# WA - Kimberley Barra Season 2014



## YellowDagger (Mar 21, 2010)

Well there ain't no better way to shake the monkey off the back for a new season with a couple of Barra from the first trip out the back country. Fri night straight after work the cars were ready to head bush. Over the summer the 4wds have been getting ready for this. Where we head it's imperative to have the vehicles sorted, long range fuel tanks, water storage, recovery gear, lifted suspension, cb at hand's reach, Sat phone packed and a fridge full of supplies. The season is early and we took a calculated risk to head to a river tribuatry off the Fitzroy. Had a heap of rain this year up here but none for three weeks, until of course the night we head out, oops! Obviously we made it back but the story was one to be told. You never really know what the situation will look like in the Kimberley regardless of forecasts and satellite images as storms come and go, dropping deluges in one spot and leaving the land dry 50m away. I call them cartoon storms! Anyway into the fishing. I'm still using my Caenan Baitcaster and love it. 30pd braid with 60pd Mono leader has proven to be a good mix. A tough albright knot and perfection loop for the lure and that's me. The water seemed to be in-between clean and dirty and if we could be bothered we would of collected live bait on this fish but I do hate handling bait in the yak so lures it was. Again the classic series is hard to go by, tough trebles and very reliable actions that retrieve clean. A range of depths from 3ft to 12ft are needed as the river beds range greatly from spot to spot. I had no sounder on this trip and could of benefitted from it but will learn from my mistakes. We reached our spot after several river crossings (Hate these things but am getting better) and many a rocky road covered. Huge banks and steep drops we launched the yaks. Yes I know you think we're crazy but where we go there are only freshies and no big salties. Started by trolling the banks and without the sounder it was hard work with lures travelling for 10m fine then getting caught up with banks and snags. Annoying! So we changed to structure casting. Paddled up stream for about 400m and float back with the run flicking at structure and as close to the banks as possible, just like bream fishing back home. I swear the better the cast the more chance you have. Lots of these fish are landed when the cast drops within a poofteenth of the bank or structure. Barra love to hide up under these. We'd spent an hour in this area that no-one has ever kayaked, we are on aboriginal land here and from what the boys tell me they've never had anyone do this, and I finally had a hit. I loved the fact I had waited an hour as I was not ready for the hit and made a mess of landing this fish. But still landed it, 63cm and a great start. Within a few minuted my mate had one jumping out of the water and SNAP! 20pd braid let go around a snag, someone wasn't happy. Like I said the gear is critical. It was a whopper and was lost to the depths. I really love sharing these experiences so I returned to camp to my fellow countryman and insisted he head out on my yak. He had tried my yak the week earlier and enjoyed it so he obliged and I set him loose to travel upstream. Within 20mins he yelled out and to my elation had hooked a 76cm Chrome Plated Barrel. He needed help and my mate was there to do so as it had pulled the yak to the bank and managed to get under a snag. They manoeuvred the rod and reel and landed him. Again a tight cast and strong retrieve to get the rattle going was his technique. My mate suffered a long afternoon trying to land one. Within 50m of our riverside camp he landed a decent size Barra but again after three aerial shows it spat the hook. We all saw it and couldn't comment as he was livid! To make things worse I had rested up so he could get on the board then finally decided to have a flick form the bank before sun down and Yeeeeaaaaahaaaaaa! First cast was onto a 76cm form the bank, not a yak catch but still part of our trip. I couldn't believe it and felt for my mate as he was unable all weekend to get on board. I filleted him up before sunset and ended an amazing day. That night it rained and made us nervous as we were a long way from community. We woke to leave and reached the river crossing only to see that it had risen quickly. No go! So we got out and discussed alternatives, we decided to drive into the river upstream and traverse around the rapids, wise decision. When we began the crossing we walked the start and saw a metre Barra shoot out from beneath our feet in two feet of water!!!!! Amazing. We made it back and had this story to tell. There was lots of other events like catching goanna for lunch, and 4wd mishaps but I'll leave those for a different article.
The Kimberley is an amazing place and local knowledge gets you away from the tourist scene and living here allows that to occur. Not for a second was I ungrateful for the experience again. I couldn't have got there without my fellow countryman and he knows we helped each other that weekend, much appreciated on all fronts.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Nice

Many crocs?


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## YellowDagger (Mar 21, 2010)

Few freshies that's it. But they keep to themselves.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Cool

Like that second pic - fish looks really vibrant


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## scater (Nov 24, 2007)

Great report mate, keep them coming! Geez I miss barra.


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Great adveture, take more pics next time!


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## YellowDagger (Mar 21, 2010)

Have a few more pics to add and will do. As for the trip well it's not the sort you do every week but when the rain stops we will be back out there again and fair to say the fishing will be better as the deep holes will be more exposed and easier to target some of the barra. Might try some lives next time as I reckon the bigger fish may hit them. We had a few snap offs and very hard runs that were bigger fish so they're definitely there.


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## YellowDagger (Mar 21, 2010)




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## YellowDagger (Mar 21, 2010)




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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Very nice, definitely a part of the country I'd like to spend some more time. I did a job in Derby a few years ago and managed a day fishing as we finished early. It certainly was a memorable experience heading out with a local who spent a bit of time chasing down a Goanna for lunch also. Where we fished held some big handbags so yaks weren't an option.

Kev


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## maddog (Jan 14, 2008)

i want to hear about the 4x4 mission in and out. sounds like fun


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## Guest (Mar 13, 2014)

Mate loving the pic's and the landscape , beautiful fish

Cheers


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Great story and pics YellowDagger. You are so lucky to have an indigenous friend to show you round....they really know the land. Enjoy chomping on those barra!



maddog said:


> i want to hear about the 4x4 mission in and out. sounds like fun


Ditto. Sounds like a serious 4 X 4 mission, especially cause of the remoteness.


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## Whatever (Aug 4, 2012)

Your mate who couldn't land one sounds like a real loser!

:lol:


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

ALERT! Someone has stolen Tristan's avatar (Capt Coochin)! :shock:


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## shooneze (Dec 27, 2008)

ha ha thats gold Whatever! Great pics. Now make sure Skip doesnt out do you 2 at easter!! I eagerly check my tattslotto tickets weekly to join you guys!


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## YellowDagger (Mar 21, 2010)

Had to hijack my story with his from earlier in the year! Just so he didn't feel so depressed about the outing. No mention of how he drove off on us after the last gate was closed. Expecting big things Shooneze now that you have bought the Poseidon!!!!


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