Barraman, thank you for your informative posts on fishing in Aus. Just to add a bit of spice to the conversation, I would venture that the Zambezi Tiger is by far the best sport fishing to be had. If you are brave enough to try fishing the Congo River for Goliath Tiger, you would be moving up a standard or two. When you get a strike from a Tiger it is violent, I call it a 'mugging'. I can't imagine what it is like if caught on a fly, compared to lure fishing. I have also targeted them with spear gun, a different challenge and just as much fun.
Most fisherman have their favourite target species. Personally I prefer the various Tilapia species on the waters of Zambia and surrounding countries. My preferred species is the 'Nembwe', Serranochromus Robusta, also known locally as the 'Robbie', a challenge and very rewarding to see that golden flash in the water when hooked. The 3 spot Tilapia is also a challenge to catch, stealth and guile is required, it is also one of the best tasting fish. I have fished for Nile Perch on Lake Albert in Uganda which was also spectacular, they however give up quickly. The Tiger I caught there, whilst small by Zambezi standards, provided more entertainment.
There you are gentleman, enter the fray if you dare, and 'Barraman' keep the entertainment coming.
Anyone Fishing?
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- BarraMan
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Re: Anyone Fishing?
Dave, my call of, ‘best all round sport fish in the world’, was based on:
1. grows to 1M+
2. aggressively takes cast lures - we NEVER bait fish or troll
3. once hooked, generally comes out of the water so you know what’s on the end of your line
4. has a great ability to throw your lure back at you
5. easy to ‘fluke’ one but hard to catch consistently
6. hooking a big one (1M+) is like having a Mac truck on the end of your line
7. if you manage to land one they are very good eating - with firm chunky white flesh
8. easy to fillet - producing large boneless fillets
While Tigers are a beast, fresh water fish just don’t rate with me!
1. grows to 1M+
2. aggressively takes cast lures - we NEVER bait fish or troll
3. once hooked, generally comes out of the water so you know what’s on the end of your line
4. has a great ability to throw your lure back at you
5. easy to ‘fluke’ one but hard to catch consistently
6. hooking a big one (1M+) is like having a Mac truck on the end of your line
7. if you manage to land one they are very good eating - with firm chunky white flesh
8. easy to fillet - producing large boneless fillets
While Tigers are a beast, fresh water fish just don’t rate with me!
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Re: Anyone Fishing?
That description of the barramundi sums up a Tiger perfectly. Tiger are not really edible, they are OK if you can handle the bones, and the flesh has a sweetish taste, so most are released.
I am not sure whether you know much about them as you are a salt water man, but the the big ones are all female, and they are caught mostly towards the end of Winter just before spawning. I enjoy salt water fishing but mostly in the estuaries where it is quieter and more interesting.
Let's see if anyone else is prepared to make comparisons of there preferences.
I am not sure whether you know much about them as you are a salt water man, but the the big ones are all female, and they are caught mostly towards the end of Winter just before spawning. I enjoy salt water fishing but mostly in the estuaries where it is quieter and more interesting.
Let's see if anyone else is prepared to make comparisons of there preferences.
- BarraMan
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Re: Anyone Fishing?
I just know that you are all sweating on me coming back from my latest remote fishing adventure with some great stories, lots of pics and some fantastic drone footage. Well, I am sorry to disappoint but the trip was an unmitigated disaster!
Day 1: I left home last Thursday morning and drove the 550 miles to Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria (search for Karumba, Qld on Google Earth) - an easy 10 hr drive. Bad news #1 - the area had some very heavy rain over the previous 4 days.
Day 2: Fished the Norman River. Very muddy from the recent rain. Not a fish was seen by us or anyone else!
Day 3: Ran 35 nm north to van Diemen's Inlet (search for van Diemen's Inlet, Qld on Google Earth). 1.5 hr run at 18 - 25 kts, a bit rough and wet but OK. The local said that we wouldn't get in - but we did!
