Freshwater Festive Fishing in the South Burnett

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The festive season is a great time of year to be outdoors with family and friends and It’s also the best time of year to be on the water as the temps are hot, beers are cold and the fishing is accessible to every angler of any ability. If you haven’t been out yet, make sure you start planning your next trip because this time of year is the best chance to get yourself onto some trophy size native fish from Lake Barambah and Boondooma.

Boondooma

Over the past couple of months, the fish have moved into the thermocline and are a real target for our avid trollers. The 15 to 25 foot zone is where you will find them when you’re out in search of some fish. The most productive areas on the dam are the deeper sections of water around the dam wall and the Buoy line. The most productive bite time is from lunch time through until dark when the day is at its hottest.

The key to finding a good school is using your electronics to slowly sound over likely areas. If you don’t have a sounder tie on a couple of deep divers or a 5/8 spinnerbait and start trolling. If you get a bite or fish, troll around the area that you had the action. Remember to be patient when looking for fish, as it may take a while to locate them if you’re not familiar with the dam.

Sam and Ernie Bushell with a couple cracking bass caught casting near the wall at Boondooma.

Lately i’ve been catching my best quality fish suspended in deep water. They have been sitting in the thermocline at 15 to 20 feet. I target these fish using a variety of baits, initially starting with a soft bait, a ½ ounce rigged soft plastic. I cast this out and begin counting to 7 seconds to let the lure sink into the strike zone. When the plastic is down to the desired depth I then start a slow roll and add a few twitches every now and then to change the swimming pattern, as the plastic glides through the water. Continue this until you get bites, but keep rolling the plastic until you get a solid hook up. If this method doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to change your lure until you are happy.

Shaun Ezzy with a nice bass caught on a spoon

The Bass can be fussy when it comes to feeding when they are suspended in the column. I like to try plastics first and then move to a reaction bait. My preferred reaction baits for summer suspended fish are 12 to 20 gram spoons, spoons like the Norries Wasabi, Halco Twistie or Palms slow blatt are all great spoons for catching suspended fish in Boondooma.

With these lures, make a long cast and let the lure sink down 5 to 10 seconds. Once the lure is down in the zone, start a fairly rapid retrieve with a few twitches every now and then. This is where the fish are forced to either ignore the lure or react out of instinct to bite as the bait zooms past. It’s a very effective method, with Bass well over the 50 mark regularly hitting the deck.

Trollers are catching some really nice fish using deep diving hard bodies and 5/8 Bassman spinnerbaits around the same areas as I mentioned earlier. The key is to be patient.

Bait fisherman are catching some good numbers of Bass and Yellow belly using live shrimp caught from the dam. Try to anchor over prominent points in the dam in 15 to 20 feet and also try the timbered sections of the dam.

Red claw have been a little slow but drop your pots around the rocky banks of the dam and also just wide of the weed beds.

Lake Barambah

BP dam has been very consistent over the last two months, producing good numbers of fish of varying species and sizes. The fish are in great quantity but it just takes a bit of moving around to put yourself onto some quality. Areas to target are the deeper water out the front of the dam wall, wide of bass point and off any main dam points that hold deeper water of about 20ft. The fish have been sitting in the 15 to 20 ft mark and on the bottom in the same zone. I’ve been catching the majority of fish using a ½ ounce rigged plastic, with the same method as explained for Boondooma. Also heavier spinnerbait’s and Chatterbaits have been working well on the bigger fish when your focussing on the reaction bite.

A nice bass caught slow rolling a Green ½ ounce Bassman Spinnerbait

Some big Yellow belly are being caught, but they have been a bit quiet. The key to catching a few Goldens when its quiet, is to focus on fishing the bottom or the many weed banks that encompass the dam. In this case, tie on a blade and hop it gently off the bottom or out of the weed. The Yellow belly are a real sucker for a hopped blade and it won’t take long to catch a few fish using this technique. The smaller Bass also don’t mind this technique but it won’t be long and you’ll be in contact with some nice fat Golden Perch.

If you don’t have a boat, try walking the edges of the dam throwing hard bodies. Can be a very effective way of catching some nice natives.

Trollers are getting good bags of fish trolling 5/8 Bassman spinnerbaits and deep diving hard bodies. Areas to target are the deep water around in front of the dam wall, Bass point, around Lightening ridge and around any prominent points.

Bait fisherman are catching plenty of fish just wide of the steeper rocky banks. Don’t try and head up the back of the dam as the water levels are low and you will get stuck in the mud.

Redclaw are about and are coming from the steeper banks with scattered timber.

Make sure you book your camp site for the 2018 Boondooma Dam, Yellowbelly fishing comp being held on the 10th and 11th of February. $20 entry for adults and $5 for juniors (16 years and under). There are live and dead weight divisions with prizes for Bass, Yellow belly, Silver and Spangled perch. There are thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes up for grabs, with food and drinks available at the event. It’s one comp you don’t want to miss. Call Lake Boondooma kiosk to make a camp site booking on (07) 4168 9694.

If you’d like to keep in regular contact with what’s happening on the dams don’t forget to like the Yallakool and Boondooma dams Facebook pages.

On a final note, I have just started up my fishing charter business on BP and Boondooma dams. If you’d like a great day out and all the info and knowledge to catch Bass or Yellow belly in our two great dams make sure you give me, Matthew Langford a call on 0408658592 and I’ll be happy to take you out for a great days fishing.

Until next month, tight lines and bend rods

Matthew Langford.

 

 

 

South Burnett Unpacked

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The first of the South Burnett Unpacked industry networking events delivered at Yallakool Park on BP dam in November was deemed a success. This is due to industry involvement, information sharing and those connections made on the day.

The South Burnett Unpacked series will roll out quarterly events in 2018 and South Burnett Regional Council would love YOU to be involved.

The next event is the 20 February at the Bunya Mountains, details to be confirmed in the New Year.

Thank you to those that were able to attend and encourage more attendees with an open invitation to the 2018 South Burnett Unpacked events.

