Sydney to Lake Monduran!!!

[Gorms83]

Gday Ausfishers!!!

In March, myself and 2 good mates will be hiring a Toyota Hilux Dual cab, putting my 5 metre centre console on the back and heading off for a trip i have dreamt of since i was 6 years old. My first dream was to fish Montague island, which was awesome, now for Barra up in QLD.

The places we will stop and fish for a few days each will be:

Forster: offshore

South West Rocks: offshore

Moreton Bay: offshore

Gold coast : both offshore and in calmer water for Bream (like in the ABT)

and then to cap it all off

Lake Monduran

I'll have some outriggers fitted to my boat prior to leaving. I'll have my 2 downriggers and my 55lb Minn Kota which should help us out in a few spots. Ive also got a plumbed live bait tank which can hold a 20 livies or so.

If anyone has fished these areas, knows some solid bait grounds, or some areas which have been kind to them in the past, myself and the boys would be very appreciative of any info and advice you may have.

Along the way ill be posting reports with photos, as well as putting some of the action on youtube. At the end i will turn all the exciting stuff into a short movie.

Any advice, fun stories from past experiences, let me have it. Too much knowledge and advice is never enough in my opinion.

The way i look at it, 3000+ kms is a long way to drive to not be fishing in the right areas.

Thanks in advance,

Gorms.

[sleepygreg]

Gorms

I would giive Forster a miss. Its a weekend outing from Sydney.

Try a few days at the Camden Haven or Port Macquarie (Camden Haven is a better bar to cross).

Its the point where the north and south currents meet. Plenty of variety both surface and reef. And the estuary is brilliant if you cant get outside.

Moreton Bay offshore can be tricky for the non local.....team up with a local and you should be right. (on paper it looks similar to Botany Bay, but looks are very decieving).

Sounds like a dream trip. Good luck with it.

Greg

[Gorms83]

Gorms

I would giive Forster a miss. Its a weekend outing from Sydney.

Try a few days at the Camden Haven or Port Macquarie (Camden Haven is a better bar to cross).

Its the point where the north and south currents meet. Plenty of variety both surface and reef. And the estuary is brilliant if you cant get outside.

Moreton Bay offshore can be tricky for the non local.....team up with a local and you should be right. (on paper it looks similar to Botany Bay, but looks are very decieving).

Sounds like a dream trip. Good luck with it.

Greg

Thanks again Greg for your replies.

We are stopping into Forster to see a mates dad. Taking the chance to fish while we are there.
You've got me nervous about Moreton now. Assuming we don't get to chat with a local, what am I looking out for. When I say offshore, the most we normally venture is 5-10nm.

[SeekingBarradise]

Hi Gorms it sounds like you are in for a cracker of a trip mate...

The best Lake Barra fishing info you can find with stacks of info all in one place,
with no chat to sift through is on Johnny Mitchells web site. It's free to read
and contains over 50 000 thought provoking barra words to get your
rod arm twitching.

A quick net search of his name will put you on to his site.

He has a DVD called Fishing Lake Monduran which will give you a stack of clues
regarding Impoundment Barra Fishing. If you don't want to buy that, all good just read all the Free info on the website.

When arriving at Gin Gin to get the latest good oil call into Foxies Barra Havok in the main street. They have a large map of monduran and Foxy usually shows travelling anglers a good spot or 2 for fishing.

Note: The butcher next door has some of the best steaks going around.

Enjoy your trip mate.
Cheers Lyndon

[Andrew M]

And the pie shop a couple off doors up from Foxies is also worth a visit;)

Sounds like a good trip, hope all goes well.

Cheers Andrew

[andoland]

This might seem obvious but have you checked with the hire company that their vehicles have tow bars? I looked into hiring a vehicle a few years back out of Melbourne to tow my boat and none of the hire vehicles had tow bars fitted.

