North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

looking at starting to learn my way around the harbour arms to target barra will be launching from Dinah beach have been up Bleesers & sandgroves without any success, looking to start going a bit further into east or middle arm never been there before anything to , look out for re sand or rockbars any advice much appreciated.
tomorrows low is 1.3 can i still get out & across the harbour on the low?

cheers chopper

Yeah, still navigable so long as you can launch. My advice would be stick with a spot i.e. sadgroves or one of the Catalinas and get to know it over many trips. Then you can translate what you're learning to other spots

I remember fishing Bleesers, Reichartds, Sadgroves and the flats almost exclusively for about 2 years straight before venturing further. It took about as long to work those systems out.
Theodosius is spot on with his advice. the fish are there, you need to keep going and uncover the pattern of fish movements. especially associated with the tide movements. The tip is, the fish will be at various sections of the creek at various stages of the tide, whether rising or falling.
The biggest tip I can give in the harbour is fish light, use a stealthy approach and target drains with bait and colour change.
Middle arm is littered with hazards so approach with care up the creeks, especially Pioneer.
East arm is straight forward fishing, launch at the Lizzy ramp and fish either up or downstream, although upstream does have large rock bars. Downstream is good fishing and approach it the same way as Bleesers and Sadgroves. Natural and man made structures both fish well at the right time.
Personally, I'd nut out those creeks close to Dinah first, and focus on another small system such as Woods inlet, where you could really work out those fish movements.
Just my thoughts.

Richie

Biggest harbour Barra I have caught was two mins from Dinah beach ramp. As the guys said choose one or two systems and work it over every tide, moon phase and season and you will see the patterns unfold. Take note of when they move you will get resident fish staying in that system all through tide changes and some that move in and out with the tide. I also find picking a small system first helps a lot with fish movements as you have less body of water to work out where the bait is and the fish. Find the bait and predatory fish aren't usually far. White egrets are a great way to pinpoint bait. Also have a keen eye, nervous mullet or prawns jumping out even though there isn't booking or large activity usually means something larger is close to them. Always worth a flick near nervous bait.
As the guys said the fish move and change feeding habits throughout the tide and you need to adapt tactics and area if you want to consistently catch fish. I used to tell my friends just because you want to cast a certain lure doesn't mean it will convert, keep an eye out on what bait is around and what they are feeding on, how the bait moves and try to match and mimic the bait usually works for me.

Best of luck. Have a very soft spot for the harbour have travelled alot further a field for donuts and yet always hook them in the harbour.

Cheers
Gibbsy

thanks heaps guys for the advice

cheers chopper

This is the best time of year for harbour barra IMO