Hope you enjoy this snapshot of the first South Burnett Unpacked – checkout the video https://youtu.be/SZM83ahS2BE

Nothing beats the Great Outdoors!

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What better way to experience the great outdoors by visiting or staying at either Bjelke Petersen Dam or Boondooma Dam.

Only 3 hours from Brisbane, located in the South Burnett region, these two dams have so much to offer for any outdoor adventurist.

The dams surrounding areas are home to a wide variety of wildlife and are a birdwatchers haven, with an abundance of birdlife.

If water sports are more your thing than hold on to your swimmers, cause you can enjoy stand-up paddling boarding (will need to bring your board and equipment), swimming, water skiing (will need your own boat and equipment) or you can contact Barambah Kayak Hire 0427 814 437 or check out their Facebook page for details and updates. If you don’t have the gear for fishing then, Matthew Langford from Australian Fresh Water Fishing Charters. Offering half and full day freshwater fishing charters. For more information or to book call Matthew on 0408 658 592.

Now, if you want to be the next Rex Hunt, then both Bjelke Petersen Dam and Boondooma Dam are for you! Both are the home to great fishing spots where you can catch Golden Perch (or as the locals call it “Yellow Belly”) and Australian Bass. You can also fish for Red Claw (seasonal).

At the end of the day you have a number of accommodation options. Self-contained cabins and villas are available at both dams. There are plenty of powered and unpowered sites for caravans, motorhomes and tents. Oh and did I mention… you can even bring along “Man’s best friend”.

Both dams are fitted out with camp kitchens (a great spot for swapping yarns with other travellers). There’s kiosks, public amenities, picnic areas with BBQ’s and so much more.

So what are you waiting for?  Start your South Burnett adventure today!

Checkout these videos

Bjelke Petersen Dam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9cAhtRjMGw&t=5s

Boondooma Dam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vx5Rri4mZg

 

Boats heading out on Boondooma Dam

 

Storm build ups make the fishing in the South Burnett fun!

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Storm build ups make the fishing in the South Burnett fun!

The hot weather and afternoon storm buildups bring on some awesome oportunities for big bass and yellowbelly. With the onset of summer, this weather pattern is quite common and it really brings the native fish on the bite. If you’re an avid troller, from now through to February is the best time to dust off the deep divers and head to the South Burnetts dams to get amongst some great native trolling action.

Boondooma

When the warmer months arrive and its hot, the yellowbelly and bass like to position themselves in a zone called the Thermocline, or comfortable water, which is generally a depth of 18 to 25 feet. This zone or column of water is the water that the fish find the most comfortable, where the temperature is just right to sit in while its hot upstairs and is full of the little critters that they love to gorge themselves on. With the majority of the fish sitting in this zone thoughout the dam, it opens up the doors for some fanstatic fishing opportunities.

If I want to target bass, the first places I’ll look are the deep water off any prominent points. I’ll use my sounder to sound the fish sitting in that optimal depth. When I’m happy that I’ve found a good concentration of fish, I will pull up and begin casting 3” to 4” soft plastics rigged with a ½ ounce or 5/8 ounce head. With a big long cast over the areas that I found the fish, I will let the jig head sink 7 to 10 seconds and begin a slow retrieve back to the boat with a couple of twitches mixed in. The same can be done with a 12 or 18 gram Norries spoon. Continue this technique untill you start to feel a few taps on the plastic or spoon, when you feel a tap its important to keep that slow wind going unitll you feel weight on the line, slowly lift the rod tip until you feel the weight of the fish. At this point the fish will know its hooked and make some great runs back down into the deeper water. Keep your drag fairly loose so that the hook doesn’t pull on the way back to the boat. Using this method over the holiday period will account for some big bass on Boondooma.

Craig and Rob had a cracking day on charter, throwing spoons to bass positioned in 20 feet.

 

The timbered arms are holding good numbers of bass and yellow belly as well. In the arms they are holding very close to structure and you’ll need to get your lures in as close as you can to get a bite. Look for spindly timber, or big trees out in the middle of the arms. Lures of choice for this scenario are, 5/8 or 3/8 Bassman Spinner baits, ½ ounce jig head rigged with a 3” soft plastic and any sinking lipless Crank bait. Give your lure up to 5 seconds to sink down and start a slow wind. It’s important to make sure that you have a lure retriever with you as you WILL get snagged on the trees occasionally but if you’re getting snagged you know you’re in the thick of it.

Fishing close to structure, I use 14 to 20 pound leaders so I have a chance if a fish rubs the line through trees. Otherwise, if I’m in open water I’ll decrease my leader size to 6 to 10 pound as I’m less concerned about a fish dragging me through trees or any structure.

The sunsets on Boondooma are sensational, there’s not many ways better to finish a day, then like this.

Trollers are picking up some great bass and yellow belly trolling around the deeper sections of the dam, targeting those suspended fish. Make sure to have plenty of deep divers handy, and some 5/8 Bassman Spinnerbaits or any lures that dive 15 to 20 feet will be the ones that get you onto consistent fish.

Bait fisherman are consistently getting amongst a mixed bag of fish up in the timbered arms of the dam using worms and fresh shrimp. It may even pay to move to the main basin and let your bait suspend under the boat in that 15 to 25 foot range. Drifting with the wind is a great way to cover water with your bait under the boat. Eventually it will cross paths with a hungry fish or two.

Red claw numbers are also starting to pick up with the hot weather, so make sure your pack the opera houses if you’re coming out for a day or two.

Lake Barambah

With a similar pattern to that of Boondooma, Lake Barambah is producing some great fishing as well. The fish are sitting in that 15 to 20 foot range and are very willing to take anything that is placed in front of them. Because Barambah is a shallower dam you can target more areas and use a bigger variety of lures to catch a few natives. The Bass are responding well to 3” soft plastics, ¼ blades and 3/8 and 5/8 spinnerbaits. Some likely areas to target is the large flat area in front of the main dam wall, the Quarry and wide off Bass point.

