Coast man lands monster 32kg barra | Northern Rivers Lifestyle News | Health, Fashion, Food and Wine in Northern Rivers

A massive impoundment Barramundi was caught by Buddina resident John Davis from a fishing Kayak at Monduran Dam, 3.5 hours north of the Sunshine Coast. The fish measured 130cm-plus and weighed approximately 70lbs. By morning the Barra was the main attraction for all campers at the Monduran camp ground.

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MOST fishermen give up after a couple of hours without a bite.

A few believe in staying for the long haul.

Others, like John Davis, just don’t know when to give up.

However, the Buddina man’s patience paid dividends on Saturday when he fished for more than 14 hours without a bite before landing the fish of his dreams.

A lesser man would have packed up and gone home hours before ... but not John.

It was his first barramundi fishing expedition to Monduran Dam, near Gin Gin, and he had spent a lot of time preparing.

But even he did not expect to land a 130cm, 30kg monster.

“I don’t just show up,” John said as he reflected on the moment the big one hit.

“I put in a lot of work investigating the dam – what sort of lures to use, what times, what the moon was doing, the water temperatures. “So I was prepared for it.”

John and his mate had been on the dam in kayaks since 4am and by 6.30pm still had not felt even a gentle tug on their lines.

Then all hell broke lose.

“I was just trolling along and had the rod in the holder when he hit and spun the kayak around,” John said.

“I knew straight away it was a big barra.”

For the next 20 minutes, the fish dragged him around the dam in a battle which John admits he was never certain of winning.

“He had me and I went wherever he went, in a big circle around the dam.

“My mate was following in his kayak but he couldn’t do a thing.”

Eventually John won the battle but then he faced a new challenge – getting the monster on to the kayak and paddling 2km back to the boat ramp, a 90-minute trip.

The barra could have fed half the Sunshine Coast but it is destined for the taxidermist before taking pride of place on John’s lounge room wall.

Believing there is always a bigger fish out there, John plans to return in a few weeks.