Australia’s biggest barramundi are caught in Queensland’s stocked impoundments, but NT and WA wild waterways also produce 120cm+ fish regularly.

A history of line-class records show that Queensland’s Tinaroo, Monduran, Kinchant and Peter Faust dams produce most of the big barra.

Lake Awoonga also has a history of trophy fish.

Keep in mind that each dam is affected by floods and droughts, with big barra leaving dams when the walls breech, unless barrier nets are installed.

Here’s a few line-class records over the years …

23.7kg 117.5cm Lake Tinaroo 21 September 2011 Mark Hope
25.2kg 116cm Lake Tinaroo 24 August 2011 Mark Hope
29kg 132cm Lake Tinaroo 2 September 2014 Mark Hope
40.7kg 136cm Lake Tinaroo 28 July 2012 Mark Hope*
28.3kg 127.5cm Lake Tinaroo 7 January 2012 Mark Hope
29.85kg 127cm Lake Tinaroo 15 October 2000 Noel Ritchie
30.8kg 126cm Lake Tinaroo 4 September 2014 Jason Kuchel
41.5kg 135cm Kinchant Dam 14 October 2011 Willem Reichard
44.64kg 134cm Lake Monduran 21 December 2011 Denis Harrold
27.6kg 121.5cm Lake Tinaroo 2 September 2012 Mark Hope

In the NT, proven big-fish waters are the Daly, Mary, Adelaide and all Kakadu rivers.

Strangely enough, the NT’s stocked Manton Dam rarely produces fish over a metre.

In WA, the Ord and Fitzroy Rivers produce many big wild barramundi.

The Ord’s Lake Kununurra is stocked and produces fat 120cm fish.

For a shot at trophy wild barramundi in Queensland, the Fitzroy River is the logical choice.

Also, try Gladstone’s Boyne River after the Lake Awoonga dam wall has breeched, as escaped fish spread throughout the river and into Gladstone Harbour.

See the Monduran monster here.

The Mt Isa region also produces some monsters … see a 2022 report here.

*Note that the biggest Tinaroo fish listed above was caught in winter, and Tinaroo is a high-country impoundment. While warm to hot weather is always best for barramundi, they can be caught in cool weather.

Tinaroo put barramundi impoundment fishing on the map, with huge fish caught in the late 1990s, long before other impoundments came on stream.

Sooty grunter have reached 5kg+ and barramundi 30kg+.

The lake formed when a dam wall was built on the Barron River in 1958.

The waterbody extends about 15km up from the dam, with an average depth of 13m and an area of 3360ha.

Species caught include barramundi, mangrove jacks , mouth almighty, saratoga, archerfish, bony bream, eel-tailed catfish, sleepy cod, silver perch, gar, sooty grunter, tilapia and redclaw crayfish.

Stocking regimes in the lake were changed when big barra appeared to be eating the newly stocked small barra.

In 2010, about 3000 large barramundi fingerlings were stocked, to minimise predation.

A permit is required to fish Lake Tinaroo.

Tinaroo has van parks, camping, barbecues, a restaurant and is a good family fishing venue.

How to fish Tinaroo

To catch Tinaroo’s big barra you should fish early or late when baitfish are moving around.

The lake is in a relatively cool area and the best barramundi fishing is usually between the first and last moon quarter in warm weather, normally between November and March.

If you have a choice, choose warm to hot weather for your trip.

Sunrise and sunset is when baitfish are active. The barra turn on and off quickly. The bite window is short, sometimes only 30 minutes, so don’t be late.

Otherwise, look for structure such as shallow weed, inflowing creeks and timber to cast and troll.

Be prepared with tackle for big fish, which means 15kg to 25kg braid and 40kg fluorocarbon leaders.

Sooties can be caught all day, but morning and evening is best.

Use small lures for sooties. Fish near timber and expect to lose lures when these powerful fish dive for cover.

Redclaw vary in numbers.

Visit the following site to sign up for the local Tinaroo Barra Bash competition Here is a list of recommended tackle for freshwater fishing, including within stocked dams.