Another Awoonga Report

[eotbmg]

I know its another Awoonga report but here goes..
It wasn’t my intention to get up there this weekend with the full moon v’s crowd thing but a mate rang me and told me he had a spare spot so how could anyone knock that back.
I had never been to Awoonga as I had concentrated on Monduran during the winter /spring casting to the sticks . So we ventured up there Friday night and put the tent up in the piddling rain and bunked down for the night..
Morning arrived and the rain had cleared for a brief time so we headed off and cast around some weed beds and had Jacques on a fish pretty early. An 83 cm Barra his first. It started to rain again so we decided to fish a bit later on in the arvo. We concentrated on the weed beds and scored some big hits on dusk and the three or four hours after casting squidgy’s on top of the weed. This was how our three days were spent and we ended up with 29 between 2 boats with the biggest going 117. Jacques and myself getting 9 and Richard and Sam getting 20. Right place at the right time-that’s what I tell myself any way. We caught 2 trolling and the rest casting
Many thanks to Paul and Navi for their advice and guidance on Thursday night-you guys are always on the money with spots and times. Also to Richard and Sam for their help.
Cheers Ben

[eotbmg]

Conditions were AWESOME

[eotbmg]

Sunset shot

[eotbmg]

The night time was so exciting. We got heaps of hits and probably lost 12 fish over the trip on plastics. My first cast over the weed beds resulted in this fish!!!!!!!!!! Some call it arse!!!

[eotbmg]

Another plastic victim

[flickflack]

Well Done mate u guys had a top trip. I definately need to get back up there

Cheers Rod

[Frank_Oostenbroek]

Good Work Ben,

I know how much you were looking forward to Awonga. It was great to hear that the ABT was cancelled. A real shame for the contestants but it gave you a bit of room to move.

I would love to come up but I will need to take some leave first.

The picture of the lake is fantastic. Well done mate.

Frank OO

[Awoonga]

ABT Canned no way.... Record numbers of fish caught and released..to fight another day ABT evening event under way with one day to run then off to Monduran......

[black_sheep]

Awesome stuff Ben,

Glad to see you got amongst them and for only 3 days, you nailed 'em. Also good to hear that most of your fish came casting and on plastics. Paul mentioned that you did get pole-axed on that spot we mentioned and good to hear - makes me feel much better about the 5 scorpions I lost on that spot. It does hold some mega barra.

Franko - stop makin excuses and get there mate You'll ove it.

Ben - Let me know about your Minn Kota, I have spoken to BLA about it.

[SeekingBarradise]

Well done eotbmg you nailed them and with 2 boats it makes it more fun with friends etc

What type of action did you put on your plastics?

It looks like you got many of them just on dark? What times did they come on?

Did you use the electric to motor up and down the weed beds or just hole up on a spot for hours?

Well done again and your pics are great.

Cheers SeekingBarradise

[Big_Ren]

Onya Ben. I must admit to a load of jealousy when you called to say how the trip was going.....jealous I wasn't there and the fact I was doing home chores for the Minister for War and Finance didn't help things at all....and jealous of the bloody TGO you guys had

Great effort by you guys and great pics. You had way more success than I did on the Slick Rigs (can I count a turtle )

I am sure Navi and I will be scheming to get back there as soon as possible.

FrankOO, as Navi said, get your A into G and get up there....I am sure you could approve your own leave

Cheers
Paul

[eotbmg]

Seeking Barradise- It's definately better with 2 boats. We had the hand held 2 way going and was great to keep in touch with the other guys. We didn't put and action on the plastics at all. We cast out say 20-30 meters and listen/watch the reel to know when it's going to land [it's dark ] cos as soon as it lands you need to be winding in or you are in the weed. We were in about 8 ft and only 1.5 ft of that is clear water so we kept the rod tip high and steadily wound the placcy in. No jerking or movement cos as soon as it drops your weeded. The squidgys drop at about 1 mtere per second so you have to be on the ball.
The fish were taken just on dark and all the way up to about 10.30pm and then the bite tapered off. We also got hits and fish in the morning around sunrise.
You have to be really really quiet cos its so still every voice is heard every bang on the tinnie is vibrated in to the water and in the shallows i reckon they get spooked.
We used the electric to motor along the weed edges and right on top of the weed patch-we didn't achor at all.
Navi- I was going to set up a shot of a barra with my lure in it's mouth and a bleeding mullet rmg hanging out the other side and email you a photo saying do you recognise this guy!!!!!! But it didnt happen. I got bashed on a 20 ft Barra bait- just too big and didn't have time to get any line in > Will talk to you about the minny tnite.
Thanks Paul see if you can organise around those dates next month or even jan seeing how you are going
Frankoo-stop being an old fart and get up there.
Cheers
Ben

[Frank_Oostenbroek]

Navi, Big-Ren,

Could you imagine the look on Ben's face if I caught the 1 Meter Barra before Ben? Mate he would be extremely Peed off.

However, having said that, let me say this. If I get an invitation to accompany Ben to Awonga and My boss lets me go, I will do my best to make sure that Ben gets really Peed off when I get the holy grail first.

Interesting to see that"Awonga" said that the ABT did go ahead. I am sorry fr even thinking that the event was cancelled.

Frank OO

[Tambo]

Benny Boy,

Not a bad couple of barra's there matey - almost big enough to put in my fish tank (lol). Save me a spot in the trip if you are going over the chrissy period... As I will be up there for four weeks.

Tambo

[Smailesy]

some great pics there guys