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A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga
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Thread: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

  1. #1
    Ausfish Bronze Member Xtreme's Avatar
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    Oct 2006

    A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Hi all,

    Just returned from a week up at Awoonga with a few mates in what can only be described as a week of contrasts.

    The Lead Up:

    The trip has been delayed 3 times now due to the impending arrival (and delays) of my new Xtreme 520TC, it finally arrived Thursday which meant straight to the motor trimmers for transport covers etc and then all nighter Friday fitting up the electronics, LMF-400 combo guage unit and the new Minn Kota Terrova 80lb Bow mount.

    My mate arrived from Forster Saturday morning and after a few outstanding jobs, we hit the road after lunch, called in and picked up some Horny Toads that McCod had surplus (Thanks mate!!) and met up with Eric "The BeaR" Grell at Torbanlea to do a quick exchange of S10's whilst Eric did some running repairs on my stick with one from his personal stable so I could throw the beloved Frog patterns. In camp with a beer by 9PM

    Pre Fish Reccie Sunday:

    Took the advice of "The Matrix" in his recent threads (Well, most of it) and used day 1 as a planning session on the water, OK, we did have a few throws whilst on our reccie but purely for casting practice, otherwise we stuck to his advice and run over the lake and into the Boyne looking for bait schools, weed banks and other likely fish signs. The High for today was that the boat performed perfectly in the variable winds - ie - Variable between 25 and 30 knots out of the South, South East!!!!

    We found most of the bigger Barra were holding at 25 to 30 feet down regardless of water depth and generally suspended over tree stumps, ridges, creek and river banks etc but were very much shut down and stationary, conditions that remained for most of the week as it was to turn out for most.

    Reports in the camp were grim too, very few fish, even with the No Blokes crews who were finishing up a tournie over the Sunday having only marginal success in tough conditions but what was consistent was the fact the bait schools we found were concentrated in the lower reaches of the Boyne which is where the No Blokes crew had reportedly had most success.

    The Fishing:

    With 2 crews we could split up and test our theories more quickly, the second crew were happy to troll the Boyne and into the mouth of Futter Ck where we found the bigger fish, albeit largely shut down and we points cast hard bodies and Slick Rigs on prominent points and along weed edges.

    After 3 days, we'd managed only 2 fish released and a further 3 or 4 jumped off early, in contrast, the other boys had found a relative purple patch in the lower reaches of the Boyne including 5 fish sesion one afternoon from a 300 M stretch of bank!!!! The score after Tuesday was 9 to 1 in favour of the trolling team with fish in the 86cm to 99cm class. To rub salt into our wounds, Max managed to have our only fish escape a photo shoot and turn Eric's own S10's into a 3 piece The trip is starting to get expensive..

    Time for a change of tactics. We knew that the fish were about but we were probably not working the water hard enough in the right areas. We moved to the now wind hammered Western bank and found some magic looking water which was turned chocolate brown hard up against the banks, these 3 or 4 points, banks and bays just HAD to hold fish. THEY DID....

    Over the next 4 sessions our crew repeatedly anchored up in around 15 to 20 foot of water and hammered these areas with 110 Slick Rigs in Evil Minnow off the Egrell B6-L pointz Rodz designed for this exact purpose. We found that 20 lb spectra delivered more positive connections as the fish we just tapping the slick rigs not dissimilar to an under sized bream bite. Rattling hard bodies were impossible to work due to the suspended weed but I am sure they'd have worked if we could have kept the weed at bay.....( A yarn with "Harro" on Friday morning gave us the cure with a multi single hook rig he used to limit weed issues and minimise jump offs via super strong size 1 and 1/0 hooks. He also gave us a great insight into the Barra's vision and feeding habits that correlated well with what we had observed but had no explaination for in terms of hot bite periods.) Next trip we'll deploy those tricks too, Cheers to Harro for those tips

    Refining techniques during and after each session improved hook up and land rates and eventually on Thursday evening I managed 6 fish, including my first metery of 106cm, 3 of them coming in just 5 casts using cut down Pro series heads and the 110mm Evil minnows in a hot session that delivered 7 fish in an hour and a half for the crew. SUCCESS AT LAST. . Max jumped off 4 fish in the same sesson using 130 slick rigs and heavier heads, not sure of any correlation but I wasn't going to modify my rig to find out.