On a recent fishing charter, we targeted the lakes bass with a ½ jig head rigged with a 3’ soft plastic and caught dozens of bass and yellow belly. We targeted areas that were 15 to 20 feet and had rocky edges or a drop offs adjacent to them. I found that the bigger fish were tight to the drop-offs, and waiting for bait to swim over. Areas like this are prime ambush positions for native fish so don’t forget to give areas like this a go next time you’re out.

Maddie and Lane with a nice variety of fish on a recent charter to BP dam.

 

82 year old Bep had a great day on BP catching a few bass on 3 inch plastics rigged on a ½ ounce jig head.

Trollers are catching some nice bass and yellow belly trolling over the quarry towards the dam wall as well as adjacent to the steep rock wall on the left of the dam just before bass point.

Bait fisherman are consistently catching good numbers of yellow belly and bass anchoring along the steeper edges of the dam. Best baits have been fresh shrimp and worms.

Red claw are patchy but I have heard of some good numbers coming from the dam.

Park News

The fish stocking for both dams is still very much alive and well with another massive stock of bass put into Bjelke-Petersen dam this weekend. 56 000 Australian bass were released into BP dam. Boondooma Stocking Association also released 82 000 bass into Boondooma a couple weeks ago, so it’s a great boost for fishing in the South Burnett.  It’s great to see our stocking associations working hard to make this happen because without them we don’t get to catch the fish that we really love chasing.

Members of the BP stocking group and a group of eager young helpers release Australian Bass into BP.

Don’t forget to book your site for the New Year’s celebrations at Boondooma dam, this year’s fireworks display will be a cracker. And to top it off when you get to enjoy your holiday with great fishing, water sports and beautiful sunsets, I reckon you would be mad not to come out and enjoy your break.

On a final note, I have just started up my fishing charter business on BP and Boondooma dams. If you’d like a great day out and all the info and knowledge to catch Bass or Yellow belly in our two great dams make sure you give me, Matthew Langford a call on 0408658592 and I’ll be happy to take you out for a great days fishing.

Until next time, tight lines and bent rods

Matthew Langford

Spring heat brings the big fish out!

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It’s a good feeling to know that summer is finally on its way, the water temps in both dams are rising considerably during the day which makes for some pretty intense fishing at times. This time of year is up there with my favourite times to fish for Australian bass and yellow belly in our impoundments because they can be caught thick and fast as the bigger bass and yellow belly become vulnerable. Our natives like to suspend in the deeper water when the water warms and this opens up a variety of techniques including trolling as a great way to catch some big fish during these hotter months.

Boondooma

The flavour of the month this month is Bass, and big ones at that, but it does pay to move around a bit in search of the right spot. Productive areas recently have been mainly the dam wall, the drop off from the shallower flats and the Spindly timber in the Stuart and the Boyne arms of the dam. Sound around the flats in search of the schools and cast ½ ounce rigged soft plastics, 12 – 20 gram spoons, Tail spinners and Blades.

Mick Johnson with a cracker from the deep suspended fish around the dam wall

The timber is the place I would head to first as the fish hit hard and it’s a real challenge to get them out with your gear still in one piece. For this type of fishing I always use a stiff spin rod with some guts, a 2500 size spin reel for extra torque, spooled with 12 pound braid and 14 to 20 pound leader. This may sound heavy but just imagine a 50cm bass hitting your lure as it’s rolled between two big clumps of spindly timber, it really counts for some exciting fishing. The lure of choice for this type of fishing is definitely a spinnerbait, or a lipless crankbait. I like to throw a Bassman Compact in 3/8 or 5/8 ounce. Once you have a combo similar to the above mentioned, head up the arms of the dam and cast in as close to the spindly trees as you can, let the lure sink for 3 to 5 seconds and start a slow roll. Make sure the drag is done up solid so they can’t get you in the timber without a hard fight. Once the bite comes give him everything you’ve got to get the fish away from any structure otherwise the fight will be short and you’ll be left wondering what happened.

A big healthy bass from the suspended fish in deep water, keeping the lure in the zone is the key to take fish like this.

If the timber isn’t producing, the next place I’ll look are the deep water off any prominent points or parallel to any steep rock walls. I’ll use my sounder to sound the fish sitting in that optimal depth, which is generally 20ft in the Thermocline. When I’m happy that ive found a good concentration of fish, I will pull up and begin casting 3” to 4” soft plastics rigged with a ½ ounce or 5/8 ounce head. With a big long cast over the areas that I found the fish, I will let the jig head sink 7 to 10 seconds and begin a slow retrieve back to the boat with a couple of twitches mixed in. The same can be done with a 12 gram Norries spoon. Continue this technique untill you start to feel a few taps on the plastic or spoon, when you feel a tap its important to keep that slow wind going unitll you feel weight on the line, slowly lift the rod tip until you feel the weight of the fish. At this point the fish will know its hooked and make some great runs back down into the deeper water. Keep your drag fairly loose so that the hook doesn’t pull on the way back to the boat.

Trollers have been starting to pick up some nice Golden Perch and Bass trolling up in the arms of the dam as well as the main lake points and edges using deep diving hard bodies.

Bait fisherman have been bringing in consistent catches of yellow belly, bass and eel tail catfish fishing in the timbered arms. Best baits have been live shrimps, saltwater yabbies and worms jigged off the bottom.

Red claw have just started to pick up a bit with the consistent warm weather around the rocky edges.

Lake Barambah

The fishing at Barambah has been spectacular with lots of fish being caught on everything, casting lures, jigging a bait and trolling. The key however is moving around to find the fish. The fish this month have been moving around considerably, I’ve found that the fish will be on one flat or bank one day then the next day they have moved a few hundred meters. This is not uncommon during the warmer months because the fish are active and purely moving around the dam with the bait they are feeding on.

