Reply With Quoteits great to know that we have such a great guide out there, aye johnny?? haha.
thats tops on the fish!
I knew you'd have done everything to get her in out out of the boat quickly & safely Johnny.
Just wanted to hear the point made again #
One day I'll get to apply the same philosophy. #So far I haven't caught one big enough to seriously stress my gear #
cheers,
Owen
Cheers,
Owen
The whole world's mad save thee & me (but I'm not too sure about thee)
its great to know that we have such a great guide out there, aye johnny?? haha.
thats tops on the fish!
great fish mate
im headin there soon and i hope to get one that big
Another good fish Johnny.
I agree, we have some great years ahead to look forward to.
John.
Hopefully most of us will get the opportunity to land a big barra from Awoonga. It will happen when you least expect it.
The main point here is to be ready.
# A wet Brag mat laid open if you need a measurement.
# Camera ready(charged and/or loaded with film),
# Hook removing tools at your grasp(pliers etc)
# Landing net also.
A minute on board is a long time out of water for a fish, so work quickly.
## Remove the hooks directly and shift your valued rod and lure to the side out of the way so it is not broken or stepped on.
## Lay the barra on the wet brag mat for a quick measurement. Photos with people and barra on brag mats are often great.
## For a holding shot- Supporting the barra with BOTH HANDS/ARMS,(wet) cradle the fish in a comforting and caring manner for 2 or 3 quick photos. Be prepared for the fish to kick, so sitting down can be of benefit. A 20kg barra falling from an adult's standing position to the deck is a sad and ugly sight. 150mm long, sharp dorsal spikes aimed at your neck is also a reason for care and caution.
## Still supporting the barra carefully, (and watch your own posture, these fish are heavy), lay the whole fish gently into the water whilst both hands are still supporting ALL of the fish's body weight. They don't need to be swum for any period of time, a few seconds is usually fine.
## Push the barra away and gently squeeze its tail or tail wrist as it passes. This sends the fish into overdrive usually and they respond by powering away into the depths.
Fish don't like their tails being touched.
The longer you hold a barra boat side, the more energy it burns as it head shakes trying to remove your hand/thumb from its mouth.
Barra expend more energy jumping and head shaking than they do just free swimming during a fight. A jumping barra is a tiring barra. They are not fit animals.
Reducing time out of water by being prepared for the 'likely' event will minimise possible stresses that may be caused to the fish.
Care and Top Priority for these fish is a must for the future of this "FAR OUTSTANDING" Lake!
Celebrations afterwards!!
Boaga grips need to be left at home, They are the worst invention since I can remember. Many fish get released with boaga's still attached. Its true, ask your mates!! You'll be surprised who has done it.
Barra should NEVER be lifted, or supported from the mouth only. Jaw gaffing is way inferior.
Body weight needs to be supported on as large a surface area as possible without any direct support or weight suspending from the mouth, jaw or neck of a barra. This is their most fragile point.
Boagas grips allow too much control of the fish's front end, and with a large handle that allows that hand to dictate control, it easily leads to 'INCORRECT' support on the front end of a fish. Unfortunately, magazine photos will back me up with this one. They also have scales incorporated into this system, and I have seen many anglers hoist the fish up, even for a short period, just to get a weight of the fish. Bad move, a gentle whack with a mallet will do similar irreversible damages.
With a simple measurement of length, average fish weight can be found afterwards once you reach the shore. Possibly a list could be created as a reference so anglers can cross refer the length of the fish to attain a close weight of the fish they have landed.
Enough barra have been measured and weighed to form a very accurate weight approximate without barra having to be weighed on board.
Baradise,
The future in Awoonga could be sensational if it is managed carefully, and with further education of the anglers that visit, we can minimise incidents that could be detrimental to its well being. A pond with 50, 60, and 70lb fish is mind blowing enough from where I stand.
We are very fortunate that it is on our doorstep.
JM
It is world class, and it could be kept that way with a little nurturing. It could also be destructed in no time if careful procedures and thoughtful practices aren't followed.
It's Live barra that puts the happy smile on angler's faces. Take the live ones out, and its back to that "sad boatramp face", that is often displayed on dusk!!
Johnny M
Johnny,
what a HORSE!! Congrat's to you brother.
Great fish like that should be left to fight another day.
Last summer, we did everything with the fish in the environet, removed lures, measured with a tape, and weighed them in the net on the way back into the water. The spring scales aren't the most accurate, but good enough for a guide
Nice fish John! Can't wait until we head out in September and you can put me onto his big brother!
cheers
Raymond
Plenty of good advice there Johhny, you've come a long way since the days of beak creek barra?
I guess when your new bussness as a guide rely's on the generiousity of others within this closed environment, I think we can all see where you might be comming from.
If an angler chooses to take a barra for what ever purpose, they have the right to do so without selective greenie overtones back at the ramp or camp.
