Fitzy on 4BC this morning...?

[Dart_Raider]

Hi all,
I only caught the very end of Fitzy on Nugget's radio show this morning.....he was talking about the relativley higher numbers of lungfish in the mid-Brisbane River compared with Wivenhoe...(i think.....i was kinda half asleep).
I was just wondering if Fitzy was talking about the research he was undertaking (he mentioned this in Elpherez's recent report about the big cod)? In particular, was there any mention of bass numbers in the mid Brissie?
I am just fascinated to know how factors such as stocking, the drought/lack of water flow from Wivenhoe, rec. fishing etc are affecting the good old bass in the river!
cheers
Simmo

[Fitzy]

Hi all,
I only caught the very end of Fitzy on Nugget's radio show this morning.....he was talking about the relativley higher numbers of lungfish in the mid-Brisbane River compared with Wivenhoe...(i think.....i was kinda half asleep).
I was just wondering if Fitzy was talking about the research he was undertaking (he mentioned this in Elpherez's recent report about the big cod)? In particular, was there any mention of bass numbers in the mid Brissie?
I am just fascinated to know how factors such as stocking, the drought/lack of water flow from Wivenhoe, rec. fishing etc are affecting the good old bass in the river!
cheers
Simmo

G'Day Simmo,
I was intentionally a little vague on 4BC as I dont want to pre-empt any of the findings of the research DPI&F are conducting.
I did see some good numbers of bass in the mid-Brisbane River. From small fish to reasonable sizes. Most seemed to be in fair condition with one or two showing some infection and/or parasite problems.
I think the fish in the middle section of river (Wivenhoe to Mt Crosby) have it quite good still as they have guaranteed water flowing every day. This is keeping water quality quite good (from my observations).

I wont say exactly what sections of river I was in when visiting with DPI&F nor other locations I'm aware of that were sampled. There are some folks out there that specifically target lungfish, if they were to find out the best areas & best structure to find them it would be a slaughter.
In my opinion this section of river needs little fish to be stocked. From what I've seen both with DPI & my many other trips on this river there is not an over adundance of forrage fish present. If I am correct, you can pour in all of the fingerlings you want but they will just compete with each other for food & space. Without flood events to fire up the food chain there will never be an over abundance of food. When the flood gates at Wivenhoe get opened there is an explosion of food as well as fish from the lake. Things tend to be in proportion; as the food levels die off the bigger fish move down past Mt Crosby. possibly spawn & die off or get eaten by sharks.

Sepcies I saw in the mid-Brisbane River while accompanying DPI&F were:
Lungfish (the target species) - alot
bass - good numbers
golden perch - a couple
bully mullet - alot but all larger fish
yellow eye mullet - alot but all larger fish
spangled perch - a few
banded grunter (barred grunter) - a couple
tilapia - several
eel tailed catfish - a few
fork tailed catfish - a few
eel - a couple
rainbowfish (didnt ID the exact species but I would think Crimson Spotted)
bony bream - alot
saratoga - 1

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

Fitzy..

[Dart_Raider]

Hi Fitzy,
I really aprreciate the detailed reply. I would be very interested to see the final DPI&F report on this section of the river! I usually fish just upstream of Kholo Crossing, but late last year we fished a completely new location (somewhere between Wivenhoe and Mt Crosby) and I was stunned at the amount of life in the river. Lungfish were plentiful, the water was teeming with mullet, turtles were to be seen on most logs, and on dusk, we must have seen at least 10 platypus. On that particlar day we only caught one bass, along with a couple of little spangled perch.
Anyway it does sound encouraging that your preliminary findings indicate the river is in what appears to be a pretty good state, in spite of the dry weather and the multitude of other pressures on this waterway.
Thanks again, Simmo