No tall stories here,
“DO not tell fish stories where the people know you … but particularly, don’t tell them where they know the fish.”
That little Mark Twain gem is one that should be well understood before some anglers I know of even pick up a rod, such is their often-fanciful recital of their encounter – or non-encounter – with fish.
However, Kirwan fisherman Tony Kapcelovich is one of those anglers to whom I wouldn’t dare fudge a fish story, firstly because I don’t tell fish fibs; secondly, he’s known me for better than 30 years but perhaps more importantly, he knows the fish.
Kapcelovich, who might be best described as a casual but avid angler these days, last week claimed his very first barramundi of the year – a fine saltwater fish of 86cm caught in the Burdekin district.
Yet, he is no stranger to barramundi catches, the veteran angler probably landing more of the iconic species than most anglers have had hot dinners.
In fact, Kapcelovich remains the current Australian National Sportfishing Association record holder in the ‘Lure fishing’ division, a colossal 21.32kg barra caught on 6-kilogram class monofilament line – while fishing in the Ross River in December of 1977, handing him the title.
Kapcelovich remembers the catch like it was yesterday, although the pipeline that he fished from, and once straddled the river, is long gone.
The late and famed local lure maker George Dempster, ‘Pipeline George’ to all who bought his handcrafted timber lures, tested his creations at the very same spot in the early days.
Kapcelovich fished with Townsville Sportfishing Club mate Trevor Fuller on the second Sunday of December.
“I’d arranged to meet Trevor down at the pipe at a particular time in the morning, but he was already there and fishing when I arrived, but I’d half expected that,” Kapcelovich recalled of his equally keen sportfishing mate.
“I hooked the barra on the pipeline and it did everything right for me … swam away from the structure, but I was running out of line and had to chase it way up the bank before I could land it.”
They were heady times in the North Queensland sportfishing scene, Ken Spiegelhauer from a rival local sportfishing club only weeks earlier claiming a record barra in the same ANSA lure fishing division, this time using just 3kilogram class line and a 17.45kg fish listed as caught in Townsville.
It’s unclear exactly where that fish was caught but a whole bunch of big barra were loitering in the Ross that summer and local anglers had a good dose of ‘barra fever’.
And just a handful of years later, another Townsville Sportfishing Club member of great ultra-light line skill, Bruce Glanville, stamped his name in the record books with an 8.85kg barramundi caught on flimsy 1 kilogram test line while fishing in Hodel Lagoon near Giru. The line-class sportfishing movement lost much of its appeal to many sportfishing minded anglers in recent decades, the introduction of braid or gel spun polyethylene lines in the early ’90s doing much of the damage, while a catch and release ethos gained momentum among anglers.
Those anglers doing the release thing learned quickly that fish had to be subdued in short time if they were to survive the encounter and light lines were understandably replaced with the heavier strength but finer braid style options.
But now, as fishing practices continually evolve, some are questioning whether catch and release practices aren’t responsible, at least in-part, for the increased shark depredation issues currently faced by fishers.
LURE OF THE FIGHT
Nathan Kellett continues the barra flavour of this week’s column with a well-conditioned fish that he recently pried from the freshwaters of the Burdekin River.
Kellett said fishing within the great river was now prime with water levels dropping throughout winter to reveal pockets of backwaters where finned predators, including barra, prefer to lurk.
He sent me a photograph of a chrome 90cm model barra that looks like it could have just as easily been pulled from the cleanest saltwater reaches of any creek. “I got absolutely smoked on the cast before by a donkey,” Kellett said describing the size and subsequent loss of the hooked fish.
The keenest of sportfishers re-rigged in quick time attaching a heavier leader, tying on a new lure and was immediately into another fish.
“This 90cm barra smashed it … (was) an epic battle in the current – great fun,” he said.
As with all of Kellett’s freshwater Burdekin barras, the fish was but back to grow some more and perhaps be caught anther time.
BARRA BASH IS ON
And barramundi will be lining up to be caught in the Hinchinbrook Channel today.
That’s the hope of those contesting the Townsville Game Fishing Club’s annual Barra Bash, fishing throughout the two-day catch and release event kicking off this morning.
The fastest and most pimped bass style boats will carry anglers, in teams of no more than three, to select hot spots within the channel’s myriad of creeks and shallow flats. It is there where they hope to fool as many barra as possible with artificial baits, all fish photographed and lengths recorded to determine tournament winners, aggregate length of a maximum 10 largest barra the target.
Other species including mangrove jack; salmon; flathead; trevally; bream; cod; fingermark and grunter will also reward successful anglers.
The Lake Moondarra Fishing Classic has been cancelled for the second year running, the predominantly barra competition usually attracting hundreds of anglers to the Mount Isa impoundment in late October.
The Mount Isa Fish Stocking Group hopes the event will be resurrected in 2022.
$25K OF FUN IN FITZROY
The Fitzroy River Barra Bash will tempt tournament anglers to the Capricorn Coast region in late October with a guaranteed cash and prize pool of more than $25,000.
Hosted by the Frenchville Sports Club, the event commences October 27 with a Charity Fishing Segment, registration and briefing followed 2- and one-half days fishing before winding up on October 31 with a family fun day and lucky entrant boat draw.
Further details www.fitzroyriverbarrabash.com.au