Monduran Restocking ?

[Gordie]

The last time I was at Monduran I heard things like 'not restocking any more' or 'no fingalings available'.

Today I heard from a source close to the water that more are taken for food than are released.

All are reasons for concern. Can someone out there give me the good oil please.

It is my favourite dam. Also if there is a restocking group that require extra manpower they might lodge their contact details.

Regards Gordon

[McCod]

Gday Gordon'
Interesting topic mate' I believe you got a bit of dribble laid on ya there!
There will be plenty more fish go in this year unless suppliers can't keep up with demand.
Monduran stocking group is the wealthiest of them all when it comes to $$. They get the biggest slice of the SIP funds out of the 30 or so dams on the system. There are a few club members that are also Ausfisho's. I do believe that something like 100000 plus bass went in recently along with 40000 odd Barra.... that figure was quoted by a member a month or 2 ago. It will be interesting to see how the dam holds up to the meat fisho's over the next year or 2.... My guess is it will struggle some , being so close to our main population center. You could write to them and see how ya go. I would like to see some back up from businesses that are riding on the barra's back.... especially the group that manage the park.

Monduran Anglers Stocking Association
PO Box 220, Gin Gin Q 4671

Cheers les8-)

[Steve B]

Gordon,

I have just joined the MASA (monduran anglers stocking assoc) and what Les has said is spot on. I am not sure of the exact numbers stocked in the past, BUT THEY ARE STILL STOCKING IT. they released 25000 bass the other day, and more barra are coming. They did have a hold up getting fingerlings, but thats all sorted. I would say thats where the 'gossip' you heard has come from. Its not a big stocking assoc, but they have all been doing it for years and are very experienced and efficient at the job. The evidence of excellent catch rates and growth sizes and year classes being caught is testiment to the success of the stocking program. Suprisingly, not many of the MASA are fishermen. the president only caught his first barra a month ago (he has been telling the story ever since!, the fish has gone from 93cm to about 2.5 metres in that time!!!).

I'm not sure if manpower is a major concern but I will find out. They have all the right gear for transporting and releasing fish. Most of the work revolves around maintaining their area and tanks at the dam and orgainising the annual fishing comp in Oct which is very popular.

I missed last nights meeting due to work commitments. I will get some exact figures ASAP of fish stocked and future stocking numbers and post them on this thread.

Les is 100% spot on, unfortunatley the meatos will get worse as they work out the popularity of the place. Its a fact of life. They hammered Awoonga at its popularity peak, and Monduran is bound for the same fate.

Hope this is a bit of a start to answer your questions.

cheers steve

[Gordie]

Thanks fellas,
Its a pity its becoming so popular but if managed correctly we will enjoy it for a long time to come.

Regards Gordon

[rod harrison]

Too many hillbillies.
They see stocked impoundments as a source of cheap meat. Those perpetuating the myth that the big barra are eating the small and therefore need to be removed from the fishery are going to have a bit to answer for as sizes fall off. In any case the five fish bag/possession limit is too generous. Five metre class barra will feed a multitude of biblical proportions.
There's some breeding going on in them thar' hills but surely not that many.

[NAGG]

Just place bags of Choko's or Tofu at the gate ........ Then the Hillbillies can soak them in lemonade , soy whatever to their hearts content ....;D ....... & it would taste the same as impoundment barra

Nagg

[Steve B]

Too many hillbillies.
They see stocked impoundments as a source of cheap meat. Those perpetuating the myth that the big barra are eating the small and therefore need to be removed from the fishery are going to have a bit to answer for as sizes fall off. In any case the five fish bag/possession limit is too generous. Five metre class barra will feed a multitude of biblical proportions.
There's some breeding going on in them thar' hills but surely not that many.

Ha Ha Rod. The breedin in them there hills isnt the barra....its the hillbillys and there cousins!:D

From my personal experince, my numbers of big fish caught has decreased dramatically over past few years at Awoonga. I blame the meatos. got to blame someone!!

What do some you and the Awoonga regulars reckon. (I know Rod, Trev, Jas W, Johnny M ect still catch big fish) I mean the 'average' fisherman, are they reporting bigger sizes than in the past??

Mondy is heading for same fate if lesons are not learnt from previous Awoonga, faust, tinaroo experiences.

