Last-minute tips to catch barra

Dale Sherriff and Stephen Pill are both competing in this year’s Barra Bounty competition on the Fitzroy River, which started this morning, and are set for the challenge to catch the biggest fish.

Sharyn Oneill

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THE waters were tested yesterday in the lead-up to this year's Barra Bounty competition which kicked off at 6am this morning.

Stephen Pill, who is on the organising committee and manager of Barra Jacks, said he took a group of competitors from Brisbane out on the Fitzroy River yesterday morning for a pre-fish.

He said around Lakes Creek near the meatworks, the fish were definitely hungry, with fish after fish being reeled in yesterday.

The fishing enthusiast recommends those participating in the two-day competition should fish around Lakes Creek and at high tide, in town, based on reports from the past two weeks.

The competition was capped at 50 teams this year, with Mr Pill explaining it to be purely an organisational reason.

Mr Pill also recommended fisherpeople use Richo lures, classic lures, Swamp dogs, lethal lure and lucky craft lures if they hope to beat Ken Richardson's record catch at 1.5 metres.

"We have about 40% turn over from people that fished last year," Pill said. "Fifty per cent new people come in all the time."

Competitor Dale Sherriff was looking forward to the competition, which would provide him the opportunity to give his new boat a decent run on the Fitzroy.

As of yesterday afternoon, it hadn't even been in the water yet.