Awoonga continues to be the highest stocked barra lake in Australia with around 250,000 fry injected each year, yes 250,000 fry each year, and that is NOT about to change in the near future unless there are signs that the lake is reaching barra satuation point.
So get real, anglers know all about kissing them and putting them back is great for fish that can spawn but in Awoonga, what happens when all those little fish today, some 2 plus million of them are suddenly 20-30-40-perhaps even 50 odd kilo tommow.
I can just see you out there with bags of fish pellets feeding them.
Wake-up and let the angler do there part in this purpose designed put'n take fishery.
I think that was some of the best advice I've read. Would like some more detail about the actual capture..... without giving secret spot x away of course.
Congratulations on an amazing capture & release.
Well done
roz
GO THE CRUISER UTES!
....OH WHAT A FEELING!
Xcellent fish and great fishing. Best of all it's still swimming around out there, cheers steve.
John Platten,
Regardless of numbers stocked annually, there is always going to be a saturation point in an enclosed environment. Rising water may allow further stockings, yet a decrease in water levels will see those fish become concentrated further. At 200,000 per year for the coming years, there will be a much greater survival rate and population increase than that of fish being removed from the system, hence a saturation point will always be reached, regardless. As mentioned, management is the dictator as to what form of fishery is to be created. Remove big fish by hand annually, and there will still be a saturation point if 200,000 are placed in each year. No one drives 2000km to catch a 2kg barra, big fish draws anglers to Awoonga.
Regardless of my presence at Awoonga as a fishing guide, my points do not reflect in the direction as a self gain. The preservation of a fish created, that need not be wasted is high on the list. Floating, rotting barra are a worthless and sadenning commodity.
200,000 in and 200,000 out per year will still not reduce the climax of saturation point. The still existing will grow, the saturation point will near!
The drought will change it ultimately, a flood will save it short term!!
Management holds the key. 200, 000 per year continuous will not help the situation. A final decision will need to be made.
Yet, as we stand, education and care for the existing fish is paramount if we are to allow visitors their chance of fame!
If I removed every fish I caught in the last x number of years for fear of a saturation point, I could guarantee some mass number of anglers would have scored a big fat zero instead of a big fat 20kg barra.
Management holds the key, yet we still hold the ability to nurture what exists.
For an angler, 30kg barra, and life dreams don't grow in 12 months!
Johnny M
Johnny
A very elegant reply
I'm sure i speak for the majority when I say we enjoy and look forward to your posts!!
I for one do not see any implications in your views on Awoonga besides the obvious........
You care about education and instruction for the preservation of a fantastic adversary
Will be there in late October.
return a few for me
Cheers
Sy
Yes... well spoken Mitch.. This debate will go on forever....l will do my little bit and return the fish that l catch...
Kids need models, more than they need critics."
"In youth we learn; in age we understand."
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand
Yes, this debate does seem to go on for ever
I beg to differ, these fisheries will not last 'for ever'Originally Posted by A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE
In the not too distant future, these places will be under more un wanted pressure from different angles. To sensibly ward off the amount of anti angling, anti cruelty and anti every friggin thing movements popping up out there like peta & such we have to act rationally. We will NOT support a long term case of continuing to be able to fish using the basis of pure catch and release as our argument. It's too bloody easy for us to be shot down with the return argument that we are just torturing and tormenting these fish for our own wicked pleasure. (Which when it all boils down, isn't that pretty close to the truth ? Be it Marlin, Bream or Barra ?).
Whilst I don't personally have any desire to take home a large freshy (much prefer a medium sized saltie), It's important we preserve the right of those who do wish to take one occasionally, without treating them as 3rd rate citizens as is so often the case.
As has been said, these are artificial 'put and take' fisheries. simple as that.
Look at the public backlash and ultimate demise of things like cock fighting, the fox hunts in europe, or other forms of hunting that are purely for the participants enjoyment at the expense of being cruel to animals. Where are they now ?
Using an argument of responsible fishing, in an ethical and sustainable manner with the outcome being to supply an occasional food source for yourself or family will give us a far greater public support base than simply standing on a pedastal saying we don't want to kill them, we only wish to drag them around by a hook lodged in their mouth while we laugh and watch as they fight for their life. If that aint enough, we then want to pull them out of the water and take plenty of happy photos of us grinning and smiling while they gasp and choke in our unnatural air filled enviroment. Then to top it all off, just before they die, we want to let them go so the guy next week gets a turn at doing it to them all over again. Of course that's fine, as long as we're pretty careful about it ??
Food for thought.
Dicko, ..Many true words in the above statment.. One of the guys that l go fishing with at Awoonga has five kids.. is on a low wage and yes a few of the small fish that he catches go home with him.... I have no problem with that....Its the killing for the sake of killing....that l have a problem with
Kids need models, more than they need critics."
"In youth we learn; in age we understand."
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand
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