Yeah we often used 80-110lb leader for the lures and live baits. For the tiny lures on my little stradic i went down to 55lb leaders, but after every barra you are having to change it. Even alot of the time with the 100lb leader it gets so roughed up and chaffed from the rough and sharp parts on the face/head of a Barra that you are changing it after each one. Even their raspy plates in their mouths will wear into your mono leader very quickly! Not always though sometimes you can get two or even three Barra before you have to change your leader line.
Cheers mate, Yeah we caught 100's of Cherabin, but only kept 10-12 for each days live baits and released the rest. There were also heaps were females full of eggs so they got thrown back asap.
I did actually cook up 3 big ones one night to try them out(i am actually allergic to crustaceans with tails except Marron. Can eat all crabs though. Weird i know!) They didnt go down to bad at all. I found them to be a little bland compared to our southern Marron, but think they would go good with a sauce or in a mixed dish of sorts. But didnt have an allergic reaction to them so that was good :)
and better still Tomato Island, Is Bruce still living There???
I see the crab boats were there fuelling/stocking up from the weekly truck service..
Gotta love those Crab boats at about 6mtrs in length and 450 HP on the back.. 2 x 225 four stroke Yammies..
Also the wife and I had a swim in the road side pool, great spot to cool down..
Great Report all round..
Nah Bruce isnt there any more, since the place became part of the Limmen Bight National park they have turned the place into an official bush camp, with plans for another two further downstream around St Vidgeons and Mountain Creek i was told. He was there last year and we spent most of our evenings having a beer and a yarn with him. He said he had basically been told to move on so not much you can do in the face of change. I reckon he'll never leave the Roper area permanently. He loves the area to much.
Apparently he is still around though as we saw his Barge tied up to the bank between Tomato Island and Mountain Creek at an isolated bush camp, but heard from the Grey Nomads he was actually away for a bit while we were up there this year. Shame really as he was a very nice fellow to us and was a wealth of knowledge and help to us, including helping us out with extra fuel from his own personnal supply last year.
Yeah those Crabbers got some mean looking setups. Crazy seeing a couple of twin 225 Yammi's on a giant tinnie!. Was interesting seeing that all their Crab boats run Yamaha Fours Strokes. Infact one day fishing at a creek with 10 other boats i counted 8 Yamaha Four Strokes, 2 Mariner/Merc Fours Strokes(ours was one) and 1 Etec. Guess most people up there liked Yamaha's.
Yeah that roadside pool was a godsend last year when we were up there and Tomato Island had zero facilites other than the ramp. After a days fishing and cleaning up, cooking dinner and prepping for the next day we would drive down to it at about 9:30pm have the car head lights on it and have a end of day bath. Then back in the car back to Tomato Island and into the tent. Can honestly say having the new factilities there this year made it sooooo easy and comfortable. HOT showers at the end of each day! But we still did a couple of trips to the roadside pool for a dip just because its nice :)
Cheers guys, glad to provide a bit of a different report for us mainly Southern FW members :)
My brother is writing an article for Northern Australian Fishing and Outdoors about this trip. Infact in the latest issue of Northern Australian Fishing and Outdoors his article about his trip to the Towns River last November is in it.
ayitsme
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 06/01/12
nice job
nice job mate some really nice fish there
Uluabuster
Posts: 724
Date Joined: 12/12/10
Awesome report and some
Awesome report and some really nice pictures.
How heavy a leader were you using? I was told by a guide to use 100lb leader on 30lb outfit!
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Yeah we often used 80-110lb
Yeah we often used 80-110lb leader for the lures and live baits. For the tiny lures on my little stradic i went down to 55lb leaders, but after every barra you are having to change it. Even alot of the time with the 100lb leader it gets so roughed up and chaffed from the rough and sharp parts on the face/head of a Barra that you are changing it after each one. Even their raspy plates in their mouths will wear into your mono leader very quickly! Not always though sometimes you can get two or even three Barra before you have to change your leader line.
crasny1
Posts: 7003
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Classic
The look on ya face with the Catfish is just soo classic.
Yellow and Red lure in Barra gob?? R2S Triho ???
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
No idea on the type of
No idea on the type of that lure sorry. My brother picked it up from a Bass Pro store in Las Vegas.
crasny1
Posts: 7003
Date Joined: 16/10/08
No worries
A classic report still mate. I recon that shot for FOTM.
