Barra Season is back, baby!

Published on 31 January 2023

Ready to bag that barra?

If you’re a keen angler like us, we’re pretty excited that the 2023 barramundi season is officially here!

Home of the barramundi, Rockhampton is the only city in Australia where you can fly in, check in and boat out in less than an hour, and target trophy size barra right in the heart of the CBD.

The Fitzroy River (Tunuba) is the heart of Rockhampton City and famous for barramundi, pronounced “bardda-moon-di” by the Darumbal people.

With plenty of sunshine and warm winter weather, Rockhampton is a prime fishing destination to chase that barra 'personal best' (PB) throughout the year.

When the clock strikes 12.01am 1 February each year, Barramundi Season officially kicks off - stretching right through till midnight on 31 October.

During this time, you are allowed to target barramundi and take it home with you.

When the season closes, barramundi must not be targeted to allow the fish to spawn. If you happen to catch a barra within the closed season, release it back into the water.

three men and a barramundi — Get ready to bag that barra. Image by Live to Create.

Tell me more

Barra are a fast growing fish and commonly reach legal size in just three years. They can attain trophy sizes more than a meter in length in as little as six to seven years, and may survive well into their teens.

Freshwater barramundi can be recognised by their darker upper body, golden lower body and thick tail. When found in freshwater, particularly in land-locked billabongs or lagoons, the barramundi will have large fat deposits.

Saltwater barramundi, on the other hand, feature a blue or green-grey colour on their upper body, silver on the lower body and usually have very little internal fatty tissue.

The legal size range for barramundi in Rockhampton is 580mm to 1200mm (58cm to 120cm), with anglers allowed to keep up to five fish per day. However, the Rockhampton Recreational Fishing Voluntary Code of Practice (VCP) encourages keeping just two fish per day between 580mm and 1000mm (58cm and 100cm).

Boat driving up the Fitzroy River — There's nothing quite like a fishing adventure in the Fitzroy (Tunuba)

where to wet a line

Our region could very well have been designed by fishermen, with an extensive river, large delta and interconnecting creeks, a bay with islands and reefs, vast flood plains, billabongs and lagoons.

Accessing the water is easy, whether you have a boat, a charter or just a fishing rod and a dream! Check out our full list of boat ramps and land based fishing pontoons.

We've listed the main areas where you can fish in our region below:

FITZROY RIVER (TUNUBA)

There are plenty of fishing spots along the Fitzroy River (Tunuba) allowing you to choose your fishing adventure right in the heart of town.

The freshwater side of the river is mostly sheltered with two boat ramps and one pontoon, offering access from both the north and south side of Rockhampton.

The saltwater side of the river has several fishing spots when you can wet a line from a boat ramp, pontoon and jetty. There's even a four-wheel-drive (4WD) access fishing spot available.

PORT ALMA

Situated 45 minutes south of Rockhampton is Port Alma - the main access point for Casuarina Creek, Inkerman Creek, Raglan Creek, Connors Creek, the Narrows, the northern point of Curtis Island and Yellow Patch.

It is also the set-off point for offshore fishing, and is a prime location for fly fishing.

two people fishing from the bank of Rockhampton Fitzroy River — Ah, the serenity!

Know what the locals know

Read on for some hot tips from the locals on how to bag a barra:

Station yourself around the pillars of the old Fitzroy Bridge and using a soft plastic lure, you can yield results
Use live prawns from the land-based fishing areas at Koongal, Queens Park and North Rockhampton Boat Ramp towards the top of the tide
Aim for lure-based fishing (hard bodies) around the structures of Depot Hill's land based fishing area (at the riverbank, via Lucius Street)
If you have a boat, head to the stretch of river from Devils Elbow to the top of Teys
Tanaki Rocks, at low tide near the Neville Hewitt Bridge, is also another great spot – lures are recommended!
Generally speaking, the warmer months are best within the Barramundi Season, but with Rockhampton's mild winters, the barra never really stop biting!
The best tides for lure and fly fishing for barramundi are the last half of the run-out and the first part of the run-in, especially two or three days after a neap tide (smallest tidal movements) and as the tidal range starts to build towards the spring tides.

Shop local for your tackle and fishing gear

Sourcing the right bait, fishing and boating gear is easy when you know where to go. We've listed some of our local favourites below.

two men smiling and sitting in a helicopter — Take to the skies on a heli-adventure.

Take your fishing to great heights

Want to take your fishing adventure to the next level? Perhaps you're sourcing a prime remote location to bag your next barra?

Explore the region from the sky with one of Rockhampton's Heli-Adventures and enjoy a scenic experience like no other.

man leaning over Empire Apartment balcony — Settle in for a little RnR.

settle in for the night

Looking for a place to stay after your Rockhampton fishing adventure? If you're looking for accommodation that has room for a boat, check out these options below:

For a full list of other accommodation options in Rockhampton, click on the button below.

Plan your accommodation

Written by Explore Rockhampton #ExploreRockhampton @explorerockhampton