Sweetwater Fishing Forums
Special Interest => Fish Restocking / Acclimatisation and Environment => Topic started by: Pointyfish on March 10, 2014, 07:35:35 AM
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I never seem to hear anything about these two dams any more and was wondering if their still being stocked. I would imagine Lenthall would be getting stocked with bass still.
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Just looked at Fraser Coast Fish Stocking association's web site but can't see anything recent about stocking, they have 4 GM's per year and I might go to the next one in June, it should still have plenty of fish in it because not many boaties want to risk loosing their outboard on the terrible road to it, the info below is their opening mission statement, (hope it helps).
The FCFSA are responsible for the creation, management & maintenance of fish stocks in the waters of Lake Lenthall (Lenthalls Dam). The lake is stocked with the following suitable native fish species Australian bass, barramundi, silver perch, golden perch & snub nosed gar primarily for recreational fishing purposes for the general public under the Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme as put & takes fishery.
All fish stocking activities are carried out in accordance with & under permit from the Qld Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries. FCFSA has objectives and principles which clearly define its role in the overall fishery management program these include promoting fishing based tourism in the Hervey Bay region.
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Lenthalls was stocked with bass and yella fingerlings last month. Hanwood could not supply full complement of bass so numbers were made up with yellas. Barra fingerlings from Gladstone hatchery are late this year due to cool weather inhibiting growth so will be stocked end of this month.
Unsure of actual numbers stocked,
Cheers
Ray
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:Clap) Lake Wuruma & the Wide Bay Burnett District have suffered two major flooding events in two years with water flowing over the spillway for weeks on end, forcing the cancellation of the last two Annual Family Fishing Competitions, usually held annually in February-March. The floods also caused devastation to some hatcheries & the availability of some fingerling stocks has been restricted. 25,000 silver perch were purchased & put into Lake Wuruma on February 19th 2014 & depending on availability, catch up restocking will recommence this spring / summer when the weather warms up again. Meanwhile reports from fishermen state their catches have only improved with the high water levels.
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Thanks Hinke Johnson,
I went for a drive up to Lenthalls a couple of weeks ago to have a look at both the ramp and more importantly the road, I haven’t had a look at it for a fair while and last time it (the road) was in a deplorable state and one which I wouldn’t sacrifice my boat motor or transom on trying to travel on, however they have now topped and graded the first section up to the right turn towards the dam and the next section is not too bad if you go slow, the dam it’s self looks great with plenty of water and lots of fish surfacing for flying bugs , The ranger would not let me launch my boat because in his words “I don’t have an Evenrude Motor”, I have a Stacer 449 Bay Master with a Yamaha 40 direct injection 2 stroke, I had a check of its eco star rating and it would seem it satisfies all of the council’s stats for the dam and I even have a DVD of Bushy fishing there with the same motor, Me thinks this ranger don’t like Yammies or any one not in a yak on “his” very own lake, I will be changing where I nominate the stocks go on my next SIP that’s for sure,
Kind regards,
Bluey55
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Your Yamaha has oil injection, but not fuel injection. It does not meet the requirements for Lenthalls or for Wivenhoe without fuel injection.
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Question, What makes Lenthalls and Wivenhoe different from Awoonga, Monduran & Borumba ?
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And why was Bushy allowed on Lenthalls with the same motor
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Question, What makes Lenthalls and Wivenhoe different from Awoonga, Monduran & Borumba ?
Government Rules mate
Your Yammy has a 1 star OEDA emmision rating and the current rule for higher emmisions is that they require 3 star.
So bacially even if your 2 stroke yammy is direct injection "oil" the way that it burn the fuel and oil mix still has a fair amount of carry over or unburnt fuel and oil mix that will come out through the through prop exhaust.
The ETEC 2 strokes are not the oly 3 star jobs out there in the 2 stroke field.
You want all the sh!t..here ya go
New star emission rating system for outboard engines sold in Australia: Voluntary Emissions Labeling Scheme (VELS)
OEDA introduced a Voluntary Emissions Labeling Scheme (VELS), an emissions rating system, in January 2007 to help boat owners choose outboard engines based on emission information along with other features required to meet their usage requirements. VELS .