[Gorms83]

This might seem obvious but have you checked with the hire company that their vehicles have tow bars? I looked into hiring a vehicle a few years back out of Melbourne to tow my boat and none of the hire vehicles had tow bars fitted.

We were suprised at how many companies dont have towbars. After a month of calling around we ended up finding one down in sydney. Hilux should be fine for what we are after i hope.

Thanks for the info everyone, keep it coming!!

[Haji-Baba]

Hello Gorms 83.

You are on the right track, but you haven't mentioned accommodation requirements.

You can access Moreton Bay from many places and some of the outside reefs will be at least 24nm. from the mainland.

Eg. Bribie Island, camping & cabins just over the road from the boat ramp and easy run outside in the right weather.

20 Nm. to Finders reef one way. Probably a bit tricky for a first time run.
You probably wouldn't fish anywhere near there but up a bit further north which will add considerably to your trip.

Study the green zones beforehand.

There are plenty of places in the Bay that do fish well at times.

Mooloolaba may provide accommodation and good ramps with less boat miles.

Ditto Noosa, watch the bar.

Hervey Bay and 1770 good camping and fishing.

The options are endless so do your home work.

Have Fun Haji-Baba

[Gorms83]

Hello Gorms 83.

You are on the right track, but you haven't mentioned accommodation requirements.

You can access Moreton Bay from many places and some of the outside reefs will be at least 24nm. from the mainland.

Eg. Bribie Island, camping & cabins just over the road from the boat ramp and easy run outside in the right weather.

20 Nm. to Finders reef one way. Probably a bit tricky for a first time run.
You probably wouldn't fish anywhere near there but up a bit further north which will add considerably to your trip.

Study the green zones beforehand.

There are plenty of places in the Bay that do fish well at times.

Mooloolaba may provide accommodation and good ramps with less boat miles.

Ditto Noosa, watch the bar.

Hervey Bay and 1770 good camping and fishing.

The options are endless so do your home work.

Have Fun Haji-Baba

Mate appreciate your post a lot.

We will be staying in redcliffe and heading out from there. Concerning the green zones, any chance they show up on the navioncs card of the hds5? If not we will seek the appropriate maps.

24nm sounds a little scary for us, on our first crack. Are there possibly any reefs closer to redcliffe?

Can't wait to fish the clear water. Looks amazing up there!

[Haji-Baba]

Gorms 83

Lots of reef around Redcliffe, local fisherpersons will direct you.

From Redcliffe to Tangalooma Wrecks is about 16 Nm.

Clontarf to Sand Hills 17 Nm.

Talk to your friends about the Bay before you venture out. Tides and Winds play havoc with the Bay.

If you Pm. me I might be able to remember a couple of marks.

I some times develop a bad case of alsimers though.

Have Fun Haji-Baba.

[trymyluck]

Mate
If ya going to go as far as Mondy for some dirty muddy barra:-X;D then ya gotta go to 1770.;D;D Great fishing, good bar with the right conditions, as they all are I guess. Stop in at Agnus Jacks for some local knowledge. You won't be disappointed.
Then there is Baffle creek............ Mate just bypass it all and come to Qld;D
Mark

[Gorms83]

Mate
If ya going to go as far as Mondy for some dirty muddy barra:-X;D then ya gotta go to 1770.;D;D Great fishing, good bar with the right conditions, as they all are I guess. Stop in at Agnus Jacks for some local knowledge. You won't be disappointed.
Then there is Baffle creek............ Mate just bypass it all and come to Qld;D
Mark

Ha! Mate if we wernt restricted by time, I'd be there in a heart beat. Pardon my ignorance but is 'the mud' at 1770? Always hear good reports from there!

Might add 1770 to the next trip if this ones a success!

