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Barra help required


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Gday all,Currently I am in the very early planning stages with a couple of mates about heading up north is search of some barra and everything else the top end has to offer. All the fishing will be land based unless my mate decides to drag up the tinny (not to keen on that happening) and either up the Cape or around Gove. I have got all the spin gear I need but I wouldn’t mind buying myself a baitcasting outfit. I’ve read a tonne of info but I can’t seem to work out what I need.As far as casting goes obviously it doesn’t have to be miles but I have no idea of the capacity I will need, strength of braid and rod length/weight.Any assistance will be appreciated in my organisation :woohoo: CheersSquid

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Could write a whole essay on this.I've done a lot of fishing up north over the years and to be honest I wouldn't bother wasting your time going all the way up there chasing barra or any other species if you haven't got a tinny or at least access to someone elses tinny.A selction of rods and reels from 10 pound to say 80lb would cover all your needs.For barra a baitcast outfit that holds 150 metres of 20 to 30lb braid is very handy for accurately throwing lures up under trees and into snags.If you're land based only then i wouldn't bother with a baitcast outfit as you'll be casting for distance rather than accuracy.A cast net for livebait gathering is an essential tool as well.

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Really a baitcaster is going to help when your in the creeks making casts to the snags. But if you have one then take it. Personally I would not run a baitcaster with less than 30lbs braid. your bream gear, as light as I would go. The bigger fish are not lways going bunta so catching little trevs and Queenies is great fun on this type of gear.Stepping up from that is where I run the baitcaster and 2500 - 3000 size spin with 30lb. I have custom GUSA sticks for the spin in 7' and a mag bass G loomis for the baitcaster in IMX at around 5'8 This knocks over everything from small Macks to Longtail tuna. Good for live baiting off the jetties as well or jigging plastics, casting lures etc etc.For the bigger stuff a good 4000 - 4500 size spin loaded with 40 - 50lb braid with a good 7ft rod, again I have a custom GUSA and a HB60 Loomis running a Trinidad 16N for when the fish size is getting into the double digits. Its not so much the fight of the fish when your using heavy line but more the getting it in before it gets sharked.For the back breaking stuff its a little difficult, because you will probably be fishing the rocks or jetties so big shovels, rays and cod are pretty common as well as Grey suits so anything with 60 - 80lb is good. What I use is a TLD 25 spooled with 80lb braid and its been kitted with a drag and spring/washer upgrade to get 25+kg of drag out of it. That is matched to a Loomis 24kg stand up stick. I also use this for ballooning livies out on the jetties and on the boat out at the reef. Or a 200lb handline with gloves..Live bait is the number one priority. You learn to throw the cast net well and you will have prawns, herring and all other types of livies at your disposal.Now Lures....well I could go all day here. How much room have you got?Cheers

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I import and sell tackle and lures with a guy in Darwin. We went overseas last year together to the International fishing show and we have a range of custom rod reels and lures coming throughHe can supply you with all the gear you need up there. His prices are half of that of the tackle shops as we supply custom barra sticks and baitcasters designed for the territoryI fish there 3 or 4 times a year and can assure you - You will need a guide if you are serious in catching a barra or you may be lucky and fluke oneAreas change from day to day with tides flow runoff etcYou will spend more than a guides price in fuel chasing around looking for themYeaterday he put over 12 barra in the boat on the Dalywhich is excellent for up thereHe works as a guide both in the salt and the rivers. I've done extended charters with him that far out we were closer to Indonesia than OzI can put you in touch with him if you are interested. He has a wealth of knowledge and experiance, mid twenties so keen as mustard and ex AdelaideHe can put you in touch with locals to hire a tinny as well rather than dragging one upWell worth the money

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Lures,Take lots.Look at the gear you will use to cast them and go appropiate weights and sizes for it. I was using the xraps in the 12cm size with upgraded hooks and rings and they worked a treat. Found that going smaller when the fish were quiter was the best option. Halco Lazer Pros, Halco scorpions Bombers, Tilsan Bass and Barra, Classic Barra etc etc If you look at getting say 5 lures in different sizes and different depths then you get a good collection. So get 5 shallow running in 10cm, 5 in Medium and 5 in deep. Get 5 in 12 cm, 5 in 15 cm and so on. Then get a Plano/Shimano/Boss standard tray and fill it with a range of jig heads from Bream size to Snapper/Mulloway size and everything in between. Shads and Stickbaits are the bomb, Curly grubs are good but I get better results on the others. Snap backs are one of the better ones for up there. But any of your normal Berkley, Tsunami and Bozo's etc etc will do. I have gone through two packs of stickbaits fishing off Cooktown jetty when the mackies are around because no livebait and they wouldnt hit anything that rattled. If you want some more help just let me know, I am preparing to head up there again shortly and I am organising my gear for a variety of situations, from fly to game. Hope the fish come out to play!Cheers

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Did a trip myself up Pt Dougals/ Cairns way last year, and a lot of it seems a whole dofferent ball game :pinch: You're making the right move by seeking advice before leaving, and giving urself the time to sort out what is what ;)B)

- You will need a guide if you are serious in catching a barra or you may be lucky and fluke oneAreas change from day to day with tides flow runoff etcYou will spend more than a guides price in fuel chasing around looking for them hire a tinny as well rather than dragging one up