The voluntary code VELS is based on international emission regulations and was supported by the major outboard distributors in Australia including BRP, Honda, Mercury, Suzuki, Tohatsu and Yamaha. VELS is the only established scheme recognised and approved by the Australian Government.
Under the code, engines are identified by permanent, recognisable external labels that identify the emission rating of the product.
The rating system is based on world best practice and, while it is curently only applicable to petrol outboard engines, OEDA will invite other outboard importers and PWC manufacturers to take advantage of the labels in the future..
The aim of the uniform labelling scheme VELS is to assist the consumer make better informed choices when purchasing an outboard engine.
OEDA encourages the boating public to look for the VELS star-rated labels when buying an engine.
The VELS star rating system is:
Zero star - High emission - Generally 2-stroke engines
One star - Low emission - many 2-stroke engines
Two star - Very low emission - some 2 stroke direct injection and 4 stroke engines
Three star - Ultra low emission - most 2 stroke direct injection and 4 stroke engines
Four star – Super ultra low emission – for future technologies
The scheme is based on world standards and, in particular, the world leading USA scheme.
Future development of the Australian VELS system will continue to follow world standards.
The US Environmental Protection Agency introduced regulations in 1998 aiming to reduce marine engine emissions by 75 per cent by 2025.
The Australian Government in discussions with OEDA in 2007 stated it was not suggesting regulations, preferring an Industry voluntary systems such as VELS.
OEDA realised self regulation is always a better option than regulation and is hopeful Australian boat owners will show their genuine concern for the environment when making their next purchase. Australia needed readily understood information on outboard emission levels which is what we now deliver."
Low emission engines reduce air pollution, use less fuel and oil, produce less noise and smell and have better resale value than higher emission engines.
As well as investing in the most suitable technology when buying a new engine, OEDA hopes and encourages the boating public to help the environment by ensuring boats and engines are kept in peak operating condition and being careful to avoid fuel spills.
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Very interesting but was it not you who posted you dismay with the same rules for Wivenhoe and in your words Somerset's water flows into Wivenhoe anyway, I'm not completely sure that my motor is not fuel injected, It's a new boat and the manual says HPDI, I think the meaning of that is High Pressure Direct Injection not just oil being directly injected, but anyway I will seek advice from my yammy dealer
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Anyway I'm not interested in cutting and pasting info quickly searched to make big note statements, I just wouldn't mind fishing in a dam that my rates pay for OK
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The rules for lenthals are set by Wide Bay water and have been in place for several years and are slightly different to Wivenhoe.
Wivenhoe rules are set by SEQ water.
None of the rules are set by the QLD government.
Lenthalls has a HP limit whilst there is no power limit at Wivenhoe.
Have a look at the Wide bay water website for complete details.
Cheers
Ray
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Simply, if it has a carby it's out Bluey. They are the rules that the authorities brought in. Perhaps argue with them mate.
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Bluey
Not my rules mate, but willing to play by theirs
The only Yammy HPDI that I know of is the 150 / 175 jobs mate, but happy to be wrong
Interesting if the broom was on Lenthals with it as I believe that it has a stupid 60hp limit as well?
Anyway not here to argue, just trying to answer you questions to the best of my knowledge
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Fair enough, I'm sorry it got out of hand and perhaps there was a bit of hijacking, I will bow out,
Regards Bluey55.
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While I can't comment on Wuruma, I was up on Lenthall's with a couple of friends who are in the Fraser coast stocking association a few months ago. We were taking Bass and Yellowbelly fingerlings out and releasing them into the dam. As far as I know they are also going to restock Barra into it as well when fingerlings become available.
I did read in this post further back about speed and outboard restrictions on Wivenhoe and Lenthalls, while it is a bit silly to be restricting outboards to the newer low pollution models, as you can run any sort of motor on Somerset which ultimately flows into Wivenhoe. But I was led to believe the speed restrictions on the dams was to prevent bank erosion due to the wave action from high speed boats. Also, as both are relatively shallow dams except for their main basin, there was the added risk of boats hitting submerged timber that may be just under the surface. This is what I heard, which isn't gospel.
