EXPLORING A NEW SYSTEM - Lure Fishing for Big WILD Barramundi

I recently went and did some exploring in a new system I hadn’t fished before, I wanted to see what was about in general but deep down I was searching for some new barra to play with…
Well I wasn’t disappointed! After scoping out the creek on google earth I had a bit of a game plan put together, based off what I knew about barra from the other areas I fish I had an idea of where I wanted to be and when and boy did I find some fish!!
The big girls weren’t too eager to play the game on the first day and I’d learnt a valuable piece of information, so I went back the following day and filmed what I thought was going to be a hot session. I got one good fish from 3 bites over 4 hours, but once again I’d learnt another piece of the puzzle. It’s all part of the game we play when we target large barramundi!
Eager to learn more I went back a week later on different tides to see what affect that had and the game had completely changed so I decided to look elsewhere and found the fish stacked up on drains and snags, and the best part, they were feeding!
There’s plenty of info for everyone in this episode from sounder reading to how I set up the boat to fish for Barra. So have a watch as I go through the learning process and talk through what I’m doing to put these fish on the boat!
Feel free to hit me up in the comments if you got any questions and while you’re here, hit that SUBSCRIBE button!
Peace ✌🏻

[@jimquantic]

See how people cast, then change hands, cast and change hands, all friggin day. But they sell left hand reels with the crank on the other side, that way you cast and reel, cast and reel, all friggin day and never NEED to change hands. On top of that, you fight the fish with your right arm.

[@sw4ggyp]

it’s just preference? doesn’t really matter anyways, not gonna stop you from catching fish lol. what a waste of a read 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@colzyfishing8938]

Really nice video, never caught a Barra and videos like this make me start trip planning. Awesome explanation/visuals on the sidescan.

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate! Appreciate the support ✌🏻

[@V.a.n.d.e.r.s]

Good work mate, I really enjoy and get benefit from the sounder shots and interpretation, gives me an idea what to look for, keep them coming.

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks for the feedback mate, I take it all onboard ✌🏻

[@admiralawesomeable]

Enjoy your videos as your not shy to share equipment and tackle choices.

[@IRFANCAST]

Next level stealth, awesome

[@Micksgonefishing]

Gotta be if you want the big girls mate 🙌🏻

[@fishingwithCurrie]

Awesome fishing mate good shit!!

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate 🙌🏻

[@nenadnedovic9246]

Thanks fir the footage

[@Micksgonefishing]

No problem ✌🏻

[@christianrm874]

Mate 🙌🙌🙌 can't ask for a better day than that!

[@Micksgonefishing]

Haha yeah man, it was fun making this one!

[@thechroniclesofnato7743]

Great vid bloke. Nice looking country!

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks Nato!!

[@aus2045]

Wish we had fishing like this around Rockhampton/Yeppoon

[@differhie]

Really love to watch your fishing trip mate. Greetings from Indonesia.

[@Micksgonefishing]

Awesome mate! Glad you like it 🙌🏻

[@anchorsdeep]

Some nice fish! Often wondered if ppl still used anchors beside their electric to be extra quiet

[@Micksgonefishing]

Yeah electrics are very handy but need to be used wisely when hunting most large predatory fish in estuaries, the fish have basic instincts, anything unnatural that has a a possibility of being dangerous will a lot of the time ruin their appetite quick smart!

[@davidraguse2106]

Great video great to see sounder shots and how you approach the fish ..from anchoring to lure presentation...a shot of your screen showing settings would be valuable scroll speed ,sensetvity, contrast, palette...gives a good starting point... overall great video heaps of information to learn from

[@Micksgonefishing]

I’ll keep it in mind mate, but I do change my settings a lot throughout the day depending on the conditions so I feel I’d be constantly talking about settings and not fishing… thanks for the feedback though mate, appreciate it!!