Couldnt agree more LBB. :clap::clap::clap: And dont forget all that gear you have to invest in for the one trip :huh: In that case, maybe better to use what the local guide uses, though if hiring a tinny that would obviously be different .
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if your after landbased barra, head to shady camp.i lived in Darwin for a few years and very rarely would i come home with nothing from shady camp off the barrage.every year there are some monster fish landed off the barrage and if you hire a tinny from there you could also head up to the S bends for some nice barra too. "used to be pretty cheap to hire a tinny there" fish the saltwater side at high tide and if there's not too many people there cast close to the rocks near your feet and not out as far as you can, as this is where most of the barra hang.fish the freshwater side with plastics using a stainless long shank hook "no lead head" some good fish on that side too.another spot where you can land monster barra is off buffalo creek boat ranp at night and early hrs at certain times of the year ;)another great land based spot for barra is called the rock bar near gunn point, but you would need a local to show you this spot, but if someone showed you this spot there are some nice barra to be had there.also another very good land based spot is off the rocks at dundee beach if your prepaired to drive a bit ;) just about always get salmon off the rocks to the left of the shops as your looking out to sea and have also got some nice barra off the rocks there as well as jacks, queenies, trevelly just to name a few, and some creatures that you just can't stop :P Dundee beach used to be one of my all time favorite land based spots to fish up there. you never know what you could get off there.there's also a nice little creek just up from the shop/pub there that you get some nice jacks and barra from, just ask at the shop and they will give you dirrections.all of the above spots i used to fish with small baitcast barra gear, nothing over 10kg braid...

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SquidOnce you've got everything else sorted, don't forget:http://en.travelnt.com/experience/nature/the-crocodile.aspxSometimes these guys can put a serious dampener on any fishing trip if you're not careful... :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: If you do decide to go for the charter option, check out:http://www.arounddarwin.com.au/darwin_fishing_charters.htmlCheersaf

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Saw in your first post your advising that the Cape or Gove and surrounds is where your intending to head.I spent 3 months on the Olive, Escape and working around Princesas Charlotte and upwards with a couple of months around the tip. The West side of the tip can be more fishable due to the South Easterlys that are continually on the East coast. However some of the rivers and systems on the East are great fishing so if you head up one side come down the other.Look if your travelling and stopping in places for a couple of days and just want to have a fish then dont worry about a guide, just fish and you will be surprised. The more you go off track the better. You will catch fish, Jacks, Queenies, Threadfin, Trevs, Barra, Catfish over 20lb called Salmon Catfish that pull like a GT in the beginning of the fight and heaps of others. Goats and pigs are up there as well and we used to supplement out food with one or two every couple of weeks.But be aware that there are bloody big crocs up there just like NT and you would be surprised at how they can be there without you even knowing. Never fish in the water even if it is off a beach a long way from the mouth of the river.If you want some more help once you know what your doing give us a shout.Cheers

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Bushmans - Ha Thats like putting salt on ya chips :P The mozzies will just love you for itFor those who think guides are a rip off - you've obviously not been with the right ones. $150 is well spent on local knowledge. 1 hour wrong of the tides can leave you stranded, or no fish, or worseId rather spend one days fishing with a guide to be put in the zone than spend hundreds in fuel just lookingCrocs - we launched at Corobadee(?) the billabong to about a 100 pairs of red marbles within 50m of the boat rampIt was like something out of Alien :woohoo:

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Could write a whole essay on this.I've done a lot of fishing up north over the years and to be honest I wouldn't bother wasting your time going all the way up there chasing barra or any other species if you haven't got a tinny or at least access to someone elses tinny.A selction of rods and reels from 10 pound to say 80lb would cover all your needs.For barra a baitcast outfit that holds 150 metres of 20 to 30lb braid is very handy for accurately throwing lures up under trees and into snags.If you're land based only then i wouldn't bother with a baitcast outfit as you'll be casting for distance rather than accuracy.A cast net for livebait gathering is an essential tool as well.

You do not require a tinny to get some good fish up north...just do your homework use your head and fish in fishy spots ;)suss this post from the other day, this bloke caught all theese fish in a stagnant puddle :P Tight liness cheif!http://www.strikehook.com/forum/48-interstate-fishing-reports/169195-first-barra-saratoga-and-tarpon#169237http://www.strikehook.com/forum/48-interstate-fishing-reports/169195-first-barra-saratoga-and-tarpon#169237
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Cheers for the multitude of responses lads :)I'm thinking of holding off a bit longer on the trip as I'd like to be fully prepared and have everything sorted. Also there is a fair bit of gear to buy and i'd like to buy a decent fridge/freezer so we eat well (i'm useless trying to keep ice in an esky). I intend on making this a yearly trip so money spent on gear doesn't phase me, I'll use it eventually!!!SO much to organise for a trip like this, but I love the planning aspect! PPPPP!

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A mate and I planned to do a trip round the top a couple of years back. We were going to go half each in a near new HiLux already kitted out. Grab the engel and camping gear we already had and fill up the rest with fishing gear. I got married, he got married and now its just a distant memory.Dont get too caught up in getting the best of everything, my parents did the same thing in 2003 in a little toyota tercel. Front wheel drive with 4wd select. 14inch rims. a tent and the esky. They did it during the dry and fark me if I know how but they made it to Darwin 6 months after leaving Adelaide. Respect.The old boy caught more barra on that trip than he did living on a yacht for 10 years in Queensland.

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I understand what you mean about not having the best of everything, but when I camp the only thing that gets me down is not eating well. Having a fridge/freezer will open up lots of food possibilities! Nothing better than cooking with real food :)I've got a '91 hilux I'll drag up there :) so all i need is the lures and stuff. But there is a heap of smaller trips i want to do first so i can wait. Roll out the swag on the back and I'm set. Not a fan of tents they just complicate things..Hahaha if i can't find a mate to go up i'll just drag the missus along :) Or i'd be just as happy to make mates as i goJust need to work out how long I could do it, 6 months sounds bloody awesome but i reckon I'd only have the time for 2 or 3 weeks before i'd have to head back home :(Cheers again lads, a lot of food for thought!

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