Barra season is back

It was a long three months, though I’m pleased to announce that the wait is finally over. As of February 1, you can legally catch a saltwater barra and keep it, if you wish.

Seeing as it’s the reopening of barra season, we will look through some tips and techniques to get a few more of those chrome superstars on the deck.

The first tip is a basic one yet probably the most important, though many anglers either overlook it or don’t take it seriously.

Ever heard the expression that most fish are caught in the lounge room?

This expression refers to preparation.

You can never overprepare.

 

Everything from tying leaders onto rods, attaching clips, spooling reels, changing trebles, sharpening hooks, researching areas and checking weather reports – it’s all relevant.

Nothing will annoy you more than the failure of gear that’s under your control.

There are issues that will occur when you’re out on the water.

Occasionally they’re plain old bad luck, though at other times some may have been preventable.

My advice is that any time something happens, make sure you learn as much from it as possible.

It may be difficult not to get frustrated but remember, there’s no failing in fishing, only achieving and learning.

The second tip for catching barra is to learn how to use your electronics.

 

Understanding what your sounder is telling you and being able to navigate menus as second nature is very important.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been asked, “What sounder should I buy?”

The best piece of advice I have is to buy the biggest screen you can afford.

Do your research on what brand will suit your needs.

I love my Humminbird gear and believe the Apex has the best side and down imaging available on the market.

At a minimum, you want a decent side and down imaging sounder on your console and an electric motor with a spot-lock function on the bow.

As well as learning sounder functions, learning how to drive your electric motor is equally as important.

 

Being able to position the boat in the right spot and retrieving snagged lures will also become second nature.

The more time you spend on the water, the better you will get at mastering your electronics.

If you’re having trouble understanding your sounder, there are plenty of on-water and online sounder training courses.

Being proactive as to what your fishing career requires is big business.

No one is going to hand you the results on a silver platter.

Anglers who have become highly skilled have all put the hard yards in.

The third tip is to be open minded.

Nothing will make the learning process tougher than being uncompromising.

 

Being closed minded will see you unwilling to consider ideas and opinions that differ to your own, which will be to your detriment.

Trying different techniques is awesome, whether anyone else has given it a go or not.

I know of an American bass angler who comes to Australia to fish the barra ABT series.

He tried a bass technique for barra, and it assisted him in winning one of the events here.

Don’t be afraid to try different techniques, even if other people laugh at your ideas.

Remaining open minded will lead to things such as keeping a diary to crack patterns.

You can never remember every little detail about each trip, so it makes sense to record all relevant data.

Open minded anglers are proactive and highly motivated to achieve their goals, both on and off the water.

They listen to advice and also try to help other anglers achieve their goals.

 

They have a great attitude and the ability to consume knowledge, learning from every experience.

Trust me when I say that this is the path to take.

Have you ever run into a close-minded angler at the ramp or maybe know one personally?

These people are super negative and very toxic.

They will blame everything and everyone else for their inability to achieve and get the results they want.

Surrounding yourself with other open-minded anglers will create a positive group and then hopefully you will create a brain trust.

That’s it from me.

Hopefully some of these tips will help assist you in chasing your dreams.

Stay safe while on the water.