to get on the water, whilst the
weather was overcast and showery, the winds were only slight for the
next few days, ”Bonus”!
Morgs and Wayne were of to Missionary Bay to fish the flats and
finishing up in a creek for the low tide. I promised to meet them up
there, as I wanted to fish some snags closer to home.
It didn’t take long before we were amongst the mangrove roots and snags
that abound on the northern face of Hinchinbrook Island. I was using my
“Leads” deep diver, Ross a “Mad Mullet” and Mark a gold ”Brad Smith “
lure that Ross had dug up for him. Mark was fishing with one of my
outfits, an “Ultra graph 2000”rod coupled with a spinning reel loaded
with 10kg braid.
It didn’t take long before the rot set in, the electric motor that is a
must for the lure enthusiast, spat the dummy and would only go flat out
and then in stops and starts. The end result not a lot of fishing for me
as I could only get it to go by holding the motor in one hand and push
the handle up with the other.
After a couple of casts Ross’s lure fly’s of the double, never to be
seen again, much mumbling from Ross” never done that before” etc. So he
produces a 75cm “Gold Bomber” that has seen better days, ties that on
and off we go, well stuff me, after two or three casts, this lure flies
of too, into the upper reaches of a large mangrove. Mark and I decided
not to say anything as the steam was coming out of Ross’s ears.
Finally we get to go fishing, now I noticed Mark had the habit of
loosening the drag to lengthen the gap between rod tip and lure, ok if
you remember to retighten the drag but can be fraught with danger if you
forget. In light of the preceding events I decided to let it go, what a
mistake that was! Mark has pelted the lure right up close to a sunken
bush, when he is absolutely smashed and the fish is tearing line of at
an pace you wouldn’t believe, obviously a decent fish. The Barra has
soon made a “macramé” basket out of the braid around branch hanging in
the water, shot out in the open and was leaping up about 20m from the
boat and branch!
Now I could see how big the fish was, what to do? Keep the pressure on I
told Mark, Ross you break the branch’s off and try and free the line,
was my instructions to him, whilst struggling with the electric. Finally
Mark is in contact with the fish, who is looking a bit tired after
trying to brake the braid or the branch or both. But a fish of this size
is not going to give in easily and proceeded to give Mark a lesson in
Barra fishing, bearing in mind this was Marks first Barra. And what a
fish, 95cm thick shouldered Hinchinbrook Barra! After much back
slapping, shaking of hands the fish was pictured measured and released.
”Well done Mark”
As I was releasing it, Mark mentioned that there was a lot of fillets on
her,” and a lot of baby barra next year was” my reply as she slipped in
to the water. The rules for keeping Barra in my boat are that they have
to be between 60 and 80 cm (and only one at that!) all the rest are
released. Anyway it was only 10am;season didn’t open till 12noon!
Well the rest of the day was an anti-climax to that, we fished a few
different spots for no result, and (a couple of Cod and a Barracuda
don’t really count!). We had lunch in the Bay with Morgs and Wayne who
had been fishing the flats and No 3.There haul was one nice Barra,
released some undersized fish and a nice jack which was destined for the
table.
As the storm clouds where looking ominous we decided to head for home (Morgs
and Wayne opted to fish on in the bay), fishing the rock-bars on the
way. We had all switched to shallow divers by now, I was using a “B52”,
Mark a 10cm”GoldBomber” and Ross a fluro green jointed “Rapala”.
The water was about the right depth and the color not to dirty so I was
confident we could catch a Barra in this stretch of bank. Ross was
having fun catching small cod and large Barracuda, that I suspect were
hiding under the boat as that is where they seem to come from. I was
still struggling with the electric.
Mark has soon hooked up to a decent fish again after working his lure
passed a large rock, this fish proceed to show us its bag of jumping
tricks and looked every chance of cutting Mark off. But a few words of
wisdom from me (rod down and away from the fish) and Mark soon had it in
the boat, 63cm a nice fat Barra and a due for a date with a frying pan!
Well that was Day 1,no Barra for me, none for Ross and two nice fish for
Mark, beginners luck I reckon! Things would improve for me in the next
couple of days but that another tale.
Day
2 Opening week.
Well,
day 1 of the opening of the Barra Season hadn’t gone that well in
numbers of Barra but Mark Goodin’s 95cm was a good start size wise. Day
2 I was due to fish with Wayne Keene and Morgan (Morgs) Lindley out of
Waynes new “Topender”, we decided to head for the Bay and fish around
Gould and Garden Island, I’m glad it was a collective decision as the
fishing was “RS” to say the least. Plenty of small sharks, small GT’s
and even smaller Wirenetting Cod! We flogged all the snags and Mangrove
roots to no avail, not a Barra insight. My thoughts were that as it was
a big tide there was too much water between them and us.
