PDA

View Full Version : J and T @ Awoonga Report



juicyfruit
19-01-2006, 08:36 PM
Female Perspective

DAY 1

After so much planning, preparing and rebuilding of boat for our trip to Awoonga, my growing excitement was becoming too much, it must have shown as Thumps agreed to my request of leaving a day earlier then planned.

That evening whilst watching yet another repeat of Braveheart on the idiot box, I just couldn’t, for the life of me, settle. The very thought of me actually getting to sleep was unachievable. Thumps truly must have had enough of me ‘huffing’ ‘puffing’ tossing and turning on the bed beside him, because it didn’t take much for him to jump out of bed and into action when I whispered in his ear “lets leave now hun, we will get there by first light, no worries”.

With car packed, ‘Sandy’ packed and hitched on, our daughter (aka The Boss) sleepy placed into the car, long suffering Thumps behind the steering wheel and I as navigator and watcher of fatigue driver, we headed off to Awoonga.

Drive down was uneventful, the joy of squashing cane toads wore thin, counting ‘Bugs Bunny’ became depressing to me as I believed that rabbits had been eradicated from this area, and by the Maryborough turn off I was glad that it was my turn to drive. So after wetting the road, stretching our legs and checking the boat and gear, I drove us the rest of the way to Awoonga.

The drive into Awoonga hadn’t change in the last 15years odd that I was there last time, only thing that had change was I was now going there to fish and not to water-ski, accompanied by my daughter and new husband.

So cute he is my husband, that when I looked over at him I see a smile wider then the Nullabor Plain, which was soon followed up with the words, “I see water!!!!!”.

Yes indeed he had seen water, then more water as we followed the bends in the road leading to the boat ramp. Upon seeing the boat ramp, I did however notice a drop in Thumps smile.

I drive him down the boat ramp, into the turn style, then back up the boat ramp, telling him nicely that, “I enjoy being fat, so ya dropping the boat, Skipper”. At the top of the boat ramp, among the other cars and boat trailers, we unload all non-boat gear into the car, readied the boat for the water and fishing, adorned the ‘just woken’ Boss in lifejacket, sunscreen, and sun protection clothing topped with a vegemite sandwich and milk shoved into her hands, we head once again down the boat ramp to launch the boat.

What seemed like hours, wading knee deep in water, whilst answering The Boss questions about ‘what fish is that’ and ‘why can’t I feed them my vegemite sandwich to the little fish’, Thumps returned with nice rosy cheeks and a little bit ‘huffing’ muttering words I believe sounded something like, ‘I have to walk back up that, anyone ever heard of cutting into a mountain’, or something similar.

We pushed off from the bank on what Thumps like to call, ‘on the rise’. Oh and what a beautiful sunrise it was on Awoonga Dam. To say it was picturesque would be an understatement. As I had nominated Thumps as skipper to avoid walking the boat ramp, I now placed myself in the position of deckie, so I begin to busy myself with rod holders, rods etc. Thumps turns on the sounder in the midst of my preparations and I had to question if the sounder had been damaged in our travel south, as the damn thing never stopped ‘beeping’.

It is true, Awoonga is full of fish, and the sounder was not broken at all. The sounder never shut up the whole time we were on the water.

Less than 20 minutes after launching, with me adorning my ‘Ugly stik’ and “Abu’ for the first time (after purchase was over a year ago on the rod and over 6mth on the reel) whilst trolling, I hear the sound I’ve been wishing for, ‘zeeeeeeeeefffffffffff’, and then the thought ‘thank Gawd, it’s my rod’.

Now it was big time talking to myself with words of “keep cool”, “grab rod”, “keep the pressure on him”, “Thumps will control the boat don’t think about the boat/motor”, “relax you silly cow, get that adrenalin in check”, “breath”, “keep the pressure on him”, “let him tire out”……………HOLLY CRAP!!!!!! LOOK AT HIM JUMP OUT OF THE WATER!!!!!!!!..........”relax Gawd damn you” “that’s it’”, “here he comes” “relax, breath”……

What a lovely looking Barra, far from the photo taking size, but what a great first Barra of my life and practice for a bigger one. I nickname him Harold, and release him from the side of the boat, thanking him for the privilege. Silly girlie moment grips me, as a tear wells up in my eye. Yeap, I just caught my first Barra. Anything after this moment will be a bonus. Thank goodness for sunnies because it hid my too girlie moment from Thumps as I look to him and thank him for taking me to Awoonga. I do believe I also said in the same breathe, “find me another one, make sure he’s bigger”.


