By open water we mean barra that are not on a bank. They can be found deep on rocks off the shoreline, in channels at the mouths of the big rivers and coastal creeks, and in depressions off the front of shallow mud flats — sometimes fifty or a hundred metres from any edge, just hanging around in a dip in the bottom.
All of them are tricky. Some of the most reliable barra spots in the Top End are open water, but even fishing two hundred days a year, the conditions do not line up that often. When they do, and you have an area dialled in, the fish become fairly predictable — and that is when you can jag a real donkey.
The three kinds and when to fish them
Submerged rocks. The top of the tide works best, and it needs to be coupled with flat, calm conditions. The rocks do not need to be big — something the size of a basketball is enough to draw a fish, especially on a calm high tide in the afternoon. There are rocky patches around Shoal Bay and Fog Bay off the beaches that hardly hold any water on the low but come alive on a big high with the wind blowing offshore.
Channels at the mouths of the big rivers. A neap incoming tide works best. You get clean water gently pushing in, and big barra can use that easy current to hunt. Calm conditions keep the clarity up, and a bit of runoff does not hurt. These channels are fished mostly around the bottom of the tide — at the big rivers, the larger fish may sit a long way offshore in the channels on the low, waiting for the first push of the incoming to head back in.
Depressions and the backs of sand bars. Barra sitting seemingly in the middle of nowhere are often the hardest of all to get to bite. With good water clarity and low wind, generally at the top but also the bottom of a tide, you can have success where everyone else drives straight past.
Why they are out there
On a high tide, barra up inside a creek have a hard time getting a feed because the bait is right up in the trees, hiding. Out on an isolated rock patch they can feed easily. They are there through the whole season, and in our view they are out there to eat — which is why they are worth the effort.
Stealth is everything
There are plenty of times when a bit of music in the boat and a few people opening eskies and hatches does not worry barra. Open water is not one of them. These fish are very alert. They know you are there long before you know they are.
- Fish alone if you can, or as quietly as possible if there are a few of you.
- One dropped esky lid or stomp on the floor can shut these fish down, or scatter them beyond reach.
- Keep the electric motor running continuously on a low, steady setting rather than pulsing it on high. A gentle hum is less likely to spook fish than repeated bursts. Noise-reducing prop nuts are worth considering.
- Do not throw big, noisy lures over the spot before the fish have even arrived.
Sound them up first
Rocks stick out on structure and side-scan imaging, and fish stick out from the rocks. Running the electric along a known patch with the sounder on will tell you quickly whether anyone is home, and the fish often hold in groups rather than ones and twos. These are not high-percentage spots — if the fish are not there, you cannot catch them — so we nearly always have a look first.
The exception is a rock you have found fish on at the same tide height three times in a row. One is one, two is two, three is a pattern. At that point you can be confident enough to fish it straight up without pinging it too much first.
Mark them on the low
The best homework you can do is go and look at the ground when it is dry. Drive or ride the beach on a big low tide with a GPS or your phone, mark the rocky patches, and go back on the high tides with the sounder to check them. Do the same with the channel edges and drop-offs on your charts.
Harbour open-water spots tend to be harder than the big, isolated ones out along the coast. The well-known harbour rocks get a lot of pressure, often at the wrong time of tide, and the fish get burned from them quickly. The more stealthy and well-timed you are, the more the odds swing your way.
Common questions
Where do barramundi sit in open water?
Deep on rocks off the shoreline, in channels at the mouths of big rivers and coastal creeks, and in depressions off the front of shallow mud flats or behind sand bars — sometimes well away from any bank.
When is the best time to fish submerged rocks for barra?
The top of the tide, coupled with flat, calm conditions and good water clarity. The rocks do not need to be large; something the size of a basketball can hold a fish on a calm high tide.
Why is stealth so important for open water barra?
Open water barra are very alert and know you are there long before you see them. One dropped esky lid can shut them down or scatter them. Fish quietly, keep the electric motor on a low steady setting rather than pulsing it, and avoid throwing noisy lures over the spot before the fish arrive.
Should you sound up open water barra before casting?
Usually yes. Rocks and fish both show up well on structure and side-scan imaging, and these are not high-percentage spots, so checking first saves time. Once a spot has held fish at the same tide height three times running, you can fish it straight up.
Rather learn it on the water?
This is what the safaris are for.
Three to eight days, one guide, and the same water you have been reading about. Everyone fishes with Watty.