    The fish in this session were sitting on the edge of the muddy water on the back of a ridge in about 30 feet of water and cruising the ledge, all of our hits came in the 6 foot of water depth as the lures made their way through the chocolate and over the ridge.

    Back at camp, we had totalled 13 fish for the week and our second crew 9 fish after the lower Boyne dried up fish wise after the Wednesday and the boys couldn't raise the interest of the big units sulking in the mouth of Futter Ck.

    Comparing catch rates, we'd faired better that most other crews over the week which really come down spending time on the water and using the techniques found here and in print media to help maintain confidence during the very lean first half of the week.

    Hope it helps others yet to crack a fish at Awoonga,

    Cheers, Steve

  2. #2
    Ausfish Platinum Member Awoonga's Avatar
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    Dec 2004

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Good to see blokes... Found a pattern that worked Top stuff As Jason says the wind can be your Friend sometimes

  3. #3
    Ausfish Bronze Member Xtreme's Avatar
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    Oct 2006

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Hi Awoonga,

    You're not wrong, probably the only boat that ventured to the windward shore but by thursday am, we were actually hoping for 30 knots out of the south east to improve our chances.....

    I've always known about windward shores and the affect wind has on water movement but we actually witnessed a rip between 2 points along a shallow bay that had serious brown water pushing AGAINST the SE winds right in the middle of the bay. It was holding a healthy population of fish but too shallow to remain consistent....Every time we hooked up, the flats would empty of fish and we'd have to move away and come back an hour later.

    Damn I wish I lived closer, you guys have it right based on the front door step.

    Tight lines,

  4. #4

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Good read Take 2 ....... Nice to see your efforts rewarded

    Cheers

    Nagg

  5. #5
    Ausfish Bronze Member
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    Feb 2007

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Nice report Steve...Cheers

  6. #6

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Great read Steve. Really interesting how you changed tactics and used the wind to your favour. Its good to know that when you applied the right advice it did work. There sure is a wealth of information in the locals at Awoonga and they are lucky to live next to a great impoundment. Its also good they are happy to share it with all of us via this site and in person.
    cheers
    Richard

  7. #7
    Ausfish Silver Member Mak579's Avatar
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    Feb 2005

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Take 2,

    Often people don't have the courage to change tactics, congratulations on your success!

    Matt C

  8. #8

    Thumbs up Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Thanks for the in depth report mate'
    You did extremely well to nut em out and not stay stuck in a rut as its easy to do.
    Great to see the new rig get christened .


    Cheers Les


    "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

  9. #9

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Great report Steve you guys did well.

    Ahh fishing is a great hobbie - especially when you have 2 boats with mates on board to tinker with tactics back at the camp over a few coldies - what a fun week. You did very well when you consider Johnny Mitchells Guide Diary stats which told a story = fishing around 70%++++ harder in the last week when compared to the magical week before when fishing was easier.

    We might have seen you guys up there at the no blokes - we were in the white stessle 5.2m camped down the bottom level at Awoonga with all the ropes around etc, we were the campsite with the fire going 24 hours a day!!

    All the best on future trips Cheers Kel & Lyndon.

  10. #10

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Great effort Take 2. Good to see you get a few fish over the week. You certainally would have much better then most people. I went out for a fish on Satuday night threw to sunday morning with the fish scarce and the old spots under water was very hard fishing. Did not manage to raise a fish, the first fishless trip in many months (TOUCH WOOD). We did manage a couple of hits but they were to finaky and put the stingers on to late. Good to here people getting a few fish.

    Cheers Plastic_Magic

  11. #11
    Ausfish Bronze Member Xtreme's Avatar
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    Oct 2006

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Richard, Matt & Plastic, thanks guys, it certainly was tough going compared to prior trips but once we found that recipe, it got pretty exciting.... Am looking forward to my next trip up in April and won't be at all disappointed is the wind is howling again if we can emulate the results.

    Tough to venture out in the conditions particularly if you have the place on your door step but if the fish remain consistent in those conditions, the muddied shallows would certainly be worth a session with the Slick Rigs and cut down 110mm Pro series heads up in those shallows.