[@adriangray459]

My girls just bought me a set of Barney's lures for my bday after watching your vids!That was awesome to watch bro!!😎

[@Micksgonefishing]

Oh that’s awesome! Go and fish them mate they’re cool lures!! Thanks man, glad you enjoyed watching, it was fun to make this one 👌🏻

[@azlanmaestrofishing6585]

Mantaap..👍👍

[@jeffbroom4347]

Sweet bara! I’ve only caught a couple in my time up north WA, I’m south coast, do u ever keep any bara for a feed? That 60-70cm size would be best surely? Love the vids mate

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate, yeah they’re the best ones. I’ve got a freezer full of reef stuff so the barra are safe for now..

[@SatriaberjoranFishingbuddies]

Nice strike

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks

[@dlagendyk1]

Awesome fishing!! What size reel are you fishing with and what rating of braid are you loading onto the reel? Thanks

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate, this is my medium barra setup, I run 200HG conquests on all my barra specific gear and they’re all loaded with pe2.5 Sunline Castaway braid. I’ve got a 100HG, 3X 200HG, a 300 and a 400 in the conquests. Almost indestructible these things and they’ve actually saved me money 💴

[@thor_6886]

Great stuff, mate. What a ripper of a day. As a distant observer, I much prefer watching you getting stonking salt water barra compared to the proliferation of vids at the inland impoundments. That wild country you're fishing just looks like such classic barra water and you have it down to a fine art. Do you start winding straight away to make the bibbed lure dive, or is it shallower than it looks?

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate!! Yeah I’ve got some good impoundments local to me here but when the season is open I’d much rather target wild salties, they have a lot more prestige for me and the big ones are a lot trickier to catch than their stocked impoundment cousins due to tidal influence and the large list of predators higher in the food chain that they share homes with. Not to mention the live baits and 6” Gill-nets they need to dodge for their whole life before they get to that trophy size. There is no other fish that I’d happily go and donut on 3 days in a row and every day i go back I think it’s going to be different, and when it happens and you crack multiple meter plus fish in a session the hundreds of days donutted are instantly forgotten!

[@thor_6886]

@@Micksgonefishing i admire your philosophy mate, staying true to your fishing passion should stand you in good stead as the channel grows.

[@allthingswildlifeyt1218]

Advice on the giant herring, try to keep your rod down when they jump. That way they don’t spit. Lost a 1m+ a couple of months ago because I didn’t keep the rod down

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate, I’ve done a lot of GH fishing and cut my teeth on them topwater fishing the land locked lakes in the Gold Coast. I’ve caught plenty of big ones on the jig up here when targeting other species offshore but I haven’t seen a big one for a while, I’m definitely hearing you but I do like to see them jump and put on a show, so high rod tips on these and barra for me 😅👌🏻

[@allthingswildlifeyt1218]

@@Micksgonefishing yeah fair enough, I haven’t caught one on lure yet. What are some good surface lures for them?

[@Micksgonefishing]

Where are you located and what size fish are we talking?

[@allthingswildlifeyt1218]

@@Micksgonefishing located on the Fraser coast, fish size is 70cm - 1m+

[@Micksgonefishing]

@@allthingswildlifeyt1218 I’d be looking at smaller 75-90mm walk the dog type pencils, in clear, shrimp like colors, some of my old favorites were the LuckyCraft Sammy 65 and gunfish

[@winpipefishing]

Very nice video 👍👍👍 i like barramundi 🤙

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate!! Me too ✌🏻

[@spanishjo4282]

Your wife is your best fishing assistant

[@Micksgonefishing]

She goes alright hey!

[@fxnvibes2761]

Monster barra bro! i wish we got lots of barra in my place. all i can catch here are indo pacific tarpon.. i would love to fight a wild monster barramundi.

[@Micksgonefishing]

These ones are well fed and live in fast tidal flow through shallow water systems, and you definitely know when you get a big one!! You’ll have to hit them up if you ever get a chance 💪🏻 Thanks for the support legend 🙌🏻

[@zerotiech]

cool vid man

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate!