In which he did, after only about 5 mins, we hook up again, but due to my excitement of my first Barra, I stupidly forgot to recheck line, knot and lure before dropping it back over the side…..this fish broke off along with the lure. What then followed was about 2 hours of no bites but some dam exploring and scenery taking.

A restless Boss had us calling it a morning and heading to our accommodation, for some much needed sleep, only after Thumps retrieve the car and trailer from the very top of the boat ramp. On glancing up once on his ascend did I then decide not to look up again at him, poor fellows legs were buckling. It was a good thing also that he didn’t look back at me, as the wakes of a passing speed boat knocked the tinnie into my legs causing me to lose my balance on the slippery boat ramp and landing me in the drink……..oh how refreshing!.....not to mention running the arse end of the boat into the side of the concrete ramp, braking off the transducer of the sounder.

Due to some technical difficulties, and not pertaining to the boat or car, we were unable to resuming fishing that arvo, instead we enjoyed the facilities (pool) at our place of accommodation. Willowgove Caravan Park.

Day 2

…..to be continued

thumps
19-01-2006, 08:44 PM
Male perspective


After much badgering…and a mournful looks after “Braveheart” the movie. I agreed to hook up the infamous “Sandy” at about 12 midnight to begin the 500 odd klms “just down the road” trip to the mighty Awoonga Dam.

After much dodging of those small fluffy critters we like to call rabbits back in Tas…(The Juicmeister assures me there all gone from around these parts) and a liberal coating of roo guts all up the side of the boat trailer…we arrived safe and sound for what I would call..”The morning rise”

Sunrise on Awoonga was everything I assumed and guessed it would be…beauty in the morning light…..BUT WAIT….what the hell do you call that huge slope with all those cars just managing to hold on?????....”THAT’S A BOAT RAMP???????

After the initial shock of the huge slope that almost certainly saw me climbing that hill after we came back in…I managed to park the FWD at the very top of the hill…there must have been 40 cars and trailers at the ramp…..I then made my way back down …..After 20 mins…or so……I managed to arrive at the waters edge to be greeted by a huge smile.

Spending the next 15 mins explaining all the names of the small fish that were swimming at the bottom of the ramp…finally getting to launch and head off in pursuit of that first Barra.

To say we waited and waited would be a lie….Juicy hooked up in a matter of 20 mins…after hounding me for a lure change…(this lure was bought begrudgingly by me at the local tackle shop)….”this is the one you want” the words echoed in my head, from the local tackle expert..(Who lives 500 klms away. and has never fished Awoonga before)…well stuff me…

10 mins at the most into its first swim…it was hammered…..Juicy’s rod…… (Yes I gave her back the ugly stick…and the ABU6500)

After a fight of about 5 mins the first Barra…..just a lil tacker… is released... (I will never live this down)

Down with the lure again….and …BUGGER…..snapped off the lure on another strike….within 5 mins…NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

Good thing I was allowed to purchase a few extra’s before we left… (Thankyou dear) though not the same as the one that got 2 hits...
We didn’t have another touch for the next two hours… (Lesson??…learn from your tackle man)

It seemed that “THE BOSS” was a little toey after the long trip down….so we quietly left the Lake for a shower…a nap (which I needed after the ramp climb)…and a feed before hitting the Lake again.
So ended day one… (Due to some technical difficulties)…..

Day 2 to follow

darryl_l
19-01-2006, 09:28 PM
Good Report from both of you,

There is always two sides to all reports the right one and the one from the other person lol

Darryl L

al_neibling
19-01-2006, 09:39 PM
Geez Guys this is better than Days of our lives :P

Juicy, thank god I am reading this while Brad is in bed, I too have girly moments and shed a tear just reading that girl! (just one [smiley=embarassed.gif]) I too am chasing my first barra and the season is about to open!!

