The weather and the fishing made a welcomed improvement at the Sunline Peter Faust 3x3 Championship, 16/17 November on Teemburra Dam. Leaving behind the atrocious conditions two days earlier, anglers took full advantage and nailed Faust’s famous quality barra.

For event winner Cy Taylor, it was a continuation of his form from 2009 with the AFC barra gun compiling a 9/9, 746cm three session limit to secure the win. The only angler to catch his full limit for the tournament, Taylor outgunned a talented field of anglers including event runner-up Jason Wilhelm (7/9, 627cm) and fellow AFC anglers Matt Coleman (3rd) and Allan McNamara (4th).

Fishing the western side of the lake Taylor fished and rotated two specific spots: A large wind laden bay and a small submerged island fringed by weed.

The bay featured about 3m of water leading up to a prominent weed-lined edge. “The fish would hold and work along the weed edge enjoying the warm water and the food pushed towards them,” said Taylor.

Using a two lure approach Taylor alternated between a 110mm Squidgy Slick Rig in yakka colour and a purple and white floating 10cm Rapala X-Rap. The retrieve for the Slick Rig was standard fair, a slow roll with the occasional twitch, while the X-Rap was worked with a three twitch pause retrieve.

The same techniques were used at Taylor’s number two spot, the flooded island, with the bite zone, the weed edge, featuring about 2m of water.

“Getting the lure tight to the weed and keeping the lure in the strike zone as long as possible was important to get the bites,” said Taylor.

While the Slick Rig and X-Rap approach delivered Taylor the fish he needed to win, it was a frustrating first session when he lost multiple fish that he thought things weren’t going to go his way.

“It hurts to lose fish after fish. You start thinking, ‘Are these tournament winning fish that are jumping off?’ Thankfully though it was only the first session where it was hard to make them stick,” said Taylor.

The tackle he used to claimed his second Faust win in as many years included a 6’4” Millerod Camofish Hi-Roller rod, Shimano Chronach reel, 20lb Power Pro and Fins braid, and 80lb Black Magic leader.

The addition of a stinger hook on his Slick Rigs was one of the small additions Taylor made to his tackle, with the Faust champion adding a size 4 VMC treble for added confidence.

Post event Taylor was philosophical about the win and the rest of the tour. “It was great to win this event for the second year, and while it was disappointing not to get a result at Teemburra, I know that if I fish hard the results will come.”

With the southern BARRA Tour now on the radar Taylor will be keen to continue his hot form and add more wins to his tournament CV.

The Big Barra Prize for the event changed hands many times throughout the tournament. Townsville angler Matt Coleman eventually claiming the Rapala Big Barra Pack with 120cm caught in the final session. Falling to a white 3” Zoom Swimming Fluke rigged on a 3/4oz TT Revhead jighead, Coleman caught the fish in 40ft of water on a slow rolled retrieve in the main basin.

“The bites were slow and tentative so I kept the retrieve slow and methodical. The fish inhaled the lure on its first touch and had the lure so far down I had to stick my whole hand and part of my forearm into its mouth to get the lure out,” said Coleman.

Visit www.australianbarra.com.au for more information. – ABT

PlaceAnglerTeamFishLength(cm)Cash

1Cy TaylorMillerods/Shimano/Evinrude9/9746$1,100

2Jason WilhelmShimano/ E-Tec7/9627$700

3Matt ColemanTeam of Two6/9579$400

4Alan McNamaraShimano/ E-Tec4/9392$300

5Dean SilvesterMegabass/Mako4/9379$200

6Trent PowerPower5/9362

7Jon MillardRapala/JT Reel Repairs4/9329

8Kerrin TaylorMillerods/Shimano/Evinrude4/9300

9Phil LyonsThe Likely Lads3/9296

10Wayne CoxTeam Reef Suzuki Marine4/9293