Awoonga barra & Jack - confirmed

[BigChiefBarra]

Just got off the phone with Linton (Ranger extrodinaire). Confirmed 142.5cm Barra C&R @ Awoonga Sunday.

51cm Jack C&R last week also................

Latest fact.....

Gaz Man

[macca]

Well the person who caught it should be applauded for the catch and release angle.

After staying a week at the Awoonga caravan park I was saddened by the number that were sliced and diced for the meato fishermen up there, just to get bragging rights to see who could fill up their freezer first!! :(

Congratulations to the catch and release fisho who ever you may be.

Macca

[blue-mako]

That's a huge Barra! Great to see it was released to be caught again once it hits 1.5m. Good fish, even better fisherman! :P . How many Jacks have been caught now since their release date? I think I may have heard of only one other then the one mentioned above. Or then again I may have heard the one mentioned above. :-? .

Troy

[ele-phrez]

great stuff, love to hear catch and release

[Matthias]

I've seen a fair few pics of jacks from Tineroo. I think biggest was 63cm.
The impoundment jacks are really red and angry looking.
Also saw a pic of a 150cm barra from prosepine. It was mega.

Pete.

[warrior]

congrats to the fisherperson with the c&r hope there is some pics somewhere

[TinarooTriumph]

Yeah these Tinaroo Jacks are HUGE Pete, latest Jack went 67cm's.

Bit suprised - If any place is going to pull a 140cm+ fish first, and receive media attention (so to speak), I would of put my money on Tinaroo or Faust. Well done to the angler who caught it... But I don't think that record will last that long...

[bearclaw]

The Jacks what sort of growth rate will we see, does anyone know, will we have a beast like the Black Bass if we compare them to the barra. If so we are going to have some fun.

Myles

[darylive]

Re Releasing the Big Barra.
Well I too catch and release but was told that now the rangers are encouraging Anglers to take the Big ones out :o.

The reason being they eat too many fingerlings :P.
Makes sense I suppose, they spend a fortune on fingerlings and the big units eat them by the hundreds.

Happyrock, run this bye Ranger Linton. I am not keen on taking fish but we don't want a dam with only a few scatterred dinosors and no succesors. :'(

[andrew73]

Hi all,

I have been involved in the stocking at awoonga and gladstone hatchery pretty much since its inception (10 1/2 + yrs), so i know a little about the stocking program etc.

On the subject of Jacks there have been at least 3 or 4 confirmed recaptures of mangrove jacks from Awoonga in the last 12 to 18 mths with at least 20+ unconfirmed reports of mangrove jack recaptures. I say unconfirmed because there have also been a lot of miss ID of other stocked species for mangrove jack mainly for sooty grunter which we previously stocked into awoonga about 15 to 20 yrs ago and have in fact established a breading population in Awoonga as evidenced by the numbers of similar sized fish being caught by anglers that apper to conside with relevant inflows events into the dam (namely cyclone Benni). Which when you consider that the total number of mangrove jack stocked is relatively small when compared to our barra stocking program (ie 13 000 MJ's compared to 2.5 million Barra) the returns are pretty damn good really considering it is a lake of roughly 6500 Ha in surface area.

On the point of the Big Barra, at this stage as far as the killing of big fish from awoonga for the sake of killing them, just because they may or may not be eating a few of the fingerlings, as far as i am concerned is a load of tripe for awoonga at least.

But i will state a few facts yes barra are canablistic in fact one of the biggest losses in the hatchery production of barra, other than from a sudden disease outbreak,(which although rare can occur) for barra from 15 to 150mm is in fact canablism.

But the fact is that evidence from our extensive survey work over the last 8 to 10 yrs as well as from angler catches over a similar time frame, indicates that it is not a major problem or concern at present in Awoonga. With large numbers of smaller fish (under legal size to 70 cm) still being caught and in fact have always been present in angler catches at the dam, with fish from every year class represented in catch/ survey records, all to differing ratios / strengths i will admit. Which i am lead to belive has not been the case in some other dams up north? But the differing ratios strengts of these year classes can be more easilly explaned by the different stocking levels on a year to year basis, all of this when we know that we have several very strong year classes of fish in awoonga over that magic meter mark, yet there are still also several of the smaller year classes (< 80cm) that are represented in catches just as strong.


