Fishing tackle

**Bush65** · 9th September 2006, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Xtreme

Any of you fisho's know anything about the stocking of the dams around Gladstone (Awoonga etc.) with Barramundi?
More to the point I guess, have any of you caught fish in them?

Roger

I'm booked into the caravan park at lake Awoonga for end of October - beginning of November. The week before the full moon, which is prime time in impoundments (week after full moon is also good, but better for very early morning, whereas week before is better in evening).

Gladstone Harbour and the Water Authority have a fish hatchery. Over 2 million barra have been released into Awoonga - about 230,000 each year. They grow to legal size (50cm) in 12 to 14 months.

Dam level is about 50% at moment, but it is a pretty large lake

Lake Monduran near Gin Gin is also good - the only place you can catch Barra and Bass. It is only a little over 30% at the moment, but it is a larger lake than Awoonga when full. You would need a few weeks to fish all of the bays at the moment.

There is more chance of catching 1m plus barra at Awoonga, than probably anywhere else you could go.

**Bush65** · 9th September 2006, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Xtreme

Thanks Pete. I assume by the fact that you have been to Awoonga a number of times that it is better than the other dams in the area.
A few more questions, if you'll bear with me, as you seem to be quite familiar with the area.
Have you tried the bush camp near Boynedale at upper reaches of Awoonga and if so what did you think of it?
Do you think a canadian canoe would be suitable to fish from or is a tinny or something larger advisable?
Is there a best season/time of year when the Barra are really 'on' in the area?

Roger

They can be caught all year round, but are more active when the water warms up.

In cooler months you have more success in the bays where shallow water is warmer. Later in year they are caught in deeper water and good results are obtained trolling along the course of the original Boyne River from near the no-go zone (near the wall) up. Zig zag to try and cover the old river banks.

In salt water, the tides play a major part in their feeding cycles.

In the impoundments, they are lazy. The wind and the moon influence success rates. The week before and after the full moon is generally best. The week before, when the moon rises early, the good evening fishing hours are extended. The moon rises about an hour later each day, so after the fuul moon the good morning fishing is extended from much earlier in the morning.

A paddled canoe would not be good for trolling as the lure needs to be jerked as you go along. Should be ok for casting around the timber in the bays. But remember it is windy there (trade winds), so that may be a problem.

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 10th September 2006, 04:36 PM

can get quite rough on a good day---

**Xtreme** · 10th September 2006, 07:29 PM

Thanks for all the helpful information, John. It's exactly what I needed to know, especially the feeding habits, which I thought would be different to the estuary barra. I'm actually thinking of a trip sometime in 2007, maybe even an LROC (Sydney) club trip if enough members are interested - someone may even have a more suitable size boat! I do find it quite relaxing just casting around fallen timber etc in upper reaches of dams or just poking around a nice mountain stream. More into the freshwater fishing now - mainly trout and bass. The barra have been on my must do list for some time though so I need to do something about it soon.

Sounds like you have a nice set-up with the Quintrex - used to have one myself in the late 60's. Would be interested to hear how you go in Oct/Nov

Roger

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