Introduction to wild barramundi

Barramundi are arguably the most sought after sportfish in the northern end of Australia, and seems that everything about them is tailor made for anglers. Their hard-hitting nature, aerial displays and potential to grow to truly jurassic sizes endears them widely to not only Australian anglers, but also those overseas who visit our shores to tangle with these fish. Australian population centres like Rockhampton, Weipa and Darwin are accepted in fishing circles as gateways to wild barramundi fishing, however most estuarine environments north of the Tropic of Capricorn (and some to the south) house good populations of these spectacular fish.

Barramundi usually spawn in the warmest part of the year, and the best fishing often occurs either side of this period. Juvenile fish will hatch in deep channels around river mouths, but the flooding that usually occurs during this time provides the vulnerable larvae access to freshwater lagoon normally cut off from the main river. Fishing in these freshwater environments can produce some amazing fishing at times, however the average size of the fish is a little smaller. Eventually, these freshwater fish will make their way back to the saltwater to spawn themselves, and potentially grow to over a metre.

Preparing for barra can be a little daunting, with so much tackle specifically designed for this iconic species. Rod and reel combinations can be hard to settle on, but to give you some ideas, Daiwa TD Hyper Fishing Rod 641MLFB and Shimano Jewel Baitcast Rod 6’6” 3-7kg Lure Wt7-23g paired with either a Daiwa Strikeforce or Shimano Curado will handle just about any wild barra swimming! If spin is more your style, you’re still very well catered for, with the Shimano Jewel Spinand Atomic Arrowz both making barramundi ready sticks, and with a Daiwa Exceler LT or Shimano Stradic FL 5000XG more than capable to turning even the biggest barra.

One of the most exciting aspects of wild barramundi fishing is the fact that the next fish you land might be 1kg or 30kg! One thing is for sure though, and that is that every barramundi is special, and there’s a reason these fish have such a huge following around our country. Do yourself a favour and buy some barramundi tackle, and plan a barra trip! With charter guide operations available all over the place, there’s no reason why you can’t lock horns with this Aussie icon!