Thumps, your a good boy doin' all that walkin' for the girls!! can't wait to hear about your barra.............you did get one didn't you???? :P


Glad to hear day one went well
Al

thumps
20-01-2006, 06:16 AM
DAY 2 male perspective

Maybe it’s the fresh air…or the excitement of the day before…but we seemed to sleep longer than usual (yes dear…. I know I was supposed to set the alarm clock)...and a few more technical difficulties…we didn’t manage to get onto the lake till about 2 pm.

(Not to mention the 85cm Fish that was bought back to the park by a very happy Brissy angler on his last day……which moved us up a gear).

We trolled….we trolled….we trolled…and nothing…I tried changing speed…depth…I zigzagged…I changes depth on lures…but for the life of me I couldn’t get a strike anywhere…the “BOSS” and Juicy both looked bored….the weather wasn’t great…we had a southerly come in that morning…it rained….it blew…and still we trolled.

Others left the lake before us… (In fact I managed a decent park this time….only halfway up the hill)….but still we trolled….then I had an idea.

After a quick sounding…I discovered that it drops off very quickly in Awoonga...infact as much as 9 metres in a matter of 1 metre off the bank……LETS TRY THE TROUT TACTIC.

This tactic has got me out of trouble a few times in the past…so why not here.

“BANG:”…the reel sings that wonderful song…..the rod buckles…85cms of silver sprints out off the point and nails the rod, I fight this fish to the boat…where its bought onboard…pic taken…and off for a swim. (After giving us a shower for all the care we showed it)….huge smiles all round….its amazing how one fish can make a day.

Back on the troll….”Dear…I have a snag…I think I hooked the bottom”

“O.k. I say…back we go”…..I start to retrieve my lure…and I look across at Juicy’s rod…….IT TWITCHES….it bends….ITS A FISH!!!!!!!!

5 mins later…and 56cms of silver is released back into the wild.

What a way to end the day.

To say we were stoked is an understatement….great place…great scenery… it doesn’t get any better than this…or does it??????



Day 3 to follow. Soon

DNO40
20-01-2006, 06:45 AM
Excellent reports people. Glad to see that nothing has changed and that you had a good time.

DNO

McCod
20-01-2006, 07:54 AM
waiting waiting waiting [smiley=lolk.gif]

juicyfruit
20-01-2006, 08:24 AM
Female Perspective

DAY 2

I awoke before daybreak and seat myself on the small patio of our accommodation, slowly sipping my coffee and perving on our neighbours across the way readying their boat for a trip out on Awoonga, by the time they finished and left the van park, the sky was just getting a touch of colour.

Still Thumps and The Boss sleep!!!!!

Coffee number two sees me seated in front of the PS2 playing Crashed Bandicoot.

Still Thumps and The Boss sleep!!!!!

Coffee number three sees me back on the patio chatting to my sister on the mobile.

Still Thumps and The Boss sleep!!!!!

Enough of this, so armed with nothing more then a broom, I start sweeping the floor making sure to hit every edge causing some noise.

Thumps and The Boss awake to me apologising for waking them…..tehe….with rebound apologises from Thumps for not setting the alarm.

With Thumps on the phone trying to sort out our technical difficulties, and me doing a load of washing our neighbours return supporting an 85cm Barra. Doing nothing for my own impatience, for getting back on the water.

So after informing Thumps of our neighbours catch, he wanders over for a chat (and they say women can talk!!!!!) after about an hour he resurfaces back at our ‘cabin’.

My impatience is so great that I am now foaming at the mouth, to which Thumps then informs me that we have to do a trip to Boyne Island to sort out the final glitch in our technical difficulty, among requests from The Boss to go for a swim.

I now resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to see the Awoonga today. With The Boss all swum out, we head into Boyne Island, sort out the technical difficulty, grabbed some food supplies and seek out the local tackle shop.

Well you can’t complain about the services at Boyne Island Tackle shop, there was none…..but really….did the young salesman really have to sit on the counter eating an apple showing me his own tackle….short shorts need to be outlawed or at least the wearers of them must wear them with jocks!!!!!

With the morning and early afternoon well and truly over we are back at the van park finally packing the boat for a troll on Awoonga. Conversation to the dam consisted mainly to Thumps saying, “seeing that you caught a Barra yesterday, if your rod goes off today, hand it over to me”, to which I agreed.

