It’s been 10 years coming but the ever-consistent Silver Caviar team of Kelli Carroll, Anne Griffiths and Emma Harvey finally triumphed in the Secret Women’s Business Barra Challenge.
Held last Friday and Saturday on Corroboree Billabong, this premier all-women fishing competition really turned on the barra fishing.
Kelli, who also won Champion Angler, said: “Unfortunately, Anne and I were not able to do any pre-fishing, so Emma was literally going twice a week for several months.
“We expected to catch upwards of 40 ‘togas between us based on how the ‘bong was performing right up to the week before.
“To only land two ‘togas in two days of comp blew us away,” Kelli said.
The Silver Caviar team had an amazing start when Kelli hooked and landed an 83cm barra in the dark at 6.08am just after SWB began on the first day.
Team mate Anne Griffiths told me all their fish were caught casting.
“It was very windy so we would troll our patch against the wind and then drift and cast with the wind, spot-locking with the electric along the way,” Anne explained.
“We were all using softies and they were all very different.
“Kelli’s 83cm barra was our biggest fish and all the others were in the 50s.
“Interestingly, on day one, all our fish were caught by 10am, and we did not even get a strike for the rest of the day.
“On day two, our first fish came at 7.30am and then it was sporadic from there up to 4pm lines-out.
“I hooked a 55cm barra on my last cast, and then the alarm went off for lines-out while I was fighting the fish.
“If we hadn’t caught that fish, we’d have been Brides Maid for the fourth time,” Anne said.
Luckily for Team Silver Caviar, there was a Marshall’s boat hanging around nearby and would be able to verify that Anne’s barra was hooked before lines-out.
As always, the venue for the SWB Barra Challenge was Corroboree Park Tavern.
Palmerston Game Fishing Club’s Kristen Noble was once again competition co-ordinator.
“There were 171 barra caught and released, including some really good fish on the first day,” Kris said.
“A lot more barra were caught on the troll this year.
“There were not as many lilies, and even the vegetation on the bank looked different.
“I do a lot of stats comparing good catch rates, and I reckon the ‘bong fished well this this year for a combination of reasons.
“I look at dates when we’ve done well and select accordingly, but you can still run the gauntlet of a bad year.
“Even though we see a lot of pre-fishing going on, what works one day doesn’t necessarily work the next, so teams still have to tailor-make strategies during the competition.
“This year, there were 181 anglers in 54 teams,” Kris said.
“The winning Silver Caviar team fish hard every year; they have a strategy and stick to it.
“The bigger fish were in the main billabong; I didn’t really hear of anyone going to the Rockhole,” Kris explained.
“It really was a fantastic comp,” she said.
RESULTS:
Champion Team: Silver Caviar (Kelli Carroll, Anne Griffiths, Emma Harvey)
Runner-up Team: Reel Queens (Gabrielle Brady, Tara Priore-Smith, Olivia Venturin)
Champion Angler: Kelli Carroll – Team Silver Caviar
Runner-up Angler: Amie Wilson – Always Snagging
Silver Cavier’s Emma Harvey, Kelli Carroll and Anne Griffths were Champion Team in last week’s SWB Barra Challenge, with Kelli taking out Champion Angler.
Amie Wilson from Team Always Snaggin’ was Runner-up Champion and won the Reidy’s Biggest Barra award with this terrific 88cm barra.
Samara Fixer from Team Good Vibes with her well-conditioned 88cm Corroboree barra.
