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| Newry Islands | | Print | |
| Written by carl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wednesday, 01 July 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mermaids, love bites and Barra Calm day at sea at the Newry Islands If I had announced that I was going to go barramundi fishing in July I would get a range of comments casting doubt on my sanity, hertitage and possibly sexual preferences. However there was method to my madness; there were a range of factors that actually would make this series of tides productive for barra - the moon was right, the temps were perfect and I saw one leaping about a week ago. The day was perfect, 24 degrees, sun shining, 5 knot winds, calm seas... gee I hate winter. Using the AI with a single outrigger I would fish the outgoing tide then wait until it turns and fish the incoming back to the ramp. I launched at 11.00 am at Victor Creek boat ramp with a plan to fish the channels deep and slow. Having spent hours chasing mackerel without success it was time to get clever and see if I could tempt a winter barra on to a lure. Digging into to my freshwater bag of tricks I decided on 2 tactics, firstly to slow trolled big soft plastic and the faster and more dynamic cast and retrieve with either blade or surface lures. The game plan was to troll the lure with the current so that they would travel slow and bounce along the bottom. Heading out past the channel markers my rudder hits something so hard it stops the yak, I pull up ruuder to inspect and all is fine. However when I got back to shore I found a set of teeth marks scratched in to the rudder blade. Eekkk shark attack! A bit further out I came across some dugongs and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't get a photo of what sailors of old used to call mermaids. As I trolled I cast the blade lure far and wide, across the flats, jigging the deep and running the dropoffs all for zip. As the tide continued to race out I headed to rabbit island to fish the hole on the NE tip, although not completely landlocked it was shallow going on the bottom of the tide. With me was the local fishing guide and a couple of other tinnies, very little got caught and I nearly had a decent sized leopard ray leap into my lap. Having changed to a surface stick bait I hammered away until the tide started to run and then started again trolling the sp and casting into the bank. Coming across to Acaica island there was a little action in the channel, but nothing could be tempted on to my stick bait. As I came to the island I cut a cross the head land dragging the lure across a sandbar and the reel went off.  90cm barra - my work here is done Reaching around to grab the rod I forgot to set the camera and didn't get a chance till the very end. The fish had power and I could tell it was no trevally and my thoughts drifted to barra, stripping line on a soft drag I coaxed the AI around and was able to regain some control. This fish had power and stayed deep in a gutter we had drifted over, no colour yet, tightened drag a little and tried to turn it's head, a bit of back and forth and the fish came up. All I saw was silver then the big paddle tail of the barra as it took off it spraying me with water. I really wanted this fish and a sort of calm came over me, I automatically reduced the drag a little, prepared the gaff. The fish lunges turning the AI and puts itself on the side with the outrigger. I folded the outrigger in a and as the the fish made a pass I hooked the gaff through the jaw and brought it on board. I was one very happy chappy - the fish was hooked in the corner of the mouth and did not jump once. Dispatching the fish I quickly wrapped it and stowed it nice and safe. Using the tide and a the wind I had a very easy trip back to the ramp, cruising past the line of waiting tinnies, landed on the beach, attached my wheels and headed to the car, the tail of the barra flopping in the breeze. The fish came in at 90cm and is one big heavy fish, having just filleted it chills in the fridge soon to be battered and consumed with beer.  Hooked in the corner of its mouth
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