What greeted us there was an almost abandoned boat ramp, wind and rain. Buggar.
We trolled and trolled nothing (though there was ‘beeps’ from the sounder still, which has been newly afixed to the boat by glue).
We got wet from rain, The Boss and I got wet from waves over the bow.
We trolled and trolled.
Still nothing.
I had thoughts of breaking protocol and injecting my opinion, without first a waiting for the requests from the Skipper, of where we should go. Had I been asked I would have said to the banks below the mountains on the far side, just off from the trees that are in the water.
Thumps did everything from dog tails to speed changes to lure changes.
Still nothing.
They were there, but no takers.
Looking at the boat ramp, what little cars and trailers that were there on our arrival had left.
The day seemed to be a loss.

Thumps then asked for a lure change, he was going to try an old “trout trolling trick”. So with shallower lures on, we start trolling along the bank near the boat ramp. ‘Zeeeeeeeeefffffffffff’, my rod goes off, the rod holder jumps a little out of its anchorage, spinning the rod handle around and whacking me full on in the chest……yeap, I’m awake now!!!!!

Rod out and in my hand, I mentally start talking myself into calm, then a voice breaks through my concentration, “just keep the pressure on him till I get my line in, then you can hand the rod over”…..a sinking feeling hits me along with self abusive words as my mind recalls the conversation between Thumps and myself in the car.

“Ok, I’m ready, hand ya rod over” Thump says. I wanted to scream out “NO, MY FISHY” but instead handed the rod over, after one more moment of hesitation. Though the pleasure in watching Thumps reel in MY FISH out weighed my own selfishness.

When MY FISH surfaced along side the boat after its last magnificent fight, it was decided by us that it was photo taking worthy. She was lifted into the boat as gentle as you would a new born baby, she (nicknames Sally) had the lure removed, measure and marked along the boat oar (we forgot to pack the measuring mat/tape) Held for her photo, thanked and released. To which she responded with a ‘your welcome’ by flicking us in a shower of water from her tail.

We were back in action, trolling the same bank in the same way. In the back of my mind I’m thinking to myself, ‘ok I’m on braid, Thumps is on mono, same depth lures each, but I would be diving deeper then him, probably hit bottom along this bank at same stage”. No sooner had this thought stuck me then my rod makes another ‘Zeeeeeeeeefffffffffff’, same actions, same thoughts take over, but the line is dead, tight but dead.

“Hun, I’ve snagged the bottom” I say. “No worries, I’ll pull my line in and motor over to your lines snag spot and will see if we can’t get out lure back” was Thumps reply. So reeling in the slack line as Thumps motor overs to the snag spot, buggar me dead if the end of the rod didn’t start twitching as it does when you have a fish on!!!! The rod then bends!!!! Yeap, that confirms it, I have a fish on!

Truly this fish out foxed me, it was like hitting a wall, no wonder I thought it was a snag. She (nicknamed Foxy) was reeled in and was going to be release by the side of the boat but unfortunately, the hooks were so set she had to come into the boat so I could work the hooks out. Sorry to say that I was unable to remove the hooks without causing her a little lip damage, nothing I hope wont heal in due time. Whilst she was onboard a photo was taken and she was measured and marked on the oar. She came in at 56cm. Her release was also a little worrying, she was disorientated but after a few seconds that seemed like minutes, she was on her way. She was given a big thank you and well wishes for a speedy lip recovery.

On her release the sun was going down on Awoonga, alas so too was our ending of day 2 of fishing Awoonga. The car and trailer was retrieved, ‘Sandy’ on, we head back to the van park a little wiser of the ways of Barra.

DAY 3

…..to be continued

thumps
20-01-2006, 08:49 AM
Nope….it doesn’t get any better :'( ……male perspective

Day three sees us doing the family thing.

A swim for the “Boss”….a chat or two with the guys next door……they went out at sparrow’s and had 12 hook ups…seems old hat to them….discuss the virtues of the sounders…and his two boats(a 4.35 side console evo hull quinine…and his 4.75 offshore....that only gets a swim about twice a year)

Discussions on sp’s and speed of trolled lures in the Lake.

