Setting up your boat for barra fishing is critical if you want to maximise catches.
I have everything I use regularly a hand reach away. Other less common items are stowed.
I prefer a tiller steer with open deck.
I like a clean deck with plenty of room to fight the fish.
And my live bait tank is the best I’ve ever seen for keeping live bait alive.
This month marks the end of an era with my retirement from charters and a new beginning with our Fish Smarter online fishing courses.
Rather than bake in the hot sun, now I mentor my students from the comfort of my air conditioned office. Or from a laptop in our cabin aboard Mood Swings.
But before I hang up my charter guiding hat for good, I thought I’d share how I have set up my 5.6 m custom craft Super Punt barra boat.
Many years of trial and error have gone into the vessel. It might not be for everyone. But it has sure worked for me as a barra guide.
The video below demonstrate the open plan tiller set up I prefer for barra fishing.
Goodbye old girl, I’m gonna miss you.
We are replacing the barra punt with a 6 m Custom Craft North wind long boat built by BME Cairns. This vessel will be more suited to towing behind the game boat in our fishing travels.
Some of the more useful features of the barra boat include; plumbed live bait tank, open plan with centre esky, quick release cleats and under gunnel rod storage.
And of course my essential array of Garmin marine sounding equipment and transducers.
Related: We touch on boat trolling speeds and more in our getting started guide to barramundi fishing.
Down below are a series of blogs mentioned in the video pertaining to certain aspects of the set up.
If you’re new to this blog and have never heard of our fishing courses, you can find out more here:
