McNamara Tames Teemburra
A fickle early season bite greeted anglers for the opening round of the 2007 Daiwa BARRA Tour on Teemburra Dam, 6/7th October.
Twenty teams and forty anglers signed up for the all-night marathon Night Championship event, with victory going to Muswellbrook resident and BARRA Tour regular Alan McNamara, 5/5, 240cm, while Townsville barra addict Matt Coleman claimed the runners-up position, 3/5, 227cm.
Victory for McNamara was a relief and due reward for a week of analytical prefishing that saw him crack the inconsistent bite pattern.
“It was tough fishing all week”, explained McNamara.
“It was only after a lot of fishless sessions, and the elimination of a lot of habitat types and locations that we managed to establish some sought of pattern to the fishing”, he added.
This pattern saw McNamara target the shallow points and leading edges in the Middle Creek reaches of the dam.
“The presence of submerged grass and lilies were the dominate features on the locations that produced”, explained McNamara.
“The key was to get the lure close to the structure and the weeded edges were the fish were holding and feeding”, he added.
Targeting these vegetation lined edges McNamara down-sized his lure from his usual go-to 110mm plus options, instead using a 100mm Squidgy Slick Rig Light (colour- drop bear) to tempt his fish. Using a slow rolling retrieve McNamara found most of the hits forthcoming when the lure was, at the most, three cranks of the reel handle out from the edge.
“They were holding really right to the edge and you had to get the lure in the zone and in their face to get a response”, Al explained.
The tackle used by Alan to tempt his edge dwelling fish included a, Daiwa Procaster X, medium rated rod (6’6”), and a Daiwa Procaster reel, spooled with 30lb Bionic braid and finished off with 50lb Penn 10X leader.
Event runner-up Matt Coleman opted for a similar edge approach to fill out his catch sheet. Hitting weed and lily lined points and flats in the middle reaches of the dam Coleman fished a lightly worm-weighted 80mm Squidgy Slick Rig tail (colour- drop bear) rigged weedless on a 4/0 Gamakatsu worm hook.
“The fish were sitting along the weedline and on the apex of the points”, explained Coleman. “So it was here that I focused my attention, working the area over with a slow rolling, lift and drop retrieve”, he added.
The approach paid dividends with the kicker fish in his 3-fish limit being the event’s Go-So Big Barra. Tipping the brag mat at 78cm it was the fish Matt needed to stave off 3rd placed Colin Slade, a meare 3cm behind.
Coleman’s arsenal of tackle included a Shimano T-Curve, medium/ heavy rated rod, Shimano Cronarch reel, spooled with 60lb Japanese PE line, and 60lb Penn 10X leader.
The Champion team honours for the event was claimed by Coleman and his fellow team mate Jason Cameron, who compiled 327 cm to secure the title ahead of Team Lost Bass Fishos (318cm) comprised of event winner Alan McNamara and Brendon Horner.
The next round of The Tour sees the series head north to the big barra Mecca of Lake Proserpine for the Shimano Peter Faust 2-day Morning Event, 9-10th October.
Entry forms and rules can be found at australianbarra.com.au, or can be obtained at the event briefing and registration at Proserpine Bait and Tackle, Monday 8th October, 7.30pm.
Tour Dates
Northern Tour
R1 Daiwa Teemburra Night Championships- Oct 6/7
R2 Shimano Peter Faust Morning Event- Oct 9/10
R3 Classic Lures Tinaroo Evening Event- Oct 12/13
Southern Tour
R4 Daiwa Awoonga Night Championships- Nov 24/25
R5 Squidgies Awoonga Evening Event- Nov 26/27
R6 Halco Monduran Morning Event – Dec 1/2
Daiwa Teemburra Dam Night Championship Individual Results
| Place | Angler | Total Fish | Total Length | Payout |
| 1 | Alan McNamara | 5 | 240 | $600 + Millerod & Shimano Cruxis reel & Prize Pack |
| 2 | Matt Coleman | 3 | 227 | $300 + Blue Acres rod & Tica reel & Prize Pack, Go-So Big Barra Pack |
| 3 | Colin Slade | 3 | 224 | $200 + Daiwa TD Advantage rod & reel & Prize Pack |
| 4 | Len Schnieder | 2 | 138 | $100 + Angler DXC rod & Prize Pack |
| 5 | Arthur Lovern | 2 | 136 | Uglyfish Eyewear & Prize Pack |
| 6 | Aaron Gilmour | 2 | 130 | Shimano Catana rod & Prize Pack |
| 7 | Nathan Chapman | 3 | 110 | Shimano Raider rod & Prize Pack |
| 8 | Willem Reichard | 2 | 109 | Prize Pack |
| 9 | Russell Bilney | 2 | 106 | Prize Pack |
| 10 | Les Reibelt | 2 | 103 | Prize Pack |
| 11 | Jason Cameron | 2 | 100 | |
| 12 | Brendon Horner | 2 | 78 | |
| 13 | Jason Crosts | 2 | 75 | |
| 13 | Peter Price | 1 | 75 | |
| 15 | Elaine Sanderson | 1 | 74 | |
| 16 | Danny Anderson | 1 | 73 | |
| 17 | Kerrin Taylor | 1 | 72 | |
| 18 | Daniel Grech | 1 | 70 | |
| 19 | Wes Blanch | 1 | 68 | |
| 20 | Cy Taylor | 1 | 61 | |
| 21 | Dennis Schwerin | 1 | 40 | |
| 22 | Kyle Hammer | 1 | 38 | |
| 23 | Aaron Mogg | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Bev Palmer | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Cathy McNaught | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Donovan Power | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Enzo Minuzzo | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Jade Hammer | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Jeff Eales | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | John Schwerin | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Katie Sanderson | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Lyndon Anlezark | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Matthew Collinge | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Michael Schneider | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Peter May | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Robert Tombs | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Scott McAuley | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Stephen Palmer | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Trent Power | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | Trevor Burgess | 0 | 0 | |
| Total Fish | Total Length | Av Length | ||
| 41 | 2347 | 57.24390244 |
Daiwa Teemburra Dam Night Championship Team Results
| Place | Team | Total Fish | Total Length |
| 1 | Activeangler.net | 5 | 327 |
| 2 | Lost Bass Fishos | 7 | 318 |
| 3 | G.Loomis | 4 | 297 |
| 4 | Happy Chappy’s | 5 | 240 |
| 5 | Reidy Lures | 3 | 211 |
| 6 | Koolabung | 3 | 206 |
| 7 | Gulping XRAPS | 4 | 184 |
| 8 | Millerods/ Shimano | 2 | 133 |
| 9 | Complete Angler | 2 | 106 |
| 10 | McBarra | 2 | 103 |
| 11 | Tackle Warehouse Ladies | 1 | 74 |
| 12 | Matt & Dan | 1 | 70 |
| 13 | Fish Catching Machines | 1 | 40 |
| 14 | The Hammertures | 1 | 38 |
| 15 | Barra Nomads | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Coast to Creek Marine | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Mundi | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Mundi-itis | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Power | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Seaforth Bait & Tackle | 0 | 0 |