But the fact of the matter is that Awoonga dam has had one of if not the most intensive barramundi restocking programs of any impoundment in Australia and probiblly the world, with an avgerage of 200 000 yes that is 200k 40 -50 mm barra fingerlings being stocked every year for the past 6 yrs and larger numbers of smaller fingerlings avg 20- 25 mm being stocked for the first 4 yrs.

Sorry for the long winded reply but i have seen this subject banded about for some time now and thought i would finially add my thoughts on the subject baised on 10+years experiance to the mix.

Anyway tight lines

Regards

Andrew

[AdrianK]

["Bit suprised - If any place is going to pull a 140cm+ fish first, and receive media attention (so to speak), I would of put my money on Tinaroo or Faust."]

Hey TinarooTriumph, doesn't Tinaroo already hold the world record for largest barramundi? (and the picture I saw was a lot larger than 150cm, if I haven't completely got my wires crossed)

AK

[mylestom]

Sounds like a great fish, photos would have been great, but that big one is there for someone else to have a go.

Catch n Release if you dont need the feed.
The freezer brigade will stuff up all fishing everywhere, they are only interested in themselves.
Would not hesitate to report anyone taking over the limit anywhere.

Trev

[TinarooTriumph]

["Bit suprised - If any place is going to pull a 140cm+ fish first, and receive media attention (so to speak), I would of put my money on Tinaroo or Faust."]

Hey TinarooTriumph, doesn't Tinaroo already hold the world record for largest barramundi? (and the picture I saw was a lot larger than 150cm, if I haven't completely got my wires crossed)

AK

Hey mate. I think you might have your wires crossed, the record stands with David Powell of Cairns, 37.5kg horse from Tinaroo (Atleast I think thats the ultime record :-/ ). I have though seen a absolute monster taken from the salt on the coast down near Townsville, going 150+cm. I have also seen a pic of a fish taken from Koombooloomba Dan near Ravenshoe, which went 137cm, and had a girth like a bloody road!. The people wish to remain anonymous, and have relocated down south.

I have this picture on my computer, and have had it for quite some time, and is definetely a Tinaroo Barra. I found the pic on the net sometime ago, and If this isnt the heaviest Barra taken out of an Impoundment, then i'll eat my shirt. It could also be another pic of David Powell's fish, Im unsure.

[Matthias]

TT.

Mate I saw a pic of a 150cm barra from prosepine in NQ fish and boat about 3-6 issues back. It didn't have the girth of some of the shorter ones but looked like it was 150cm.

Pete.

[matt_w]

just wondering if maybe some one could put a few pictures up of some impoundment jacks as i am interested to see what one looks like ive never seen one from the impoundments ive seen heaps from the salt just wanna see one from the impoundments as people say they look more veisty lol and more dark
cheers matt woods

[Shooter]

Nice bit of info Andrew73. Sound like your pretty well connected. Do you have any photos of big jack or barra from the dam.

[barradise]

Alway's a good story to be told about Awoonga, be it the one that got away or C&R models.
As a local, I've heard them all from cricket score catches to the monsters that had have to been trapped before the age of time.
We have a lot to look forward to at Lake Awoonga in the comming years, but unless they hit the rangers scales or photographed on a bag mat, they are still unconfirmed as just another fisherpersons tail.
I agree with Andrews thoughts on barra predation but only to the point where Awoonga reaches critical mass, if such a stocking program at Awoonga could occur, IE; drought.
John.

[SeekingBarradise]

Hi here are the pics of a 52cm Jack from Awoonga kel caught at Xmas 2005 when we spent 2 weeks there. It was caught on an Eddy Lure at 10pm on a hot night.

It jumped like a barra and faught well.

We hope the pics load up for you to see.

Cheers SeekingBarradise

[SeekingBarradise]

Here is another pic of that nice 52cm Jack.

[Steve_Monckton]

Who would have thought that in Australia we would have beautiful big Barra of this size and quality on tap in this day and age. Don't kill em all, They are a national treasure. Congratulations to the restocking associations for having the foresight to achieve this. Cheers, steve.

