Jason Wilhelm, operator of Barra Madness charters, has taken out the Berkley Lake Awoonga 2-day evening event. Catching his limit each day Wilhelm’s 10/10, 1010cm total not only secured the tournament victory but also set a new 10 fish record for ABT BARRA events. This event also set a new record for the most barra caught in a tournament at Lake Awoonga (229 fish) and overall length in an ABT tournament (21993 cm).
Taking out his third ever ABT BARRA event, Wilhelm (Team Shimano/Etec) fished the same location on both days, a point with a weedy edge near Pelican Bay. Anchoring approximately 50 meters off the point in 18 feet of water, Wilhelm cast to a weedy edge that dropped into 12 feet. Counting down the plastic till it reached the required depth, Wilhelm was able to effectively target the bites on offer.
“Using my Lowrance HDS Structure Scan I was able to identify fish and the level where they holding. The lure used was a 130mm Squidgy Slick Rig in black/gold rigged on a TT jighead. The lure had been modified with a treble stinger, sonics and other adaptations that change the characteristics of vibration. The team spent a lot of time getting the lures ready. When your lure is the key, modifications are necessary to perform to the level required”
“The key to getting the bites was mixing up the retrieve. Constantly adapting the retrieve with variations until we keyed into the bites was important. It wasn’t just about repetition.”
On day 1 Wilhelm landed eight fish to comfortably fill his tournament limit with 5/5, 523cm. “I had my first two fish in the first hour”, explains Wilhelm. Finding the fish receptive Wilhelm continued to catch fish throughout the session with the smallest in his limit reaching 95cm. Even losing a 120cm plus fish at the side of the boat didn’t faze him. “Previously a loss of a fish like that in a tournament may have rattled me. But the experience of guiding and being involved in tournaments since their inception has allowed me to keep a positive mindset regardless of the conditions or variables outside my control”.
Day 2 saw Wilhelm confidently head out to his position. “Having over five meters on the board and knowing the fish were still biting had me confident heading out. If you can post over five meters of fish each day you are giving yourself every opportunity of taking out the tournament”.
Even when the wind changed from a NW to SE direction Wilhelm adapted to the conditions. “The wind change caused us to blow off our mark. The anchor I use is reasonably large and heavy for this reason. Still we had trouble at times securing our position”. Once anchored up though, the bites continued to come for Wilhelm.
Wilhelm built on his first day total with a further eight fish on day two. Wilhelm’s 5/5 , 487cm together with his first day results saw him secure victory by 16cm from his nearest competitor. “I am excited to secure the win against some of the best tournament competitors going around. To set a new 10 fish record is special and something I will remember for a long time. Thanking all his sponsors for their support, Wilhelm proved to be a worthy victor over the two days of the tournament.
Wilhelm’s outfit consisted of a 7″ Shimano T Curve Snapper spin rod teamed with a Shimano Stella 4000 reel spooled with 30lb Shimano Power Pro braid and 100lb Black Magic Supple Trace leader. “The Power Pro provides amazing strength and usability. Barramundi are not leader shy so going to 100lb provides extra protection against being rubbed off. All leader lengths are 1m or less and are secured with a slim beauty knot”.
Securing second position with 10/10, 994cm was Jake Schwerin of team Fish Catching Machines. Fishing the same location for both days of the tournament, a weedy edge at Gold Mine Point, Schwerin fell just shy of taking out the tournament. With only two anglers catching their limit each day, Schwerin proved to be in top form throughout the competition.
“The location at Gold Mine Point had nearby deep water and broken clumps of weed. During the day we would fish in around 14 feet of water. Come evening we would move into around 9 feet around 25-30 meters from the weed”.
Catching 7 fish on the first day for a 5/5, 506cm limit, Schwerin only trailed the leader by 17cm. With three fish in his limit over the magic one meter mark, the only question was whether his location would hold up over the two days?
“The bite time was spread out throughout the session. With deep water access and scattered weed, the location provided some great territory for fish. During the day the fish would stay in deeper water. When the bite shut down we would gradually move into shallower water until at around 8pm we would be sitting pretty tight to the weed”.
“Heading out for the second session I was nervous. I had m first fish early but then it went quiet. It wasn’t till around 6.30pm that bites began again, and fortunately I found the remainder of my limit. The last fish came with 25 minutes left in the session. The relief was enormous when I knew I had my limit”.