However, within 30 min of arriving I had destroyed my Minn Kota Ulterra trolling motor. Got the motor/prop unit stuck in a hidden mud bank and broke the deploy/stow mechanism getting it unstuck. My Brother caught a couple of what we call Threadfin Salmon (no relation to your salmon) while I worked on getting the trolling motor out of the water.
By then I really had the s@#ts, so we headed back to Karumba. Bad move! The roughest water I have ever had the boat in. For the first 10 nm I was down to 6 kts and taking wave after wave over the bow. Gradually got better as the wind died off in the late afternoon. 3 hr trip back to Karumba.
Day 4: Bro was up at 02:00 with a severe dose of food poisoning. We decided the Barra Gods were against us so we packed up and headed for home.
Day 1: I left home last Thursday morning and drove the 550 miles to Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria (search for Karumba, Qld on Google Earth) - an easy 10 hr drive. Bad news #1 - the area had some very heavy rain over the previous 4 days.
Day 2: Fished the Norman River. Very muddy from the recent rain. Not a fish was seen by us or anyone else!
Day 3: Ran 35 nm north to van Diemen's Inlet (search for van Diemen's Inlet, Qld on Google Earth). 1.5 hr run at 18 - 25 kts, a bit rough and wet but OK. The local said that we wouldn't get in - but we did!
However, within 30 min of arriving I had destroyed my Minn Kota Ulterra trolling motor. Got the motor/prop unit stuck in a hidden mud bank and broke the deploy/stow mechanism getting it unstuck. My Brother caught a couple of what we call Threadfin Salmon (no relation to your salmon) while I worked on getting the trolling motor out of the water.
By then I really had the s@#ts, so we headed back to Karumba. Bad move! The roughest water I have ever had the boat in. For the first 10 nm I was down to 6 kts and taking wave after wave over the bow. Gradually got better as the wind died off in the late afternoon. 3 hr trip back to Karumba.
Day 4: Bro was up at 02:00 with a severe dose of food poisoning. We decided the Barra Gods were against us so we packed up and headed for home.
Re: Anyone Fishing?
BarraMan, sorry to hear about your trip!! Looks like a beautiful sunset one evening in the photo!! Jeff
- cape man
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Re: Anyone Fishing?
I've had similar adventures on our annual Cape Sable adventure. Not quite as far a trip as yours, but a LOT of logistics involved to get out there and set up camp. When the weather and illness interferes it sucks.
The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before - Neil Gaiman
Re: Anyone Fishing?
Heading to Beaver Lake Arkansas with a bunch of other guys tomorrow for 3 days of fishing.
Eric (aka, piperdown)
"Give an Irishman lager for a month and he's a dead man. An Irishman's stomach is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him." --> Mark Twain
"Give an Irishman lager for a month and he's a dead man. An Irishman's stomach is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him." --> Mark Twain
Re: Anyone Fishing?
Nice!! Enjoy!!! Jeff
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Re: Anyone Fishing?
You do know that area has flash flood warnings just north and south of there...Heading to Beaver Lake Arkansas with a bunch of other guys tomorrow for 3 days of fishing.
Hope it doesn't affect you and a great time!
The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before - Neil Gaiman
Re: Anyone Fishing?
The flash floods didn't hinder us from getting to the lake or house but sure did mess with fishing. 2 boats 8 guys and one catch that had to be thrown back. I did find Yuengling beer and won $125 from poker, so it's not all bad.
We spent hours slowly casting and using the fish finder......nothing, but it was fun to spend 4 days with the guys and we ate like Kings
Eric (aka, piperdown)
"Give an Irishman lager for a month and he's a dead man. An Irishman's stomach is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him." --> Mark Twain
"Give an Irishman lager for a month and he's a dead man. An Irishman's stomach is lined with copper, and the beer corrodes it. But whiskey polishes the copper and is the saving of him." --> Mark Twain
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