50,000 barra for Monduran

[Whitto]

The MASA (monduran anglers and stocking association) yesterday released another 50,000 barra fingerlings into Lake Monduran.

We had 4 boat releasing the 50mm fingerlings in many varied areas around the dam yesterday afternoon. NOT A BIRD in sight!!! No one reported any deaths upon release either. I know the thousands I let go swam off brilliantly.

This is my first experience with the release of fingerlings as part of MASA, and I must say it is a rewarding feeling which was equally shared with the existing longer term members.

MASA are a great bunch of local men and women, who volounteer all their time over many years now to create, and continue to stock this great impoundment. I asked the president "when are we doing this again" his reply, "as soon as more fingerlings become available". The future looks good.

cheers steve

Good work Steve/MASA, They will be Teenagers with plenty of attitude in no time judging by Jas growth rate info, U wouldn't want to be a fingerling for quids ( sh++ting chips on a daily basis), Still we are very lucky to have dedicated people at the coal face, Well done and Thanks, Cheers Whitto

[the_matrix]

25-30% survival rate is hatchery statistics, as stated there is variance with weather, birdlife and available digestable protein.
What is immeasurable is that while impoundments are there for people to catch fish, there will always be an element of undesirables.
They dont want to learn catch and release, or handling practises, they are not there for the same reasons most of us are.
Although it pains me to say this, I'd much rather those undesirables in our artificially created waterways than smashing up our wild stocks, or killing valuable brooders.
Considering the stocking effort, the fishery can sustain fish being taken out.
Whether we like it or not, thats why they were bloody stocked in the first place.

Steve, I like your passion and effort you display regarding the waterway and would never discourage that, I too feel the same way and have immeasurable respect for the inhabitants.
However, I have seen the types that frequent these favs of ours, and seen Awoonga go through a mega boom, when the meato's turn up the knives are already sharpened.
It goes with the territory, and although education is the key, some will never bother with it no matter how many sign, handouts or the like are out there.
Some just dont get it!
But the flip side is, even if the signs or handouts make one person stop and think, well its been worth it.
Im just pointing out it will never be rubbed out completley.

Nagg, bit hard to compare salt with fresh mate.
You'd be surprised whats in some of those creeks up North.
Places like the Goomadir, the Blyth, Junction Bay etc, wow 100 fish sessions per boat with 4 or 5 boats fishing. Thats some big numbers.
Cheers
Jas

[Whitto]

It's called TUNNEL VISION, no matter what u do or say there is always an element that are there for one thing. Having said that Steve's idea is a good one even if a few people are made aware and practice the information then it has been a worthwhile exercise, Cheers Whitto

[Rockfish]

Its great to see the locals getting in there and doing their very best to ensure the Barra population of a great impoundment. I congratulate you guys on your efforts.

Maybe one day Monduran will rival the likes of Awoonga for pure numbers of fish released and more importantly the number 1 locality to catch huge barra in Australia.

All we need to do now is to get rid of those filleting tables from the stocked impoundments and promote them as CR and CPR fisheries entirely.

[moggy1]

Facts state that in a heavily boney bream populated dam such as Monduran barra can grow 1mm a day in winter and 3mm a day in summer. That is of course as jas stated the temp & food variances. These figures are minimuim growth rates. More food & temp would yeild greater growth rates. So the fingerlings will be just fine released at this time of the year.
Cheers Moggy

[castamasta]

hi steve,sorry i havnt been intouch mate,been very very busy [except for one sneaky trip up your way :].anyway good work and thanks for the stocking groups work,not just you and the boys and girls of your local group but all stocking groups,with them we dont have these great fisheries.by the way i havnt forgoten the pics ther are coming soon, promise.looking forward to catching up,cheers,gav.

[Magella]

Hey Steve,
To help with your question on where Monduran Barra come from, in the past all came your Awoonga hatchery, until a couple of years ago when they could not supply the Barra. They all came from Awoonga as we had to stock southern strain barra as they were what the DPI said had to be stocked. Then after the year of non supply MASSA kicked up a stink and now they can stock southern and central stain barra which gives MASSA a choice of where they get there barra and they don't have to put all there eggs in the one basket, so if one hatchery can't supplythey can get them somewhere else.

Well done MASSA And yea Steve it is a real buzz to release fish.

Cheers Foxie

Ps Steve you can't count these Barra as fish boated for the year.

[Steve B]

Thanks foxie, good to see you back on deck!! Thanks for that info about MASA stocking and finglerling supply.

