Cressbrook Dam

[Steve_Kanowski]

Hi everyone

Went up to Cressbrook last weekend for a club trip.Overcast and windy at times but managed 20 bass from 28cm to 41cm on fly by fishing the edges and points. Trolling and bait fishing proved absolutley fruitless for other members. Anyone contemplating a trip to Cressbrook will be pleased to know it is now permissable to leave your boat in the water overnight.
Cheers.

[Fitzy]

Hey that's good news Steve, thanks for the report. :D

[craigie]

G'day Steve,

I spent the weekend of Sept 1&2 up at Cressbrook and had a ball. The Saturday morning was a 4 hour Tuition/Charter with the local Guide Jason Ehrlich. He gave me the run down on the use of "Sliders" and where to fish them. Caught 29 Bass for the weekend(including the Charter) with the help of a mate, with the larger fish nudging the 40cm mark.
Two weeks earlier I was up there trolling every lure I had and did not even get a hit (same as some of your club members).

That's a top little Camping area, great to be able to leave our boats in the water overnight again.

As I live in Brisbane, I'm now faced with the Dilema of by passing Somerset Dam to drive on to Cressbrook ??? Life's tough !!!!!

Cheers
Craigie

[Steve_Kanowski]

What a tough choice,fished Somerset quite a bit lately,practicing for the Bass pro.Not catching the same numbers as at Cressbrook, but the size sure makes up for this. 5 fish in an hour one afternoon and 4 of them topped 50 cm. Took my brother there the following week and he caught his first fish ever on fly,a bass of 50cm on the dot, couldn,t get the smile off his face for days.

[The_Walrus]

Enjoy Sommerset while you can!!

No daily boating permits anymore, cheapest is a weekly? for $11.

A friend of mine spoke to some mid-level management of the water board and was told that they don't give a rat's ass about campers, tourists, boaters fishers etc..., are not interested in providing/maintaing any facillities and as they're a private company care even less about "social" obligation.

Presonally, I will not tick somerset or wivenhoe when I renew my SIP.

Luc

[Fitzy]

That's a your call Luc. Just so long as you've got a SIP permit you'll be fine. Just hope you go else where to kill any fish.

[WHITTO]

Hey Luc, Sounds like you don't do alot of fishing up at Somerset, I can tell you 4/5 years ago the amenities that are currently available to Campers Boaties and Fishers ect were not available, That does not sound like a board that give a Rats arse about amenities or maitenance. Whitto ???

[sav]

Hi Steve
Was up at Cressbrook with Craigie on 1/2 Sept. Never seen so much surface activity from the gar. Must be a billion of them in Cressbrook now - worse than rabbits.
Won't be long before the size of bass will consistently match Somerset with that much to eat in the dam
.
The facilities were great but that didn't stop the almighty storm that kept most of us in the BBQ shelter till late at night.
See you there sometime
Sav

[Brian]

Hi,

That makes for an expensive outing to somerset if you only go there for a day on the water, not only talking fisherman here.

I know you can get a monthly / yearly boating permit which if you intend doing a few trips these would be more cost efficient. Not sure of the cost of these now. As for the amenities yes they have improved heaps and there has been a lot of other work around the kirkleagh foreshores over the past few years. A lot of money has been injected into the place and that has been overdue for many a year.

I have fished there for many years and i really enjoyed my times there, but it is disheartening to have rangers openly say they don't want fisherman on the dam and i've had that told to me on a number of occassions over the years, and i'm not the only one to be told that. Personlly i am somewhat disillusioned with the freshwater scene and have not ventured near the stuff very much at all in a couple of years now.

The managers of this place should be promoting this place to get more people to visit not drive them away. The place seems like it's just a money grabbing venture unless it has changed ??? Anyway for me i guess it's more the boating permit at this impoundment that keeps me away and while it is there i dare say i want be. There are plenty of other great impoundments in Sth East Qld to fish.