A 4 hour troll in the arvo produces nothing but frustrations…. (except I get to park at the bottom of the “HILL”)...the boss gets a follow on her “Barbie rod” hung over the side with a sp on it…from a sooty.....not even the trout tactic works

Hardly anyone on the water today…seems the night guys have all the fish going spastic over poppers and fizzers……….change of plan needed

juicyfruit
20-01-2006, 01:18 PM
Excuse me dear. Mind if I interupt with a pic of Sally from Day 2? ;)

juicyfruit
20-01-2006, 01:26 PM
Oh and one more of you, tis time with Foxy ;D

juicyfruit
20-01-2006, 03:24 PM
Female Perspective

DAY 3

Saw me in the same predicament, as the morning before, sharing my first cuppa on the patio, whilst perving on the neighbours readying their boat for the Dam. A small variation in the routine, from the morning before, was that on completion of my second cuppa I rattled the pots and pans in the kitchen to stir the sleeping dead from their beds. Well someone had to put the evening washed dishes away!

D’oh! The Boss got in the request for a swim in the pool before Thumps and I had time to say morning. So the first part of the morning was spent with us all being a family at the van park.

On seeing the return of our neighbours, Thumps was off to see how their morning fishing went. After yet another long gas-bagging session that men claim they don’t have, (think they call it ‘information gathering’), Thumps calls out that we are leaving for the Dam. “About bloody time”, I mumble.

For 6 solid hours we troll. Nothing. Not even trolling the bank like the day before produced anything. Or even several lure changes. The constant ‘beeping’ from the sounder only resulted in me feeling teased and taunted. I still didn’t break protocol of speaking out to the Skipper, unasked, of where I believe we should head.

A little glimmer of hope crept in though, as the Skipper headed us in that very direction of where I wanted to go. But alas. He stops short, just on reaching the green buoy, and he follows what I believe, he said, was the old river bed? It leads us towards the Dam wall. We continue trolling along the bank towards the boat ramp; I was by this stage, willing to call it a day.

The Boss had other ideas and asked if she could use her ‘Barbie Rod’ to do some trolling. No harm in that request. So out the ‘Barbie Rod’ comes, rigged with a SP as we troll pass the boat ramp, pass the large eagles nest tree and into the calm waters.

Her attention wavers and enthusiasm dies, so I give Thumps the offer to pull the end of her line so she can believe that she had a strike. The Boss’s rod goes off nicely, sparking her up along with her enthusiasm. At that very moment, I too receive a strike, a real one! By the time I untangled myself from The Boss’s enthusiastic clench hold, my line has gone slack and my fish was lost.

I was now ready to do several more hours of trolling. Damn sun had other ideas, something to do with ‘setting’ or something. So off we head for the boat ramp once more, trolling with only the ‘Barbie Rod’.

Looking down at the SP swimming peacefully through the water, whilst reflecting on the days fishing, I was gobbed smacked to see something chasing the SP. Nah, I had to have imagined it, what sort of fish would be chasing a SP a rod length from the side of the boat. There it was again! Not my imagination at all. Blow me down! it looked like a Sooty Grunter, not a bad size either. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut, because in telling The Boss to hold her rod tight, she turned to look at me, lifting her rod from the water as she did so. The Sooty Grunter was gone.

Here ends day 3 on the water. Although on the trip back to the van park I came to the conclusion that we were off, the next day, to the tackle shop in Gladstone, to seek out some more ‘jewellery’ (lures).


DAY 4

........to be continued

thumps
20-01-2006, 04:25 PM
Day four…last day to do any real damage…a male perspective

Well…a trip to Gladstone produces a decent tackle shop…. (although still none of the lures we lost on day one)...70 odd bucks later we are even better armed than we were when we arrived….time to get really serious.

Back to the park…hook up the boat and off we go….today I'm heading for a part of the lake we hadn’t fished before.

Almost to the destination I decided on…and there’s birds everywhere….not just 10 or so….but a good hundred cormorants….and pelicans…all confined in an area about 50 metres around….there just has to be something under that.

The sounder shows nothing but small bait about 2 metres under the boat……the birds break up into three groups…so instead of going around the outside. I decide to split the difference between two groups…………BANG …….BANG….a double hook-up.