[NAGG]

Hi Gorms

I've done a few of these trips (Syd- Monduran / Awoonga or Syd - Lucinda) The one best piece of advice is - Dont try to cram in too much
I'm not sure of how much time you have - but I'm guessing 2 weeks. Out of that ..... you've got a minimum of 34 hours driving. ( & each destination fished virtually means another day lost + your fishing time)

Foster ..... take it or leave it , but you can certainly target those big bream around the oyster racks - Having the leccy means that you can fish with reasonable effectiveness

South West Rocks ..... even 2 days wouldn't do the place justice with great offshore fishing & in the river ( you can get live bait off grassy head or the old moorings in the bay) - The bar crossing needs to be watched or you can go out of back creek ...... check the regulations for fishing Fish Rock , Black Rock & Green Is - I also think that you might be there during the spotty run. - Its easy to spend a week here

Morton Bay or Gold Coast - I'd do one or the other ( see which area is fishing best) - In all honesty IMO fishing out of Coffs Harbour would give you better offshore fishing.

As for Monduran ...... 2 or 3 days should see you onto fish ( if the water quality improves after the current inflows - i'm sure a few of us will point you in the right direction.

Finally - head home from Monduran via Goondiwindi ...... If you want to do a straight run home.

i'm sure you'll have a great experience

Chris

[trymyluck]

Ha! Mate if we wernt restricted by time, I'd be there in a heart beat. Pardon my ignorance but is 'the mud' at 1770? Always hear good reports from there!

Might add 1770 to the next trip if this ones a success!


Mate
I'm not sure but I would think the Mud you have heard of may be Mud Island in Moreton Bay.

I've got to agree with Sleepygreg, as much as I love Foster give it a miss,( till 5 years ago I lived at Newcastle ) a couple of hrs drive on a Friday arv and your there for the weekend. I'd even be tempted to give SWR's a miss as well.Only a couple of more hrs up the road. Use that time up here, Before you go to Monduran , if the weather is ok go to 1770 then go to Monduran to give the boat a good flush.;D;D
From memory its only about 1 1/2 hr drive between the 2.

Mark

P.S. Just to give you something to think about, check out the report the M&G from 1770 last september.

[Gorms83]

Been really taken back by the info here guys, thankyou. Especially Nag- been reading your posts for years mate, great reading.

Here's a bit more info: we are away for 16 days in total.#
The guys I'm travelling with can't get much more time off so time is a factor. #I guess the main reason I put the trip together is to fish monduran, so it does seem we are trying to cram in things along the way.

Concerning south west rocks, I'm happy to fish just the 2 days as it may become a bit of regular trip for weekends of the holidays I take throughout the year. It's not too far from sydney so I guess this is a bit of a reconnaissance mission to test the place out.

Forster is on the agender to see a mates dad. He moved up to Sydney a while back so will be good for my mate to see his old man and have a fish/ round of golf and a few beers.

We will be fishing monduran for 4 days in total. Would be awesome if we could all get a barra while we are there but I'm sure just the one for the boat would be an amazing feat for a few battlers from Sydney. I have read many a post of the dreaded doughnut so my fingers are crossed.

Moreton bay is starting to scare me a bit. Not sure what type of hazards I'm too look out for while I'm on the water. Rough seas, changing weather conditions, shallow reefs? I'm gonna stop in at the boat club in redcliffe and seek some info there.

We are also looking to head over to Fraiser island for a look around. A mate has been before and thought it's something we must see if we are in the neighbourhood.

We are gonna head out one night in the GC so I've added in a fish here. We might skip it, but I wouldn't mind getting out and having a crack at a GT. It's possible out of the gold coast isn't it? Use the jig sticks we have for the kings and throw on a popper? GTs are another one of the must catch fish I'd love to get one day.#

Thanks again everyone.

[Bear001]

Moreton Bay will be fine in your 5m. We took a 4m hornet trophy up there in 40kn winds and survived......lol........I will PM you some information I gathered prior to our trip up there from other members when I get 5min.

[NAGG]

Been really taken back by the info here guys, thankyou. Especially Nag- been reading your posts for years mate, great reading.