We decided to have lunch, now Wayne and Morgs are renown for carrying
large amounts of food on there trips. So it was with some interest that
I watch Morgs make a pile of sandwich’s you’d have trouble jumping over,
those boys no how to live on the water!
Now as a guide you are expected to know where to fish, now I know where
Barra live but some days they just don’t want to come out and play.
Decisions, decisions, “have you ever fished No 5”I asked, “nope” was
there reply, so of we went to No 5.I like to fish this creek when there
is a lot of water about as it has some shallow banks that are exposed
and a few nice drains. We opted to fish those first, Wayne was fishing
with a red and orange “Lucinda” lure, Morgs was using a “Flatratz” and
me a trusty old “Leads”.
Wayne was driving the electric up front and Morgs was in charge of the
outboard and I didn’t have to do anything but fish, “Yeah Baby”. The
drains were just starting to run but more importantly we could see the
dark line of the drain in the shallow water. It was obviously going to
be “a first in best dressed” type day, so I didn’t wait to be told and
flicked my lure into the drain at the top. Now the trick is to start at
the top and work deep to the bottom of the drain, as that’s where Barry
is likely to be hiding. Sure enough he couldn’t resist the nice action
of the “Leads”and smashed it as soon as I reached the end of the drain.
Not a big fish at 58+cm but useful and was giving me a good work out but
was soon boated and photographed and released.
We decided to fish on up the creek as it looked promising, with the low
only 1.5m a lot of the snags where still in the water, Wayne is soon of
the mark with a nice but undersized Jack, Morgs has worked the
“Flatratz” over a sunken branch with plenty of green on the end of it, a
good spot for Mr. Barramundi to hide in. Sure enough there was a big
splash as the fish tried to grab it of the log, probably not a Barra but
more likely a Jack or Cod. The next cast Morgs worked the front of the
green and this time was walloped big time, that nice silver flash you
get as the fish inhales the lure told us it was a Barra. Another useful
fish and it to was stretching Morgs out but soon to photographed but not
released as this one was due for the table.
We worked the rest of the bank for some more small Jacks and one more
Barra, hooked by Morgs, Wayne hadn’t managed a Barra but had a couple of
rolls. About this time we changed banks and went over to the shallow
side as it was near the bottom of the tide and we could see a lot of
logs that were just visible. I was working the “Leads” down the side of
a log, when a big old Estuary Cod came from the deep to grab it. He gave
me some strong runs, as it was a nice Cod but was soon in the boat, I
asked Morgs to hold it for me while I took a pic he was a bit reluctant
as Cod have been known to throw up lunch, sure enough as he was
de-hooking it for me up came a mass of crabs prawns etc, and stink!
After a bit of a clean up we carried on, as we moved down the creek on
the electric, I saw a small window of opportunity at a nice log right at
the back. The lure had hardly touched the water when it was smashed by a
nice Jack, I had a bit of trouble getting the fish out as Waynes driving
wasn’t in my favor, he was mumbling something but I couldn’t make it
out, it might have been something to do with his fishing or lack of it.
Anyway I soon had it to the boat, nice fish at 48cm but couldn’t get
Morgs to hold it this time so no photo.
We had just reached the end of the bank and were preparing to go round
the corner, when I had a weird hit and was on. I thought this was a bit
strange as I was nearly at the boat with the lure, this fish was a
decent fighter, as well as strong runs it was shaking its head trying to
free the lure. We had yet to see any color as the fish was down deep and
working hard in the light current. I finally got it to the surface and
the net a nice 60cm Grunter; this one was bound for the table, and a
nice eating fish and only the fourth I have caught on a lure. I decide
to hold this fish for a pic, as its not every day you get a nice Grunter
on a lure, Morgs obliged but Wayne had to get in the picture!
It was getting late and we could see some dark clouds threatening, so
the decision was to fish one more snag and go (it’s always one more snag
or one more cast!). Wayne has finally hooked into a fish of some size
only to see the telltale roll of a Cod, soon to be released in disgust.
I quickly pelted the “Leads” in only to have it monster’d by a huge
Jack, which quickly disappeared into the depths of the snag, bye bye
“Leads”!
On that note we decided to leave as the clouds were getting blacker
probably matching Wayne's mood. So not a lot in the morning session but
a great afternoons fishing. A good day, good fun and above all good
company which for me is an important part of fishing.
Jim (Jimbo)
Lee - www.un-reel-sportsfishing-adventures.com.au
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