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Author Topic: Awoonga and Competitions  (Read 21366 times)

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Awoonga and Competitions
« on: November 08, 2010, 09:57:33 AM »
Hey guys,

I was trying to get my Bro and Cous together so we could make a run up to Awoonga for the weekend of the 20th of Nov.  I now hear that there is not one comp but two up there on that weekend.

Now unless I'm in the comp, what would you guys suggest about going up there the same weekend?  Would it be madness !!!  Should we postpone to some other time ?  What's the collective experience.?

Now take into account my experience with fishing barra fishing on Dams is pretty awful and Awoonga would be the first time visit. 

Any help and advice is very greatly appreciated.   :thanks

Cheers






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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2010, 10:53:54 AM »
I can't see it being too much of an issue.  I've fished Awoonga when there are over 100 cars and trailers at the ramp and the lake wasn't crowded.  Your biggest problem may be finding accomodation.  As far as fishing, if you're fishing a bank, stick to it.  If someone else is fishing a bank, leave them to it.  The comp guys don't have any more right to fish than you do.

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2010, 11:29:24 AM »
Why not hit Monduran if your worried about too many other people

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2010, 01:10:29 PM »
I`d be turning up and looking at places where the other comp guys are fishing. Dont go near them because thats not cool. But, notice the type of areas they are fishing and duplicate this elsewhere. Theres a big choice of places to fish in Awoonga. It may be just the heads up you need on the dam. As Dale already said, its a big dam, room for lots of anglers.

randall.

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2010, 06:24:43 PM »
yeah there is a ladies comp on and straight after there will be the abt barra tour.  expect to see 40 plus boats out there throughout that weekend, but there should be enough room to get a possie.

cheers
kurt

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2010, 07:41:24 AM »
BBM,
Also, find out what hours they will be fishing, and work around that. Get in before them rather than immediately after the daily events. Pick a spot or two and bash it to foam. Each fish averages around 100cm long, so make sure your gear is up to standard.  If it's the first time visit- be patient. The fish will come to you if you sit and wait. Spend atleast 1 hr in each spot. Do some homework on lure selection and techniques before you go. Do more than just ask a tackle shop employee that's 500+ km's away. Search this site, my site, and other internet mediums for barra info. Read plenty, learn plenty- and catch yourself a snodger.
Cheers and good luck.
Johnny Mitchell

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2010, 09:28:31 AM »
Perosnally, I be dodging the place if there's a bunch of tournament folks in town. There'll be plenty of room for the boats, the competing egos of a few might make it a bit crowded, i prefer solitude. In saying that, all the guff I'm hearing is that Monduran has fallen in heap. Maybe its because many locals & visitors are letting others do their thinking & just chucking plastics off points & not going into tiger country with other lures / techniques. Maybe I'm wrong.....happy to hear otherwise.  :thumbsup

Awoonga, by all accounts is fishing well ATM. I dropped into Awoonga Gateway Cabins the other night. Mark & Lyn said they've got alot of bookings & there's been some good numbers of barra being caught by their guests.

Cheers,

fitzy..

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2010, 10:50:17 AM »
Many thanks to everyone who replied.

Fitzy:  We had been planning to get this trip sorted for ages and are now kinda cornered to that weekend so we are kinda committed.  We are looking at going for Saturday through to Monday so hopefully a good sesh on the Monday morn ;). The reason we are heading to Awoonga is mainly because we haven't been there before.  Mondy has not been kind to use with only a few dropped fish. I guess I shouldn't say "Monday hasn't been kind" because it really is all about what, where, and how I fish that makes the difference.


JM : Thanks for the advice. Getting out as early as possible is what I was thinking and besides it is the best part of the day for being on the water I reckon  ;D.  I will take everything you have said on board and go back and re-read the stuff I have visited already as well.  It can be frustrating going to a awesome place like Awoonga or Mondy and not getting a fish but there are no freebies when you hit the water so just have to suck it up and try something different if things aren't working.  Oh and I spoke to the Minister for Family and Finance last night and I reckon I could be getting a business case signed for a day charter up there mate so hopefully talk to you soon.  :youbeauty


I really want to get a Barra off the surface and so maybe Boof-Frog or a Sammy might do the trick.

Once again many thanks to everyone and hopefully we find some good spots to make our mark and get a few.   :yourock

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2010, 01:05:32 PM »
If you want a Barra off the surface, see if you can find some Ribbits Bull Frogs.

