The Barramundi is an iconic Australian species. It is regarded as one of the premier fighting fish and known for its aerial style. They are targeted mostly with large hardbody minnow pattern lures but will take live bait and soft plastics as well.
They are thought to grow to nearly two metres but one over 80cm is considered big and upwards of a metre is considered a trophy fish.
A Barramundi in captivity.
These fish are found in tropical regions from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland all around the top end and north coast of Western Australia. They are also found in tropical waters of South East Asia. They can be caught in all waters from the most sweet of sweetwater all the way out to the tropical reefs of the oceans, but the big ones are encountered in estuary systems in similar hangouts to Mangrove Jack and Threadfin Salmon.
The main reason for their popularity is their relative ease to find and hook up to. They are extremely vicious predators, with limitless hunger and aggressive territorial instincts and as such are hapless victims of well designed fish pattern hardbodied lures. Once attached though, these magnificent creatures put up one of the better pound for pound fights you could hope for, especially when they are encountered in snaggy waters.
