fishing around blackwater

[yellahunter]

hi guys,

my partner and I are heading up to visit family in Blackwater in March.
I just wondered if there is any fishing close by? if so what is available, and would it be worth strapping the fishing kayak on the roof.

any tips appreciated

[Tim_01]

hey yellahunter,

the closest stocked impoundment to Blackwater is Bedford weir which is roughly 30km North. it's stocked with barra, yellowbelly and saratoga. I've never fished the place however it's supposed to have a good population of saratoga. You could email or call Duaringa Shire Council for more info:

shire@duaringa.qld.gov.au

Phone: 07 4980 5555 (Blackwater office)

cheers,
Tim.

[yellahunter]

thanks tim,

has anyone fished this weir? if so how was it,
is it bank access or should I take the kayak

[still_water]

Hi yellahunter,
I have just returned from Lake Fairburn at Emerald.
There has been some decent rain out there the past couple of weeks and some of the locals are talking about the yella's moving up into the long grassy banks morning and afternoons with most of the creeks rising a bit around Blackwater etc:.
I spent most of my time chasing Redclaw so I can;t help you on the fishing side, just on what the locals were talking about and seeing the creeks up.

A nice Barra was caught a few days before I got there, looked around 85cm + from the photo. Some are holding up in the shallows around the dam wall area in the bays with the warmer water, which is around 22 to 25 deg.

Good luck.
Brett

[Tim_01]

Take your kayak or even a larger boat. There's a concrete boat ramp and no restrictions.

tim.

[grunterhunter]

I have fished a fair bit at the Bedford Weir they do have Barra Saratoga and lots and lots of Catfish. As of yet I have not caught any Bara but when the Weir spills I have seen some large fish.

[yellahunter]

hey grunterhunter,

have you caught any toga or yellowbelly in there or just catties?
also what methods are you using and are you shorebased or in a boat

[grunterhunter]

I have not seen any yellowbelly or saratoga only barra and catfish. Although I am yet to catch a barra. I have flicked lures from both the shore boat and and trolled. You will have to let me know how you go and what works for you. I have found a new spot upstream behind Comet. I know there is barra there, but no success to date. I am pretty inexperienced in fishing for barra and other freshwater fish so you might have more success

[Kev_McC]

The fishing at Bedford can be great. There are loads of saratoga there, and it's also one of the few places in CQ where you can still tangle with freshwater longtom.
It fishes best in late winter and spring, when water levels are lower and the river is not too dirty (best for sight fishing the saratoga with fly). I've caught toga over 800mm there, and heaps between 600 and 700mm. General rule is the further upstream you go, the better the fishing gets. The river constricts 17km (by river) above Bedford and breaks into a few channels around islands. Most consistent toga spot, but they are literally everywhere. You'll see heaps as you run upstream at full noise, if you're looking.
The holes north of Comet on the Mackenzie can also fish very well but get netted by locals periodically.
Throughout the Mackenzie/Dawson you can sight fish for catties to 10kg in July-Sept, big fish that swim on the surface and love to eat lures and flies. Best to walk the high bank and look for them, it's not hard.
You could details on the Mackenzie River Fish Stocking Assoc from the dpi website
cheers
kev

[davez104]

Hmmm, sounds like I might have to go for a drive to B'water for a fish. I've been in emerald for over 2 years and have been meaning to check it out, but have never got there. I've fished in the Nogoa here in Emerald, but have not caught a lot, just a couple of small Barra. Given up on Fairbairn, only go out there for the redclaw now. Not a lot has been stocked in the dam, but I think the Yella's breed in the dam when they get good rains. Probably not a lot of help to you but there are fish around, so gotta be worth bringing your gear.

Dave.

[Kev_McC]

Bedford is definitely worth the drive from Emerald, especially in winter and spring when the water clarity is ok. You will still catch toga on surface fly/lures when the water is brown, but you will be blind fishing the banks rather than targeting cruising fish. Truth is that you will catch more fish doing this though, as cruisers are extremely difficult to catch. They seem to be patrolling their territory rather than feeding.
There are heaps of barra inserted above Bedford but I never caught one...never fished for them there. I've seen heaps of barra to 90cm in the Mackenzie near Comet, dead ones after a frost a few years ago. These would have originated in the Nogoa at Emerald.
Barra fishing at Emerald can be really good if you can get access to the river above Selma Weir. I was told last week that a number of fish to 90cm have been caught in the shallow bays around the picnic area at Fairbairn. Contact the Emerald Fish Stocking Group for details

[Barraless]

Has anyone tried Bingegang Wier downstream from the Bedford Wier. It is accessed via the Fitzroy Developmental road, north of Dingo???????

Cheers Matt.B.

[yellahunter]

are there crocs in any of these rivers?

[Flex]

Hello.

I live in blackwater and fish the wier often.

Blackwater wier has crap loads of barramundi in it. especially down stream from the wall. In a recent fishing competition the local high school team caught and released over 20 barramundi in the space of a day ( team of about 6 teachers all fishing from the shore)

I have caught quite a few barra there, nothing enormous. but largest i have seen is around 90cm.

Im not a big freshwater fisherman guru, but it seems the barra here like the very hot days late in the afternoon. If its cold at all they go off the chew. Even when you do hook one they are really docile for the 1st 10 seconds.
Like all fishing i suppose some days you get smashed every 5mins and others you get nothing. I'll have to read up on freshwater fishing more and see what makes impoundment fish tick:)

I have found high reflective lures(especially gold) seems to work far better than anything else.

I have also caught a few saratoga, but only every on soft plastics..

[Barraless]

Flex

How do you get downstream do you just work from the weir, if so how far??? I fished a school fishing comp with my kids not so long ago at the weir. I think I only heard about 1 barra though, my kids managed 27 catfish, good day though.

[Stuie]

Things sure have changed. I remember fishing at the weir wall when it ran over as a kid with my Dad over 20 years ago. Only thing around then was Catfish (fork and eel tailed), Black Bream and the odd Yellowbelly.

[yellahunter]

black bream??

do u mean sooty grunter or actual bream?

[Barraless]

Yeah they Black Bream great fun to catch, but no good eating.

[Flex]

You can walk down but its about a couple of km before you get to the deeper water.. Or if you have a 4x4 you can take the dirt track along side the creek. that goes down a few km aswell.

[Barraless]

Flex

Will have to try thanks! I get to Blackwater fairly regularly, used to work there still got have a couple of mates there.

[Kev_McC]

The black bream in the Fitzroy system are Leathery Grunter. Usually in schools, get to about 4kg, small mouth, taste and texture of the flesh is about as bad as you can imagine from fish. You would have to be really hungry. Many have told me though that they can be ok in fish cakes.
Have caught maybe 10 on lures over the years. Used to catch a lot when bait fishing with shrimps. They also love bread.