[@davidraguse2106]

Nice video as usual.. what weight jighead were you running in the RT shad please ?

[@Micksgonefishing]

I think it was a half oz 👌🏻

[@bradenaskin1237]

Hey mate, what sort of stuff do you look for on google earth etc? I feel I have a pretty good knowledge of places to search but I can never find them stacked, then it’s a matter of do I search a whole system and don’t end up fishing, or just forget about sounding and snag bash.

[@Micksgonefishing]

I usually look at the layout of the system the compare it to similar systems and places I’ve had success before, and then go from there. I had 4 places of interest when I come to this system, it was very similar to a lot of the places I already fish so I got lucky and jagged it on the first spot I went to. That doesn’t happen all the time, but research is just as important as the exploring part as it can save alot of wasted time!

[@bradenaskin1237]

Thanks mate, appreciate the tips. I’m struggling to find them on the high tides, do you reckon it’s worth looking for structure underwater, or sidescanning the flats/shallows in the mouths of the bigger systems? Once the tide is pumping out I feel I have a good idea where they will be, I just struggle at the top of the tide. Cheers

[@fi7440]

Maybe next time get a more silent braid.... it will catch more fish! ;)

[@Micksgonefishing]

Haha nah 😂 I enjoy fishless sessions almost as much as good ones and I actually love the zippy sound of this braid under tension pulling through the guides. Also let’s my deckhand know I’m on, it makes me happy that I can stir them up without words 😆🎣

[@tristyndawson2841]

Surely take me fishing

[@davidraguse2106]

Nice sounder shots...when scanning what scroll speed are you set on please?

[@Micksgonefishing]

Generally between 5 and 6 usually

[@thor_6886]

Sorry, quick question Mick re the RT Shad. Can I check the exact colour on the packet please? The tackle store online listings don't have "UV" in front of the Wakasagi. But there are a couple of colours that do say "UV" in front of them. on the vid, the one in your hand lit up in the sun, with a great sheen.

[@Micksgonefishing]

It’s 138 mate, doesn’t have UV written in the name but has UV added to the colour. It doesn’t light up under blue lights like a lot of solid UV colors but as you can see it really pops in the sunlight, and especially in the water.

[@thor_6886]

@@Micksgonefishing Cheers mate, I appreciate you taking the time to reply.

[@Micksgonefishing]

All good mate ✌🏻

[@Ian-io4tu]

Hey Mick what is the rod your using in this episode for Barra?

[@Micksgonefishing]

Dobyns champion extreme 704c at the start and 703c at the end

[@wilkosfishing]

Nice fish 👍🏻 What rods you running please???

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate! Full quiver of Dobyns for all my estuary stuff. Top quality rods with an easy to deal with, lifetime expediter warranty 👌🏻

[@jdean1851]

Awesome Vid ...Giant "Ladyfish" aka Herring! WOW! Cheers from -20c Idaho! newsub

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks my bro ✌🏻 appreciate it 🍻

[@niravamin6474]

Pretty nice video. Any sight of huge crocs in the area, mate?

[@Micksgonefishing]

Yeah only one though, the rest were in the water keeping cool 😅

[@niravamin6474]

@@Micksgonefishing lollll

[@maxfryer2202]

Awesome video mick, where are you located?

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate, I’m in Mackay but fish all over FNQ.

[@WILD-MAN-JOHN]

Hey mate, any more information on the deep river lure at 7:10, gonna order some but don’t know what size and depth.

[@Micksgonefishing]

Deep river Mugul, I think it’s around 100mm.. hit up Barney he knows the one I’ve been using as he’s been smashed with orders for them…

[@johnnyrotton89]

Awesome vid mate. Any chance you could throw up the rod and reel. Thanks

[@Micksgonefishing]

It’s a 200HG Conquest loaded with pe2.5 Sunline Castaway braid, a 90lb Sunline System Shock nylon leader on the Dobyns Champion Extreme 703c. My all time favorite combo, I’ve been using this rod/line combo for almost 4 years now.