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
Cardinal
Posts: 364
Date Joined: 28/05/12
sweet report
thanks for sharing. some cracking bazzas
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A-SALT-WEAPON
Posts: 103
Date Joined: 07/07/10
living the dream
Living the dream mate. Well done. Thanks for the report
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15644
Date Joined: 29/11/05
creek
That little tight creek half way through looks great, be hard fishing but looks the good. Great report as usual Buz.
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tinny-tactics
Posts: 52
Date Joined: 11/02/13
awesum mate cant wait to get
awesum mate cant wait to get up there
Pilbra Dave
Posts: 194
Date Joined: 30/09/11
Nice
Good Report, Looks like you had a blast, Well Done
If you ain't Fishin you ain't Livin
stephenm
Posts: 152
Date Joined: 03/04/13
Great report, nice fish! did
Great report, nice fish! did you end up catching many Cherabin? One of my favourites. Cheers
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Cheers mate, Yeah we caught
Cheers mate, Yeah we caught 100's of Cherabin, but only kept 10-12 for each days live baits and released the rest. There were also heaps were females full of eggs so they got thrown back asap.
I did actually cook up 3 big ones one night to try them out(i am actually allergic to crustaceans with tails except Marron. Can eat all crabs though. Weird i know!) They didnt go down to bad at all. I found them to be a little bland compared to our southern Marron, but think they would go good with a sauce or in a mixed dish of sorts. But didnt have an allergic reaction to them so that was good :)
big john
Posts: 8751
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Great
Looks like a great week buz!
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outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
Gotta love the Roper Bar
and better still Tomato Island, Is Bruce still living There???
I see the crab boats were there fuelling/stocking up from the weekly truck service..
Gotta love those Crab boats at about 6mtrs in length and 450 HP on the back.. 2 x 225 four stroke Yammies..
Also the wife and I had a swim in the road side pool, great spot to cool down..
Great Report all round..
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Cheers outdoinit.Nah Bruce
Cheers outdoinit.
Nah Bruce isnt there any more, since the place became part of the Limmen Bight National park they have turned the place into an official bush camp, with plans for another two further downstream around St Vidgeons and Mountain Creek i was told. He was there last year and we spent most of our evenings having a beer and a yarn with him. He said he had basically been told to move on so not much you can do in the face of change. I reckon he'll never leave the Roper area permanently. He loves the area to much.
Apparently he is still around though as we saw his Barge tied up to the bank between Tomato Island and Mountain Creek at an isolated bush camp, but heard from the Grey Nomads he was actually away for a bit while we were up there this year. Shame really as he was a very nice fellow to us and was a wealth of knowledge and help to us, including helping us out with extra fuel from his own personnal supply last year.
Yeah those Crabbers got some mean looking setups. Crazy seeing a couple of twin 225 Yammi's on a giant tinnie!. Was interesting seeing that all their Crab boats run Yamaha Fours Strokes. Infact one day fishing at a creek with 10 other boats i counted 8 Yamaha Four Strokes, 2 Mariner/Merc Fours Strokes(ours was one) and 1 Etec. Guess most people up there liked Yamaha's.
Yeah that roadside pool was a godsend last year when we were up there and Tomato Island had zero facilites other than the ramp. After a days fishing and cleaning up, cooking dinner and prepping for the next day we would drive down to it at about 9:30pm have the car head lights on it and have a end of day bath. Then back in the car back to Tomato Island and into the tent. Can honestly say having the new factilities there this year made it sooooo easy and comfortable. HOT showers at the end of each day! But we still did a couple of trips to the roadside pool for a dip just because its nice :)
outdoinit
Posts: 1009
Date Joined: 05/10/12
Great Reply Buz
Would love to go up there again, maybe next year??
I've spent half my life fishing.. The other half I have wasted..
out wide
Posts: 1535
Date Joined: 30/12/08
Great report Buz
Top pics, spent a few years up that way myself. Gotta love the top end.
.
Buz
Posts: 1555
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Cheers guys, glad to provide
Cheers guys, glad to provide a bit of a different report for us mainly Southern FW members :)
My brother is writing an article for Northern Australian Fishing and Outdoors about this trip. Infact in the latest issue of Northern Australian Fishing and Outdoors his article about his trip to the Towns River last November is in it.