Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

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barra mick
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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by barra mick » Thu Apr 21, 2016 12:11 am

Truedogz wrote:Yes bm, they are not stupid and wise up pretty quick to fishermen.

A few years back myself and a mate were fishing up at Lakefield (Cape York) trolling up and down the Normanby River and nobody was catching much. Everybody thought it was fished out. Sick of catching nothing the two of us as a joke put on surface poppers and trolled them across the top .... barra emerged from everywhere!!!!

For those that have not caught a barra, one thing that is amazing is the underwater "boof" sound they make when they hit a lure - quite distinctive, as well as their red eyes at night.

Another tip, even in freshwater impoundments they are influenced by the moon/tides. In places like Tinaroo peak activity coincides with a full moon. This also relates to their reproduction which occurs around full moon in the warmer months.

And a good thing about Hazlewood ..... No crocs!!!

Thinking about Lakefield, there are great campsites on the river but you have to book a long way ahead - and it is the same in most other places that haven't been shut up. Bush camping as we enjoy along the Murray or up in the high country down here is nearly a memory in North Queensland. This was a key factor in me deciding to return to Victoria to retire - plus the freshwater fishing down here is really excellent - the cod fishing in particular is the best its been in my lifetime. Queensland is a big place but it is often a long way to permanent freshwater rivers!

Our camping is superb and we do have some great sportfish that compare favourably with those up north.

I'd suggest to everyone, particularly young people, to go bush and enjoy the freedom to camp we still have - don't assume it will go on forever.

Truedogz
very true again....we have amazing freshwater fishing down here
you gotta hav a crack even if yr just pissin in the wind

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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by Paulanderson » Thu Apr 21, 2016 2:06 am

When I was working in Darwin if we caught a bright silvery Barra just in from the salt water it was excellent eating. On the other hand a Barra that had spent the dry season in a lagoon mostly tasted like mud. I suspect Barra from Hazelwood will be the same - but they should be fun to catch though once they get a few kg larger. There are plenty of Tilapia there for them to eat by all accounts.

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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by Truedogz » Thu Apr 21, 2016 5:20 am

Dougie

I agree with bm that barra vs Murray cod that barra win. A different matter if you compare barra vs trout cod. On a pound for pound basis trout cod can produce more brutal power, but they rarely leap which barra usually do. A few years back I had the same Cairns mate I mentioned earlier down here fishing with me on the Murray. He has caught barra all of his life. Well, he caught a few tc that were only around the 1-2 kg mark and they absolutely shocked him. Similarly, bass probably have a greater turn of speed than a barra.

I'd classify barra, bass, trout cod and mangrove jack as the elite freshwater sportfish in this country based on fighting ability with honourable mentions to sooties and saratoga.

Murray cod though are still heaps of fun - they get big, take lures, look beautiful and now and then can really turn it on.

Best Wishes

Truedogz

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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by Broomstick » Thu Apr 21, 2016 2:31 pm

My lab does a fair bit of research at Hazelwood and has just gotten funding to start a project on the barramundi, which is super cool. The project will look at interactions between the barra and the most common fish at hazelwood, the red devil (Amphilophus labiatus). Red devils occur in two morphs - a gold and a brown morph. My lab has done a fair bit of research looking at these different morphs (eg: the relative abundance of each morph, how they differ in diet and habitat use, how their behaviour differs, etc) and comparing it to that of native red devil populations in Central America. Anyway, this new project will look at how the introduction of a top level predator will influence the relative abundance of these morphs, and how it will alter their behaviour, habitat use etc, which, from a fishing point of view, will give some really good insights into what the barra are feeding on and where (eg: are they feeding on gold or brown morphs). But yeah it will be a couple of years before we see some meaningful results (assuming the barra survive).

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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by poodoo » Thu Apr 21, 2016 3:14 pm

Broomstick wrote:My lab does a fair bit of research at Hazelwood and has just gotten funding to start a project on the barramundi, which is super cool. The project will look at interactions between the barra and the most common fish at hazelwood, the red devil (Amphilophus labiatus). Red devils occur in two morphs - a gold and a brown morph. My lab has done a fair bit of research looking at these different morphs (eg: the relative abundance of each morph, how they differ in diet and habitat use, how their behaviour differs, etc) and comparing it to that of native red devil populations in Central America. Anyway, this new project will look at how the introduction of a top level predator will influence the relative abundance of these morphs, and how it will alter their behaviour, habitat use etc, which, from a fishing point of view, will give some really good insights into what the barra are feeding on and where (eg: are they feeding on gold or brown morphs). But yeah it will be a couple of years before we see some meaningful results (assuming the barra survive).
Hey Broomie whats your view on the liklihood of the barra surviving in those water conditions?

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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by DougieK » Thu Apr 21, 2016 3:23 pm

poodoo wrote:
Broomstick wrote:My lab does a fair bit of research at Hazelwood and has just gotten funding to start a project on the barramundi, which is super cool. The project will look at interactions between the barra and the most common fish at hazelwood, the red devil (Amphilophus labiatus). Red devils occur in two morphs - a gold and a brown morph. My lab has done a fair bit of research looking at these different morphs (eg: the relative abundance of each morph, how they differ in diet and habitat use, how their behaviour differs, etc) and comparing it to that of native red devil populations in Central America. Anyway, this new project will look at how the introduction of a top level predator will influence the relative abundance of these morphs, and how it will alter their behaviour, habitat use etc, which, from a fishing point of view, will give some really good insights into what the barra are feeding on and where (eg: are they feeding on gold or brown morphs). But yeah it will be a couple of years before we see some meaningful results (assuming the barra survive).
Hey Broomie whats your view on the liklihood of the barra surviving in those water conditions?

I'm very interested to hear your thoughts on this and also on the stocking of Mulloway into the East Gippsland estuary systems.
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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by barra mick » Thu Apr 21, 2016 9:46 pm

I worry abt two things

Water temp drop and not catch and release.

1600 isnt many fish for state.
you gotta hav a crack even if yr just pissin in the wind

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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by DougieK » Thu Apr 21, 2016 9:56 pm

barra mick wrote:I worry abt two things

Water temp drop and not catch and release.

1600 isnt many fish for state.

There were talks about 12-15,000 at one stage weren't there?
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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by mazman » Thu Apr 21, 2016 10:04 pm

DougieK wrote: the stocking of Mulloway into the East Gippsland estuary systems.
I believe the stocking of mulloway in gippsland is to replenish/boost stocks in systems that they already exist in
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Re: Barramundi Finally in Hazelwood

Post by barra mick » Thu Apr 21, 2016 10:11 pm

DougieK wrote:
barra mick wrote:I worry abt two things

Water temp drop and not catch and release.

1600 isnt many fish for state.

There were talks about 12-15,000 at one stage weren't there?
could it sustain that many barra dougie???
you gotta hav a crack even if yr just pissin in the wind

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