Awoonga Jacks

[wacco_fozzy]

Has anybody on Ausfish caught a Jack in Awoonga?

Quote:

A BIG RETURN FROM STOCKING MANGROVE JACK The Gladstone Area Water Board Fish Hatchery has been releasing mangrove jack into Lake Awoonga since 2001 - in total a little over 13,000 fish have been placed. While there have commonly been unverified reports of legal-sized fish being taken, recently one was photographed before release.
The 490mm fish was estimated to weigh 2.5k. Opinion is it was one of the original fingerlings stocked.
Source: Gladstone Observer (11/10/2005).

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

here's the one that made the paper. there has been the odd report of jack captures, but no hard proof. i hope more are captured as they are an awesome fish. Time will tell, but 13 000 released is a small number in a mammoth waterway, in comparison to approx 2.4 million barra fingerlings. They are very uncommon captures, but they will be very exciting when it does happen! My mate caught this one on a b52 lure in shallow/open water with only a few spindly snags. No real structure. i did hear a report of an experienced reef fisher who landed 7 jacks off 2 snags on live red claw. fish approx 2 to 2.5 kg. all caught towards the dam wall on snags and handlines. photos are the best proof, word of mouth can't always be used as hard core evidence. i've seen jack pics from awoonga that are actually sooties.
johnny

[S.S.]

Saw Andrew from the Hatchery at the dam on Friday arvo. Said the same thing. There are a few mangrove jacks being caught but a lot of people are mistaking Sooties for jacks. Good to see a few of them have survived :)

[A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE]

....apparently another jack caught yesterday, 49cm was the whisper from a telephone call. Lake Awoonga rangers told the story which was passed on. This time the jack was kept to try its edible qualities.
Great to hear.
johnny M