[rod harrison]

G'day Steve -

It may be a blessing in disguise that Gap Tooth Gabby and every other noisy bastard on the lake is finding it tough. They might even give barra fishing away now that the easy fish have been caught. Following the pattern of ALL well stocked lakes, Awoonga and Monduran have plateau'd and fish are conditioned, reading water, stealth and the ability to make long and accurate casts - and plenty of them - have
become pre-requisites. Those 70/80cm Awoonga fish comprising the bulk of catches will be in the metre class next year. The 60ish year class coming through were from a winter release - which is great news...Fuller lakes from recent rain will reduce the risk of fish kills....I'll be surprised if it happens at Awoonga
this year.

As a matter of personal preference I mostly fish fly if by myself. A fly can be cast as far as a treble armed lure and into places that can't be invaded with either a hard body or soft plastic.

The retrieve takes longer and on the basis of strikes per number of casts I've an inkling it comes out in front of lure fishing.

[Gordie]

Do any fishermen have a voice in the area that decisions are made regarding bag limits?

And also, there could be signs on the dam to encourage catch and release fishing. It's all about education.

It's only a matter of time and we will all have an extra lisence to pay to fish on individual dams. Do you think this is good or bad? I believe it is one of the best ways to reduce the number of fisherman on any given empoundment.

Regards Gordon

[Steve B]

Rod, I think your right about the plateu, and I have to agree with you about the difficulty factor. It may be a blessing for the people who are genuinly willing to put in the effort and adjust tactics to gain results. Most of the anglers with the ability and effort to nut out the pattern of the day would generally be C & R anyway.

The Homer Simpson theory "if its too hard to do..then its not worth doing" should rule out a LOT of meatos, and hopefully give the dams a slight reprieve that they deserve;D:D.

Gordon, I dont think the extra fee would stop people fishing the impoundments. Most blokes have thousands of $$ worth of gear and spend big $$$ getting there, a few extra bucks wont deter them IMHO. In fact, It may give the meatos the incentive to kill more because they paid for it. I agree with you, why dont fishermen get a genuine input into bag limits (the meatos would probably want them increased;)). Decreased bag limits is the answer IMHO.

I have noticed the difference in numbers fishing before and after the 'closed' season, the numbers of fisherman usually decrease after the closed season...from what I have noticed. Most would be meatos. (Rod might be tell us more as he would notice the numbers living at the dam). To me this means decreased bag limits would decrease the meatos need/ability to kill, thus increase fish numbers naturally WITHOUT increasing fees. These are my opinions of course. I am just passionate about keeping BIG barra in our dams for the future. The meatos may have a go at me, but I couldnt give a shit:D

Steve

[NAGG]

We had an Interesting conversation with a guy ..... who was stacking the freezer at Monduran with fillets ..... not that it was really interesting ... more the tone & change of his perspective
He had been filling the freezer over several days :'( A proud troller .... who went from catching a feed for himself , to being obliged to feeding the rellos ...... & finally he finished up C&R ....... We ( Whitey in particular) made him feel so uncomfortable with his practice ( + drumming in the virtues of C&R) ......... That he apparently changed! ( I'd like to think so ... anyway) ..... but his mate backed him up that they did fish ... C&R !

It most certainly is the trollers that are the meatoes though
>:(
Nagg

[commando]

heard 80 million snapper were put into monduran along with 2 barra and 18 spanish mackeral

[BR65]

It most certainly is the trollers that are the meatoes though
>:(
Nagg

hate to say it but, yep, have to agree from what Ive seen.
Im sure some blokes troll and c&r, done it myself when times were tuff (oh the shame lol), but those who harvest are looking for the easiest way, how much easier can you get than dragging a lure around, no idea where your going, no idea on whats happening around them, just chuck it out the back and drive off.
Seen the funniest thing a couple of trips ago, boat load of blokes who had been enjoying a coldie or two or twelve as they trolled thru what looked lke a clear stretch of a little that bay I was casting in.
I know for a fact that area has more timber than you can poke a stick at, its just out of sight now after the rains, anyways, the abuse the skipper was copping from the boys as they constantly reversed back to try to de-snag their lures was gold. They soon departed in a cloud of blue smoke for fairer, should I say easier?, waters