Both rods are bent over…chaos in the boat as I try to get the boat in the right place to fight two fish…….mines going deep…Juicy’s is going out wide…..after a few mins….I have mine under control…and Juicy has hers almost to the boat…..awwwwwww…hers is a cattie.....mines still having a run….and after we boat the cattie to get it out of the way…my line starts to angle upwards…and upwards…and……………almost a metre of silver splits the surface….head shaking….gills rattling….a smile as wide as the lake across my face…as Juicy and the “Boss” holler in glee.

A few more runs…and the Barra just rolls on its side…and comes quietly to the boat….a quick pic…a measure…and back over the side goes the fish I always wanted……I’m wrapped

We sort out a few things…and back on the troll we go………….less than 10 mins…and Bang…Bang……another double……..Juicy’s looks like another Cattie….mines going hard and fast…in the other direction…….so a quick swap of rods…and the cattie is in the “Bosses” hands and what I think is a Barra is in Juicy’s hands.

The cattie comes to the boat…and Juicy’s still battling my rod….the fish just wants to go deep…..it hangs tough…and after two trips under the boat….it looks like it wants to give up….NOPE….four more runs sees the fish run wide and deep….Juicy’s shaking the “burn out of her forearms by this stage…and still no flash of colour…..she sees bubbles…and thinks the fish is almost beaten…NOPE…it runs again…this is a decent fish…….she’s using a 15 kilo rod with 10 kilo line…and she’s got it doubled over at times………rod tip almost touching the water as it slugs it down deep….three times she gets it head…and three times it drives hard down…bending the rod over hard…taking line and generally being tough….I turn to get the poor cattie that has been dangling over the other side of the boat out of the way…much to the delight of the “boss:”….I turn around…And there’s Juicy…sitting with a blank look on her face……line slack…..mouth open….and a sad look in her eye

2 metres from the boat….and the hooks fell out……she did nothing wrong….it just fell off.

Now the weather had changed…instead of the smooth water that we had…a nasty chop has come up…the birds are gone….and white caps have started to appear…another troll in the same area produces the biggest cattie I’ve seen…..at around 8 lbs…a small consolation for the loss of that fish.

We continue in the general area…but nope…..things have changed…..we trolled till we could troll no more….picked up the red claw pots (yep…got a couple) and headed for the park…..

good and bad…happy and sad…..we fought some good fish….we succeeded in doing what we came for….we learnt A LOT…and we will be back

We agreed that if we only got one fish....we would be happy….we ALL got a fish….we had a great time… (mixed with some minor technicals)….and we have a few pics of our experience to keep.

Smiles all round

A_DIFF_PERSPECTIVE
20-01-2006, 05:01 PM
well it sounds like you had a great time of it at Awoonga. so much excitement in your preperation, so much excitement in your story writing. It is a great place for a family holiday as you obviously discovered and you also tangled with some of the stocked barra. Nice one, no wondering if you will be back or not!!
I spent a week away on a holiday break, so i missed any opportunity to say 'hello'!
Seems the fishing was quite warm while i was away, with some good reports from within the week. My last visit , a charter before i left was quite exciting, and i heard that it got even warmer after that. sight fishing, deepwater fishing, and trolling all scoring good fish. The quantities of schooled fish in certain locations is quite impressive, and certain techniques ar far more productive than others. Unless it floods like when Noah was about, Lake Awoonga will have a reputation so vivid it will fish a clear cut above no other until some years are passed. Other lakes are also ticking time bombs, but an impressive population of mega sized barra will always hold awoonga high on the hit list.
cheers ,
johnny

juicyfruit
20-01-2006, 07:12 PM
Excuse me once more. Here is a photo of The Boss fishing, on day 3, with her 'Barbie Rod' before her 'big strike'

juicyfruit
20-01-2006, 07:17 PM
Female Perspective

DAY 4

A sparrow farted and awoke me. Down went three cuppas, whilst watching the neighbours prepare for their day. I wondered if I have some sort of problem in being so interested in watching my neighbours, then put it down to the fact that there is nothing else to look at. On their departure to the Dam, I wonder down to the river for a look, upon which I decide that, “I’m heading back to the cabin to retrieve a rod”.