I'm working on the karma principle!!! good deed and the barra gods will smile on me ....for a change this year!!

Ha Ha, I have had about 10000 barra in my boat this year!!! luck I practice C & R!!! Filleting them would be tricky!!

See ya soon Foxie,

Steve

[Peter4]

Great work Steve.

The more barra there are the happier I get! One of those little buggers could be my PB in 10 years time!

Regs

Pete

[Colo77]

Hey Steve,
To help with your question on where Monduran Barra come from, in the past all came your Awoonga hatchery, until a couple of years ago when they could not supply the Barra. They all came from Awoonga as we had to stock southern strain barra as they were what the DPI said had to be stocked. Then after the year of non supply MASSA kicked up a stink and now they can stock southern and central stain barra which gives MASSA a choice of where they get there barra and they don't have to put all there eggs in the one basket, so if one hatchery can't supplythey can get them somewhere else.

Well done MASSA And yea Steve it is a real buzz to release fish.

Cheers Foxie

Ps Steve you can't count these Barra as fish boated for the year.

Well done MASA on the release of the 50k barra.

Interesting you can get some stock from Bowen, I thought there were only the 2 strain of barra, Northern and Southern and that the DPI were dead against any type of crossbreed (if they escape the dam) even southern and "central" strain.

I havn't been involved in a stocking group for a couple of years now but I'll be sure to let my former stocking group colleagues know of this info so they can continue stocking out Emerald way. (They used to get their stock from GAWB too)

It is a very rewarding feeling letting all those little fellas go and dreaming of how they'll be on the end of your line in years to come. Hopefully the Emerald boys can continue on with their efforts this year and I hope they've followed up on the SIPS application (they're gonna need it to make a decent fishery at Fairbairn). Most of their efforts had been on stocking local weirs as it is an achievable task to make a good fishery of it but they'd have to loose a fair few each year as the fish feel the urge to migrate downstream to the salt.

They have a pretty daunting task trying to stock decent numbers in a dam the size of Fairbairn but the dam itself shows a heap of potential in becoming a world class barra fishery oneday. To stock it at 100 fish per hectare per year would require something like $500k per year (Can't remember exactly). Considering the amount they have put in, an awful lot turned up on the shore during last years nasty winter so survival rates must be fairly high.

Anyway, congrats again to MASA and all the other stocking groups around QLD. Hopefully I'll get down that way oneday to have a crack at some Monduran Barra. It sounds like an awesome fishery.

Cheers, Colo

[Whitto]

Thanks foxie, good to see you back on deck!! Thanks for that info about MASA stocking and finglerling supply.

I'm working on the karma principle!!! good deed and the barra gods will smile on me ....for a change this year!!

Ha Ha, I have had about 10000 barra in my boat this year!!! luck I practice C & R!!! Filleting them would be tricky!!

See ya soon Foxie,

Steve

I don't think it would be too tricky Steve, Im sure Foxie would sell really really really really small filleting knives, I don't have that problem like yourself I practice CPR very professionally, Cheers from Smart arse Whitto PS Can u say arse

[tazzydevil]

whats so good about monduran every one on this website just posts things about it. went there once while hervey bay fishing. got just one golden perch from the bank.

[Magella]

Colo
I think that the DPI now believe that there are three stains Northern, Central and Southern and we are allowed to stock the last two.
Cheers Foxie

[nipsta]

fantastic to see a few more released more numbers the better chance i can crack that metre mark in a sooner then later and on the lure steve talked me into buying from foxies .

whitto i see your heading up with tropicaltrout make sure you check out his flash strip lights in his boat there a pair of beautys and dont blame me if the welds break i hope when i fix the trailer it holds together lol

oh yeah it will be good to have to ambos there this time that way i have some one who can help me if my back gives way this time .

see you lads for the m & g for several cold ones

[Whitto]

fantastic to see a few more released more numbers the better chance i can crack that metre mark in a sooner then later and on the lure steve talked me into buying from foxies .

whitto i see your heading up with tropicaltrout make sure you check out his flash strip lights in his boat there a pair of beautys and dont blame me if the welds break i hope when i fix the trailer it holds together lol

oh yeah it will be good to have to ambos there this time that way i have some one who can help me if my back gives way this time .

see you lads for the m & g for several cold ones

No worries Nipsta Ill bring some rubbing alcohol its a new product called Wild Turkey enough of that will hold the pain at bay, Cheers Whitto