Here's a bit more info: we are away for 16 days in total.#
The guys I'm travelling with can't get much more time off so time is a factor. #I guess the main reason I put the trip together is to fish monduran, so it does seem we are trying to cram in things along the way.

Concerning south west rocks, I'm happy to fish just the 2 days as it may become a bit of regular trip for weekends of the holidays I take throughout the year. It's not too far from sydney so I guess this is a bit of a reconnaissance mission to test the place out.

Forster is on the agender to see a mates dad. He moved up to Sydney a while back so will be good for my mate to see his old man and have a fish/ round of golf and a few beers.

We will be fishing monduran for 4 days in total. Would be awesome if we could all get a barra while we are there but I'm sure just the one for the boat would be an amazing feat for a few battlers from Sydney. I have read many a post of the dreaded doughnut so my fingers are crossed.

Moreton bay is starting to scare me a bit. Not sure what type of hazards I'm too look out for while I'm on the water. Rough seas, changing weather conditions, shallow reefs? I'm gonna stop in at the boat club in redcliffe and seek some info there.

We are also looking to head over to Fraiser island for a look around. A mate has been before and thought it's something we must see if we are in the neighbourhood.

We are gonna head out one night in the GC so I've added in a fish here. We might skip it, but I wouldn't mind getting out and having a crack at a GT. It's possible out of the gold coast isn't it? Use the jig sticks we have for the kings and throw on a popper? GTs are another one of the must catch fish I'd love to get one day.#

Thanks again everyone.

Thanks for the kind words Gorms :)

I think you may be off the mark with the GTs - sure there are small ones to be caught in the canals ..... but I think you need to head much further north to target them on poppers - some other members will confirm

SWR does make a great week long destination (5hrs from Syd) - have a good look around there are quite a few options from bream , big flatties , jew & cobia in the river ..... through to snapper & spotties on the northern reefs - cobia & kingies on the southern islands ....... a great spot.

What are your dates at Mondy ?

Chris

[sleepygreg]

Gorms, if you are going to drop in to the boat club at Redcliffe, and I assume you mean the Moreton Bay Boat Club, give me a bell beforehand and I will meet you there with a couple of mates, for a few beers, and to talk about the area. I am Secretary of the fishing club there.

Cheers
Greg

0407 010957

[Gorms83]

Thanks for the kind words Gorms :)

I think you may be off the mark with the GTs - sure there are small ones to be caught in the canals ..... but I think you need to head much further north to target them on poppers - some other members will confirm

SWR does make a great week long destination (5hrs from Syd) - have a good look around there are quite a few options from bream , big flatties , jew & cobia in the river ..... through to snapper & spotties on the northern reefs - cobia & kingies on the southern islands ....... a great spot.

What are your dates at Mondy ?

Chris

Mate i heard there were GT's at the GC, so thought id fish for them there but its not a problem if they arnt massive, Ive always loved the look of them,

At SWR, was hoping to have a jig for some kings, and have a trawl with the outriggers for any pelagics.

The dates for monduran are 14, 15, 16 and 17 i believe. Should be 3 full days of fishing.

Cant wait, if anything, not to be at work for a month! Heading down to Bermagui to fish for a week before my mates get off from work.

[Gorms83]

Gorms, if you are going to drop in to the boat club at Redcliffe, and I assume you mean the Moreton Bay Boat Club, give me a bell beforehand and I will meet you there with a couple of mates, for a few beers, and to talk about the area. I am Secretary of the fishing club there.

Cheers
Greg

0407 010957

Greg ill take you up on that for sure. A mate from works parents live in Redcliffe and frequent the club so i thought. He also recommended some cabins where we will be staying.

Look forward to meeting you and racking your brains for a while!

[BR65]

Gday Gorms, sounds like a great road trip coming up mate, have a blinder.
Re the bara thingy, a few lads who do some casting practice in the ponds up this way have jotted down some thoughts to help out with first timers chasing an impoundment barra. This is the draft version, have a squiz, its got a lot of stuff that will help out.




