On snaring big barra
back to Queensland fish stocking efforts.
“We’ve got approximately $12,000 worth of juvenile barra going into Black’s (weir) in early December and a further $15,000 barra investment into the Ross River Dam soon after,” he said.
Bullimore was probably most excited about spilling barras into the dam, which he, the restocking group and council deputy mayor Mark Molachino are working hard to open for public recreational use, including fishing.
“Deputy mayor Mark Molachino is working hard with his team to have the master plan (for recreational use of the Ross Dam) delivered to full council in November and available to the public soon after,” Bullimore said.
“The biggest hurdle seems to be infrastructure upgrades including water treatment, which is expected to be about $20 million, which will be split over the 2020-21 financial years.”
FISHING LEGACY
A recent fishing competition attracted 160 competitors from numerous Defence communities within the Townsville region.
Hosted by 3rd Combat Engineer Regiments (3CER), the competition raised a whopping $12,000 for Legacy, the proceeds helping support the very special widows’ Christmas parties.
The competition was as diverse as any run before it, and included categories accommodating reef, estuary, land-based and team categories.
Major prizes included a “lucky entry” draw – a customised fishing kayak – which was won by Sapper Mitchell Moffatt, despite not being able to catch a legal-size fish
throughout the event. Corporal Brian Duynhoven was victorious in the reef fish category after catching a 59cm bumphead parrotfish.
The largest barramundi category was claimed by Robert Bell, representing the North Queensland Sappers Association, with a whopping 112.5cm barra pulled out of Peter Faust Dam.
Among other results, SPR Harrison Reinaudo won the pelagic species division with a hard fighting 130cm cobia.
FIVE-DAY CLOSURE
The final Coral Reef Fin Fish Closure
for 2020 kicks off at midnight next Wednesday and prohibits the taking of most reef species from Thursday, November 12, until midnight the following Monday, November 16.
The five-day ban on the taking of all prescribed reef species including coral trout, sweetlips, emperors and tropical snappers like red emperor nannygai, will ensure boat ramps with deep water access are very lonely places throughout that period – particularly with barramundi also off limits.
The closure protects breeding populations of many reef species, which do their thing surrounding the
new or dark moon periods during the spring and early summer.
Popular inshore reef and shoal species including fingermark or golden snapper, estuary cod and grassy sweetlip are not prescribed Coral Reef Fin Fish species, and remain a viable and legal catch during the closure.
The closure also does not affect any pelagic species that also frequent reef waters.
Spanish mackerel and cobia will remain fair game for the keenest anglers while sportfishers can still pursue queenfish, tuna and all trevally species.
The Coral Reef Fin Fish species list is an extensive one and can be found at www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries/recreational
UP THE CREEK
Reasonable boating conditions are forecast to hold for the better part of tomorrow before winds begin to blow stiffly with an east-southeasterly influence late in the day and well into Sunday and Monday.
Accordingly, seas are expected to rise and render offshore and reef options uncomfortable at the least.
And with barramundi now off the menu, creek fishers might console themselves with some hungry mangrove jack, the species about in good numbers and said to be ravenous.
Creeks less travelled like North Star in Cleveland Bay, and Bomber and Sheep Station in Bowling Green Bay, have been fishing well for a handful of anglers who are usually prepared to hold within the systems when trapped by the tides.
They generally find the best fishing, with bait or lure, in the deepest holes and on the bottom of the ebb tide and the first of the flood.
Chasing jacks in that scenario is exciting, however it can be oppressively steamy with no shortage of mossies and sandflies.
The keen bluewater anglers might be searching for grey mackerel within bay and shipping channel waters this weekend, however they might need to keep an eye out for bait schools if they are to be rewarded with fish.
A lack of bait throughout the week has bamboozled some anglers who found mackerel just days earlier, but on return failed to slip fish into the icebox.
Find the bait and most likely, you’ll find your grey mackerel.