Lake Monduran Barra Setup

[JET01]

Hey there boys and girls.

I'm planning a trip to Lake Monduran with the boys. I've never fished for Barra before and normally spin for the usual suspects in Botany Bay and the Hacking.

My gear consists of: 4 x 1-4kg setups, 2 with 1000, and 2 with 2500 stradic ci4's. I'm just about to get a heavier spin setup, I have a Ci4 4000 with 20lb braid that i'm thinking of using with a Nitro Viper (7ft 6-8Kg 2piece).

Now i always love an excuse to buy a new setup, but what gear would be the best for fishing on Monduran. And then when i get home to Sydney, what would i be able to use it for then?

When it comes to quality i'm thinking about getting something similar to a 2-4kg Pflueger Trion and Stradic FJ setup, but obviously in overhead gear. Reels would have to be shimano as they are around the corner from me and i don't service my own reels.

Will only be fishing with lures.

Thoughts?

[bassboy888]

Have been up to monduran a few times, the heavier spin outfit would be perfect for casting plastics like slick rigs (100 and 110mm) berkley hollow bellies (4 and 5 inch) and berkely ripple shads. At the moment the barra in the dam aren't huuuuge and somewhat hard to catch so if you have a 2-5kg rod and one of the 2500's with 10lb braid and 20lb leader you can have some good fun on rat barra probably up to 70cm (depending on your luck, I landed a 63cm one on light gear..... plenty of fun) In terms of overhead gear I use a shimano Calcutta 200b on a g-loomis crank bait 12-25lb 50lb braid and 60-80lb leader (for those big girls) and this rod handles perfectly for casting hard bodies and trolling them.

I couldn't recommend the Calcutta as a reel any more for barra, it has to be my favorite reel casts well and has a great drag system. For rods i would be looking for something up to 10kg or 25lb, 6'3" to 6'9" this will make it much easier to cast into timber. most importantly feel the rod in hand with the reel, casting big lures all day can get tiring and you don't want a sore hand arm or shoulder when that big girl hits your lure near anything snaggy.

Once you have your set up take it in the back yard and give it some practice casts so you hit the ground running at monduran.

What time of year are you looking at going up, basscatcher and i will be up late September,hoping the big rain holds off for the rest of the year giving the dam time to settle.

Good luck with the hunt for a new set up

Cheers Bassboy

[JET01]

Thanks for your input mate,

We were going to head up in October, I didn't even think about the wet season so it's lucky your brought that up. In the end we had to change our plans to march next year because one of the boys is having a baby in October so won't be able to get away for a few months.

I bought the Nitro Viper today. It's a mean looking stick, with a nice long handle on it. Can't wait to flick some big plastics around for kings and jews.

Seeing as the trip is so far away, I doubt I'll end up getting a new setup until closer to the date, just in case we don't end up going.

Cheers