Jacks in Awoonga

[Jack_Lives_Here]

I saw in last months BNB a small snippet on the GAWB releasing another 500 odd jack fingerlings into Awoonga. 8)

Anyone managed one of these little buggers yet ??? ??? I'd think the fish from the previous release are still quiet small - quoted growth rate of about 500g / year - but some of the families fishing may have managed one.

[Smithy]

I know of a Sooty being caught there.

[Fitzy]

From memory the growth rates of the jacks are a bit better than 500g/annum. They're growing better than bass do & the return rate:fish stocked @ Tinaroo is pretty impressive even at this early stage.
The jacks in Awoonga are not even a year old yet. Released in May/June I think. There were a few hundred released the previous year. I'd realstically expect the first jack capture @ Awoonga next summer. Long shot for this Autumn maybe.
Gotta remember that Awoonga is one of the least productive lakes going. THey poured fish (yellas, silvers, sooties) into the place for bugger all return. Also around 2 million barra been liberated there. Compare that to Faust where it was producing a heck of a lot more barra for a fraction of the fish stocked. Some blamed the fork-tailed catfish for Awoonga poor return rates, but I think otherwise.
Monduran is also producing well for numbers stocked so the forkies can't be to blame. Ditto for Big W (another fork-tail catty lake), produces great for bass.

I think jacks are going to stand freshwater fishing in Qld on its head, only the seat shiners in QFS are in the way, temporarily. ;D

24 kg stand-up gear in the fresh? Maybe!!!!!

Fitzy..

[Jack_Lives_Here]

WHOOOO HOOOOO to that Fitzy. ;D ;D

[mick]

fork-tailed catfish for Awoonga poor return rates, but I think otherwise.
hey fitzy, just curios what you think does cause the poor return rate.

[PAYNE]

The hatchery guys have predicted the Mangrove Jacks to be about 20cm at the moment. Under 5000 have been released to date but when they grow up, get out the Black Bass gear!!!
20.5kg Barra caught from Awoonga a couple of days ago. Other than that, the place had shut down from about Friday to yesterday morning. Lots of very talented impoundment fishermen fishing for not a lot of fish. South-easters unfortunately put a dampener on the fishing.

[Fitzy]

Mick,
I don't have the answer to the poor fish:capture rates at Awoonga compared to other locations.
Probably a combination if things.
Forkies would be part of it, but not the whole story because they haven't had the same inpact upon stocking in other forky lakes.

Even these mythical barra in Big W are reportedly getting caught occasionally. Apparently upto around 65 cm now, tho I've never seen one there yet. But I did see a dead one that apparently came out of there. Got me totally knackered how they got there (truth!).

Fitzy..

[mick]

I often walk the bank at awonga casting at lilly pads and weed beds etc. i have noticed an alarming number of dead birds that you wouldnt notice from a boat. ive always put it down to the birds swallowing baits that were intended for feral animals. i hope there is no conection.

[Randall]

Mick,


Even these mythical barra in Big W are reportedly getting caught occasionally. Apparently upto around 65 cm now, tho I've never seen one there yet. But I did see a dead one that apparently came out of there. Got me totally knackered how they got there (truth!).

Fitzy..
Those dam RAAF boys have done another drop!!!!!

F1-11`s kick arse!!!! ;-)

Randall

[aussiebasser]

Barramundi in Wivehoe
Jacks in Somerset
Travally in Moogerah

I'd like to see that :o

[PAYNE]

Before the south easters picked up last week, George Voisey caught 8 barra on fly in one session and was catching good numbers in the two weeks he was at Awoonga. Another 18kg fish was weighed in yesterday and quite a few are being caught at the boat ramp.

[Fitzy]

Jeez Leeann, all these calls to Gary up there must be costin ya a packet. George is a great angler, however the luxury of being able to spend a fortnight at any given spot isn't available to the average punter. Lucky bugger he is! ;D
I always allow 4 - 5 days at any barra lake in the hope of getting one good day. Those sou-easters are the killer IMHO. I'd be more inclined to look at those more than moon phases.

