FALLING DAM LEVELS

[ipswichfisher]

FACT OR FICTION - DOES FALLING WATER LEVELS IN OUR IMPOUNDMENTS AFFECT THE FISH ACTIVITY OR DO THEY JUST KEEP MOVING INTO DEEP WATER - I HAVE FOUND THAT MY FAVOURITE SNAGS IN WIVENHOE KEEP GETTING FURTHER AND FURTHER OUT OF THE WATER AND THE FISH DISSAPPEAR FROM THE WHOLE AREA.

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW OFTEN AND WHEN DO THEY LET WATER OUT OF WIVENHOE DAM

CHEERS DARREN

[Doyley]

Geez Darren your question would apply to most impoundments at the moment and in fact our last 3 forays to BP Dam ( just prior and through the xmas period ) have left us some-what shocked and stunned as we have hooked up only around 8 Bass the best being 40 & 43 cm, on our last trip we didn't get a touch and saw only 1 Bass of about 30cm caught with at least 40 Craft on the water. The barometer was pretty low ,around 1013 ,light southerly with a bit of east now and then, water temp at the surface was ok how-ever the fish did not play the game . We have fished this impoundment at least 30 times during a two year period and our results this summer are not with-in a bull's roar as to the same time last season. What's different ? the water level .
Excepting that as the reason why is it that we havn't been able to entice fish from deeper water as we have tried lures to 5 metres and have generally picked up weed and eventually lost out to a solid snag ?
In summary let me say we are as confused as you .
Cheers
Doyley

[ipswichfisher]

thanks for your response doyley..

besides the fact the barometer is stuck at 1002 -1006hpa and the fishing has been rs everywhere, i wasn't so sure if i was losin it, or the fish forget how to play. Mate the last few weeks have been shocka's, with too much wind, bad barometer, easy to make excuses hey!.

I've tried further out, deeper and found evening's with surface lures more productive, when the wind has dropped off.

darren

[Fitzy]

Hi Darren,
Its different for different locations. In short the fish cant go anywhere & at low levels there's more fish/hectare.
The fish will move to a better location within a lake if there is one available.
On water releases from Big W. They are releasing water 24/7 from there for:
A Brisbane's water supply
B the hydroelectric station that was commisioned at the Big W wall last year.

[macca]

I just want to know how long is it going to take for the authorities to get serious and put in place water restrictions for the south east corner.

All dams are getting lower and really the weather bereau has know idea when we will be getting substantial rain.

I can not remember it ever been this bad and I can't grasp the fact that no real restrictions have been applied, accept for the hinze catchment.

In Ipswich the only restrictions are that you can not use a splinkler on a monday.

At what levels do our dams have to reach before we start conserving water!!

What do you guys think

Macca

[Fitzy]

Hi Macca,
I'm kinda sympathetic to what you're saying. From memory I think Wivenhoe holds enough water to last greater Brisbane for another 5 years without any rain.
They aren't worried I dont think, but it does make life harder when boaties are launching in mud & the weedbeds are that stinking, rotting mass 50 yards up the bank.
I know SEQWCorp only care about $$$ so they'd love to see NO water restrictions ever put in place cause that would mean they sell less water to the local councils.
Think Gold Coast put restrictions in cause they've run their own dam well down at times & then have to buy it at a higher premium from SEQWCorp (Wivenhoe water).
It's only going to get worse as our population increases. In 2020 Toowoomba will be tapping into Wivenhoe water as well as they are at their peak with their available water nowadays. Hope they like Tilapia in the Condamine river.

Fitzy..

[ipswichfisher]

CROSSED THE STANLEY RIVER BRIDGE BETWEEN ESK & SOMERSET ON NEW YEARS EVE AND FAIR DINKUM HAVE NOT EVER SEEN IT SO LOW.. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AS LITTLE AS 2 FOOT OF WATER IN SOME PLACES. I ESTIMATE THE WATER LEVEL DROPS ON THE REGULAR SNAGS BY 10-12" A FORTNIGHT... I USED TO CATCH BASS FROM THE BANK AT CORMORANT BAY WHEN THERE WAS WEED AROUND THE FRINGES, BUT NOW ITS CATTIES AND TILAPIA...

[Doyley]

Hey Darren
Get around this! years ago impoundment fishing required an assortment of Scorpians , Boomerangs, Stumpjumpers etc then we were told soft plastics were the way to go and now in a late fishing report a prominent impoundment guide reports success with trolled spinnerbaits .Our target species appear to be more contrary than my ex wife!
Cheers
Doyley

[ipswichfisher]

WITH ALL THE FANCY STUFF AVAILABLE ( IT'S FUN TO PLAY WITH ) MY OLD MAN STILL CATCHES HIS YELLA'S WITH A LARGE SINGLE BLADE CELTA TYPE SPINNER IN IMPOUNDMENTS WHEN NOTHING ELSE WORKS.. THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE FOR ALL THE TACKLE RATS TO ADD TO THEIR COLLECTION. HE CAUGHT HIS COD IN THE SOUTH AS A BOY USING AREOPLANE SPINNERS, HOME MADE HOG BACKS AND MODERN SPINNERBAITS ONLY OFFER THE SAME ATTRACTION AS THESE OLDER LURES. I'D HATE TO CAST A 3" AREOPLANE SPINNER ON MY SPIN STICK THOUGH.

HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS OR WHAT. WHO'S GOT AN AIRCONDITIONER AND NEEDS A DRINKING PARTNER. TOO HOT FOR FISHING.

[Fitzy]

HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS OR WHAT. WHO'S GOT AN AIRCONDITIONER AND NEEDS A DRINKING PARTNER. TOO HOT FOR FISHING.

Hi Darren,
I guess with this wather the Redback spiders would be going berserk at the moment? You'd be pretty flat out with work hey? 41 in Ippy today. phew that's hot!

fitz

[ipswichfisher]

SURE WAS FITZY - - INSECTS ARE GOIN NUTS.. ITS COOLED DOWN, GOT THE WEEKEND OFF, TIME FOR FISHIN
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND EVERYONE.

THIS IS A BLOODY GREAT WEBSITE / BOARD HAVE TOLD HEAPS OF FISHERS ABOUT IT. GOOD WORK EVERYONE, ITS THE ONLY SITE I LOOK AT NOW - ALMOST..

WILL REPORT BACK ON WEKENDS FISHING