The lure of choice was the 130mm Squidgy Slick Rig in black/gold. The lure was boiled to promote vibration and the tail was spiked in chartreuse dye. Slow rolling the lure proved to be the most effective retrieve, although we experimented with some success throughout the two days. Sometimes my retrieval ratio would get the bites, other times it would be slower. We worked together to maintain the optimum retrieve speed”.
“The wind was generally blowing onto the point we were targeting. In patches this would turn the water dirty. We chose not to anchor for the tournament, instead doing wind drifts and using the electric to maintain distance from the bank. We would drift for 150m then motor back to our start position before starting the drift again”.
Schwerin’s 5/5, 488cm day 2 limit saw him almost take victory. “I was pleased with the result. To secure my limit each day was great. Each day my goal was to go out there and just fish to get my limit. Against a quality field I was very happy to secure a good finish”.
Schwerin’s outfit consisted of a G Loomis Forcelite rod 12-20lb 6″3’teamed with a 6.3:1 Daiwa Zillion reel spooled with 45lb Saltwater PE braid and 80lb Penn 10X leader. “I was using around a rod length of leader that was progressively trimmed as it became roughed up. Eventually I only had a foot of leader but the bites were still coming”, explains Schwerin.
The tournaments biggest barramundi went to Sam Haig with a 121cm fish caught on day two. Caught at Rabbit Point around 8.30pm, the fish fell to a 5″ Berkley mullet in black/clear modified with a stinger hook.
“We were anchored in around 30 feet of water casting back into 12-14 feet. I was casting the lure tight to the weed, ripping it out and letting it drop down the weed face. The take was just a gentle tap. I set the hooks and the barra went deep. It took around 6-7 minutes to get the fish to the side of the boat. When it came up the stinger had it pinned in the top lip. It was my first fish over a meter and a great result”.
The Daiwa BARRA Tour now moves to the final event, the 2 day Halco Lake Monduran afternoon event, Dec 4th-5th. For further information on the Daiwa Barramundi Tour check out www.australianbarra.com.au or contact ABT on (07) 3387 0888 (B/H).
| Place | Angler | Team | Status | F1 | L1 | F2 | L2 | TF | TL | Cash | Prizes |
| 1 | Jason Wilhelm | Shimano/Etec | Standard | 5 | 523 | 5 | 487 | 10 | 1010 | $1,200 | Daiwa Heartland rod & reel Prize Pack |
| 2 | Jake Schwerin | Fish Catching Machines | Standard | 5 | 506 | 5 | 488 | 10 | 994 | $800 | Millerod Boof Stik rod, Tica Caman & Prize Pack |
| 3 | Matthew Murray | We’re On | Standard | 4 | 358 | 5 | 527 | 9 | 885 | $500 | Blue Acres Lamiglas rod & Prize Pack |
| 4 | Daniel Grech | JT Reel Repairs | Pro | 4 | 377 | 5 | 489 | 9 | 866 | $400 + $180 Pro | Blue Acres Lamiglas rod & Prize Pack |
| 5 | Dean Silvester | Gamakatsu/Mako | Standard | 5 | 534 | 3 | 302 | 8 | 836 | $300 | Strikeback lure retriever, Texas Tackle split ring pliers, Hellfish shirt & Prize Pack |
| 6 | Jon Millard | JT Reel Repairs | Pro | 5 | 476 | 3 | 294 | 8 | 770 | $200 + $180 Pro | Boga Grips, Hellfish Shirt & Prize Pack |
