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Information about Lake Awoonga, our Boats and the wonderful fishing that the beautiful Lake Awoonga has to offer:- Ross & Michelle Arrival We arrived up here in 2001 and caught our first Barra that season on Lake Awoonga from our trusty 14ft. Canadian Canoe. The water level was down to some 17% which made the fishing relatively easy. The Lake in 2003 caught the edge of Cyclone "Beni" and the water level rose 12m. over three days of torrential rain, great event for us locals but it stuffed the fishing and we had to all work hard finding new spots. As a result of that downpour in 2003 we are still at good capacity (33%) at this stage and can hold out for a few years yet compared to the rest of S.E Queensland. When people ask how big Lake Awoonga is my reply is "bloody big" I'm not one for statistics or volumes etc. From the public boat ramp it is basically an inverted "T" shape roughly 4klms arm to the right, 7klms arm to the left and about 20klms up country. Reasonably steep drop offs along banks with a lot of weed particularly with the drop in water level, clusters of dead trees and shallow bays. No dangerous obstacles generally on the lake proper. Local knowledge is always worthwhile so don't hesitate to make enquiries. Wind is not a problem as you can always fish the appropriate lee side however in the main body of the lake it can roughen up in a strong wind, not life threatening but uncomfortable with a short sharp chop. Awoonga Fish The lake holds many species of fish but our Barramundi are the main target, kids can have a guaranteed ball catching BIG catfish as for the rest from my point of view one can hook a Saratoga, Mangrove Jack, Sooty Grunter or get a good feed of big Gar - good eating. Except for the Barra and the Catfish these other targets are very scarce and usually get hooked by default chasing Barra or by chance. Back to our Barra, persons very far sighted back around 1996 started the Gladstone Fish Hatchery I believe that it was a joint venture between Gladstone Port Authority and Gladstone Water Board. Since that time the Hatchery has been very successful with their various species culminating in Mangrove Jack a couple of years ago. For the past 11 years Lake Awoonga has been annually stocked with 250,000 fingerlings and as a result we now have a world class Barra Lake teeming with top class trophy fish very common around the 17-22kg mark but we all know that there are bigger fish yet to be bagged. Lake Awoonga is now in the Top 10 fishing impoundments in the world. we have had expert fisherman state that they were " hit by a train and unable to stop it"! Because the Lake is stocked there is no closed season but from November - February you are limited to one Barra per day in your possession. Redclaw are not prevalent in the Lake at this time. No fishing permit is required to fish Lake Awoonga. On Boats The smaller the better for getting into those snag area inlets - distance is proportional to your rig. As stated Michelle & I started off in a 14' Canadian Canoe with good success so at the bottom of the range a kayak, canoe, collapsible boat, small punt or dinghy will do the trick but your range is limited distance wise obviously around 4.35m with a 25hp plus and electric in top gear. We do see cabin boats and larger vessels on the Lake - these are ok for trolling but limited otherwise, maybe they are out just to flush the motors! but not really practical for this type of fishing. Flying the flag for ourselves we have a wide range of hire boats available to suit each budget and requirement. While on that subject our "Barbie Boat" (pontoon) holds the record for the most fish taken (trolling) last season, don't ask me why? Make sure your boat & you are up to scratch as the Water Police patrol regularly as do the Fishery Department Officers. Required Barra Gear This is my favorite subject so I will cover every aspect. First off I am not a guide, I'll leave that to the fishing experts however I 've been around a long time fishing since I was 8 years old at Bribie Island in the good ol' days (sigh). Gear was basic and heavy, real blood & guts stuff, then I grew up went to Victoria and learnt the art of trout fishing - that developed me into a true sports fisherman. Now I'm in the hire boat business and I try to pass my experience on to our clients. My wife Michelle really gets peeved when fisherman ask to speak to me and rightly so - she knows her stuff and at this stage is doing me big time but I'll have my day - I hope! Understandably we see the cross section of fisher persons from the very good to the ridiculous. Question: Why would anyone plan a trip up or down here, drive 100's km all fired up to land one of our trophy Barra and bring gear that is quite frankly, CRAP! CRAP is divided into two groups:
LISTEN! These are bloody Game/Trophy Fish we are chasing - get the message? Our mate, David Green wrote an article once on how frustrated he gets with associates who spend big bucks on good gear off shore and be quite happy to put a blunt or rusty hook on. I totally agree & why? Its got me? So what do you need - I think
LURES REQUIRED A wide range from very deep divers to surface lures - deep & shallow divers for trolling & soft plastics of various weights for spinning - colour and brand is a personal choice. FLY FISHING To the fly fishing enthusiast this class is very successful on both Barra & Saratoga.
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ABN: 515 768 851 86