[@johnnyrotton89]

@@Micksgonefishing yeah it looked like an extremely comfortable set up and seems to get the job done. Thanks heaps. Sick vid

[@Micksgonefishing]

Yeah it’s very comfortable to fish with all day, and them reels are virtually indestructible 💪🏻

[@shijjas]

Mate your Calcutta reel seems a bit noisy. Perhaps needs a service?

[@929cosmodude]

i think its the braid he uses, probably an older 4 strand style of braid?

[@Micksgonefishing]

It’s the braid which is actually an 8 strand which has each strand individually coated. That and I have orange seal Boca ceramic spool bearings which are noisy cos I run them dry so they spin faster.

[@joelgarvie2653]

Not sure if it would work for you bud, but a 3m bamboo stick poke in the mud or sand... Heaps quite

[@Micksgonefishing]

Yeah I’ve though of that but it’s just another thing to carry 😅

[@joelgarvie2653]

@@Micksgonefishing true..where does it end. Used to put a lure retriever spiral on the non pokey end.

[@argiOrtega45]

Nice

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks

[@sonjawheeler1691]

Epic video and sick song, what's it called? Wanna find it on Spotify haha

[@Micksgonefishing]

Time stamp which song and I’ll let you know 👌🏻

[@sonjawheeler1691]

@@Micksgonefishing I don't know how to do that sorry. Your intro song, sounded like Mario Cart or something 🤔 but a doof version?

[@Micksgonefishing]

Oh yeah that song is called Kyrie Irving by CTROX

[@barcrusher]

That’s sic mick.

[@Micksgonefishing]

Cheers mate!

[@4LBF_Jason]

What a strike, hello from indonesia 🇮🇩. in Indonesia barramundi is biggest target

[@barefootbarramundi855]

Hey mate what lure was that at 23:16? Cheers

[@Micksgonefishing]

Lucky Craft pointer 100SP 👌🏻

[@barefootbarramundi855]

@@Micksgonefishing has it got rattle?

[@bradygaiter6006]

Gee that sounder is crisp

[@Micksgonefishing]

The old Mickybird M12 gets a crisp image due to its twin core double kilo-megahertz transducer mate. Haha nah I’ve just upgraded, this was my last trip with the old Gen1 Mickybird.

[@AussieRic]

Hi, whats the better yamaha or honda ?

[@Micksgonefishing]

Both good reliable engines mate, have a look at both and choose which one suits you better!

[@HakumoTV]

What lure were u using

[@Micksgonefishing]

Lucky Craft Pointer and a Deep River Mugul

[@berkahjoran223]

Mantap 👍👍👍👍👍

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thank you 💪🏻

[@barraboss8957]

Water temp 22 degrees pretty cold for barra

[@Micksgonefishing]

They love it, still gotta eat ✌🏻

[@fishingthewild8542]

Love the attention to detail Mick. Great hunting.

[@Micksgonefishing]

Thanks mate!! Big fan of your work also 🍻

[@nigej9118]

"Keep the fish in the water while its in the net..." 🤔

[@Micksgonefishing]

Haha man that thing was crazy 😂

[@rogerelton6791]

UHURAY WHERE ARE THE LH REELS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[@Micksgonefishing]

Haha they’re not even in the shop 😂😂

[@lennyleapsin5477]

Catch a barramundi, put him in your pocket, save him for a rainy day…

[@barcrusher]

What outfit is that mick .

[@Micksgonefishing]

200HG Conquest on a Dobyns champion extreme 703c

[@mangajack]

You spend so much time and effort avoiding noise but your boat is noisy as hell with wave slap.....

[@Micksgonefishing]

I know it’s noisy but I can’t control that so I focus on the things I can control, the places I go don’t allow a glass boat (I’m rough on the gear apparently) and I wasn’t keen on a poly for what I do so I just gotta live with it..