Donuts

[Huxstang]

Mate and I decided to give impoundment barra another go.  Didnt like Monduran (too many trees for me) so decided to give Awonga a run.

We left Monday morning early knowing we were in for a longer run due to the highway closure just south of Benaraby.  The run up was good with the new 300 series an absolute pleasure to drive and got in at @ 2pm staying at Awonga van park in a cabin.

Cover off the boat and we got out to run a few tracks knowing with the new moon we were going to have to rely on the chart plotter for getting back.   We ran all the way up to where there is some form of boat ramp and must say the new Garmin Vision mapping was awesome.  The marked creek and river bed was perfect.

On the way back decided to check out a bank that was nicely exposed to the easterly wind.   Livescope was showing heaps of bait so we spotlocked there and sure enough started to see good barra coming through regularly but holding the bottom - tried a Nomad Swimtrek which resulted in a catfish.  We persisted and as dark came on the barra started to come up and had a few follows on Molix 140’s and we could hear them boofing in the darkness.  

Then as quick as they appeared they were gone and at that wonderful point discovered that my new bow light wasnt working.   So it was time to feel our way back to the ramp with nothing more than the chart plotter.  Pretty happy that we werent at Monduran where the trees are a lot harder to bump into than the weedbeds at Awonga.

Tuesday AM and up early and tried a new spot that looked promising.  Started to find good bait and some barra in moving through but other than one follow it was again donuts.  At this point the wind was definitely freshening and with the sun well over the yard arm decided it was time for a beer and headed back to the ramp with plans to come back to this spot due to the bait and amount of barra that were moving through.

The wind continued to build and after a nap it was pretty solid and easily hitting 25 knots.   Found my problem with the new light was simply a fuse so at least the next night session we would be able to see the shoreline.

We headed out and with the wind shift our planned location was now in the lee so decided to check out some more exposed areas closer to the ramp.  At this point I was regretting leaving my Burke 3/4 rain jacket at home with the misguided thought that it would be warmer and being a dam there was no chance of getting too wet.  

4 hrs of searching and we struggled to find anything other than a cat fish that took my mates surface lure.

The trip back across the basin was slow and wet….two drowned rats arrived at the ramp with a 3km trip at 9kph.  I didnt think a dam could get so damn rough.  To be fair it was absolutely howling and 1/2m waves 1/2m apart arent exactly what you want on your quarter in the pitch black.

The next morning we awoke to the wind raging so decided to save getting drenched and bashed stayed in and headed out at 4.30pm with the forecast for wind easing @ 5pm.   Yep the BOM got it wrong again.  The wind stayed up with gusts at 30 knots and the same beautiful chop making it less than pleasant to stand up on the casting deck and the poor old electric working flat out trying to hold spot lock.

Saw quite a few barra on livescope and sidescan moving through but again couldnt get anything other than one follow.  As dark came on they disappeared and we couldnt find any bait or the barra so by 9pm it was time to call it quits with the wind only just starting to ease and a much more pleasant run back to the ramp.

So a donut trip but good learnings.

I bought a Wilson lure retriever pole (one with the wound coil end) just before we left and it saved us at least 6 lures of various kinds - $44 well spent.

My Livescope skills is definitely heaps better.  We could easily work out what we were looking at and identify the fish.

Awonga has huge barra.  I use grid lines on the Livescope and the majority of fish we saw were easily 1m plus.  

Awonga has a good ramp with a pontoon which makes it really easy to get in and out and the lake itself hasnt got too much to hit that is below the surface that you shouldnt expect.

Anyway, I think I dont have the tenacity to chase impoundment barra….fishing through half the night and then hitting it again before dawn just doesnt work for me but the dams certainly are a good environment to work on your techniques in a fairly tame enviroment (not this time).

 

Thanks for reading.

[ellicat]

I know your pain.

My only 'barra' (after a lot of effort) -

 

I haven't been back. That was 30kgs ago.

[Huxstang]

Nice spot though.   I am 17kg down.

[ellicat]

Well done. I'm trying to get rid of one bag of cement currently.

Maybe you should give it a 'third-time-lucky' try. Seems a shame to have sussed things out so well with the tech, to not give it one last go.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Great report despite the unfortunate lack of barra, I'm sure you'll get them next time!

[Huxstang]

I cannot see it, a lot of driving for donuts.  Probably just take mates boat up to 1770 for some reef action for short range fishing trips and leave the barra chasing for the gulf later this year.

The trips have not been wasted as I definitely feel like I am getting a lot better at using all of the electronics (livescope is definitely a game changer).  I just think that wild barra vs dam barra are a completely different fish….wild barra have to eat a lot more and are definitely more reactive to anything whilst these impoundment boys are much more selective as they just dont have to work in the current and compete with a lot of other predatory fish for the same feed.

 

[ellicat]

Not sure if you follow this Youtuber, but thought I'd post the link for whatever it is worth -