Well it’s finally here! It’s time do dust off the baitcasters and upgrade the trebles on your large hard-bodies. Barra season has now commenced and let me just say that it’s not a minute too soon. 3 months of not targeting saltwater barramundi is enough to make you go a little stir crazy. Sure you can target the big impoundment fish all year round and I do my fair share of that, but there is nothing quite like a big slab of chrome fresh from the creek, river, headland or inshore island. Yep we catch some cracking big fish around the islands as well.
When chasing barramundi, my favourite method to target them is by snag bashing heavy creek structure, using weedless soft plastics and large hard bodies. I honestly do prefer to use heavy baitcasting gear as they are shorter, stiffer and I definitely find them to have more stopping power. In addition to that, it is easier to thumb the spool if need be (not that this should be substituted for a well set drag) and they are far easier to cast with accuracy and precision. Shimano Chronarch’s and Curado DC's loaded with 20-30lb braid is my go to, and well accompanied with a 6-10kg, 5 foot 6, graphite, baitcasting rod, then that is my preference. Fluorocarbon leader material around 60lb is a good place to start due to the barra’s abrasive and raspy jaws. Even then, sometimes it will get rasped through. In that case I will move up to 80lb.
When I do crack out the spin gear, these combo’s are used mostly when I am working stickbaits across the surface and where distance needs to be achieved on the cast such as casting from the bank. A similar weighted rod matched with a Shimano Nasci 4000 gets me out of trouble. If I can help it though, I certainly prefer to use the baitcasting gear as you have more control on bigger fish.
The Mackay Net Free Zone (NFZ) is going off at the moment with so many more fish and larger fish being caught then ever before. The Net Free Zone has been implemented since 1 November 2015 and big changes are being seen already. By way of NFZ, it is an area closed to commercial gill net fishing which allows fish stocks to flourish and act as a fishing tourism draw card. The nets are out and the barra, salmon, grunter etc are all coming back big-time. Who would have thought…….;)