[NAGG]

hate to say it but, yep, have to agree from what Ive seen.
Im sure some blokes troll and c&r, done it myself when times were tuff (oh the shame lol), but those who harvest are looking for the easiest way, how much easier can you get than dragging a lure around, no idea where your going, no idea on whats happening around them, just chuck it out the back and drive off.
Seen the funniest thing a couple of trips ago, boat load of blokes who had been enjoying a coldie or two or twelve as they trolled thru what looked lke a clear stretch of a little that bay I was casting in.
I know for a fact that area has more timber than you can poke a stick at, its just out of sight now after the rains, anyways, the abuse the skipper was copping from the boys as they constantly reversed back to try to de-snag their lures was gold. They soon departed in a cloud of blue smoke for fairer, should I say easier?, waters

Most of us have trolled at one time or another ........ I'll do it when I'm slowly cruising around looking at the sounder to get an idea of the lay of the land at a new destination!
Sure ..... There are trollers that practice C&R ( usually newbies ... IMO)
The meatoes though ..... its their modes operandi:(
Nagg

[BR65]

Evening Chris,
trolling is a technique in its own right, educated trolling that is, not chuck and drag, and it can be an extremly effective method.
Which leads me to the the basin mob. It would break ya heart to see a full moon assault up there, but that opens up that whole can of worms re takeing your legal bag limit blah blah blah
Anyways, Im getting off topic from the original post, sorry bout that

[Colo77]

Can't speak for other impoundments but I was at my home town (Emerald) a few weeks back and "apparently" (Don't mean to start any new rumours) the local stocking group has put 0 barra fingerlings in the drink for a couple of years now due to lack of availability. I think other groups around the region have experienced the same problem. Probably just as well anyway, they'd all be 3/4 of the way to Rockhampton by now after the recent floods (Rocky will fish well next year:D ).

Maybe other groups got in quick and snaffled up most of the stock. First in best dressed. Emerals's preferred supplier is in Gladstone and I think the hatchery there would supply to most groups stocking the southern strain (I bet Awoonga would get first dibs). I understand last year might have been tough for hatcheries but the year before ???? Dunno!

I think there's a new guy running the Gladstone hatchery these days maybe he's still perfecting the process? Ken C used to do a great job!
How did the other groups get on??

Anyway, I can see how the rumour may have started and I think maybe there's some truth to it but they should've got all the facts before they jumped on the bandwagon. Rumours are rumours

All stocking groups (and hatcheries) do an awesome job but there are some things that are just out of their control and I'm sure they'll make up for shortfalls of stocking one way or another be it a larger number the next season or stocking a different species that is available.

Anyway, screw the meat fisho's and tight lines to all the C&R blokes out there.

Cheers, Colo

[Steve B]

Bit of an Update. We (the MASA) are putting 55,000 fingerlings into Monduran tommorrow arvo.

Might whack a hook through the back of one and see of there are any canibals out there!!:-X:P JUST KIDDING.

So in answer to the original question. YES, they/we are still stocking Monduran.

cheer steve

[NAGG]

Evening Chris,
trolling is a technique in its own right, educated trolling that is, not chuck and drag, and it can be an extremly effective method.
Which leads me to the the basin mob. It would break ya heart to see a full moon assault up there, but that opens up that whole can of worms re takeing your legal bag limit blah blah blah
Anyways, Im getting off topic from the original post, sorry bout that

Hey Brian ..... no doubt trolling is an effective technique ( you cover a lot of water) ...... The use of downriggers etc can really turn a result!
Its just too mind numbing for me ..... & I ( like many others) get the juice from the strike (casting) ...... which you dont when you troll
I saw a full moon trolling session at Faust once ::)
Yep .... Legal bag limits ..... 5 big girls:'(
Sorry .... legal or not ..... It sux ( specially for something that you have to soak in diesel to make it taste better:sick2: )

Nagg

[NAGG]

Bit of an Update. We (the MASA) are putting 55,000 fingerlings into Monduran tommorrow arvo.

Might whack a hook through the back of one and see of there are any canibals out there!!:-X:P JUST KIDDING.

So in answer to the original question. YES, they/we are still stocking Monduran.

cheer steve

Great news Steve ...... You counting them personally;D
i'm guessing you have named em all too

Chris

[Steve B]

They might get a hug! :D

There is a massive dam over my back fence on the neigbours property. Huey, duey and luey may get relocated to become my pets!!!! that leaves 49,997 for Monduran!!!!!

cheers steve