Brady Ellis with a nice Yellow Belly from the edge at BP

I always love fishing BP and I always like to go and start on the banks in the morning, I commonly cast lipless cranks or spinnerbaits to get an early reaction bite. The banks I’ll fish will generally be fairly steep with a bit of rock or structure. Another thing to keep an eye on is the sounder whilst you’re fishing a bank. It pays to make sure that there is bait or fish sporadically coming through. This obviously increases the chances of fish being caught on the bank that you’re targeting. Later in the day when the sun starts to get high I move out to the flats and commonly target areas in the 15 to 20 foot range. The fish seem to really relate well to this depth in BP and it pays to visit multiple areas like this until you find a good school. Another thing to note that in summer time in BP the fish like to sit high in the thermocline (or comfortable water) If you’re on the water and this is the case slow roll any smaller bait like a blade, through these suspended fish. In this situation it’s not uncommon to have a great session when the fish are sitting high in the water column.

 

Trollers are having the same luck by trolling the edges of the dam and out in the 15 to 20 foot range with deep diving hard bodies, most trollers won’t have to go far before hooking up with a fish or two.

Those using bait, the fish are coming from most locations close to the bank using, live shrimp, salt water yabbies and worms fished hard on the bottom.

Red claw are also on the comeback as the water warms considerably.

Park News                                           

Make sure you book your camp site for the 2018 Boondooma Dam Yellow belly fishing comp being held on the 10th and 11th of February. $20 entry for adults and $5 for juniors (16 years and under). There are live and dead weight divisions with prizes for Bass, Yellow belly, Silver and Spangled perch. There are thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes up for grabs, with food and drinks available at the event. It’s one comp you don’t want to miss. Call Lake Boondooma kiosk to make a camp site booking on (07) 4168 9694. Finally also don’t forget that this year’s New Year’s eve party at Lake Boondooma is shaping up to be the biggest and best we’ve seen, so write that down in your calendar and book a site for this year’s fireworks spectacular.

If you’d like to keep in regular contact with what’s happening on the dams don’t forget to like the Yallakool and Boondooma dams Facebook page.

Until next time, tight lines and bent rods

Matthew Langford

 

Murgon Music Muster

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Boots and hats are the order of the day as the visitors lined the auditorium for this year’s Murgon Music Muster. One of the biggest events of the year for this little town,as the local residence await the highly anticipated arrival of singing sensation Gina Jeffereys.

The Murgon showground is bursting at the seams with people camped out to enjoy four days of non-stop music. This year’s program is set to delight music enthusiasts with a multitude of entertainment on offer, from country rock, classic, bush ballads and bush poetry.

The Murgon Music Muster is currently on at Murgon Showgrounds from Tuesday 31st October to Sunday 5th November.

Gina Jeffreys will be performing on friday night at 7.30pm

South Burnett wine destined for Asian tables

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Back in August the South Burnett Wineries played host to Hong Kong’s Wine Luxe magazine write Nelson Siu.

To read the full story click on the link https://www.tiq.qld.gov.au/south-burnett-wine-destined-asian-tables/

 

South Burnett dams boasts hot edge bite!

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Another cracking month of fishing has gone by since my last report. The lakes edges and deeper flats have really come alive with some cracking fish caught at BP and Boondooma. It’s a great month to be out on the water as the temps are comfortable and the fishing is red hot. No matter what type of fisherman you are, the dams in the South Burnett Region have something to offer you.

Boondooma

Boondooma is a well-known big bass fishery and this month has seen it really live up to its name. Good numbers of big bass and yellow belly have been caught all around the dam using a variety of techniques.

If you’re a keen lure fisherman the best place to start is on the edge, look for rocky points or weedy edges with a bit of structure and you’re sure to pick up a fish or two casting lipless cranks, spoons, plastics or spinner baits. I like throwing a Bassman spinner-bait 3/8 in Olive colour tight to the edge, let it sink to the bottom and use a slow wind back to the boat with a couple of rod shakes in between to entice a strike. In the warmer months the fish really respond well to a reaction lure so keep that in mind when casting to a bank. Mix up your casts and retrieve speed and adjust to what you’re getting your bites with. I like to ‘Burn’ or quickly crank a lure back occasionally to really get them to hit aggressively. If you’re doing this hold on to your rod cause the bite is usually hard and fast. Some cracking Golden Perch and Bass have been caught over the last month from the edge, so it will pay to start this way early on your day out.

The Author with a cracking bass casting and burning spoons off the edge

The Author with a cracking Toga from the edge

The best way to keep catching quality is to move deeper as the day starts to heat up. The bigger bass have been caught out on the flats of the dam later in the morning as the wind and warmth starts to pick up, areas such as the junction through to pelican have been productive, as well as Death Valley the Barbour’s pole and the main lake points near the dam wall in 30ft of water. Make sure to check with the kiosk if you’re unsure of the names of areas of the dam and they will be sure to help out. I like targeting the areas just wider of the flats as they start to drop off into deeper water. I’ve been finding the fish have been sitting on these ledges and are usually more willing to bite. Ambush points like this are great for our predatory bass, so keep this in mind next time you’re on Boondooma.

The Author and Mick Johnson with a couple of big bass from the deeper flats of Boondooma using Norries Wasabi Spoons, winding them slow along the bottom.

The best techniques on the flats and ledges have been slow wound Spoons, ½ ounce rigged plastics in darker green or florescent colours, 5/8 ounce spinner baits rolled slowly along the bottom and ¼ and 3/8 ounce blades hopped or slow rolled along the bottom in silver or gold colours.

Bait fisherman have been bringing in consistent catches of yellow belly, bass and eel tail catfish fishing in the timbered arms. Best baits have been live shrimps, saltwater yabbies and worms jigged off the bottom.

Trollers have been starting to pick up some good numbers of Golden Perch trolling up in the arms of the dam using deep diving hard bodies. Make sure you have a lure retriever hand as you’ll be bound to get caught up in the timber eventually and this device will save you money.

