Awoonga 17/4 - Full of life.

[the_matrix]

In recent days I have been sounding the dam fringe, flats and drop offs to get a new understanding of the waterway since the inflow.
Very little fishing has taken place, eyes glued to my sounder is more valuable than catching fish for now.
Some water quality testing in all corners has seen a marked improvement, oxygen rich, full of nutrients and life.

Apart from a completley new dynamic, the amount of bait that has blossomed is quite simply staggering.
Waves upon waves of Boney Bream in small sizes, up to about 70mm.
It has to be seen to be believed.
In shallow flooded bays, along bank stretches, and hugely popular around standing and fallen timber, and other structure.

Garfish fry in big numbers too, but not quite like the Boneys.

Watched a Barra hunt the shallows, saw barra inhaling schools of bait from the surface, and seeing the surface of the dam with so much motion it was like it was raining.

An awesome site, a mesmerising one and certainly a highly beneficial development. A great spin off from the inflow.

If anyone is wondering what it takes to get a dam and its inhabitants to boom, grow to mege sizes and flourish, then this is one part of the equation.
The other is long periods of extremly stable weather periods, something that the Central Coast is famous for.
Look out, Awoonga's back in a big way.

Cheers
Jas

[camo01]

Hi Jas,

From what you explained that sounds just like Teemburra Dam ahs been since the top up from the rain.Masses of boney's getting around and bucket loads of barra around the 50-60cm and all much healthier than i have seen in the last 2yrs.All this should make for a great future on the dam

cheers camo

[Little grey men]

good good good

[mikooh]

Jas,

Thanks once again for sharing your experiences and knowledge of Awoonga. I find that it helps us part time barra fishos from the south immensly and makes me look subjectively at the tactics we use on our few trips up there each year. Even considering a trip during the cooler months this year thanks in part to your input.

Mick

[McCod]

Yeah Jas' It's like a big pot of fish and vegetable soup at the moment... dropped in for a sticky and a few sessions Sunday arvo' Monday morning and the place was glassed out' warm water' and plenty of barra top feeding..... couldn't believe how quiet the place was.... only a hand full of boats and plenty of room for parking!
Bloody Great to see it back at 05 levels again .

Cheers Les

[rc@hinze]

Great info Jason and promising times ahead.

With so much new bait/food how does it effect the mood of the barra at the moment when comes to hitting lures in lieu of the abundant food they have currently? Does it make any difference to their behaviour at all?

[Mighty whitey]

[quote=the_matrix;803495]In recent days



Can't wait to return to awoonga and its barra some time in october,can't wait.
Thanks for sharing your experience at the mighty awoonga.

[Awoonga]

Jason, All is good except for one thing....? Water level....Look how quickly its going down

[the_matrix]

Trev, yep noticed.
Guess where its all going?
Comalco. Worlds biggest water wasters (including the joint you work at)They wont/dont want to listen about being water wise, its all about $$$$$$$
Wait til stage two is operational, it will go twice as fast.
The sooner the pipeline from the Fitzroy gets underway, the better.
A real worry that if that doesnt happen.
Cheers
Jas

[Plastic_Magic]

Thanks jas fior the great info..........Have been fishing the Saltwater for a couple of weeks waiting for the dam to come good......Sounds like it time to put some hours in and see if I can reep the reward.......Thanks Again.......

Cheers Plastic_Magic

P.S Jas is the upper reaches of the boyne high in Ozygen at the moment????

[TinarooTriumph]

Jas,

Good report mate... bet your out there right now (or stuck at work!).

When you said you saw 'waves' of Bony Bream, it reminds me of something I saw a few Wednesday's back at Tinaroo. better then 'waves'... BAITBALLS! Was in a few places that day, and whilst casting around certain Creek mouths I would look around and at one stage I looked into the water and saw a big, big school of Bony Bream (a Baitball). Not big Bonies... not even 60mm most of them. I kept casting infront of me, but kept my eye next to the Boat with this monster school of Baitfish... I was just waiting to see a Bucketmouth down there somewhere, open up and crunch! Seeing as though I couldnt' see any Barra around them, and that they were reasonably close to the surface, I smashed my Lure right on the surface (right ontop of them) and they went troppo. Thought that might encourage a fish or two... few minutes later and I was getting some good swipes at my Nilsie. Same thing happened at lunch... went up into the Barron and got the boat under a big Fig Tree (gotta love the shade!) and whilst tucking into a Sanger, saw yet another Baitball... this one alot. Again, no Lates'C' to be seen but they were there somewhere. Thought it was real good to see. Few weeks back these two Ck's were as brown as a Kelpie... fishing was shit and I didn't even bother going anywhere near the places. Week or two later when the water cleared, and Im seeing Baitballs. Thinking its gotta be good!

Cheers. Keep em' coming mate!

Theo

[Dead_Fishy]

Hi Jas,
I've got a few days off next week which should be when the SE wind drops out and thinking about coming up- I noticed in the pics from my recent trip that the fish we caught a few weeks back were totally different in colour (ie gold swamp dogs) to the ones from november and a lot fatter- have the fish started to move back upriver yet?- they certainly weren't there on our last trip.
The dam is like pasture- rain and it certainly comes alive with feed!
Cheers,

Greenie

[the_matrix]

Greenie, will send you a pm.
Jas

[gunna]

Thanks for that info Jason. Mate and I will be up there in a fortnight - so fingers crossed.

BTW - remember me - you met me when you nearly stayed in the same cabins last year at the November comp when you had Dunphy along. Remember that bloke who asked Dunphy what shop he owned in Sydney Mate still rubbishes me over that. Not my fault if I didn't know what he looked like lol.

Cheers

[the_matrix]

. Remember that bloke who asked Dunphy what shop he owned in Sydney Mate still rubbishes me over that. Not my fault if I didn't know what he looked like lol.
Cheers

Gunna,
I still laugh about that, f%$k that was funny!
Exactly, how the hell are ya supposed to know what jd looks like, and he's an unassuming looking bloke eh?

What are mates for eh, bet they get a good laugh at your expense. Mongrels.

Yeh get amongst them mate, if you see me wave me over, I cant remember what boat you were in.
Cheers
Jas