Back to the jacks; if initial recapture rates at Coperlode & Tinaroo are any indication, then it shouldn't take 2 million jacks to get a good fishery happening at Awoonga (or Somerset for that matter) as it has taken for the barra to happen.
Got a commercial hatchery starting work on jacks in the coming weeks. Folks are getting sick of waiting for the government boys to get it right & for the wowsers to give permission for other stocking groups to stock them instead of a select few. Ken & Andrew @ GAWB hatchery are showing them the way with jacks.

Good on em. ;D

Cheers,

Fitzy..

[PAYNE]

Hi Gary, I've actually been fishing at Awoonga too. Heading back again in the next couple of weeks. Enjoyed fishing with George for a couple of days. Off to Hervey Bay now to catch some tuna and trevally - have a good one!!!!

[Fitzy]

Hi Leeann,
Yep, knew you were up there this week. How did you go?
For those that are interested; I just got some info from Hutcho (QFS researcher) that might help explain the poor initial returns of the barra in Awoonga. Just reading it now will post it later.

Fitzy..

[mackmauler]

Hi Fitzy, very interested in any info that would explain the reason for the low returns, and also do you think this impoundment will ever improve.

Cheers

[Fitzy]

Below is a graph Hutcho sent me.
It shows barra survival rates in the presence of Mouth Almighty.
With Ken & Andrew stocking barra into Awoonga at much bigger sizes that initially, the fishery started to improve significantly. This is the key & should only see the barra fishing get better & better now.
It appears that the Mouth Almighty are a major part of Awoonga poor initial return/fingerlings stocked. It could also help explain why the Sooty Grunter, Yellowbelly & Silvers never took off there either.
For a comparison, Awoonga has a high population of Mouth Almighty & Faust Dam @ Prossy doesn't.

[Kalinda]

I own and operate the caravan park at Awoonga. lots of big barra being caught at the moment over 100 tagged in the last month with as many more caught and released, up to 18.5kg.
still to early to tell the Jack story yet three trial releases of fingerlings but we wont see the impact until larger releases.
The dead bird problem was several months ago and was traced to a virus., no problem with the water.
Big barra will be the only predator at Awoonga soon, last month (Dec) two at 20.5kg caught in the one week.
The lake will live up to its reputation.

28% capacity at the moment.

[DeeGee]

Leeann, Fitzy & Kalinda, I intend to spend a couple of weeks camping at Awoonga later this year or early next year, and I'm trying to figure out the best dates/times/weather etc, to maximise the chances of catching my first barra (or two).

I was interested to note Leeann's comments about the SE wind shutting off the action, and Fitzy's response that he thought it was more influential than the moon.

In view of this, and any other factors, what would you recommend as the best month of the year, moon phase, etc etc.

I would appreciate this and any other advice you can give.

Thanks, Don.

[Kalinda]

Hi Don

November and Feb are the best moths but this year the barra have fished well right through. We think that the full moon may not be the go , it seems to us that the new moon is better weather wise. I would be interested in other comments
Merv
Lake Awoonga

[mackmauler]

Yeah the weather is a factor you had better have a solid boat if you want to travel fast across this dam in a 25kt north wester like was the norm last spring.

I wouldn't be as concerned with picking the right dates however winter is not the time, as having your casting etc finely honed, if your there for a while you'll be bound to hit a few bite times, I hadn't fished there before last year and conditions were tough and the fish were catchable, just had to fish hard.

Cheers

[DeeGee]

Thanks Gents, for that advice - any other comments ? - anyone ??

[caveman]

hi all i have fished awonga twice in the past once last easter and i cast my arm off for 1 38cm barra and again in early nov with the same results except the barra was 45cm the red claw were great until someone bastards started raiding our traps

[Kalinda]

Simple
Put a cable tie on your nets.
Stops share farming.

No 45cm barra now, all 70 plus not many undersize at all being caught