Is my new toy strong enough

[Brian D]

I got a new Barra rig and after more research I am not convinced the darn thing is strong enough. It's a Daiwa HRF reel and a heavy 20lb Daiwa Advantage Rod with 30lb Jap Braid.

It might be ok for the small Barra but all the latest mags with Awoonga articles say 50lb or your stuff. Yet the pros say 30lb. What is the truth?:ohmy:

[werewolf]

Just curious mate, for best performance should'nt one match the breaking strain of the line to the rod?

[Angus]

Brian i was stumped with that as well as i could not imagine why my culcutta with 30lb braid could not stopa n awoonga barra. I went to tacke warehoouse to talk to the boys there. I thought this a good course of action as i clearly was not going to buy anything (hence they couldnt push anything , although i have always found they dont anyway) and they all fish awoonga a lot!

The answers i got where simple and made sense.

Whe fishing in the basin, you can use 5lb if you have enough if it! The fish only has open water to run to and as long as you have to patience (and the line capacity) you should be able to land him still.

However in the sticks, you might need to stop a 1m fish from getting to the sticks which which be 2 meters away. Essentially then you need to literally stop it in its tracks. Not an easy thing to do. Hence the serious gear some people use. Not to mention that some fellows dont mind winching a fish in as long as they get their picture.

The good news is, the boys at tackle warehouse reckon the sticks are a bit of a waste of time. Apprantly the vast majority of the barra hold in teh basin and along the edges of the basin in the little water worn gullies. So basically basin for trolling and edges for casting.

Now i have read a dozen magazines with a dozen opinions. But i always take irst hand information more seriously. Especially as i have come to value the guys judgement as its all been very sound to date.

Hope this helps.

Angus

[Angus]

Oh and sorry werewolf.

They use much heavier braid than the rod would indicate alot when targeting these bigger fish. Im not sure of the logic or how its works, but yeah. It happens.

Angus

[Brian D]

werewolf wrote:

Just curious mate, for best performance should'nt one match the breaking strain of the line to the rod?

I'm with you wolf - but the guy in the shop says that's what he uses. Sucka born every day you think?

[werewolf]

Guess so! But thinking about it more, who would want to cast a lure with a rod rated for 50 lb? We getting into marlin territory! It just wouldn't be feasible, unless it was a trolling rod...

[Brian D]

Angus wrote:

However in the sticks, you might need to stop a 1m fish from getting to the sticks which which be 2 meters away. Essentially then you need to literally stop it in its tracks. Not an easy thing to do. Hence the serious gear some people use. Not to mention that some fellows dont mind winching a fish in as long as they get their picture.

The good news is, the boys at tackle warehouse reckon the sticks are a bit of a waste of time. Apprantly the vast majority of the barra hold in teh basin and along the edges of the basin in the little water worn gullies. So basically basin for trolling and edges for casting.

Now i have read a dozen magazines with a dozen opinions. But i always take irst hand information more seriously. Especially as i have come to value the guys judgement as its all been very sound to date.

Hope this helps.

Angus

Thanks Angus - I get what your sayng - sio it should do just fine.

I also have a 4000 series Daiwa spin stick - I might set that up for the timber heavy stuff. I'll be able to hand lock and skull drag the monsters.

[blue_mako]

So you got a HRF Brian. Could have got a Viento which is the model above it for cheaper . Oh well sold now :silly: .

Yeah if your fishing the sticks you gotta go heavy. It's not the acctual direct pull your looking for its more abrasion resistance if they can get you back into the timber. When you have a fish swimming pretty quick then you add a few sticks and branches your screwed. That's why if you catch a fish and it almost bricks you in the snags once your confident he's not going to go back in then you loosen your drag right off in case you braid is freyed. So first thing you do once you hook a Barra in the sticks is slam your thumb on the spool a.s.a.p and as hard as possible to heav! .

No casting rod is rated at 50lb and few over 30lb. With heavy braid you hold the rod all most straight toward the fish and slam your thumb on the spool. Can't wait till my rod and reel arrives this week .

When are we going to the Barra Park?

Troy

[Tom B]

Troy, i know of one casting rod that is rated 50lb.

www.campbellsprotackle.com/store/product.asp?ID=4197

Put a daiwa black sheep on it along with 50lb braid and the barra have no chance

[ando_04]

Brian D wrote:

I got a new Barra rig and after more research I am not convinced the darn thing is strong enough. It's a Daiwa HRF reel and a heavy 20lb Daiwa Advantage Rod with 30lb Jap Braid.

It might be ok for the small Barra but all the latest mags with Awoonga articles say 50lb or your stuff. Yet the pros say 30lb. What is the truth?:ohmy:

brian i hope you have a strong finger, becouse the HRF dosn'nt have enought drag preasure for big barra, even with the drag locked up tight as far as it go's a barra will have no problems takeing drag off

[blue_mako]

Jindivik: Don't see too many of them. That's why it's $520!

Troy

[Brian D]

jindivik wrote:

Troy, i know of one casting rod that is rated 50lb.

www.campbellsprotackle.com/store/product.asp?ID=4197

Put a daiwa black sheep on it along with 50lb braid and the barra have no chance

How good are the black sheep reels? But they are over $500 and after blowing the boat motor I also blew the budget:(

[Brian D]

blue_mako wrote:

So you got a HRF Brian. Could have got a Viento which is the model above it for cheaper . Oh well sold now :silly: .

Troy I didn't want the twitch bar thingo, however I was going to barter with you if it had not sold by Awoonga time, no need now..:cheer:

Post edited by: Brian D, at: 2006/10/02 05:29

[Tom B]

Brian, i dont have a black sheep as yet cos im only 16, but next year im going to do some more barra and jew fishing, so i might reach into the pocket then.