If memory serves me correct, currently somerset is the 3rd most fished place in Qld (fitz's you maybe able to correct me on that) not sure where it was say 5 years ago ??? and I will be interested to see where it is in a couple of years. I dare say there are changes coming to this place and i hope it is in the positive. :)

As for me well i just go to the salt and have been having a ball without the hassles of a permit for this a permit for that.

Alas i will be dropping the rig in some freshwater later this year hopefully this will get me back into fishing freshwater like i used to. :) I may even try over these school hols if my deckie is so inclined. :)

Yes i will have my SIP and well we release all my fish so no hassles with the kill factor. Still cannot work out why i gotta have a SIP when i release ALL my fish in freshwater. Easier to police i guess if everyone has one.

enough said :)

[Fitzy]

Brian,
Somerset is 4th according to a recent survey. Don't doubt it either after thamount of boats there yesterday.
There are some indications that SEQWCorp may drop the boating permit soon. It is worth noting that $30-40 000 is spent by the SWQWCorp annually on fish fingerling purchases, this will stop if the boating permit is stopped. Also note that skiers also need a boating permit & are thus paying for some of our fish.
Officially they are the biggest single contributor to fish stocking in SE Qld. (not trying to defend SEQWCorp)
They've spent 3 million on facitlies at Kirkleagh in the last few years.
With Kirkleagh being up for lease, there may be a whole new structure for things there. I can't see it being more restrictive. If I had the place I'd be trying to get as many as possible to come. ;)
I think that the boating permit should be scrapped, but we're going to end up with double the amount of skiers. Though I don't see a problem with paying a camping fee. If it was free we'd have thousands there lined up for free hot showers & using the Bar B Qs every night.

[lordy]

We got hit with the fee at Wivenhoe a couple of weeks ago. $11 is a lot to pay for 5 hours on the water, even split 2 ways. Given that we pay the SIP to stock it, and car rego to get there, petrol taxes, and boat taxes. To get pay for the right to fish an understocked dam on top of that is a bit rich.

Even the viability of collecting the cash is suspect.

They have to pay a staff member and a ranger to collect and police it, provide a boat, car and offices. So it must cost them at least $100K to collect the money.

Thats 9000 boaters at $11 per weekend. That would require 180 boats a week to launch (more if they have the $75/year ticket). When we were there on a beautiful sunny Sunday there was only one other boat there.

At least its a "job creation" scheme.

[Fitzy]

Hi JC,
Big W is always gonig to be understocked I'm affraid. It will however be a good place for those that are prepared to pay whatever fees & has some local knowlege.
I agree that fishos are way over taxed. Hope the boating fee for these lakes os abolished.
Try paying the fee that I have to for Tarcoola, $1500/annum for just Somerset. That hurts. :'(

[Brian]

Well i knew they were up in top most visited location. My point was, to many persons it is not attractive with the boating permit, as it makes a expensive day trip.

As with the skiers i've really only had a couple of incident with them, and those two persons were rewarded with a visit to there campsite NO MORE HASSLES ;D ;D. As the BLOODY ranger at the time did not give a shit even when one of the acts was done in plan view and the ranger was STANDING NEXT TO ME. Had words of encouragement with him to. ;D

As with ALL boaters on the water it needs to be policed and if you do the wrong thing GONE. People will soon get the message.

As for them being a big asset to the stocking fair enough and defend on that score no problems.

As for the lease i would love to take over the lease of kirkleagh camping area. I feel i could make that one of the best locations for many to visit and enjoy the place. But on past dealings with this management group they are WHY to restrictive on WAY to many things and it would not be a viable options to deal with them to make a living.

I don't have a problem with a camping fee but $10.00 per vehicle per night off season & $15.00 peak season is way to dear (unless that has changed ???) I wonder if the day fee is still there on long weekend etc $6.00. this alone can make it a dear day trip if you intend on dropping a rig on the water with $11.00 on top of that.

