Barramundi is a popular freshwater fish found in northern Australia. Anglers love to catch barramundi for sport because they put up a good fight in the water. Catching a barramundi fish is one of the best experiences an Australian angler could have.

In addition to the sporting aspect of barramundi fishing, they are also great to eat. Many Australian seafood restaurants always have barramundi on the menu because the locals love it. But why order it off the menu when you can fish it yourself?

male to female conversion

Barramundi have long, narrow elongated bodies with huge, obliquely shaped mouths. You will have no problem recognizing barramundi fish because they have silvery scales all over their bodies.

The longest barramundi has reached 1.8 meters long (equivalent to 5.9 feet). Although it would be rare to catch a barramundi of this size. The average angler will catch a barramundi that is between 0.6 and 1.2 meters long (2 to 4 feet). It’s still a sizeable catch any way you look at it.

All newborn barramundi are male. No female barramundi is born from a mother fish. They are only male fish when they are born. What happens is that the barramundi males become females at approximately 3 or 4 years.

Older barramundi females have no choice but to mate with younger barramundi males. If you ever witnessed the breeding process of the two, you would see a smaller male barramundi with a larger female barramundi.

Maximum Weight

The maximum weight of a barramundi can be up to 60 kilograms (130 pounds). Although, only a larger female barramundi could reach a weight of this amount. A huge female barramundi can lay up to 32 million eggs. So if you catch a heavy female barramundi, she’s probably carrying several eggs.

Most anglers do not catch barramundi weighing more than 100 pounds (45 kilograms). The average barramundi catch is 22 to 40 kilograms (50 to 90 pounds). If you fish for barramundi to harvest its meat, you’ll have plenty of meat to slice and serve to yourself and your friends and family.

Don’t be fooled by the sheer weight of the barramundi. These fish are fast swimmers and rarely stay in one place for long. Local wildlife officials tagged certain barramundi fish in one location and then found the same fish more than 400 miles away. Their weight sure doesn’t keep them stagnant!

fresh and salt water habitats

The barramundi likes to inhabit freshwater habitats, such as rivers and lakes. However, the barramundi can also survive in the salt water of the coastal areas of northern Australia. They use salt water only for breeding purposes.

Most barramundi are born in salt water because of all the breeding that happens in it. But they don’t stay in salt water for long. Barramundi swim from saltwater to freshwater through estuaries, where the two bodies of water meet. Estuaries connect salt water with the various lakes and rivers that exist inland.

Lakes are the best places to fish for barramundi. It’s where you’ll find Australia’s longest and heaviest barramundi.

Rentals

Barramundi can be found in the Australian states of Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Western Australia. If you’re looking for barramundi in Western Australia, you’ll need to travel north to the Kimberley region. The northern coast of the Kimberley region is adjacent to the Indian Ocean and the Timor Sea.

Locals in the Kimberley region are quite familiar with barramundi. It has become an iconic fish in this region of Australia. Recreational anglers compete to see who can catch the most barramundi each season. There are even prizes for the winners.

Commercial fishing for barramundi also occurs in the Kimberley region. Professional fishermen take their boats to tropical rivers and coastal salt waters to catch these fish and freeze them for food.

Barramundi are not only found in Australia. They have been seen in coastal marine waters off southern Japan, Papua New Guinea, southern China, and the Persian Gulf. But if you want the most abundant source of barramundi, look for them in the Kimberley region and throughout northern Australia.

wet season

Barramundi goes through several different phases within its life cycle. The reproductive phase begins in October and lasts until April. This period of time is called the wet season.

Adult female barramundi travel through coastal rivers and estuaries to mate with their male counterparts. Most of this breeding occurs in the salty waters off the coast, when tidal waves are strongest.

An old trick is to wait for the full moon to pass. That is the moment when you will know that the barramundi has successfully mated. The female barramundi will begin to produce eggs at an accelerated rate, between 10 and 30 million eggs.

Unfortunately, more than 90% of barramundi larvae and young will die after a couple of weeks or months. This is because most larvae don’t get a chance to fully develop before they hatch from the eggs. They can’t even open their mouths or eyes.

There is no low season for barramundi fishing. The rainy season makes it better for fishing because the environmental conditions are dark and rainy.

Contrary to popular belief, barramundi fish tend to be more active in the dark than in bright sunlight. The rain wakes up the fish and causes more activity in the water. Then it will be easier for you to catch the fish.

Aussies like to get a head start on their barramundi fishing in August and continue until April of the following year.