The incredible potential of the Lake Kununurra barramundi fishery was illustrated by a massive fish caught by a local recently.

The horse barra was over 1.4m long, making it one of the biggest ever caught anywhere and the man who landed it believes it won’t be long before Lake Kununurra will produce the largest ever tamed on a rod and reel.

The International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) record for a barramundi is 1.35m (44kg) and while there are reports of fish to nearly 1.5m in eastern states impoundments, Kununurra local and Lake Argyle tour guide Jack Furzer believes it is only a matter of time until a new benchmark comes out of Lake Kununurra.

Jack said the lake was just starting to fulfil its potential, having been stocked with 1.3 million barramundi since the reintroduction of these iconic fish into its waters started in 2013.

The current IGFA record fish was caught in Lake Monduran in Queensland, one of many east coast impoundments on the east coast that have become famed for producing huge barra, attracting anglers from across the country chasing the elusive metre-plus fish.

Jack said fish in Lake Kununurra were enjoying incredible growth rates, reaching the metre mark in as little as five years, and that his big fish, caught on a soft plastic purchased from Tackle World Kununurra, was proof of what’s to come.

“The brag mat stopped at 1.30 and it was much bigger than that,” he explained.

“We worked out that it was 1.4-1.42m long, and I also got a second one since then that was around 1.37m.”

Jack is waiting on an IGFA certified brag mat, so the next time he catches a monster he can claim an official record.

Fishing at night has been the key for Jack, who notched his biggest lake fish from shore, making it a truly epic catch.

When he specifically wants a big barra he fishes from 7pm-1am, either from shore or boat.

He works around suitable moon phases and while the fishery is accessible, finding where the big girls are holding up is the challenge.

“They are the fish of a thousand casts,” he explained.

His chosen lure is an Irukandji Sicario DTF plastic, which he has found the best for the big fish.

However, Jack said there were plenty of other options and he’s also caught numerous fish just over the metre mark while searching for the behemoths of the lake.

He said there were a wide range of sizes available in the lake, offering great family fishing options, some of which are just minutes from the town.

Jack moved to Kununurra early last year and has become obsessed with chasing “swamp donkeys”, but when conditions are not right for the lake, he will head to the nearby Keep, Ord or Pentecost rivers to find saltwater barra.

He believes the potential of the lake as a trophy fishery is still untapped, and that it will only continue to improve if stocking continues, ultimately proving a tremendous drawcard for the town with the significant economic benefits the east coast barra impoundments have provided to local communities.

Jack’s catches were also a timely boost ahead of the upcoming Apex Barra Bash in Kununurra, which is in September and is probably the biggest fishing competition in WA, with over 1000 participants last year, all hoping to catch a monster barra of their own.

Jack Furzer with a monster Lake Kununurra barra that was around 1.4m long.

Barra bash in September, biggest fishing comp in WA now, over 1000 participants.