Rummaging around in the cabin for a rod and right tackle caused Thumps and The Boss to wake, “Geezus, the one morning I try not to wake them and they wake”, I think to myself. Well the idea of fishing the river blown, I began being a good mum and wife and prepared my family’s breakfast, cleaned the cabin, started a load of washing and swam around the pool with The Boss. Before I knew it, it was almost ‘shops open’ time in Gladstone.

Driving to the tackle shop we noticed that we have beaten the ‘shops open’ time so I take us around the town for some sightseeing to kill time. I ended the tour at the lookout, at the top of the tackle shop’s street. Gladstone hasn’t changed at all.

We were warmly greeted at the tackle shop door by the shop owner’s dog. Which I nearly stood on because I was too busy looking at all the toys (equipment) this ‘new to me’ tackle shop had on display and up on offer. I do believe I then nearly pushed Thumps out of the way to reach the ‘jewellery’ (lures) section. By the time the drool from the side of mouth had run its course down my chin I was greeted by the young salesman (dress in long shorts with no inkling of showing off his own personal tackle) named Ben.

Now this young man knew his stock, knew his environment, knew the local fish and knew the need of his customers. So supporting four new ‘jewellery’ pieces we brought from him, we head back to the van park. In which we stayed long enough to bring in the washing, make some sandwiches for lunch on the water, rig up the new lures and pack up the boat.

We hit Awoonga Dam by 10am.

Not giving a rat’s bum about protocol, I mention to the Skipper where I want go, (while I was dropping the pots over) and he takes me there, not before saying a few words first, words that were somehow drowned by the boat motor, something like “that’s where I’m heading anyway”.

On approaching my chosen spot the water just felt right, it just looked right and it even smelt right.

Seeing the mass of birds, on the water, feeding just topped off all these feelings and visual observations.

Thumps starts to employ the old Mackerel technique of trolling around wide of the school (in our case the bird on the surface of what must be fish under them). The birds begin to break up into small groups. Well that didn’t exactly work. Stuff me! Thumps navigates the boat in amongst the groups of birds.

DOUBLE HOOK UP!!!!!!!!!

Both reels are screaming their song to us. We both fleetingly look at each other in disbelief before going into action. I have no option but to leave Thumps to handle his own fish and boat/motor. He didn’t let me down. He had both fully under control on top of him looking out for me and my fish. I boat my fish. A stinking yucky ugly prong infested Catfish, (apologises to all Catfish enthusiast, I don’t like these fish, certainly not when I’m chasing something I class as more important).

I have the Catfish released overboard in time to see Thumps Barra cut the water in all its jumping glory. There was nothing I could do to contain my scream of glee at this superb sight.

Another 5 minutes of this fantastic Barra on Thumps line and in the boat she was, handled like a princess, being measured, having her photo taken, christen ‘Jenny’ and thanked for giving us the honour.

We have our lines in once more, and off we trolled. Not one minute into the troll and my rod goes off. “Ah, this time” I say to myself “it has to be a Barra”. 3 minutes of work and I don’t only have one fish on my lure, but two…….two stinking yucky ugly prong infested Catfish!!!!! (Apologises to all Catfish enthusiasts again).

Lines sorted, back on the troll, 7 minutes in I get a touch on my lure and I await the possible second go of it. Thumps reel sings and he shoves his rod into my hand. (shup Kingtin, lol) I hand him my rod as the second touch comes in and sticks. We are now both wrestling fish on each others rod. A quick look at my rod that Thumps is wrestling with tells me it may be a Catfish; the fish I’m wrestling with is in no way can be a Catfish.

Here comes the moment I wish to sooner forget. I fight this fish for what seemed like an eternity, it makes the muscle in my forearm burn, it just didn’t want to stop fighting, after each run I believed that it had tired but to my disbelief, it fought on, I talked myself out of ‘reef and meat’ moments, so much so I think I was saying it out loud instead of in my head. I handled it. I had it less then four winds from the surface when………….nothing………it was gone.

I was lost for words. I looked up into Thumps face, if my face looked anything like his then I was one disappointed looking woman. Thump tries to console me with words of ‘you did everything right’, ‘it just happens’ and ‘this is what fishing is all about’. I just couldn’t reply to him, not for any other reason then I feared I would burst into tears. I curse myself then for behaving like a spoilt rotten brat and resign myself to the fact that I got to have one of the greatest fights of my life, with a Barra none less, ending with ‘it was probably a stinking yucky ugly prong infested Catfish anyway’.