Fitz do you know what the numbers are that visit somerset each year ??? i'll take a stab 100.000. If only 50% (at 10.00)camp 1 night that's $500.000. I'm sure much more than that is raised from camping fee's. What i'm getting at is it is could be a much better location with less restrictions and with the RIGHT management in place i feel a lot more pepole would visit the place.

If anglers see less restrictions they will WANT to fish there as it's a top class venue more and more would tick the box on the SIPs permit, as i'm sure the place at the moment is losing people to other locations and the SIP funds is less for somerset.

[Fitzy]

Hi Brian,
I don't think there's any easy fix to the problem. I would also like to see the boating permit dropped. I didn't think you had to pay a daytrip pass if you were only boating & had a permit? Not sure as I've never been asked. I have an annual permit & just go straight in.
I know what you mean in regard to working within their requirements. Is a nightmare organising the Kirkleagh Klassic every year. That's why ended up leasing the whole area for the comp, makes thing a bit easier, yet more expensive.
These fees must not be too restrictive if Somerset attracts so many visitors at present. The potential for this place is enormous. I would also like to apply for the lease but am concerned about unworkable guidelines. ::)

[The_Walrus]

That's a your call Luc. Just so long as you've got a SIP permit you'll be fine. Just hope you go else where to kill any fish.


Fitzy,

I have not killed a bass in at least 20+years. ;D

In my local area, (Pine Rivers) I average 70 to 80 bass per season.

I have no problems the SIP, but I do have problems with the bloody minded attitude of the water board and sunwater especially since both these bodies were privatised. Both these set of idiots seem to firmly beleive that they're a lwas unto themselves.

Luc

[The_Walrus]

Hey Luc, Sounds like you don't do alot of fishing up at Somerset, I can tell you 4/5 years ago the amenities that are currently available to Campers Boaties and Fishers ect were not available, That does not sound like a board that give a Rats arse about amenities or maitenance. Whitto ???


Whitto,

I have been canoeing/fishing Sommerset, Whivenhoe and the Brisbane River for more than 20 years. Yes I'm well aware of and have enjoyed the improvements at Sommerset.

As I've said in my reply to Fitzy, I have problems with the change in attidute since the move to privetisation. I firmly beleive that the public got well and truly shafted in the process.

Luc

[The_Walrus]

That's a your call Luc. Just so long as you've got a SIP permit you'll be fine. Just hope you go else where to kill any fish.


Fitzy,

I have not killed a bass in at least 20+years. ;D

In my local area, (Pine Rivers) I average 70 to 80 bass per season.

I have no problems the SIP, but I do have problems with the bloody minded attitude of the water board and sunwater especially since both these bodies were privatised. Both these set of idiots seem to firmly beleive that they're a law unto themselves.

Luc

[Brian]

"These fees must not be too restrictive if Somerset attracts so many visitors at present. The potential for this place is enormous." A fair comment fitz

There camping fees $10.00 per night is fine don't have a problem with that, but don't see the reason to raise the fee over peak times ie long weekends school hols etc etc to $ 15.00. That to me is just a money grab. If it is still on a per vehicle basis that needs to be a bit more flexible. As in our comp a few years back a husband and wife came up in two cars because of thier work situation, and they wanted to charge each one the camping fee. The ranger would have nothing of it, so i told my mate to leave a car outside and walk in we'll get the car latter. Happened a few times during that comp. :( DICKHEADS.

Per camp site would be better.

Yes the place has great protential I wonder how much better it would have been without the boating permit ??? and the event costs ???

Why is there a need to charge to hold a comp ??? it's just a heap of people getting together over a weekend to fish. They say it costs them money. How so??? What do they do if 2000 people opt to go there on the same weekend do they say they are running a comp and charge them, "NO". But tell them you are holding a comp and out goes the hands. Hell you would figure you are doing something for the loacl area but getting the numbers to the place on what would be a normally dead weekend which gets more camping fees dare i say "boating fees" :) which they would not have had except for the comp and still they want to charge over and above.