So, You Want To Catch an Impoundment BARRA?

Barramundi are Northern Australia’s most Iconic sportfish. They bite aggressively, and fight hard with spectacular jumps, thrashing headshakes and hard sustained runs. Every angler would like to catch a barra, and the QLD barra impoundments put them within easy reach for many anglers.
The average size of barra in some of the lakes is over 90cm and every year many lucky anglers catch trophy sized fish of 120 – 130cm + barra. But, at the same time many anglers go home fishless.

This is a brief guide to help beginners to barra success and to make your time on the barra impoundments safer and more enjoyable for you and other anglers.
It is put together by the barra anglers of ausfish.com.au. Log on and check out the freshwater reports and freshwater chat sections, there is a ton of barra info available. We welcome all anglers to join in our discussions and share their reports.




Trolling for Barra

This is a great way to start barra fishing, because you can do it from just about any boat. All you really need is depth sounder to identify the depth and bottom structure.
Trolling open water – Open water areas are generally towards the dam wall, where the water is deep and there is no structure. Even in 40 – 80 feet + barra quite often hold up in 10 – 25 feet.
*Open water trolling is the easiest type of trolling, as there is no chance of getting snagged up, or the fish finding cover to bust you off. In late spring and early summer, barramundi often congregate more in the deeper water towards the wall, so this is the most productive time troll the open water.
Trolling banks – This is generally a more productive form of trolling, because you are targeting barra that are feeding along the banks. However it also takes a lot more skill in driving your lures in the required depth, along the banks. You will become snagged up or weeded up much more often along the banks. But the closer you can get your lures to the bottom or structure the more likely you are to get the bites. It is vital to understand your sounder and drive your lures in the strike zone.
*Trolling depths vary from 5 feet down to 20 feet, but the most common range is 10 – 15 feet.
*If you plan to troll your lures in snaggy areas, it’s a good idea to have a tackle retrieving device, like a Tackleback. Lures for Trolling – Hard bodied bibbed lures around 10 – 15cm which dive to 8 - 16 feet are the go. Australian Lures designed specifically for barramundi and usually come rigged with appropriate hooks and rings that can stand up to the punishment of barra. Halco, Classic Lures, Predatek Lures, are just a few of the more popular.
Trolling Tackle – A sturdy rod rated between 6 – 15kg, mated with a spinning or baitcast reel able to hold 150m plus of 20–30lb line should do the job. Leaders should be 2–5 feet long, 40–60lb mono or fluorocarbon material, attached by a sturdy snap swivel or loop knot.



Casting for Barra
This is becoming increasing popular with many anglers, particularly as the barra lakes become more heavily fished, and the barra are becoming older and wiser. They associate boat noise with danger, and generally leave the area or don’t bite. This is why casting can have an advantage over trolling, as long as you do it quietly!

Casting with an electric motor - Bow mounted electric motors are by-far the most popular as you can control the electric with a foot pedal at the same time, you cast and retrieve. Using an electric motor allows you to fish along a bank quietly, continuously adjusting your position, or holding up on one spot as required. You can cover a lot of water casting along a bank and seek out areas where barra are biting.
Anchoring and Casting - This is the best way to target barra on your chosen location, particularly if it is windy. As you head towards your anchoring spot, It pays to idle quietly or even drift into position before anchoring. When anchoring it is vital to lower your anchor quietly! Tying off on trees is another good way to fish, just make sure you can untie quickly if you need to chase fish!
Casting lures - When casting, you can use surface lures, hardbodied lures or soft plastic swimbait lures.
*Depending on the situation, it pays to try a few different lures and colours. Swimbaits such as Slick Rigs, Berkley Power Mullets and Hollowbellys, or Storm lures are very popular for casting.
*It pays to make long casts and work you lures close to the bottom or weed edge, by changing your lure or your retrieve to keep it close to the structure without getting caught in the weed.
*Mix up your retrieves regularly to attract a strike, change the speed or use plenty of twitches or even pauses if you are using a suspending lure.
Casting outfits – Same as trolling outfits, but they must have the ability to cast good distances.