[Steve_B]

well said Andrew23. You guys work hard to stock the dam with millions of fingerlings so we can have the pleasure and experience of catching BIG fish now, and in the future. I have caught as many 55-80cm barra as meter + which would suggest that many fingerlings ARE surviving. There are also massive amounts of boney's as an additional food source. If the ranger wants to get serious about saving fingerlings, shoot all those bloody shags!!! i'm sure they eat a heap. Also get the fisheries boys/girls out there and sort out the meat killing freezer brigade. Do they really think a photo of a dead fish hanging up from a caravan with its guts hanging out looks good? Looks as ridiculous as the person with the smug grin standing beside it!

Keep up the good work Awoonga fish stocking association!

Heres an Idea, Mabey you guys should put a donation box prominantly near the boat ramp or at the Kiosk (they might donate themselves, they seem to encourage killing) I'm sure the majority of genuine barra fishermen and women will donate more to help with the future restocking, I know I will.

[Sniper]

Wonder if these impoundment Barra will get the size of the Nile River Perch? Hold on boys and girls if they do. We'll be in for one hell of a fight. Can't wait to get up there in the next month or so.
Cheers
Billyboy

[barramad.]

[quote author=TinarooTriumph link=1160649592/0#12 date=1160978447
I have this picture on my computer, and have had it for quite some time, and is definetely a Tinaroo Barra. I found the pic on the net sometime ago, and If this isnt the heaviest Barra taken out of an Impoundment, then i'll eat my shirt. It could also be another pic of David Powell's fish, Im unsure. [/quote]
Hate to tell you the bad news Theo, Copperload was the home of that big Barra.
Jas

[TinarooTriumph]

Hey Jas - Do you happen to have the figures on that fish? Sure does look like an absolute whopper!

[Big_Ren]

Andrew73, thank you for sharing that comprehensive information. Without these vital stocking associations, places like Awoonga would be nothing more than a big waterski park or houseboat reserve. Keep up the great work mate. ;)

Cheers
Paul

[Fitzy]

[quote author=TinarooTriumph link=1160649592/0#12 date=1160978447
I have this picture on my computer, and have had it for quite some time, and is definetely a Tinaroo Barra. I found the pic on the net sometime ago, and If this isnt the heaviest Barra taken out of an Impoundment, then i'll eat my shirt. It could also be another pic of David Powell's fish, Im unsure.
Hate to tell you the bad news Theo, Copperload was the home of that big Barra.
Jas[/quote]

SSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH

[andrew73]

Hi All

Thanks for your coments, i thought some of you might be intrested in a bit more background on both the gladstone fish hatchery and the lake awoonga restocking restocking program.

The current stocking program for Lake Awoonga and the hatchery, the recient stocking program (barramundi, sea mullet, MJ's and Saratoga) and by this i mean the last 10 or 11 yrs. As 15 - 20 yrs ago there was a previous previous DPI run stocking program (silvers, goldens, sooties, sleepy cod and toga). But the barra stocking program started around january 1991 with 200 25cm barra from the dpi's deception bay facliity with the first fish produced at our own hatchery the next summer season.

But the funding for the current restocking program for lake awoonga and the Gladstone Area Water Boards Marine Fish Hatchery has come almost entirily from both the Gladstone Area Water Board (GAWB) and the Gladstone Port Authority as it was known at the time now the Central Qld Ports Authority (CQPA) on a 50 /50 basis untill a few years ago where the CQPA decided that progressively their money could be better spent else where, tho they still provide a great deal of in kind support with the provision of the building and the land on/ in which the hatchery is located for which i am and in fact anyone that has experianced lake awoongas fishery should be eternally greatfull.

The hatchery and the stocking program has always been run by GAWB with all hatchery/ fishery staff employed by GAWB, with funding other than the previously mentioned in kind support now being solely provided by GAWB and comerical sales of fingerlings from the hatchery.

Other technical advise and support and also the some of the inital broodstock for the hatchery has also been provided by the QDPI ect. a big thanks to all, sorry there are too many to mention individually but i am sure you all know who you are, thank you.

Anyway if you are intrested in the stocking program for lake awoonga GAWB's web site is www.gawb.qld.gov.au or contact me here.

Tight Lines

Andrew