Help with barra baitcaster set up

[Bluevien]

G'day guys,

I am after a little help with what to take on a barra trip up off Lucinda next week. I already have a 2500 Symetre loaded with 10lb braid matched on a 7ft Diawa Redback rod. I might change it to a heavier mainline or is this okay?

I also have a cheepish baitcaster combo - an Abu Polaris with matching rod loaded with 15lb braid. I am a bit suss on whether this combo will hold up to barra. The reel's been making some strange noises after it tangled with and lost what I think was a kingy out on curtain last week so I want to get a replacement.

So what's out there that won't break the bank in baitcasters and rods that will do the trick and what weight braid and leader should I loaded it up with for barras? I already have a some 30lb braid I can use or is this over kill? I can see myself using it for Jacks also around Brissy.

It will be all lure fishing so any help would be great.

Cheers,

Rob

[RyanG45]

mate i have a curado 200dhsv matched with a 5-10kg pflugger trion, i know the reel is a bit pricy but is still worth the money is a ver good strong reel with a good gear ratio and line capacity i have 150 yards of 30lb fins. the rod i recommend highly, its whipy and can cast lures all day as it is light, its one of those rods that doesnt bend at the but (which i hate the most) so the top half takes most of the fish and the fight. hope that helps

cheers ryan

[Old Scaley]

In my limited experience of barra fishing, I reckon gear up for the jacks and you will be fine for barra. I think a 50cm barra goes as hard as a 80cm barra (tastes better too).

The curado would be a good choice. With the rod, just take something you are comfortable casting with as you will do a lot of it and you need to be accurate, so 6 foot or 6 and a half foot is probably best if you are fishing from a boat. I would up the braid a bit to at least 20lb as you don't want to miss a good fish and you will probably have to pull a few out of snags. Wish I was coming with you, have a great trip.

[Artifishal]

The Abu Garcia ambasadeur 6500 is my fav baitcaster. I bought it for a trip to NT for barra, didnt get any but got HEAPS of big threadies. I matched it with a glass rod back then and just replaced it with a Abu muscle tip II 6-10kg (graphite core glass wrapped) I got from a aussie website pretty cheap. has become one of my favorite combos and not to expensive.

[Bluevien]

Thanks for that so far fellas. I just got Octobers issue of fishing world which has the latest shimano catalogue so have been reading up on the curado. It looks the goods. I have a 2-4 kg trion which I rate so will definitely look at the 5-10kg baitcaster version.

So on 30lb braid would you use 40 or 50lb fluoro leader?

[Eug]

i'd back the curado rob... one of the best bang for buck reels you can get.

i run 30lb braid with 60lb leader for the big ones (which i've yet to land), but the missus still got busted off. 40lb will suffice.

the rod is up to you, most 5-10kg will do the job. also depends if you'll be casting all day or trolling, arms do get sore so consider the weight.

[RyanG45]

my uncle gave the curado to me he uses 60lb minimum but uses mainly 80lb as many of the big ones bust him on 60lb, so i guess anything from 40lb-80lb should do fine

[Bluevien]

i'd back the curado rob... one of the best bang for buck reels you can get.

i run 30lb braid with 60lb leader for the big ones (which i've yet to land), but the missus still got busted off. 40lb will suffice.

the rod is up to you, most 5-10kg will do the job. also depends if you'll be casting all day or trolling, arms do get sore so consider the weight.

Cheers Eug, ive got some 50 and 60 lb so will pack them. Its all new to me but a great excuse to buy more gear since it's the wife's uncle who's taking us out . I'd say there'd be some trolling too so will take that into consideration.

Next question - lures? He'll have some for us to use but I don't like going empty handed. Any suggestions on all round barra/tropical lures?

[Eug]

slick rigs, super barra, hollow bellies, rapala x-raps, etc. are the usual suspects.