2006 Barra Classic – Another win for Classic Lures
2006 marked the 25th anniversary of the prestigious ‘Barra Classic’ tournament. Hosted by the Darwin Game Fishing Club, the Classic has grown to become one of the most widely-known and fiercely-contested fishing tournaments in Australia.
Held each year on the Daly River in Australia's Northern Territory, the Barra Classic attracts hundreds of competitors, from beginners through to the elite. The fishing involves boat-based teams of 3 anglers each, all of whom are hoping to go home with the elusive ‘Barra on a stick’ trophy.
Extreme weather conditions, revolving mainly around several cyclones in the north, meant the tournament had to be postponed in 2006. Widespread flooding throughout the region resulted in waters peaking at 12m over the Daly River Crossing; however the fishing that followed when the waters receded was sensational.
With large numbers of barra being caught in the lead up to the tournament, expectations were high and anglers from all over the country invaded the campsite at Banyan Farm in preparation for the week ahead.
John Millyard teamed up with NT fishing guides Justin Jones and Trevor Robb to form the Arnhemland Nitro Boys team and fished exclusively with Classics and Killalures for the entire week. Over 5 days, the boys racked up 48 barra between them, contributing to the overall tournament tally of 780 fish.
Day 1 saw 158 barra caught all up, with the biggest of 96cm falling to angler Ray Murphy from Team Raysea Marine. The Nitro Boys got an early start, flew downstream and got stuck into some quality fish. They ended the day in 2nd place on 435 points, just 35 points behind the Gulf Guzzlers. Trevor finished in the top 10 anglers, by skillfully trolling Classic 120’s in the Guns ‘n’ Roses colour through the tangled snags of the Daly. As it turned out, this pattern was to become the order of the week.
The results from day 2 were also good for the Nitro Boys, with Justin pulling 5 quality fish to shoot into 1st place on the angler table. A solid effort from all 3 anglers saw the team sneak ahead of the Gulf Guzzlers, to pull into pole position on 1880 points. A total of 178 Barra were taken on day 2 bringing the running tally to 336 Barra; not bad for 2 days fishing! The metre mark was also broken, with angler John Roberts of Science Fiction landing a very respectable barra of 103cm.
By day 3 a pattern had begun to emerge. It seems the Nitro Boys couldn’t put a foot wrong, and despite losing a few quality fish, they remained in the top spot with 3000 points. Of course it did help that Justin managed to land the biggest fish of the day with a 107cm barra finding itself in the Nitro Boys waiting net. A big day that saw Justin remain on top of the angler board, with Trevor in 3rd place and John lurking close behind the leaders. Incidentally, the Classic 120’s once again proved to be lure of choice, with the Guns ‘n’ Roses and Black Tracker colours accounting for most of the fish.
The Nitro Boys had it in the bag after day 4, with all 3 anglers scoring some quality fish to finish on top of the ladder once again. With Justin miles ahead in 1st place at 1665 points and Trevor running 2nd on 1060 points, it’s not hard to figure out why. The difference between the remaining top 10 anglers could be measured by a single fish, with John hanging in at 8th place on 800 points. Unfortunately, Justin’s big fish from the previous day was knocked off by a brilliant 109cm barra, taken by angler Tom Langley from Last Line In. A mix of casting and trolling with Classic 120’s, Classic Pro Alternatives and Killalure River Rats was responsible for the Nitro Boy’s success on day 4, with Bobby Dazzler Gold, Black Tracker and Coward Dazzler being the winning colours.
With all 3 anglers sitting in the top 10 going into day 5, the Nitro Boys were looking pretty comfortable as they raced downstream for the final day of fishing. An early start saw the boys hitting their first snag at first light, and Justin wasted no time pinning the first fish if the day. A lovely barra of about 85cm found itself face to face with a camera before being released to rule the snag once again. A Killalure River Rat +20 was quickly fired into the same snag and John scored a second barra of about 60cm from the very same spot. This pattern was repeated several times throughout the day, and indeed throughout the week, as one fish usually meant two or three fish. Quick fire casts and staggered trolling patterns often meant the difference between one fish and several.
In the end, the Nitro Boys were untouchable on 3885 points, 1115 points ahead of the nearest team. A big week of fishing saw them claim the honours as Champion Team, and also saw Justin snag the Champion Angler trophy with an individual score of 1785 points. The presentations went long into the night, as 134 anglers celebrated another successful tournament. The Classic Lures Nitro Girls kept the crowd entertained as they paraded around in those unmistakable Classic shirts, and the party kept going until the wee hours of the morning. All in all it was a fantastic win for everyone involved. Many have said it was the best Classic they have ever fished, and a special mention must go to the Darwin Game Fishing Club for their effort and commitment. A top result for the Nitro Boys, and for Classic Lures!