Red claw have just started to pick up a bit with the consistent warm weather around the rocky edges using rockmelon, pumpkin and dog biscuits.

Lake Barambah

BP dam has really been making the customers happy with the Bass coming up from the deeper flats and creek beds to feed heavily on the edges. Most anglers have been reporting some great sessions and some cracking Bass and Yellow belly amongst them. The fish aren’t afraid to hit anything that resembles a bait fish. The consistent warm weather can be thanked for this ‘Reaction Bite’ and it’s only going to get better and better the further we move towards summer.

Dean Thompson with a beautiful yellow belly from the edge on a spinnerbait,

Dean Thompson with a beautiful yellow belly from the edge on a spinnerbait.

Young Harry Goldie with a thumping Bass from BP

The best methods for getting amongst the action is to look for a good rocky edge, position yourself about 40 to 50 meters from the bank and cast towards the edge, let the lure sink to the bottom and start a slow consistent wind. I’ve found the best techniques have been lipless cranks, spinner baits, tail spinners, ½ ounce rigged plastics, jerk baits and blades cast up near the edge. Realistically, if you throw your favourite lure to the edge long enough it’s bound to get smashed by a hungry bass or yellow belly, the fishing is just that good at the moment. Likely areas to target are all over the dam from the dam right through to the shallows up the back of the dam, just look for a rocky edge, sit out wide and cast towards the bank, it’s truly that simple.

Trollers are having the same luck by trolling the edges of the dam with deep diving hard bodies, most trollers won’t have to go far before hooking up with a fish or two.

Bait fisherman are in much the same boat with fish coming from most locations close to the bank using, live shrimp, salt water yabbies and worms fished closed to the bottom.

Red claw are also on the comeback as the water warms considerably.

Dam news

Last weekend saw the opening of the Rail Trail from Murgon to Kingaroy, so if you’ve had enough fishing at the dams or looking to do something different, I would highly recommend riding the trail. It takes you through some of the best locations in the South Burnett and you can do it all at your own pace. Accommodation is available at BP and Boondooma, so if you’re staying overnight, don’t hesitate to give us a call and we’ll have you resting comfortably.

Until next time, tight lines and bent rods

Matthew Langford

Freshwater fishing a big hit in the South Burnett.

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Spring is finally here and it’s the time of year that I always look forward to. The water temps are gradually increasing and our native fish in our stoked impoundments really spring into life and start gorging themselves, which means for us anglers a great time to be on the water.

Boondooma Dam
In my last report the water temps were down around 16 degrees and the fishing was good, but as I write the water temps have increased slightly and the fish have really started to fire up. The edge bite has somewhat slowed a little but the flats fishing has been insane. Some good Yellow belly and Bass can still be caught from the edges early if you’re casting lures. I’ve found the best areas to target are the steeper rocky edges with some timber, and the remains of the weed beds that outline the dam in 8 to 10 feet.

Some great techniques for targeting the fish on the edge is using suspending jerk-baits and 12 gram spoons burnt over the top of the submerged weed. Both presentations entice the fish to come out of the weed and smash a paused jerk-bait or chase a moving spoon as it zips past overhead. The jerk-bait presentation is a slow retrieve with a lot of pauses and the spoon presentation is all about long casts and a steady fast retrieve to keep the lure above the weed, I find dropping the spoon back to the weed occasionally is a good way to keep that lure in the zone.
The old submerged weed edges still hold some cracking Bass but I’d be moving to the 20 to 30 foot flats to start looking about mid-morning as the day starts to heat up. Areas I like to start looking are the Junction to Pelican point edges out 80 meters from the bank in 20 to 30 feet of water. There’s a few baits that have really been working well but if you cast anything that imitates a bony bream you’ll be in with a good chance of hooking up with a good fish. 12 gram Nories Tail spinners and Spoons and ¼ ounce blades have been working really well, but soft plastics have also accounted for a few good sessions.

A pair of Nice bass caught from the edge, burning spoons over the submerged weed beds.


The local yellow belly are in great condition and are willing to take a well presented lure.

The key to using a spoon on schooled fish is to let the lure sink to the bottom and slow wind the bait through the fish. If you think you’ve got the lure too high through the fish make sure you drop it back down through them and start the retrieve again. Eventually you will get a bite, persistence is a big key when fishing anywhere.
Bait fisherman have been doing well out on the flats. Use your sounder to locate a good showing of fish in the 20 to 30 foot range. Once you find a good show, anchor up and drop down using live shrimp. The great thing about live shrimp is that you can catch them in the dam itself. It shouldn’t be long until you have some nice fish coming to the boat.

A great tip for bait fishing is making sure that you have some fresh bait and also make sure your knots are tied well as the fish on the flats can be big and can leave you broken hearted if you’re not prepared.
If you’re trolling, the fishing should improve as the waters temps continue to rise but there have been some reports of fish trolled up in the timber of the Boyne and Stuart arms. The key is to use deep diving hard bodies in dark colours.

Red claw have been moving well with the warmer water bringing them back to the pots.

Barambah Dam
The same is happening at Lake Barambah, the water temps have risen and the fish are really active. Fish are responding to most lure techniques but the bigger fish have been coming from the points and edges. The most effective lures have been ¼ blades, spinner baits, lipless cranks and ¼ ounce rigged 3 inch plastics. You’ll note that most of these baits imitate the bait that fish are feeding on which is masses and masses of small bony bream, gudgeon, sleepy cod, barred grunter and spangled perch.


A cracking bass from the edge at BP


The Yellow belly at BP are very willing to take a spinnerbait cast at the edge in spring.

