Episode 87: Peter Faust Dam Barramundi With The Wells Boys

Wells’ Bro’s Top Tips For Peter Faust Barramundi

• If you’re visiting Peter Faust Dam and have limited time, plan to fish during the peak bite windows and resist the temptation to get on the water too early. After a full day of fruitless fishing, many anglers are ready to turn in just when the fish are coming on the chew. Peter Faust Dam is an afternoon waterway, so fish hard from 3pm to 1am and rest for the remainder of the day.
• Wind improves the fishing by oxygenating the water and stirring up food. The Wells boys like dys when the northerlies or north easterlies that blow through the day and then drop out in the evening. This gets the fish on the chew but makes the evening fishing session comfortable and pleasant for anglers.
• There are lots of good points in Peter Faust Dam, especially when the water levels are between 50-70%. Barra use these to round up baitfish. These fish well when afternoon winds fade into a still evening as baitfish have usually aggregated in the dirty water there.
• Peter Faust Dam fishes well all year round. From July to November fish the wooded areas using the techniques described here. In November to February false spawn fish can be targeted by trolling the main basin or jigging vibes.
• The predominant bait species in Peter Faust Dam is bony bream and the Wells boys generally try and match their lures with that species.

Preferred Faust Barra Fishing Tackle

• Tackle needs to be solid but not over the top. Mat and Nick are sponsored by Wilson Fishing and prefer the Venom Range of rods, coupled with ATC spin or baitcast reels.
• A 6-8kg baitcast rod in the 7’ range is great for longer casting, for working lures around trees they’ll go for a shorter rod of around 6”2’ gives better accuracy and keeps the angler in touch with the lure better.
• 30lb Platypus bionic braid on the baitcast and 20lb on the spin gear is run through to a 45-55lb Schneider Klear line leader.

Matt And Nick’s Top Barramundi Lures

• 110mm Zerek Fish Trap soft vibes work well cast over shallow weed beds and burned back at high speed with short pauses just enough that the lure doesn’t sink into the weed. These are versatile lures that can also be fished vertically, slow rolled or hopped across the bottom, depending on the circumstances.
• 7” Zerek Flat Shad on custom 3/8 or ½ oz jig heads designed by the Wells brothers and work well on open, weedy points but is also a very versatile and long-lasting lure that has probably caught the Wells brothers more fish than any other in Peter Faust Dam.
• The 5.5” Zerek Live Mullet is a tough and very easy to fish lure. Simply cast them out and crank them back, the Wells’ prefer a fairly quick retrieve, but they can be worked slower is the need arises.