| 7 | Mike Connolly | Evinrude E-TEC HO | Standard | 4 | 388 | 4 | 366 | 8 | 754 | TT Prize Pack | |
| 8 | Dave Reynolds | Bass Bounty | Standard | 5 | 456 | 3 | 290 | 8 | 746 | TT Prize Pack | |
| 9 | Craig Griffiths | Creek 2 Coast Rapala | Standard | 4 | 348 | 4 | 368 | 8 | 716 | TT Prize Pack | |
| 10 | Les Reibelt | McBarra | Standard | 4 | 370 | 4 | 341 | 8 | 711 | Spotters Prize Pack | |
| 11 | Tim Carter | Halco | Standard | 4 | 404 | 3 | 263 | 7 | 667 | Berkley Tacklebag & Prize Pack | |
| 12 | Shane Sanderson | Rum Pigs | Standard | 5 | 440 | 2 | 210 | 7 | 650 | Berkley Tacklebag & Prize Pack | |
| 13 | Jarrod Dalton | Team Engel | Standard | 4 | 433 | 2 | 181 | 6 | 614 | Berkley Tacklebag & Prize Pack | |
| 14 | Alan McNamara | Shimano/Etec | Standard | 5 | 524 | 1 | 89 | 6 | 613 | Engel Prize Pack | |
| 15 | Trevor Cassidy | Rum Pigs | Standard | 2 | 196 | 4 | 415 | 6 | 611 | Engel Prize Pack | |
| 16 | Jason Sutton | We’re On | Standard | 3 | 278 | 3 | 261 | 6 | 539 | ||
| 17 | John Schwerin | Fish Catching Machines | Standard | 5 | 511 | 5 | 511 | ||||
| 18 | Jason Crofts | Gulpin Xraps | Standard | 5 | 496 | 5 | 496 | ||||
| 19 | Sam Haig | Licked | Standard | 3 | 264 | 2 | 215 | 5 | 479 | Big Barra Prize (121cm) | |
| 20 | Matthew Mott | Evakool | Standard | 5 | 470 | 5 | 470 | ||||
| 21 | Jason Ehrlich | Halco | Standard | 3 | 259 | 2 | 184 | 5 | 443 | ||
| 22 | Chris Nagiello | Berkley | Standard | 3 | 301 | 1 | 110 | 4 | 411 | ||
| 23 | Carl Jocumsen | Millerods/Fisn ‘N’ Bits | Standard | 4 | 409 | 4 | 409 | ||||
| 24 | Rick Napier | Bundyites | Standard | 3 | 279 | 1 | 117 | 4 | 396 | ||
| 25 | Peter Price | Reidy’s Lures | Standard | 1 | 80 | 3 | 308 | 4 | 388 | ||
| 26 | Matt Fraser | Berkley/Nitro R&D | Standard | 1 | 109 | 3 | 278 | 4 | 387 | ||
| 27 | Kerrin Taylor | Shimano/Millerods | Pro | 3 | 290 | 1 | 92 | 4 | 382 | ||
| 28 | Ben Durkin | Gin Gin Hotel | Standard | 1 | 75 | 3 | 296 | 4 | 371 | ||
| 29 | Phill Lyons | Gamakatsu/Mako | Standard | 3 | 280 | 1 | 87 | 4 | 367 | ||
| 30 | Scott McAuley | Reidy’s Lures | Standard | 1 | 90 | 3 | 255 | 4 | 345 | ||
| 31 | Kerry Symes | Evinrude E-TEC HO | Standard | 3 | 328 | 3 | 328 | ||||
| 32 | Ian Baker | Berkley/Nitro R&D | Standard | 2 | 198 | 1 | 90 | 3 | 288 | ||
| 33 | Cy Taylor | Shimano/Millerods | Pro | 1 | 99 | 2 | 183 | 3 | 282 | ||
| 34 | Justen Bradford | Creek 2 Coast Rapala | Standard | 2 | 176 | 1 | 91 | 3 | 267 | ||
| 35 | Ian Miller | Millerods/Fisn ‘N’ Bits | Standard | 1 | 90 | 2 | 171 | 3 | 261 | ||
| 36 | Trevor Burgess | Berkley | Standard | 2 | 217 | 2 | 217 | ||||
| 37 | John Brider | Team Tennessee | Standard | 1 | 101 | 1 | 105 | 2 | 206 | ||
| 38 | Patrick Morgan | Team Engel | Standard | 2 | 193 | 2 | 193 | ||||
| 39 | Mike North | QFM 1 | Standard | 2 | 192 | 2 | 192 | ||||
| 40 | Willem Reichard | Gulpin Xraps | Standard | 1 | 92 | 1 | 97 | 2 | 189 | ||
| 41 | Elaine Sanderson | Tackle Warehouse Ladies | Standard | 1 | 89 | 1 | 100 | 2 | 189 | ||
| 42 | Jason Sizeland | Shitty Tinny | Standard | 1 | 86 | 1 | 97 | 2 | 183 | ||
| 43 | Peter Morgan | QFM 1 | Standard | 2 | 167 | 2 | 167 | ||||
| 44 | Karl Rembacher | Shitty Tinny | Standard | 1 | 115 | 1 | 115 | ||||