And it's not only fishing events, weddings or similar are classed as an event so out goes the hands again. If memory serves me correct it's $200 for up to 150 persons after that it's $50 - 100 for each 50 or part there of after that.

It's claimed if you pay that events fee you get exclusive rights to say who can and cannot come in. At your comp fitz i guess it works. For ours it was stupid and just a waste of money.

This events fee does not include any camping fees or day trip fees.

You and I and i'm sure a host of others would like to lease the place and manage it but know how unmanageable it would be with the waterboard in your ear all the time. >:(

I wonder what will happen if no one takes up the lease/s and the waterboard DO not want to run and manage it. Does the place close ??? as i'm sure they will say we tried to lease it but no one was interested ??? an unlikely situation i hope ?

Time will tell :)
Bugger think i'm still at baffle creek starting to fire up again ;D ;D. Better get my rods and go fishing :)

Hey what day you heading into the show Fitz ?

[lordy]

Fitzy, its an idea I've had elsewhere to push for Barra in Wivenhoe. You would think with Barra the water corp might be able to make a lot more money out of Wivenhoe. I could imagine 100+ boats wach paying $20 a weekend to fish it if it had a good supply of barra. Thats 52 x 100+ x 20 = $540,000+ a year. 2 or 3 years of putting $250,000 a year into Barra stock and it would be a huge asset to them.

Worst case is 50 boats at $11 a head. Thats still $130,000+

Best case is 200 boats @ $20. Thats a lot of money.

They could make it catch and release or 1 fish Max. Reduce restocking costs and make more $$$ for sunwater. Add a few cabins etc.....

Sun water could make money hand over fist. And given thats all they care about they'd have to be interested.

[Fitzy]

Brian,
Will be at the boat show every day. Look me up if you come. Will be around the casting alley. :)

Lordy.
Actually, Sunwater & SWQWCorp aren't allowed to make money from anything other than selling water. :o
THere is some issue with the ACCC (?or other) in regard to access fees being charged at these places, Hence there is no $5 fee to go to Cormorant Bay area @ Wivenhoe as was planned for a few months ago.
Aparently it is outside of their operational licence to charge access fees. This will probably result in less access, as they get around these issues. :'(

[Brian]

No problems most likely head into the show tomorrow so will look for you at the casting area. :)

[davo]

>:( >:( >:(Just got back from Cressbrook,
Beautiful camp area but no place to charge the battery for the electric outboard.

Last time I was there it was OK, but the ranger said it was no longer allowed. He said people were leaving their batteries lying around and it posed a risk to children.That much I can understand but not giving the fishermen access to charging facilities is another.
It only took us about 5 minutes to come up with an idea to fix it. A fenced in area with a pool type fence, a roof, and power. This way little children can't access the area.I was given the old budget routine. Next time I'll spend my money in a different shire.

The present arrangements makes it impossible for the fisho who stays at the campsite and lets face it electric motors are everywhere these days. Our plans to fish Cooby as well as Cressbrook were stiffled.

Unfortunate as it's a great campsite with great fishing.

Davo

[Katrina]

;) If the weather stays fine, we're going to head out to Cressbrook this Sunday, probably for a bit of an arvo fish. Got a stack of lures, spinnerbaits, etc. It'll be our first trip to this dam, so hopefully it will be successful! Happy fishing!

[Christine]

Katrina,

If your going to Cressbrook get some Slider plastics preferably the electric blue, it's a color that will catch fish anytime.

Christine

[Katrina]

;) Thanks, Christine, I don't have any of those, so I'll look into acquiring some! Happy fishing!

[Christine]

;) Thanks, Christine, I don't have any of those, so I'll look into acquiring some! Happy fishing!


No worries Katrina.