Up The Adelaide River.

Hi there,

We got, Arrabmundi and I, invited onboard Moz boat for a day fishing in the upstream of the Adelaide river.
It had been arranged that we would all meet at a very early hour, at the boat ramp on the river. It was a strange feeling for Arrabmundi and I to go fishing in a car without a boat in tow. We had the sensation of flying too low...
Once at the river Moz's boat the Hard Gore was quickly launched and in the near darkness we started zooming on the water.

Early morning on the Adelaide River.

The plan of the day was that Arrabmundi was going to show some of his good spots to Moz, and I was just there to have a good time with two mates.

So we went up river past Goat Island, in some sections of the river that I had never seen before.  It is alway a pleasant feeling to see a new part of a watercourse that you had never explored, and I had a good time. 

But the fishes were playing hard to catch.

We tried a few places but for not much action, so we started to talk about an early lunch.

This is when I felt a bump on my line, then a sharp pull, then nothing... The pull had been clear and frank, it even stripped a bit of line from my reel and both of my fishing companion saw it and asked me if I was on? 

I said that no, I had a good hit but didn't connect...

I had already stand up to work the fish, and was going to seat down slightly disappointed, when the line pulled again! In fact I was well and truly on! 

But just after being hooked the fish first swam fast towards the boat so I had not tension on the line, and then made a U-turne to show me that it was still on and ready for a fight.

I didn't know if I had to laugh or try to focus on the fish, so I did a bit of both, and started to try to get some line back. Which was the exact opposed thing that this very fish had in mind. As we were on the side of the river, in a spot full of logs and snags of all kinds, Moz started to drive the boat toward the centre of the river, and this was the clue for this Barramundi to try to run across the river. Arrabmundi told me that if it was going to take me in the sticks on the other side, I could say good-by to this piscatorial rocket.

Just what I needed then and there, to stay cool...

I tried to not panic too much, but the fish was starting to get tired and I got him back to us, where it was netted and in the boat!

First Barramundi of the day.

At 67cm (26.377953 inches) and some dust, it was not huge, but had been able to give me some troubles.

As it was the first fish of the day, I decided to keep this one, just in case, you know...

And I was right.

We then went through a very desert patch, with not even a bump.

So we decided to go for an early lunch, on Goat Island.

Speeding up on the way to lunch.

Kai hospitality on the island was great and we sat in the freshness of the place, getting some cool drinks direct from the fridge and tuck into our burgers.

Full of all the good things, we went back to the serious business of fish catching.

And Moz caught the first fish of the afternoon.

Moz first Barramundi of the day.

This was a small fish but it was proof that to bring happiness, size doesn't matter, Moz was all smile. And Arrabmundi and I too, as we though that the fish had heard the dinner bell and were now on the chew.

Well if they were on the chew, they were fussy eaters, that's for sure...

Then as we were going from one spot to the other, I spotted a fishing lure floating on the river and pointed to it. Moz turned the boat toward it, and we picked up a nice Yo-Zuri lure. I had looked at them at the shop, but didn't bought any, because of the price that they command. So I was rather happy to get a free one.

And not long after that Arrabmundi was on a little Barramundi that had bitten on his lure (one of the new Killalure designed by Lance Butler). 

But the fish was not that big when compared to the lure...

Arrabmundi fighting the monster.

Ok this was no monster, but a fish is a fish and that made every body happy, as now we all had a fish at our names.

Then cruising on the river, it was Arrabmundi turn to spot a floating lure, this time a Big B52's, a lure with a proven record for catching nice Barramundi.

We moved to a rock bar, where both Arrabmundi and I got a good hit in a few second intervals. Mine didn't hook up but Arrabmundi's one did and he did fight it for a little while, till the fish jumped and spat the lure...

So we decided to work this area a bit longer.

And Moz got a better fish.

Silver Barramundi from the Adelaide.

This fish was put back in the drink, to fight another day.

We once again moved to another place to try to find the fish, and we saw Dave who was fishing with two friends of him.

So we moved a bit further away, and then I hooked a new fish and managed not to loose it.

My second Barramundi of the day.

This one was on the short size, so I decided to release it, so it could grow a lot more and be more exciting the next time we would meet.

Yes it was going to be my last one of the day, lucky I had kept the first one...

With the fish being so peckish, Arrabmundi decided to put a deep diver on, and to bounce it on the timber at the bottom of the river.

The tactics paid off and he got his second fish of the day.

We then all had two fish in the boat, and decided to slowly go back to the ramp and then home.

We did stop for a few minutes to a little creek mouth to flick our lures. Moz said that he got a few fish in the 80cm (31.496063 inches) there in the past, but also that a very big crocodile is supposed to live there. 

I made sure not to lean over the gunwales, I may even have taken a few step back towards the centre of the boat, without thinking about it...

Then we arrived at the ramp, got the boat back on the trailer and had a little chat about the day.

In my books, this was a great day: three guys on a boat, fishing and talking fishing all day long. We had all boated some fish, we didn't loose any lures.

What else do you want?

Ho, and what happened to the Barramundi that I kept in the esky?

Look what has happened to him:

Grilled fresh Barramundi and salad. 

My little one, the lady of the house and I were very happy with this fish.

Yes I know, I have not yet landed a Barramundi over the magic meter mark...

But hey, it could be worse.

Have a good day,

Me.