Jock McPherson, a first time angler on the Daiwa BARRA Tour, has taken out the Awoonga 2 day Evening event. Compiling a 5/10, 425cm tournament bag over the two day of competition, Jock targeted a small point between Pig Creek and the dam wall. The point presented as a 4 meter saddle with deeper water either side. Sitting in around 10 feet of water, Jock would cast tight to the edges before commencing his retrieve, punctuated with small jigs. The Barramundi would come from the deeper water either side of the saddle to take the presentation.
The money bait was a 100mm Atomic Swim Shad rigged on a Gamakatsu 7/0 Shad head jig in 1/4oz. The belly recess of the shad, made for use with worm hooks, would then be glued together to streamline and strengthen the presentation.
Day one saw Jock catch three Barramundi in the session. With the bite period starting at 4.30pm and continuing till 7pm, just as daylight faded, there was approximately ½ hour between hook-ups or enquiries.
Day 2 saw Jock catch a further two fish in a similar bite window. Travelling back to their Day 1 position and commencing with the same presentation, the fish came earlier in the session with only 15-20 min between bite times.
Jock explains his choice of tournament location, “We were always trying to identify better structure. We identified this particular area, a shallow spit with deeper hollows each side. When we investigated we found the fish to be sitting or travelling through the deeper water and responsive to our presentations. Not wanting to leave fish to find fish we chose this location and it produced over the two sessions”.
Jock used a Megabass Destroyer Evolution F4 6’6″ rod teamed with a Shimano Curado reel spooled with 35 lb Unitika braid and Unitika No 18 leader.
“We found the previous Awoonga Night Championship quite hard. When we commenced the 2 day tournament we found active fish that ultimately turned out to be an awesome experience. The goal of all this was to come up and check out the BARRA Tour and have some fun. To win is memorable and absolutely great”, explains McPherson of his first time and win on the tour.
Coming in second position was Michael Starkey with 5/10, 403cm. The Frogleys Offshore director used Megabass Vibration X Ultra lipless crankbaits, upgraded with Gamakatsu Treble 14 hooks. Fishing in the same vicinity of tournament victor Jock McPherson, Starkey would work the banks and small points in search of his fish. Finding the fish hiding in the shallows, Starkey would present his lure close to the edge in around 1 foot of water. With a slow lift and roll technique the lure would be retrieved over small drop-offs in around 5 foot of water before being cast back into the shallows.
“Most of the hits came early and in the shallows. In some ways it was similar to how I fish for bass”, explains Starkey of his technique.
Day 2 saw Starkey return to his day 1 location, where he caught a further two fish. The slightly dirtier water prompted Starkey to change to a rattling version of his successful day 1 lure.
“Whether the rattle made much difference I don’t know, but the choice of Deadly Black in colour worked well in the conditions” explained Starkey.
“For me it was about getting out there and having fun. With the session times being quite long you have to enjoy yourself. Playing some music and sharing a laugh all play their part in keeping the mood up beat and enjoyable”, explains Starkey of his relaxed competition demeanour.
Starkey used a Megabass Destroyer Evolution F4 rod teamed with a Megabass Ito Monoblock reel spooled with 35lb Unitika braid and 50lb Unitika leader.
The Daiwa Big Barra went to Cy Taylor with a 120cm bruiser caught in the last session. Caught on a 110 mm Squidgy Slick Rig in True Blue at around 4pm this great catch guaranteed Cy of taking out some great prizes courtesy of the tours naming sponsor, Daiwa.
The Berkley Big Barra of 106cm was won by Chris Nagiello. Caught on a Berkley Hollowbelly Chris took away a great tacklebag filled with different Berkley products.
The Daiwa BARRA Tour now moves south to Lake Monduran for the final event, the Halco Lake Monduran 2 day Morning event. To enter of find out more information regarding the Lake Monduran event be at the 7.30pm Friday (28th November) night briefing at the MASA Shelter Shed at Lake Monduran Holiday Village or contact ABT on 07 3387 0888.