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You've obviously never been to Wivenhoe. Their is more erosion damage at Wivenhoe than at Somerset, steep banks and a large expanse of water let wind driven waves make a hell of a mess. I would put water depth at the same as Somerset. Let's just admit that the speed, horsepower and emission restrictions were done purely to appease the opponents to opening it up.
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A couple of years ago I was doing research work for Tourism Qld with their fishing Qld promotion.
I went to Lenthals Dam on the way back from Brisbane with tinnie/ 40 hp o/board.
There was a security guard on the gate turning away people whose engine sizes didn't meet the Hervey Bay Regional Council's allowable limits. You could only find out about those limits when you got there. Nobody at HBRC office seemed to know by phone.
Ok we said. Told the guard what we were doing, showed ID and suggested that we'd like to go to the parking area to take some photos and still do a bit of a write-up anyway without launching. Asked him if he could get a message through the wire to the Camp Commandant of Stalag 13 to get approval.
He called somebody on his little radio and then said no approval.
So we left and headed back north.
Did I write it up? Yes. Don't bother going there.
From that visit on, when southern visitors rang about the closest dam fishing on the highway from Brisbane, my tourism office's reply was " That'll be Lake Monduran just north of Gympie. Don't bother with Hervey Bay's Lake Lenthall. The council doesn't want anybody fishing there and has security guards on the gate to turn people away".
To my knowledge, that's still the response and no tourism office north of Gin Gin has ever recommended Lake Lenthall as a fishing destination.
It used to be one of the only 3 dams to stock barra and bass (Wuruma and Monduran being the other 2). Not sure about that now.
Anybody know?
Douglas
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There is a long history of what used to happen there before and post the dam wall being raised and a full time resident ranger being appointed.
I have not been there for a couple of years and the ranger whilst being firm ( Thats his job ) was very helpful. There were signs on the commencement of the access road as you left the highway stating boating rules.
The road can be quite rough as any country road can be but the plus factor is that the first bit of corrugation keeps the grey nomads away.
You just have to take care and realize that you cannot speed.
If you ring up the ranger he will give you road conditions and say where you have to take care, plus the latest fishing info.
.He fishes on his days off. :youbeauty
The video of the high hp 2 stroke was probably made before the dam wall was raised and before any restrictions were enforced.
Cheers
Ray
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Ray, I noticed that your a restocker and just wondered if you are connected with Lenthalls?, if you are then I have no problems with the rules and I realise restockers play an important roll in regards to the water quality but unfortunately the rules are decided on by Wide Bay Water which is owned by the Fraser Coast Shire Council which has through both the old mayor and the recently elected new mayor been involved in controversy over the dams economics, I know this because I am a rate payer of Hervey Bay, It would be remiss to allow a free for all to allow jet skis, ski boats and other undesirables to play havoc on such a small water storage but it would also be remiss to allow one of our shires jewels to be over restricted needlessly, The ranger there is doing his job as he was told to, I think seeing that Lenthalls is listed as one of the Barra to Bass trail destiny's both the road and the restrictions need to be fixed so as the Grey Nomads as you say can visit, spend their money and enjoy along side our visiting fisher men & women, Our Shire needs the revenue just as much as Monduran does.
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Douglas, I think Borumba is restocked I was there recently and caught Bass and it doesn't have all the cr@p that Lenthall's has tacked on either, It's closer to Brisbane, has an excellent ramp, more scenery, plenty of cheap accommodation and they welcome visitors & trailer boat fisher men & women
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Actually I have been there many times! I was just stating what I had heard, and that I'm no expert on the lake or why the restrictions are there. I just didn't want anyone thinking that it was the actual reason, as what I heard was anecdotal, and second hand information.
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Bluey
I used to be a member of the stocking assn a few years ago.
There were and still are all sorts of dramas associated with the raising of the dam wall and to me WBW and the council appear to give little priority to resolving issues.