| 45 | Ken Brider | Team Tennessee | Standard | 1 | 106 | 1 | 106 | ||||
| 46 | Rob Wood | Gin Gin Hotel | Standard | 1 | 96 | 1 | 96 | ||||
| 47 | Ian Napier | Bundyites | Standard | 1 | 95 | 1 | 95 | ||||
| 48 | Paul Cooper | Evakool | Standard | 1 | 94 | 1 | 94 | ||||
| 49 | Steve Thornhill | Licked | Standard | 1 | 94 | 1 | 94 | ||||
| 50 | John Kay | Oliver Beer | Standard | 1 | 93 | 1 | 93 | ||||
| 51 | Robert Brady | Barramundi Adventures | Standard | 1 | 92 | 1 | 92 | ||||
| 52 | Quintin Maclean | Oliver Beer | Standard | 1 | 90 | 1 | 90 | ||||
| 53 | Katie Sanderson | Tackle Warehouse Ladies | Standard | 1 | 89 | 1 | 89 | ||||
| 54 | Kurt Hutchby | QFM 2 | Standard | 1 | 79 | 1 | 79 | ||||
| 55 | Michael Murray | Barramundi Adventures | Standard | 1 | 76 | 1 | 76 | ||||
| 56 | Gary Boyd | QFM 2 | Standard | 1 | 75 | 1 | 75 | ||||
| 57 | Adam Byers | Bass Bounty | Standard | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 57 | Aaron Mogg | McBarra | Standard | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| 125 | 11941 | 104 | 10052 | 229 | 21993 | ||||||
| 96.039 |
| Place | Team | Angler 1 | Angler 2 | D1 | D2 | Total |
| 1 | JT Reel Repairs | Daniel Grech | Jon Millard | 853 | 783 | 1636 |
| 2 | Shimano/Etec | Jason Wilhelm | Alan McNamara | 1047 | 576 | 1623 |
| 3 | Fish Catching Machines | John Schwerin | Jake Schwerin | 506 | 999 | 1505 |
| 4 | We’re On | Jason Sutton | Matthew Murray | 636 | 788 | 1424 |
| 5 | Rum Pigs | Trevor Cassidy | Shane Sanderson | 636 | 625 | 1261 |
| 6 | Gamakatsu/Mako | Dean Silvester | Phill Lyons | 814 | 389 | 1203 |
| 7 | Halco | Jason Ehrlich | Tim Carter | 663 | 447 | 1110 |
| 8 | Evinrude E-TEC HO | Mike Connolly | Kerry Symes | 716 | 366 | 1082 |
| 9 | Creek 2 Coast Rapala | Craig Griffiths | Justen Bradford | 524 | 459 | 983 |
| 10 | Team Engel | Jarrod Dalton | Patrick Morgan | 433 | 374 | 807 |
| 11 | Bass Bounty | Dave Reynolds | Adam Byers | 456 | 290 | 746 |
| 12 | Reidy’s Lures | Scott McAuley | Peter Price | 170 | 563 | 733 |
| 13 | McBarra | Les Reibelt | Aaron Mogg | 370 | 341 | 711 |
| 14 | Gulpin Xraps | Willem Reichard | Jason Crofts | 588 | 97 | 685 |
| 15 | Berkley/Nitro R&D | Matt Fraser | Ian Baker | 307 | 368 | 675 |
| 16 | Millerods/Fish ‘N’ Bits | Carl Jocumsen | Ian Miller | 90 | 580 | 670 |
| 17 | Shimano/Millerods | Cy Taylor | Kerrin Taylor | 389 | 275 | 664 |
| 18 | Berkley | Trevor Burgess | Chris Nagiello | 301 | 327 | 628 |
| 19 | Licked | Sam Haig | Steve Thornhill | 264 | 309 | 573 |
| 20 | Evakool | Matthew Mott | Paul Cooper | 564 | 564 | |
| 21 | Bundyites | Rick Napier | Ian Napier | 374 | 117 | 491 |
| 22 | Gin Gin Hotel | Rob Wood | Ben Durkin | 171 | 296 | 467 |
| 23 | QFM 1 | Peter Morgan | Mike North | 359 | 359 | |
| 24 | Team Tennessee | John Brider | Ken Brider | 101 | 211 | 312 |
| 25 | Shitty Tinny | Karl Rembacher | Jason Sizeland | 201 | 97 | 298 |
| 26 | Tackle Warehouse Ladies | Elaine Sanderson | Katie Sanderson | 178 | 100 | 278 |
| 27 | Oliver Beer | Quintin Maclean | John Kay | 183 | 183 | |
| 28 | Barramundi Adventures | Robert Brady | Michael Murray | 76 | 92 | 168 |
| 29 | QFM 2 | Gary Boyd | Kurt Hutchby | 154 | 154 |