More trolling of the area produced me yet another stinking yucky ugly prong infested Catfish. With the changing weather and lose of birds, the fishing had become quiet. We trolled until the sun began to set.

We headed towards our dropped pots, at what both Thumps and I said, in chorus at the time, “Mackerel Trolling Speed”, call it laziness or the ‘don’t care attitude’ we didn’t reel in our lines only tightened the drag, laughing to each other about the amazement of hitting a Barra at this speed. Punch me in the lips and call me Mick Jagger…..Thumps rod got a hit, the fish held on long enough for me to believe that it wasn’t because the drag was to loose. To this fish we apologised for possibly ripping out its lips and a promise not to be so lazy again.

Both line in this time we head to the pots, I named my newly caught Red Claws “dinner”, then head to the boat ramp for the last time, all the while reflecting on what wonderful days we had, the splendour that Awoonga Dam had on offer, but most of all the importance of me writing this report so I can give thanks to all the people involved in stocking and caring for Awoonga Dam and the marvellous advise we have received from people of this site.

THANK YOU.

juicyfruit
20-01-2006, 07:22 PM
Pic of Thumps with Jenny (Gawd he hangs around some fishy smelling girls!!!LOL)

Dehydrated
21-01-2006, 12:01 AM
Nice reports guys. Thanks for the detail and both sides of the stories.

Glad you had a great time and got some runs on the board. :)

Cheers
Don.

juicyfruit
21-01-2006, 07:56 AM
Footnote:

I received a very apologetic email from the salesman in question from the Boyne Island Tackle shop, along with this apology, an explanation of 'why' and a good serving of 'call back in when you’re down this way'. (and we certainly will)

To which I will respond now with;

Relax, it was no BIG deal ;) see you next time we are there ‘Horse’:P

al_neibling
21-01-2006, 08:29 AM
LOL you guys crack me up. Great pics, great reports thanks heaps for sharing with us guys.

And yes thats the one the famous "Barbie Rod".....lol

Cannot wait for your next adventure

Cya
Al

Owen
21-01-2006, 08:30 AM
Top report guys!
I really should get off me bum and hit the lake more often.
Bloody thing is only 20 minute away.

P.S. Juicy
You do realise that poor bloke has now been branded for life ;D

cheers
Owen

juicyfruit
21-01-2006, 09:06 AM
lol

Wasn't my intention!!!!!

Only now I hope I've branded him with the title of being a well endowed young man, which inturn sees his store being swamped by young woman waving their phone numbers under his nose and the quietening any male ribbing he will receive from this embarrassing and misfortunate incident.

Besides, I shared with him a similar embarrassing moment I had, which he can use against me if the ribbing gets too tough.

Cheers and biscuits

Juicy

blaze
21-01-2006, 10:39 AM
great report

McCod
21-01-2006, 02:22 PM
Top spiel Juicy & Thumps [smiley=dankk2.gif] Ever thought of sending stories to some fishing mags ? Thats the longest report i've ever seen ..... huge report ;)

Cheers Les

Cloud_9
21-01-2006, 05:45 PM
DITTO
Cloud 9

P.S. Your camera needs a lense clean . :o

thumps
22-01-2006, 07:13 AM
P.S. Your camera needs a lense clean . :o


the digital got a little....ummm....wet...a few days before the trip...thats my mobile phone camera...sorry if its a little fogged :-[

juicyfruit
22-01-2006, 07:30 AM
Yes, it was I that wet the digital camera the day we went to Kinchant to test out the boat :-[

juicyfruit
22-01-2006, 08:29 AM
Would seriously consider writing reports for a magazine if:

1. They would supply the boat
2. They would supply the equipment
3. They would pay for all costs (accomodation, fuel, meals etc)
4. They send me all over Australia
5. They would pay me a wage
6. They don't go to sleep over what I write

LMAO.....as if

Nice to dream

Juicy

Pash67
22-01-2006, 05:48 PM
Great report. I look forward to reading your next adventures.

Adrian

Sniper
23-01-2006, 08:40 PM
Great report. Sounds like you all had a great time. Had me in stitches at certain stages and I bet I wasn't the only one either. Keep them coming.
Cheers
Bill