Tim Morgan & Jacob Wheeler Dominate Teemburra: How the Duo Crushed the Atomic Round of the 2024 Zerek BARRA Series

The opening round of the 2024 Zerek BARRA Series—sponsored by Atomic and held on the iconic Teemburra Dam—will long be remembered for one thing: an international masterclass in barra fishing. The Rapala CrushCity pairing of Queensland’s Tim Morgan and U.S. superstar Jacob Wheeler not only secured the win, but did so in a way that left seasoned Australian anglers stunned. It was a performance built on precision electronics, clever adaptation, heavyweight U.S. bass fishing techniques, and some of the biggest barra ever landed in an ABT competition.

While Teemburra has a reputation for being temperamental—hot one night, ice-cold the next—Morgan and Wheeler found a rhythm that few others could match. Their story is one of strategic progression and remarkable angler chemistry that turned four days’ fishing into a near-perfect tournament run.

A Big-Fish Beatdown on a Lake Known for Shutting Down

Teemburra Dam can be notoriously unpredictable, especially during night events where fish behaviour fluctuates dramatically. But from the moment pre-practice began, Morgan and Wheeler steadily dialled in a pattern that grew stronger by the hour—culminating in one of the most impressive five-fish bags ever recorded in an ABT barramundi event.

Wheeler’s night was the stuff of barra folklore—three PB barra in a single session, topping out at 110 cm, 114 cm and 116 cm, each one bigger than the last. For an angler who had caught his first ever barra just days earlier, the scale of his rapid progression was mind-blowing. Even he admitted the enormity of the fish exceeded anything he could have imagined, saying the jump from a metery to a 116 “leaves you lost for words.”

The numbers tell the story even clearer: their five-fish limit weighed over 150 lb, Wheeler joked it was 120 pounds heavier than his best five-fish largemouth bag from back home—a comparison that shows just how surreal Australian impoundment barra truly are.

Technique: Big Baits, Big Tech & Even Bigger Thinking

The winning approach fused Wheeler’s world-renowned forward-facing sonar expertise with Morgan’s understanding of Australian impoundments.

Forward-Facing Sonar Mastery

Fishing “out in the middle of the lake”—far from the shallow-water bite Morgan had recently ridden to wins at Tinaroo—the pair relied heavily on Humminbird Live and forward-facing sonar to target suspended fish. Wheeler spent the bulk of the session locked onto the screen, analysing how individual fish reacted to each presentation.

Morgan described the session as “Barra 101 from someone who’s been doing it four days,” highlighting how quickly Wheeler learned to adjust retrieve speed, lure angle, drop speed, and bait height in the water column.

U.S. Bass Techniques, Australianised

The winning lures came straight from Wheeler’s U.S. tournament arsenal but modified for Aussie conditions:

• 7-inch jerkbait styles
A big silhouette was key in the slightly stained water, providing barra with a clear target during night conditions.

• 5.25” CrushCity Freeloader prototype
Not yet released in Australia at the time, the beefed-up Freeloader became a critical alternative when barra refused the larger jerkbait. Wheeler revealed he and Dustin Connell had already won “about a million dollars” in the U.S. using the Freeloader technique—and now it had proven itself on barra as well.

Tackle Adjustments

Wheeler expected he’d need heavy gear for Australia’s big impoundment barra but soon realised much of his standard largemouth tackle translated surprisingly well:

• 7'0” Medium-Heavy rod

• 40 lb Sufix 832 braid

• Short but extremely heavy fluorocarbon leader to survive the power of massive fish in open water.

A key adaptation came from night one at Kinchant Dam:
loosening the drag once hooked up.
This prevented hooks from opening and reduced the acrobatics that often result in barra throwing lures or wearing through leader. The result? Fewer jumps, fewer losses, and a near-perfect conversion rate.

Partnership: A Study in Support, Trust & Shared Skill

While Wheeler’s catches drew attention, Morgan’s fingerprint was all over the victory. As a two-time winner just weeks earlier and one of ABT’s most experienced impoundment anglers, he played coach, deckie, tactician, and hype-man all at once.

He tied leaders, netted fish, organised gear and provided running insights—but was also first to admit Wheeler’s fishing IQ was off the charts. “He’s legit. He’s a weapon,” Morgan said, noting Wheeler’s ability to analyse fish behaviour and react instantly on every cast.

The chemistry between the two made for high-level fishing that looked effortless, even though they were constantly troubleshooting lure height, retrieve tempo and fish mood.

The Barra Experience Through Wheeler’s Eyes

One of the most compelling parts of their win was hearing Wheeler—arguably the best bass angler in the world—describe his first proper encounters with Australian barramundi.

He was amazed by:

• The ferocity of the strike,

• The chaotic fight,

• The sheer size and power relative to any freshwater species he’s caught elsewhere.

He deliberately avoided watching too many videos before arriving so he could experience the fish “totally fresh,” and the result was pure awe. Wheeler said he couldn’t wait to tell his big-name U.S. mates what they were missing and imagined how blown away they’d be hooking their first barra.

His proudest takeaway? That his new Australian timber trophy will sit “right next to the big fancy ones” on his wall.

A Win That Raises the Bar for the 2024 Season

The Atomic Round of the Zerek BARRA Series ended with more than a trophy presentation—it marked a turning point.

The combination of:

• Elite sonar skills,

• Big-bait confidence,

• Rapid learning,

• Smart teamwork,

• And the ability to target giant fish in open water

has set a high benchmark for the rest of the season.

Internationals arrived in Australia with excitement and curiosity. They’re leaving Teemburra with trophies—and a clear message to the field:
They’re here to compete at the very highest level.