| Place | Angler | F1 | L1 | F2 | L2 | TF | TL | Payout |
| 1 | Jock McPherson | 3 | 250 | 2 | 175 | 5 | 425 | $1750, Millerod Twitchin Stick, Shimano Curado Reel, Prize Pack |
| 2 | Michael Starkey | 3 | 243 | 2 | 160 | 5 | 403 | $900, G. Loomis CR724, Shimano Curado reel, Prize Pack |
| 3 | Jason Crofts | 5 | 392 | 5 | 392 | $700, G. Loomis CR665, Shimano Saragosa reel, Prize Pack | ||
| 4 | Cy Taylor | 4 | 375 | 4 | 375 | $500, Shimano Fireblood, Abu Garcia Ambassadeur reel, Prize Pack, Daiwa Big Barra 120cm | ||
| 5 | Aaron Mogg | 2 | 178 | 2 | 197 | 4 | 375 | $400, Shimano T Curve, Abu Garcia Ambassadeur reel, Prize Pack, |
| 6 | Ian Miller | 2 | 182 | 2 | 168 | 4 | 350 | $300, Ugly Fish Sunglasses, Prize Pack |
| 7 | Roderick Walmsley | 4 | 328 | 4 | 328 | $200, Ugly Fish Sunglasses, Prize Pack | ||
| 8 | Paul Starkey | 3 | 251 | 1 | 66 | 4 | 317 | $200, Ugly Fish Sunglasses, Prize Pack |
| 9 | Kerry Symes | 3 | 232 | 1 | 84 | 4 | 316 | $100, Ugly Fish Sunglasses, Prize Pack |
| 10 | Adam Meredith | 4 | 313 | 4 | 313 | $100, Berkley Pack | ||
| 11 | Carl Rembacher | 3 | 284 | 3 | 284 | Berkley Pack | ||
| 12 | Kerrin Taylor | 3 | 283 | 3 | 283 | Berkley Pack | ||
| 13 | Jason Wilhelm | 2 | 176 | 1 | 86 | 3 | 262 | Berkley Pack |
| 14 | Glyn Barkhuizen | 2 | 176 | 1 | 84 | 3 | 260 | Berkley Pack |
| 15 | Scott Wilson | 2 | 158 | 1 | 84 | 3 | 242 | Berkley Pack |
| 16 | Jon Brider | 1 | 83 | 2 | 158 | 3 | 241 | Berkley Pack |
| 17 | Chris Nagiello | 2 | 194 | 2 | 194 | Berkley Pack, Berkley Big Barra 106cm | ||
| 18 | Dale Mullins | 2 | 191 | 2 | 191 | Berkley Pack | ||
| 19 | Peter May | 2 | 184 | 2 | 184 | Berkley Pack | ||
| 20 | Katie Sanderson | 2 | 183 | 2 | 183 | Berkley Pack | ||
| 21 | Danny Anderson | 1 | 91 | 1 | 92 | 2 | 183 | |
| 22 | Daniel Grech | 1 | 90 | 1 | 88 | 2 | 178 | |
| 23 | Tristan Taylor | 1 | 74 | 1 | 103 | 2 | 177 | |
| 24 | Trevor Burgess | 2 | 171 | 2 | 171 | |||
| 25 | Matthew Worboys | 2 | 164 | 2 | 164 | |||
| 26 | Trevor Cassidy | 2 | 160 | 2 | 160 | |||
| 27 | Ken Brider | 1 | 87 | 1 | 73 | 2 | 160 | |
| 28 | Jake Schwerin | 2 | 159 | 2 | 159 | |||
| 29 | Dave Robinson | 2 | 156 | 2 | 156 | |||
| 30 | David Whyman | 2 | 142 | 2 | 142 | |||
| 31 | Jim Schaefer | 1 | 119 | 1 | 119 | |||
| 32 | Trent Short | 1 | 111 | 1 | 111 | |||
| 33 | Travis Davies | 1 | 105 | 1 | 105 | |||
| 34 | Craig Simmons | 1 | 105 | 1 | 105 | |||
| 35 | Alan McNamara | 1 | 102 | 1 | 102 | |||
| 36 | Les Reibelt | 1 | 100 | 1 | 100 | |||
| 37 | Jason Medcalf | 1 | 95 | 1 | 95 | |||
| 38 | Matt Fraser | 1 | 91 | 1 | 91 | |||
| 39 | Ken Berry | 1 | 91 | 1 | 91 | |||
| 40 | Heath Craven | 1 | 91 | 1 | 91 | |||
| 41 | Jon Millard | 1 | 90 | 1 | 90 | |||
| 42 | Simon Barkhuizen | 1 | 87 | 1 | 87 | |||
| 43 | Peter Morgan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 86 | 1 | 86 | |
| 44 | Gary Boyd (USA) | 1 | 86 | 1 | 86 | |||
| 46 | Shane Sanderson | 1 | 82 | 1 | 82 | |||
| 47 | Gary Leather | 1 | 82 | 1 | 82 | |||
| 48 | David Simmons | 1 | 81 | 1 | 81 | |||
| 49 | Matt Coleman | 1 | 79 | 1 | 79 | |||
| 50 | Matt Mott | 1 | 79 | 1 | 79 | |||
| 51 | Wes Blanch | 1 | 73 | 1 | 73 | |||
| 52 | Stuart Adcock | 1 | 73 | 1 | 73 | |||
| 53 | Mike North (USA) | 1 | 73 | 1 | 73 | |||
| 54 | Michael Schneider | 1 | 67 | 1 | 67 | |||
| 55 | Craig Birkett | 1 | 65 | 1 | 65 | |||
| 56 | Aaron Gilmore | 1 | 64 | 1 | 64 | |||
| 57 | Len Schneider | 1 | 64 | 1 | 64 | |||
| 58 | Nigel Webster | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 59 | Greg Angel | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 60 | Michael Mole | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 61 | Matthew Wallace | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 62 | Steven Bechly | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 63 | Terry Alwood | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 64 | Ken Best | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 65 | John Schwerin | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 66 | Isaac Toivanen | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 67 | Tim Carter | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 68 | David Hodge | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 69 | Sam Haig | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 70 | Trent Power | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 71 | Mike Connolly | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 72 | Matt Branthwaite | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 73 | Thomas Hayes | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 74 | Peter Price | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 75 | Arthur Lovern | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 76 | Stephen Tracey | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 77 | Jason Sizeland | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 78 | Edwena Adcock | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 79 | Elaine Sanderson | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 80 | Scott McAuley | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 81 | Paul Humphreys | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 82 | Ryan Humphreys | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 83 | David Reynolds | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 84 | Steve Thornhill | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 85 | Brad Lovern | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 86 | Tim Mulhall | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 87 | Pete Leggart | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 88 | Kevin Finn | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 89 | Rob Wood | -20 | 0 | -20 | ||||
| 90 | Paul McKay | -20 | 0 | -20 | ||||
| 91 | Corey Tarr | -150 | 0 | -150 | ||||
| 92 | Rod Watt | -150 | 0 | -150 |