Some advice please

[Member]

Following this winter, our aim is to venture to some new ponds for a fish..after Murray Cod and Barramundi. Have caught a couple of cod previously but never a barra...but then I have not managed a bass yet either.
Going to go to Glenlyon for the cod.
next: Barra....... Monduran or Awoonga or somewhere else?  Must be within an easy drive of Brisbane for a 3 day weekend.
Barra guides?? Worth the money as I have never fished any of the above mentioned places? I did call one guide and left a message but no return call so i don't think he is too interested in any new business.
All and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Member]

G'Day Greg,

A guide can be one of the best one off investments you make for barra fishing. They can short cut your time aimlessly chasing fish by days, put you on a steep learing curve that arms you with enough to go start trying yourself.

For Awoonga try Johhny Mitchell or Harro. For Monduran call Paul Dolan. I've fished with all of them & they're all good anglers . All of them are here on sweetwater so drop them a line.

Cheers,

fitzy..

[Member]

Lenthalls, Monduran, Callide, Awoonga is about it for comfortable 3 day trip.
I'd go Monduran. But thats personal bias, It suite the way I like to fish (Casting at snags and structure) much better, and I do better there because of it.

Monduran easier to find some sheltered water this time of year if the westerlies are on the blow as well. Awoonga (and Callide for that matter) are like a washing machine if the westerlies blowing.

Lenthalls they have not put enough Barra back in, nor has it been long enough to make it worth while. (They have only put a few thousand barra in since the big flood, and they wont be much more than legal size, they have been concentrating on bass stocking the last season or two).

Which ever way its going to be tough, winter, much more water between the fish, nothing really settled down yet after the big fills. A Guide would be a good investment.

[Member]

All the dams mentioned are about it. Paradise dam has Barra but are tough to find. These fish were being stocked into the river system (mingo crossing) before the dam wall was erected. Lenthalls would be a tough fish for a Barra as mentioned due to the stocking numbers. Barra grow very quickly. a fingerling can get to around 30cm in a year if fed well. Lenthalls due to it's possy will also have a cooler water temp than Mondy or Awoonga. The recent floods saw big Barra in the creeks around Childers..not monsters the biggest reliable report being 91cm. There are resident Barra here but we believe these particular ones came from Lenthalls.
Monduran is a notorious place to fish. It is most definately worth the money going with a guide. When you hit the water for the first time you will be blown away at all the spots that look like (and probably are) Barra spots. The other thing is knowing where and when. Yep you can catch Barra all over, from the wall up. But there are some spots better known than others that fish well at certain times.
I've never fished awoonga but took a look over the long weekend we had recently and it's mind blowing the actual size of it.
But these places do fish well. Having a limited time of 3 days you could just about create your own mud map of part of these large bodies of water that look like potential spots without actually catching a fish. Or you might go out and catch one first cast. I'd hook up with Johnny ( as mentioned b4) and get a head start. then you can venture out on your own with that all important bit of confidence that adds up to fish being caught. If you catch a fish or not Mondy and Awoonga are very nice places to camp. Oh if you like to chuck a pot for redclaw there aren't any in Mondy (though that might change after these floods) but they are in Awoonga. Same thing with Mangrove Jacks. The boyne river is also a good option for a change of pace if you visit Awoonga. Pikes crossing is a good place to float a Yak out of if your into Yaks or if you want to find some live bait.
John