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2010, 06:20:22 PM »
As Fitz stated, getting away from the hoo ha can be a blessing in disguise as well. I'm pulling the pin that week- Norfolk Island.
The word on the street from many is that Monduran is dead, BUT IF YOU TALK TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE, you'll find the place has a few vibrant sparks in the air with some quality captures recently. Friends of mine caught fish to 115cm, (among other sizes) one day this week- from Monduran. As Fitz also said, ( man of wisdom) you have to use your own brain and adjust to suit the lay of the lake and it's fish rather than following the pack. There's plenty of reports of doughnuts or singular captures from Monduran- those same reports include examples of 'missed bites, swirls, surface bites and the like'. To an experienced angler- that's golden egg information. It shows the fish are willing to move. Moving fish are what the doctor ordered. What needs to change is a bit of angler 'direction'. The fish haven't gone anywhere, they just changed- just like fish do in those lakes- every year, and when fish change their ways because of topographical lake fringe variations, water flow and depths, temps and so on- they become a hunter of another kind. The angler just needs to find out how they are operating. The typical run of the mill common tactic obviously isn't the best answer in 2010/11. Guiding would be super easy if the fish were the same every year.
If every keen Monduran angler runs to Awoonga thinking the fishing is easier up this way, they are leaving a bigger gap in their own fishery- why because you can't mow your own lawn while your at the neighbour's house. Some day, they'll have to bite the bullet and crack the new pattern. It won't take long, just a few days, diversifying.
A simple thought- some of those places that were cr@p for barra in Monduran, might now be 5 times better- don't drive past them wondering. Ignore nothing- turn every stone. Bring out old lures, tactics, methods. Crack the whip- catch that 140 cm Monduran Monster. I'd be keen to spend a week down there- just think about it- if the crowds aren't catching plenty, it's leaving lots of un touched fish at the ready for he or she who cracks the new code.
BBM, we hooked a biggun today on a surface lure in the rain. There's no strike like a surface bite, from an angry barra.
Johnny

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2010, 11:14:37 PM »
Well there is hope for a awesome sight of a Barra hammering my lure off the surface yet  :P

It will be good to see and go to Awoonga and at least get a look at what I have read about and heard about.  I'll post some pics and maybe there might be some scales in a few of them.  :thumbsup

Cheers and thanks again

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2010, 04:45:43 AM »
Most ignorant bunch of $$#@% Ive come across that ABT mob. Will quite happliy roar within 3 metres of you, when your anchored or drifting, at full throttle, cut ahead of you on drifts you have spent half an hour setting up etc etc.

The football hooligans of the fishing world. I'd find another dam.

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2010, 02:47:16 PM »
Search this site, my site, and other internet mediums for barra info. Read plenty, learn plenty- and catch yourself a snodger.
Cheers and good luck.
Johnny Mitchell

Ok so have been reading article and forum posts like a mad man and have come to 2 conclusions:

1.  I think we are gonna have to be really on our game to get into some fish up there at Awoonga given the traffic that will be there.
2.  There is soooooooooo much more to fishing for barra in Lakes than I first thought.  I knew it was a tricky science but geez!!


There is so much to think about and look for.  So many variables that make an impact that it will be hard to track all of it  :o

Given that though, I would like to ask the community a couple of questions that I think might help me (aleast partially) with a plan of attack.  Your thoughts are very much appreciated.

Q1.  Water quality is talked about a lot and taking temperature out of the equation(I think I have a basic but reasonable understanding of temperature) what major factors dictate good or bad.  My thoughts would be oxygen and clarity/suspended matter in the water.

Q2. Wind is another factor that I want to undersand more given that by the sounds of it, may be something we will be dealing with a lot.  i.e. Changes temp, locations of food sources and how fish may shelter from the effects of wind if they do at all.



Many thanks

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2010, 03:41:28 PM »
Ok so have been reading article and forum posts like a mad man and have come to 2 conclusions:

1.  I think we are gonna have to be really on our game to get into some fish up there at Awoonga given the traffic that will be there.
2.  There is soooooooooo much more to fishing for barra in Lakes than I first thought.  I knew it was a tricky science but geez!!


There is so much to think about and look for.  So many variables that make an impact that it will be hard to track all of it  :o



With that in mind JM's hour in one place is good advice.  You're not going to be on top of the subtleties but settling in to one spot for a while will allow you the opportunity of picking them up as they make themselves known to you.  Make sure you have the big ticket items covered and keep your wits about you for the small gems when they sparkle.

Don't let the lack of action cause you to hit an run gaining nothing for the exercise :)

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Re: Awoonga and Competitions
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2010, 07:07:43 PM »
Fish are still there at M, they cant walk off, fished it 2 week ends ago for 7 hook ups but only one finding the mat, 5 came from spots never fished before. Just hope Im not getting the dropsies.
In saying that, the 4 blokes I was with didnt manage a looker - with scales that is. It aint easy, but chasing your tail racing off to fish "the promised land" isnt going to make you a better fisho.
First timer, Id say go to A, listen to JM, he lives on that water. You want to dodge the crowds, go to M - harder fishing at the moment but rewards are there.
Be watching with interest the Monduran ABT round results.

 

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