I’ve been fishing the dam quite regularly and have had some of the best fishing from the edges that I can remember. Nice Yellow belly and big Bass have been caught every trip. The key to success however is finding the right bank to fish. If you’re an avid lure angler like me, pick an edge and start moving along it. I like to sit about 30 meters from the bank and fan out casts, trying to cover as much water as possible. Keep moving along the edge and eventually you’ll come across a lure that works for you. Once you’ve caught a fish, there’s a big chance that there will be more in very close proximity so make sure you cover that water thoroughly. The big fish have been hanging out together, so if you get one there’s a chance you’ll get a few.
Bait fisherman have been catching good bags of fish around the edges of the dam, and from the shore using live shrimp, saltwater yabbies and worms.

Trollers are picking up the odd fish trolling around Lightening ridge and around the edges of the dam. The trolling will be fantastic in the coming months as the fish move up in the water column and start to suspend with the warmer weather.

The red claw have been really moving with some big numbers being caught so now’s the time to drop the pots in.

Park News
If you’re an avid troller or hard bodied lure enthusiast, the Golden Lure comp is on at Boondooma dam on October the 20, 21, 22, so if you’re looking at coming to the dams to stay make sure you give the guys at the kiosk a call and they’ll book your site tailored to your needs. Give Yallakool a call on 07 4168 4746 or Boondooma on 07 4168 9694.

Until next time
Tight lines and bent rods
Matthew Langford

Red Hot bite in the South Burnett!

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Since the onset of winter the fishing hasn’t changed considerably in the South Burnett Region, with some cracking catches of our native fish being recorded. No matter what type of angler you are, you’re sure to hook up with a few fish at Boondooma and Barambah over the coming weeks.

Boondooma

Over the past few months the fish have moved up somewhat shallow and if you find yourself on an edge that has some scattered weed, you could find an opportunity for a fantastic edge bite.  If you’re an avid lure fisherman like me, this is where I would start and end the day. The secret has been throwing 3/8 spinnerbaits up as tight as you can to the weed edge and rolling it back with a slow wind retrieve. I like to use the 3/8 Carls compact Bassman spinnerbait with one small Colorado blade, as this stops any weed becoming entangled in the blade assembly and stopping the spinnerbait from working. If you throw up tight to the weed edge and roll out you will get stuck in the weed occasionally, the best trick is to give the rod tip a quick rip to free the spinnerbait and continue the retrieve. Remember early morning and late afternoon is the best time to target the weed as the fish are up in there ready to ambush any offering that is thrown their way. I’ve caught some cracking 50cm+ fish using this method so stick with it, as it could result in a trophy bass being landed. The other option that has been working is using suspending jerk baits to the weed, use the same method as I described above and make sure you add plenty of pauses to your retrieve. Jerk baiting the weed is a cool way to fish as suddenly your drag could be peeling of that reel, before you even realise you’ve had a hit.

Bill Schloss with a pair of Cracking bass from Boondooma.

Later in the day when the sun is high and the breeze picks up, I like to move out deeper around the flats and target schooling fish with, Nories tail spinners, soft vibes and VX blades. Pelican point, Barbour’s pole and Death Valley are good spots to start looking for schools. Please check in with the kiosk if you’re unsure of the names of places around the dam. The secret is using your sounder to slowly move around until you’ve located the fish sitting close to the bottom, once located, start to throw your baits with long casts and keep the lure as close to the bottom as you can. I like to use a very slow retrieve or a hooping retrieve to induce a strike. It’s also a good idea to move around a bit as the fish work out very quickly that you’re there, native fish don’t respond well to pressure or noise.

Bill Schloss and Lloyd Brown with some great fish from the flats at Boondooma

Bait fisherman have been getting good catches of yellow belly in the Boyne arm of the dam fishing close to trees and the Boyne rocks. Most have been using saltwater yabbies, shrimps and worms. It’s a good idea to use smaller sinkers as the bite is hard to detect if you’re using huge ball sinkers. Simply tie up to a tree drop your bait to the bottom and slowly move the bait up and down off the bottom. It won’t be long until you get a bite.

Trollers have also been doing quite well on the yellow belly in the Boyne and Stuart arms in the timber with smaller deep diving hard bodies. Make sure you take a tackle retriever with you as you’re bound to get a snag or two whilst trolling.

Redclaw are still coming in pretty good numbers around the shallow rocky edges, soft fruits and vegetables have been the best bait during the winter months.

Lake Barambah

Typically, in winter, BP dam’s fish move in closer to the edge and can be caught using a few methods. Lately the best edge fishing methods have been Eco gear ZX blades and Jerk baits cast up shallow. Slower moving baits like the ones suggested are dynamite in winter the key is small hops off the bottom near the edge with the ZX blades and long pauses near the edge with the jerkbaits.

The deeper flats have also been producing lots of fish be it bass or yellow belly. Jigging blades has been the best method. Most anglers have been sounding fish in about 20ft and sitting on top of them, Eco gear ZX blades have been the real standout as they have two small stinger hooks attached. Drop them down to the bottom and hop them with small sharp hops, a fish only needs to touch them and the stinger hooks will grab them very quickly. Best spots have been the big flat out from the main dam wall.

The Author and Nick Anderson with some nice bass from the edge at BP.

It’s Valuable to remember that most fish in the dam are gorging themselves on small bony bream so it’s a great idea to throw anything that looks like a small bait fish. Look for steeper banks that hold some timber or rocks as this is a likely place that fish will be looking for bait up shallow. Out deeper try to find flats that are close to significant drop offs or the main submerged creek line.

Dylan Fryer with a beautiful yellow belly from the edge on a jerk bait.

Bait fisherman have been getting a ton of nice fish from BP dam. Most have been tying off to trees and fishing saltwater yabbies and shrimps vertical with small hops. I witnessed a couple catch their bag limit in under an hour just recently, I was very impressed and almost switched to bait. Big quality yellow belly and good numbers of bass have been coming on bait.

Trollers are catching the odd fish trolling around the main lake points, small deep diving hard bodies are the best. Redclaw have gone very quiet and should start popping back up as the water gets warmer.

Dam news

If you’d like to become a member of the local fish stocking associations please don’t hesitate in contacting Terry Allwood, Secretary/Treasurer of the Boondooma fish stocking association on 0400860122 or Matthew Langford president of the BP fish stocking association on 0408658592. New members are always welcome.

