A Quick Awoonga Report since the Recent Flooding, February 2008.
Here is an up to date local report as there seems to be little local information at present. Here is something up to date to work with.
The lake level has risen about 5.2metres. Awoonga is currently sitting at 34.29 m and approx 58% capacity.
The floodwaters turned large portions of the lake into dirty water with almost zero visibility. Some areas remained crystal clean. Debris floated down from upstream early in the floods, but dispersed quickly as the lake rose in conjunction with a heavy South East wind blow.
Trollers and casters have been rewarded. About 10 days ago, many anglers were reporting great fishing and many first timers were landing quality fish. We landed 14 fish on the best charter since the rain. Local, Trevor Burgess managed 17 barra alone in his boat one day in the past fortnight. The fishing has been awesome until the last few days. Yesterday we scored zero barra on charter for one angler, tough conditions to tempt a strike. Likewise for many others fishing the lake, it was hard going. The colder and continually dropping water temp has slowed the fish down. The wind is set to continue for more days as per the forecast. Deep, shallow and surface lures have been producing fish since the rain. There has been no standout lures for any length of time, many types producing fish. The No Blokes Barra Bash fished in worsening conditions, the ladies working extra hard but landing fish in challenging circumstances. Well done for their efforts.
Fish Distribution- Vast, as per the norm. Boyne, Futter, Iveragh, Basin etc. Anglers are scoring good fish in a new lake with vast new opportunities. A new leaf once again for Awoonga.
The weed banks lay 15-30ft below, but have strived to reach the sunlight once again, many strands breaking free and free floating around the lake washing up on shores. I’d imagine some will survive and start rooting near shallower water very soon. Vegetation flooded and submerged is breaking down quickly but subsurface currents are mixing the lake considerably with not much water showing ill signs for suitability. I took many samples of water away for analysis outside the lake in recent weeks, with little in the way of obvious negative discoveries. To watch the lake flood and fill, and the waters slowly clean once again was very interesting, something that doesn’t happen every day. I’ve visited the lake one and two times a day since the flooding to keep a close eye on the transformation and how the whole system worked as one and how the fish altered in the quick change. Great stuff to be a part of. Flooded flats and submerged bushes and plant material have added another dimension to the fishing. Awoonga has been higher, about 1.8 metres higher, but it has become a large open expanse once again. Waves are bigger again now. Swells roll through with the strong winds making conditions require extra boating precaution. The driving force currents are more visible and far easier to read. You only have to travel 2 kilometres on water to see the many different flow directions in place. The ramp is an easy option once again. The long uphill walk is now not so long.
Enjoy the new lake. I’m away for a week or so.
Regards, Johnny Mitchell

A Few Interesting Statistics –Awoonga, Jan 08.
Lake Awoonga Guided Barra Fishing Charters
Where we are at!
Dam Statistics-
Dam Age- approx 42yrs
Overall Max Depth – 40 metres.
Maximum level ever reached- approx 36 metres
Current level; 29.47metres
Highest level of rising water in one hit- Approx 17 metres.
Current capacity 34.12%
Highest water level rise in the last 12 months- 20cm only.
Inflows are apparent today from regional heavy rains.

First production of fingerlings from the Gladstone based hatchery- Dec 06 (12 yrs, 2 months ago)
Largest barra officially weighed- (dead) 30.3kg.
Most successful fish stocks- Barra and Sea Mullet (thriving).
Most number of cars and trailers at the ramp counted- approximately 180 in one hit.
The coldest water we have landed barra in- 15 degrees Celsius surface temp, 5 days in a row until it warmed up again.
The harshest winter period for barra, winter 07- several hundred fish were lost. Many were sick, but the thousands regained their health to return a healthy fishery.
The ramp access for launching- it has just been manageable for two wheel drives. Ramp upgrades are likely to depend on water inflows in the coming week.

Some recent projects worked on-

1. Water core sampling and graphing temperature variations over a 6 month period so far, from the surface to 35ft below with data loggers that record temp changes every 30 mins. Integrating that info with major visible current and water flow driven by wind and weather was extremely interesting and of value.
2. Meeting with biologists periodically to try to understand the world of science and how to interpret their papers and correlate their documented knowledge with my findings on certain specific barra movements and behaviour. Sometimes I wonder can we go too deep into the world of the barra- but its all relative in understanding the fish and its persona much more. Some of it does and doesn’t help catch rates.
3. Taking the extra time to compare salt barra fisheries to Lake Barra fisheries and understand how both really operate. There are sleek comparisons and contrasts between the two. I have actually written an article on the topic for an up and coming publication in a Fishing magazine.

Sept 2007 to date-Feb 2008 saw the following statistics for my daytime charters. Anglers from as far away as England, Japan and Thailand, Tasmania and W.A. took to the waters on Awoonga.

Of all the half day trips in the last 5-6 months-
The deepest water where a barra was hooked on a lure worked on the bottom was 42ft deep.
The average sized fish landed was 95cm.
The percentage of trips where 100cm+ barra were landed by clients was 78%.
The remaining 22% accounts for-
4 % of day trips were unfortunately for all involved 0 (read NO BARRA) were landed. The other 18% are trips were mostly 80-90 odd cm were landed.
Success rate -96%.
(Overall success rate since start of business- 92% -all weather conditions- all 12months of the year.)
The largest landed in the last 6 months was a neat 120cm fish by an Englishmen.
The most caught in one 6 hr session was 15. We also did a short 4 hr trip for 15 landed.
The most number of strikes in a 10 hr day was 42 strikes. September 07. (Not bumps or nibbles).
The most predominant wind direction -South East, of course.
Number of flat tyres- just two, both in one week.
Best sight- Locals floating in a blow up pool mid lake whilst enjoying several ales.
Worst sight- the winter barra deaths.
Best future insight- A New Awoonga with flooded banks- coming soon we all hope.
Johnny Mitchell

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