I had previously stopped in a shop called Barra Jacks in Rockhampton and talked to the boys in there and they said the build up to the " wet" was a good time. I purchased a book on Trade Me by Rod Harrison and he wrote the Fitzroy River [which runs right through Rocky] would be a grade 1 river if there was no commercial barra netting on it. The book had been written a few years ago as the netting ban had been in force for 2 or 3 years. Accomodation was booked for the last 10 days of Oct at the Coffee House in Rockhampton as was a rental car. Excitement levels were rising..

 

I arrive at Rocky airport where it was a balmy, read hot as,  30 plus degrees. On the way to my accomodation i call in at Barra Jacks and hear that a few days before there has been alot of rain and the barrage which is like a dam that blocks the river for Rockhamptons water is full. That means that they will open the barrage and the river will be dirty which isnt flash  for the fishing.

 

First evening / night and the river doesnt look to bad and so i happily fish into the dark get bites all evening. Unfortunately the bites are not barras or any type of fish, the bites are from mosquitos and i am the one being eaten alive. Next morning i look like i have been used as a pin cushion !

 

To cut a long story short the river got to the colour of coffee and i was having to travel an hour each way to get some fishing, well casting practice. I went for a drive one day and found a bit of fishable water south of Rocky down the Port Alma road. This turned out to be the lower Fitzroy where the water was still clean. It takes a long time for flood water to travel far.  I eventually caught a solitary barra of 80cm which is a good representative fish. I was happy but i was very lucky.

 

There was a competition [catch photo and release] called the Barra bounty on at the time i was there and there were 480 ish barra caught of which 15 were a metre or more. A metre long fish is considered a trophy.

 

Next time.

I dont think barra are difficult fish to catch but the biggie is getting to the best spots. The few boat anglers i spoke to all had caught fish.  I will be happy to go back to Rocky but i would hire a guide to get his experience and the boat. Walking and shore fishing makes catching a barra very difficult, access to good spots is the key and it is by boat only. I will invest in an insect repellant company as i will send the share price through the roof and i will wear long light weight pants [and will still have insect repellant on] .