Until next time, tight line and bent rods.

Matthew Langford

Cold mornings and Big Bass in the South Burnett.

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With the unseasonably warm weather hanging around for quite some time the warm weather gear hasn’t had to make much of an appearance of late. The last few weeks however have seen the water temps slowly drop but the fish are still active and still hungry. With the cold moving in fast now, the edge bite and shallow flats bite has really fired up and you should be able to bag yourself some really healthy Bass and Yellowbelly over the coming months. The great thing is this time of year the Bass and Goldens are fat and healthy and a whole new array of lures can be used to target the natives in our local dams.

Lake Boondooma

Recently the best techniques have been to hit the edges early with lipless cranks and spinnerbaits, rocky or weedy edges being the best to target. Another good way of finding good fish is sounding over the main lake points and large shallow flats in the main basin in search of the large schools that generally congregate at this time of year. In the morning when it’s quiet and still is the best time for this type of fishing because the water temps are at their lowest and the dam is at its quietest. Having a good quality sounder is important when trying to locate the schools as you’ll pick up the fish close to the bottom when you’re searching. Once a school is located position the boat towards the school and cast ¼ or 3/8 ounce Eco gear VX, ZX or Little Max blades, let the blade hit the bottom and use a slow hopping or roll retrieve.  Occasionally change it up and use a slow roll and kill technique as the fish will hit the lure when it’s close to the bottom, as it’s falling or just after it’s rolled off the bottom.


Ecogear ZX blades are great for targeting bass on the flats at Boondooma

 

Later in the day when the water heats up I’ve found that the fish can be caught well using Nories tail spinners, 12 gram being the best. Cast the tails spinner out with a long cast and let it sink to the bottom, wind up the slack and slowly lift the rod tip then drop it back to the bottom keeping contact with the lure at all times. The fish this time of year love a bait that is falling in their face and the tail spinner suits the bite perfectly. The fish will hit the tail spinner generally as its falling after the lift so be on your toes for the bite. Ice jigs are also a great way of catching the schooled fish as its constantly in their face, keep an eye on the sounder with this technique though as you’ll get more bites when the fish rise off the bottom. This generally means they are flared up and ready to eat.

The Author with a healthy bass from the shallow flats at Boondooma

Trollers are getting some good yellow belly in the arms of the dam using deep diving hard bodies. Troll in close to the timber near the rocks in the Boyne arm but make sure that you have a lure retriever handy because you will get snagged occasionally, but your hard work will be rewarded.

Bait fisherman your best chance is to fish the trees in the arms of the dam in 20 feet of water with live shrimp. You can catch the shrimp using opera house pots with a bit of steak just below the Kiosk, or around the lakes edges, so it pays to get live bait, even better when you can get it from the dam your fishing in.

Some great reports of good numbers of big red claw coming in, dog biscuits and soft vegetables proving to be great bait for their opera house pots. Rocky ledges and points are the best spots to drop your pots but make sure your pots are clearly marked with your name and address.

 

 

 

Lake Barambah

The fishing over the past month has slowed down a little but you can still catch some very decent fish if you’re up early and fish patiently.  The fish have been up on the edge early when the waters cool and I’ve been catching some good Bass and Yellow belly using ½ ounce rigged grub tail plastics. Target rocky ledges with a bit of timber or rocks. As the sun gets higher I always move to the deeper flats and target areas around points and flats, spots around lightening ridge, bass point and the Quarry are likely spots to find fish sitting out deeper. If you’re not familiar with the places I mentioned, call into the Kiosk, they are always willing to explain where they are. If the regular deeper areas don’t produce it’s a good idea to sound around the outskirts of the dam and find those fish sitting in 10 to 20 feet of water. Once located, target them with the techniques that I mentioned for the Boondooma flats. Blades, tail spinners and ice jigs are the go to lures to use when the fish are sitting out deep. Both dams are reasonably similar but sometimes it does pay to experiment with your lure selection. The bass are getting bigger, models of up to 45 cm have been caught recently off the edges and out on the flats. If your chasing yellow belly, fish tight in around any timber on the dam with lipless cranks or spinner baits, persist long enough and you’re sure to get a couple. Yellow belly over 50cm have been caught recently using this technique, afternoon when the waters warmer proves to be the best time.

Corey Goldie with a big fat Bass taken wide of Bass point on a plastic.

A nice fat yellowbelly taken on a 12 gram Nories tailspinner

Trollers are getting some nice yellow belly up in the timber of an afternoon but be wary the water is shallow going into the timber You can still troll through the timbered areas up the back of the dam with shallow to medium diving hard bodies. Some bass have also been mixed in with their catches.

Bait fisherman have also been having some success, they’ve been catching mixed bags of Yellow belly, silver perch and bass from the timber. Tie up to a tree and use live shrimp as bait. Drop your bait to the bottom and slowly jig the bait, if your first spot doesn’t produce don’t be afraid to move several times until you know you’re sitting on some active fish.

The red claw are still around but you’ll have to put in the effort for a feed, target rocky edges or spindly timber and use soft vegies for bait.

Park News

If you’re looking at coming out our way and wanting to stay at either park give us a call and we’ll book your site tailored to your needs. Give Yallakool a call on 07 4168 4746 or Boondooma on 07 4168 9694.

That’s this month’s wrap up of the two dams.

Until next time, tight lines and bent rods.

Matthew Langford

Big Natives start to play in the South Burnett.

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It’s been an interesting month of fishing in the impoundments of the South Burnett, with the recent influx of water, there’s been a lack of consistent fishing as the water settles. As I write, the fishing has improved over the past few days and captures of big Natives in both BP and Boondooma dams are being reported. The water temps are slowly starting to lower but constant warmer afternoons have started to make the fish bite well. It’s been a very warm month with only a few mornings cold enough to pull on the jumpers. The fish seem to be somewhat quiet in the mornings but as the day warms, the fish have really been firing.

