Reply With Quotestill, impoundment barra, just aren't real barra, the fight is no where near as hard IMO and besides, I'd rather eat pus than a fresh water barra... blergh!
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
Monday, December 14, 2009
Fishers can find monsters in Queensland dams
14 December 2009
Devout anglers looking to land a monster barramundi should be dropping a line in one of Queensland dams.
A recent study found barramundi released into freshwater dams reached the ‘magic metre’ twice as quickly as wild barramundi.
Minister for Primary Industries, Fisheries and Rural and Regional Queensland Tim Mulherin said landing a metre-long barramundi was an iconic fishing experience.
“The easiest way to catch one of these monster barramundi is by fishing in one of the State’s dams,” the Minister said.
“Stocked barramundi in Queensland reach the golden length of one metre in five years compared with 10 years for wild fish.
“To reach the legal minimum size of 58cm* stocked fish take just two years as opposed to four years for wild caught barra.
“With these fish ready to take in half the time anglers can look forward to a bigger and better catch.”
Mr Mulherin said the study was done in three parts and used data from more than 120,000 tagged fish.
“The study was developed with the help of anglers through fish tag collection and monitoring research conducted since 1987,” Mr Mulherin said.
“These reports are useful for stocking groups throughout the State who manage these fish stocking operations in local areas.
“Stocking groups can use this information to help decide which species are most suitable for their local fishery and gauge the numbers of fish that should be stocked each year.
“With freshwater angling participation rates increasing in Queensland, it is important that we invest in research to develop our stocked impoundment program.
“Over 70 stocking groups operate in Queensland, stocking dams to enhance the fishing experience.
“This work is a great example of how stakeholders and government can develop responsible stocking methods together for the benefit of the community.”
Fisheries Queensland principal scientist Dr Peter Kind said part of the study was prompted by the large numbers of stocked fish killed in winter during 2007.
“The study determined that extreme cold weather conditions, a one in 50-year event like the 2007 winter was the main contributory factor to fish deaths in stocked impoundments,” he said.
“We now know summer is the best time to introduce fingerlings into impoundments because water temperatures are higher, fish are more active and there’s more food available.
“Therefore fish are in better shape to deal with winter, where temperatures drop and food becomes scarcer.”
“If we understand how external conditions like water temperature can affect fish survival we can use this information to improve our fish stocking practices.
“The study also aimed to build on the fish stocking program and provide a bigger and better catch for recreational anglers.
“With plenty of food available, growth rates for fish in impoundments are higher so there’s a strong possibility anglers will land a bigger catch if they fish in stocked impoundments.”
Mr Mulherin said the three reports were developed by Bill Sawynok from Infofish Services in partnership with Fisheries Queensland and the Australian National Sportfishing Association as part of Queensland’s Living the Queensland Lifestyle Policy launched in 2006.
“The policy committed $1.65 million of funding over three years to enhance recreational fishing and the freshwater restocking programs,” Mr Mulherin said.
“Freshwater fishing is extremely important with economic surveys showing that each impoundment fishery contributes from $1 million to $4.5 million annually to local economies,” he said.
* East Coat barramundi have a minimum size limit of 58 cm and a maximum of 120cm with a bag limit of 5.
In the Gulf, there is a minimum size limit of 60cm and a maximum of 120cm and a bag limit of 5.
Media: Matt Watson 3239 3120
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still, impoundment barra, just aren't real barra, the fight is no where near as hard IMO and besides, I'd rather eat pus than a fresh water barra... blergh!
Thanks Phill...it is a reasonably well-contructed press release. Could have added a par in on in-possession limits in impoundments during closed season though...given that is the subject matter.
Cheers
Paul
Ranger 188VX - "Sweet Chariot"
It's an interesting statistic and i guess it makes observable common sense too.
I saw lately that fishery's somewhere (NSW i think) have taken to instilling fright (for bigger fish) into native fingerling's with the view to safer release and growth.
Pretty cool experimental research.
cheers fnq
His growth estimates are a bit off. The first metre barra taken from Lake Teemburra near Mackay was less than two years after it's release. I'm sure the other impoundments have similar growth rates. I've read of 450mm per year for the first couple of years.
Regarding the fight, I recently had a friend from Darwin fish Awoonga. He got an 81cm fish which he called the best fighting barra he'd caught. We were calling it for a metre before we saw it.
Re the fight of impoundment barra.
Most anglers targetting impoundment barra upscale their gear before they get on the water knowing what they are in for.
When in the salt, you don't always use the same heavy gear straight up as there is a huge range of things you might catch and using the heavy gear will normally limit your options and catch rates. This could be one reason behind the "perception" that Dam barra don't fight as well.
I know that the barra i have caught over the last 10 to 15 years at least in Tinaroo have ranged from pretty lazy fish to fish that just would not quit (and IMO its similar in the salt).
Over Christmas i jumped a barra off less than 5 metres from the boat that was easily the largest i've hooked up there (and i've caught plenty over 120cm). it cleared the water with its whole body by a metre easily, turned head down, flung the livie (and my hook) back at me and re-entered the water head first.
i know if i had've stayed connected i would have been in for a pretty decent fight on that fish.
i've also hooked fish up there trolling that tail-walk away from the boat like stocky sailfish. I've had fish put kinks in 80lb single strand trace wire just boofing the lure without hooking up and have had bibs snapped off on the boof as well - they are big mean fish that can and do go hard.
everyone will always have their own (rightly entitled) opinion, but i just don't agree when a big barra is dismissed as just being a stocked fish.
(for the record - i've caught my share of big ones in the salt too - though do concede nothing near the size of what i've been lucky to tangle with up at Tinaroo).
Cheers,
Moffy
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