Classic Goes Deep
For the past 12 months, the Classic F18 has been proving itself as one of the best barra lures going around. Designed by master lure-maker Rob Gaden, the slim-profiled F18 is proving to be a sensational lure for all kinds of situations, in all kinds of locations. The only problem was the maximum diving depth of only 7ft, which limited this great lure to shallower applications. Not anymore. Rob Gaden has developed and perfected the ‘Manta Ray’ bib, which allows the F18 to crash dive to an impressive 18ft on the troll. This has opened up a whole new arena in which to shine. The lure endured 2 months of exhaustive testing by the staff of the renowned Arnhemland Barramundi Nature Lodge in Maningrida N.T., and came through with flying colours.
Being bib towed, there was a concern that the strength and integrity of the lure be up to scratch. Rob has solved the problem by developing an industry-benchmark fixing system for the bib. The solution to any strength concerns lies in the ‘TwinPin Chinlock’ system, which uses two stainless steel pins to permanently hold the bib in place. This not only results in super-strength, but also means perfect alignment of the bib, every time.
Classic F18 Mini
First we brought you the F18, one of the greatest casting lures of all time. Then we brought you the F18 Manta Ray, one of the greatest trolling lures of all time. Now, we bring you the F18 Mini, arguably the greatest all-round lure to ever leave the Classic Lures workshop. This little lure features the same deadly curves that make the F18 and the F18 Manta Ray such effective fish catchers. The F18 Mini is an 80mm general baitfish imitation that has extremely wide appeal.
A weight of 20 grams means it can be cast easily with a wide range of tackle, and those specially designed ‘lateral wings’ make it extremely stable on the troll. With 31 different fish-catching colour patterns and 2 depth ranges (+6 and +10) to choose from, the F18 Mini truly is an ultimate all-rounder. You can cast it for bass and trout in the fresh, twitch it for barra and jacks in the north, or troll it for flathead, salmon and bonito in the south; along with everything in between. Get in early, check out this hot little lure, and watch your catch rates sky-rocket!
Classic Tidal Wave Popper
Classic Lures continue to go from strength to strength. With the range constantly expanding to cover the needs of more and more anglers and applications, Classics are constantly enhancing their reputation as being some of the best lures on the market. The latest move into surface lures is a prime example of the continued research and development put into expanding the range.
The Classic Tidal Wave Popper is the latest lure to leave the workbench of Rob Gaden. And what a lure! The 150mm Tidal Wave features a 55 gram shelf-shifting weight system, that moves to the rear for extra long casting distance, and a high tow point placement upon the oversized cut-face produces enormous water disturbance at all speeds. A sharply tapered, deep V belly acts as a keel to give the lure extreme stability at high speed, making it perfect for trolling applications as well as all casting work. If spectacular surface strikes from queenfish, mackerel, tuna, GTs, kingfish or coral trout are your thing, then check out the Classic Tidal Wave Popper today!
See the entire Classic Lures range at: www.bassermillyard.com.au Or for trade enquiries contact: Basser Millyard on (02) 9695 7799
Platil Millenium Braid
The superior quality, knot strength and bonus breaking strain of Platil Millenium is what makes it the braid of choice for so many Aussie anglers, in so many different fishing scenarios.
Platil Millenium is an affordable, top quality thermally-fused braid with superior castability, knot strength and abrasion resistance. Anglers from all over Australia, once they have used Millennium, are amazed at the reliability and ease-of use of this product.
The high visibility bright yellow colour makes trolling a spread of lures (usually Classic Barra 120s) through tight snags a simple task.The unique ‘hotfiber’ fusing technology is applied to every strand of Millennium, giving uniform quality, and eliminating the ‘peel off’ associated with some other fused products.
All this means increased performance for the angler in the form of longer casts, superior knot strength and super abrasion resistance. The breaking strains of Millennium are understated on the label. For example, a 20lb breaking strain line will actually break closer to 30lb, but the line diameter remains comparable to other lines marked 20lb, which break at a lot lower strain. This gives the angler extra insurance, and the confidence to really lay into a fish in tight situations, while still fishing with a thin diameter line to allow deeper trolls, better feel and more line on the reel.
Platil Millenium is available in Fluro Yellow for high visibility, or Grey/Green for camouflage and finesse fishing.
See the Platil range at: www.bassermillyard.com.au
Or for trade enquiries contact: Basser Millyard on (02) 9695 7799