Eating Qualities - Unlike the saltwater versions, impoundment barramundi are NOT good table fare

Handling Barramundi for Release
*A knotless net, like an Environet, or rubber meshed net is the best type of net to reduce damage to the fish.
*Time out of the water is critical to the survival of a fish, more than two minutes is likely to kill them
*So, once you’ve netted your barra, keep it in the water, while you prepare the camera and measuring mat/ruler. Also wet the mat or the deck that you intend to put the fish on - then bring the barra onboard.
*Do not lift a barra by its lower jaw! This will cause damage to the fish usually resulting in death. Always use your other hand to support the mid section of the fish.

Bite Times
Impoundment Barra can be very fickle fish. We can’t predict when barra will bite. But there are certain periods when they might be more likely to come on the chew. These are;
*Low light periods of dawn and dusk
*If there is a wind change, they bite best on the lull in between the change.
* Night time fishing is best when moonlight first appears, either when it first rises. Of if cloud clears and the moon comes out.
*Stable conditions are the best. If a change hits, they often shut down for a couple of days, but, will come back on after a few days. They much prefer warm Northerly winds over cold Southerlies.
Times of the Year - Barra can be caught right though out the year, but prime times are from Spring into early Summer. Autumn and Winter can be very productive unless there is a real cold snap.




Safety

QLD’s Barra lakes can become very rough without warning! Ensure that your boat is capable of handling the conditions.
*Night time fishing for barra can be very productive, but if you plan to stay out, ensure you use your navigation and anchor lights when travelling, so you are fully visable to other boats.
*Insect life can be very active from sunset, many anglers turn their lights off to stop attracting the bugs. Ensure that if you do this, you can turn them on quickly if a boat approaches/some boats still travel very quickly at night.
*A GPS is a valuable tool for night time navigation. Even on moonlit nights, if cloud cover comes over, it is very easy to get disoriented. This is where it is handy to use GPS marks and tracks to help you find your way home.
*A spotlight it another very handy piece of equipment, particularly in impoundments with lots of drowned timber.
*A headlight torch is another good idea when night time fishing.




Stealth

*Impoundment barra are big smart fish. Using stealth (keeping boat noise to a minimum) is an essential element of catching barra.
*When trolling, the quieter your motor, the better your results. Four stroke engines will out-fish two-strokes, electric Motors are even better. You can run your lures further back to improve trolling results.
* Fish in the main basin of the lake are more used to boat noise, than those up the back reaches of the lake, so the further you travel the more stealth is required.
*When anchoring, always move into position quietly and lower the anchor quietly. If you operate your main motor, it may take 10 – 20 minutes before fish will start biting in that area again.
Many newcomers can take a while to come to terms with the stealth factor, once they understand, they start catching more fish!




Barra Anglers Code of Conduct

*Be Courteous to other fishermen.
*If you are operating your main motor, try and keep at least 100m clear of other boats fishing.
*Casters – please don’t anchor in the way of trollers that are working a particular bank.
*Trollers – Be considerate of casters by staying clear of boats anchored or using electric power.
*Don’t be a blowfly! If someone catches a fish, it is extremely rude to move in on them.
*Location Occupied - If another boat is fishing ‘your’ spot before you get there, it’s time to find another spot. Barra are spread right throughout the lake, so don’t get focused on one spot.
*Respect the Barra – Enjoy the experience! If you want to keep your barra, bleed and ice down or clean quickly. If you plan to release – handle carefully and quickly.
*Good Luck! Happy and Safe Fishing!

[trymyluck]

Hi
If your interested in chasing GT's it might be worthwhile looking into a trip with someone like Paul Dolan from Hervey Bay. Check out Fraser Coast Sportfishing.

Mark