    We did not need to replace 1 leader all session as the fish were all hooked in the corner of the jaw which says something about the nature of the bite compared to the usual clear water take that see's the lure about 18 inches down their throats, my theory is the water clarity but I am sure that Johhny &/or Jas will have that sussed, regardless it was a really tentative take and very un Barra like

    Kel & Lyndon, we stayed up top in site #7, we went pretty hard Sunday and Monday so didn't get to mingle too much at all around the camp, our other crew were a little more social though and did chat with a few of the No Blokes crew Sat night and Sunday. I did see Johnny's reports and was extra proud of our results given his comments, albeit, I did see him fishing the more charter friendly lee shores late in the week. I'd bet he's one of the first guys fishing the windward shore lines when he hasn't got the health and safety of paying clients to consider. Those conditions certainly were not comfortable even in a 5M plus plate boat.

    McCod, mate, I managed 1 jump off and a short strike on the Horny Toads before the Egrell S10 met it's maker. Give me a call / PM when you get a free period mid week and we can take a run up if you like. It'll be hard to decide which boat to take, looking at your avitar, I am kinda liking the idea of fishing the Skeeter!!

    Steve

  12. #12

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Quote Originally Posted by Take 2 View Post
    McCod, mate, I managed 1 jump off and a short strike on the Horny Toads before the Egrell S10 met it's maker. Steve
    Your not winding fast enough if you get short struck on a toad.
    Hook set and strike is critical toad fishing but you'll get better with it the more you do.
    Great report, well done on your efforts, as Matt says it does take courage to change tact, but its the only way to learn.
    If nothing changes, nothing changes.
    Cheers
    Jas

  13. #13
    Ausfish Bronze Member Xtreme's Avatar
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    Oct 2006

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Hi Jas,

    Thanks for the tip..... I'll try that next time I am up. I guess if I was an Awoonga frogt I'd be in a HUGE hurry to get to the other bank too....

    Cheers, Steve

  14. #14

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Quote Originally Posted by Take 2 View Post
    We did not need to replace 1 leader all session as the fish were all hooked in the corner of the jaw which says something about the nature of the bite compared to the usual clear water take that see's the lure about 18 inches down their throats, my theory is the water clarity but I am sure that Johhny &/or Jas will have that sussed, regardless it was a really tentative take and very un Barra like
    Steve
    Steve,
    Barra have a million ways in which they strike/approach their prey, and all these differing methods come down to the mood of the fish, state of agitation, hunger, availability, water quality (not so much colour) current, situation, cast angle, weather, recent history of boat traffic, water temp, retrieve speed, lure type etc etc etc etc. Often a change in cast angle can fix that problem.
    As you can see lots of variables in Barra strike methods.
    What is clear is that you got fish to bite and were able to convert into capture.
    As you found, the smallest bite can lead to a mega sized fish.

    Rod strike methods, the angle your rod is at during retrieve, focus and periods where you "drift off" can affect the outcome much more than people realise.
    Barra often give you keys or tips on what mood they are in, and in your instance they were hard to tempt, but were still biting. Who knows how many fish your lures went past.
    Slick rigs? Great reaction baits.
    In those circumstances where you mentioned small taps, hinge hook ups and undamaged leaders all points to an area where you can improve your catch rate next time under similar conditions and fish mood by changing tactics.
    If you think about it, the answer will come easily, as I have outlined the keys here for you.

    Hope that helps for next time, but well done on getting things going for yourselves through positive attitude and hard work in trying conditions.
    Never let the results of others affect your outlook, it will only lessen your patience and time on the water.

    Also another tip on these dams is that somewhere there will be fish doing something completley different to the others. Try and not fall into the trap that all the fish are doing the same thing, because they are not. There may be optimal conditions for catching Barra in 20 feet, and around the corner in 2 feet there are Barra chewing everything that moves. Thats just how it goes.
    Keep an open mind at all times, it will serve you well.
    Cheers
    Jas

  15. #15
    Ausfish Bronze Member Xtreme's Avatar
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    Oct 2006

    Re: A week of highs and lows @ Awoonga

    Thanks Jas again for sharing your hard earned wisdom, I really appreciate it as I am sure others do.

    Am looking forward to putting in more time and effort to get further up the impoundment Barra curve and your guidance is really accelerating that. Seems the Barra are far more diverse than the St Claire Bass I have spent 90% of my impoundment career one were to me. Looking forard to the challenge.

    Will definately buy you a beer when I run into up at Awoonga,

    Steve

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