I believe that WBW are still trying to get out of building a fish ladder on one of the weirs situated below the dam. The building of the fish ladder was one of the conditions of them being given permission to raise the dam wall.
Due to their procrastination the cost of building the fish ladder has escalated significantly and the last I saw of the matter they were approaching the minister to have the provision of the ladder removed.
I doubt that the road into the dam will ever be upgraded due to the construction costs.
In fact I seem to remember that it is only a gazetted forestry track and is the responsibility of the forestry dept. (Uncertain if this is correct)
The limitations of the number of campers allowed combined with a limit of a 2 day stay will always limit the potential of the dam as a major tourist destination such as Monduran.
The reason for this is the high water table in the surrounding country and the inability to provide a high capacity sewerage treatment plant to cater for a large number of visitors.I think that it took nearly n3 years to get EPA approval for the current plant and it was the EPA who set the limit on the number of campers permitted to stay at the one time.
To others who may wish to visit this little jewell here is a link to the wbb website that explains everything.
http://www.widebaywater.qld.gov.au/quicklinks/lakelenthall/campingandrecreationfacilities (http://www.widebaywater.qld.gov.au/quicklinks/lakelenthall/campingandrecreationfacilities)
Cheers
Ray
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Ray, The road in is not too bad now but the on site ranger told me that it's not likely to be re topped or graded because nobody wants to own it, Without being to political I think it's a shame that Wide Bay Water had it's cash tin emptied but still it's a great place to sit on the bank, go for a walk and flick some lures in, even if your not allowed to use your boat.
Regards Bluey55.
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Sounds like Hervey Bay Council (now Fraser Coast Council) hasn't changed a bit.
A bit odd for a council that's so populated by retirees with lots of grey nomads to be so anti-visitor. That's the perception anyway and I haven't seen any initiatives by Wide Bay Water to clear up the misinformation.
The research I was doing was follow-up on that first Bass to Barra Trail initiative. I'm pretty sure that Gladstone tourism staff put that first one together. A good series.
Following my research a couple of other dams were added to that trail. Callide and Maraboon (Emerald) from memory.
I'm from further north and received many phone calls from NSW and Vic about the first place to catch barramundi north of Brisbane. Monduran north of Gin Gin (not Gympie as I unwittingly said earlier) was the usual answer.
That research also produced the Qld Tourism guide to freshwater fishing brochures for western and south-western areas of Qld.
Strange that barra are stocked in the Nogo River ( Wuruma) and Lenthalls as it would have been a long long time since they were native to those waterways if at all. Monduran I can understand.
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I agree, I've got a Bass to Barra Trail brochure that I picked up at the Hervey Bay Airport last Sunday and it say's "Map Kindly supplied by The Gladstone Region GAPDL" it shows Maraboon, Callide, Awoonga, Cania, Monduran, Wuruma, Boondooma, Barambah and last and I suppose "least" Lenthalls, (ha ha ha), 7 of the 10 lakes - Dams have competitions, of course lenthalls is not listed in this brochure as having any, and as I said earlier its a shame because its a great looking spot to chase Bass, Pity Fraser Coast council are dragging the chain in promoting it.
Regards Bluey55.
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Opps I should have said 7 of the 9 lakes, (a flaty bit both my thums off, can't count ha ha ha)
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There have been a few ABT Bass comps at Lenthalls. I also think there was a dispensation for entrants with bigger outboards at one of these comps. I can't remember the year, but I fished the Bass Electric Grand Final there and I'm sure we were permitted to leave non conforming outboards on, and run them in the prefish. It was before 2004.
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aussiebasser , That would have been when Ted Sorenson was Mayor, But I liked rays comment about not allowing too many campers at Lenthalls because they cant provide enough toilets, I've got a bill stuck to the fridge from Wide Bay Water for over a thousand dollars and that includes sewerage ( what a joke) any way if Toowoomba can clean sewerage water into drinking water then why cant WBW clean a bit of two stroke and the 6 knots no wash garble is silly because I can make a wash using my watersnake on the second knotch.
Regards Bluey55.