Boondooma

Boondooma has started to pick up as the water clears, the bigger Bass and Goldens are starting to be caught on a variety of techniques. The last month has seen some inconsistency but some good fish are starting to be caught. The great thing about Boondooma is that you can catch fish, fishing many different areas, covering a variety of techniques.

In the mornings, when its cooler, I like to head up the arms of the dam and fish the edges as this seems to be the best option for those feeding fish early in the morning. I’ll cast a 3/8 Bassman spinnerbait or a lipless crank to the edge, let it hit the bottom and slow wind it out. The fish tend to move up on the edge during the night and will generally feed until the sun hits the water and starts to warm. This can be a great way of catching some big fish, especially if you’re up in the timbered arms and there’s a lot of structure near the edge that you’re fishing.

Another option is fishing the many weed beds that line the edge of the dam, Jerk Baits are a great option here. Cast the Jerk Bait up to the weed edge and crank it down a couple of winds, pause it and then begin a series of twitches as you wind. Remember that fishing close to the weed, you will come in contact with the weed regularly, so just give the rod tip a quick flick to get the Jerk bait free. Be patient with this technique as the Bass sitting in the weed pockets will eventually come out and hit the Jerk Bait hard. This is also a great option for catching some big Yellow Belly, particularly in the afternoon when the water is warm.

John Francis with a nice Yellow belly from the edge on a spinnerbait.

After the sun has been up for a while and the day starts to warm, I always move out to the deeper sections of the dam and target the schooled fish sitting out on the flats. Sound around until you’ve located a good showing of fish, generally this time of year I’ll be searching around the 15 to 25 foot mark. When a school is located you have a few options to cast at the fish to entice a bite. ½ rigged plastics, tail spinners, blades, spinnerbaits and soft vibes all have their place out on the flats and it’s just a matter of trying a few baits until you have one that you’re consistently catching fish with. Recently soft plastics have really been the standout lure fished along the bottom. A key to getting a good flats bite though is having an afternoon where it’s quite hot and you have a slight breeze on the water. This combination of warmth and current tends to get the fish biting.

Above – The recent influx of water has made the big red claw move in BP and Boondooma.

Bait fisherman are still catching good numbers of fish up in the timbered arms tying off trees and fishing with live shrimps and worms as bait. Bait can be purchased at the kiosk and if you want the best bait, you can catch shrimp in the weed around the dam edges with opera house pots.

Trollers are picking up some good fish trolling around the weed edges and along the rock walls up near the dam wall and in the timbered arms with spinnerbaits and deep diving hard bodies.

Red claw are really on the move since the influx of water make sure you pack the opera house pots.

Lake Barambah

Fishing on BP has fired up again with some nice catches of Bass and Yellow belly coming in, particularly during the warmer afternoons. With the warmer days the fish have generally been staying out deep in the 15 to 25 foot zone.

Depending on the day, if it’s cool in the morning, I will target the weed edges with spinnerbaits, blades and tail spinners. It helps if the edges have spindly timber mixed in with the weed, as the fish tend to move up and feed around this structure early in the morning.

The Author with a nice Yella on a tail spinner from BP.

Later in the day, especially if it’s warm, I will move out deeper and target those fish sitting in the deeper flats of about 20 feet. The fish have been spread out over the flats next to Lightening Ridge, Bass Point, and wide of Treasure Island. The best way to target the fish out deep is using plastics, blades, tail spinners and soft vibes. Sound around these areas until you have a good show of fish on the sounder, then go through the above mentioned lures until you find one that gets you onto a couple of fish and stick with it. Make long casts and make sure the lure stays in contact with the bottom regularly. Use either a hopping retrieve, or a dead slow roll along the bottom. Persist with this long enough and you will eventually get a bite.

The author and Corey with the goods after a successful session in the depths of BP.

Trollers are picking up some nice bass trolling deep divers and spinnerbaits along the bottom in 12 to 14 feet over the above mentioned areas.

Bait fisherman are picking up some nice catches of Bass and Goldens in the timber on shrimps, worms and yabbies but be wary the water is shallow before the timber.

Red claw are still coming in with some nice catches being taken from the rocky areas of the dam as well as some nice catches in the bays with weed coming out from the edge.

Park News

The tackle shops at both dams are fully stocked, and the Yallakool kiosks lure range has also had a major facelift with a great new range of lures in stock. All lures on the wall are just what you’ll need to target Bass and Yellow belly in BP and Boondooma dams. The staff at both dams are very helpful when it comes to locations on the dam for the best fishing and what lures to use. So please don’t hesitate to ask.

On a final note, if you’re not just staying in the parks for the great fishing, make sure you check out the tourist information centres at both of our dams. There’s maps and brochures of all the great attractions around the South Burnett region all within a short distance of the parks for you to enjoy.

Until next month, tight lines and bent rods

Matthew Langford

South Burnett Dams see water levels rise

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Boondooma and Lake Barambah have seen a recent influx of water from Tropical Cyclone Debbie. With the rain, came the run off, and we’ve seen some welcome water flow into our two dams. Currently Boondooma is sitting at 53% and BP 24%. The fisherman haven’t been disappointed as both dams have been fishing well but have been a little slow due to the weather and the recent rain. It’s great to see so many people coming to our dams as the water levels rise, the next few weeks should see the fishing improve considerably.

Boondooma

Boondooma has been fishing reasonably well in the main basin of the dam. There are a few very good options when your fishing during this time of year, though it does pay to be patient. The deeper water around the dam is holding big Bass and Yellow belly suspended in the Thermocline (comfortable water) and these fish are very willing to eat most offerings presented to them, given time. The trick is to locate these suspended fish before casting. It really pays to have good electronics on your boat as sounders are the best way to locate concentrations of fish.  The fish in the basin have been the bigger ones, Bass over 50cm have been caught, so it pays to spend the time sounding to find the fish to cast at. Sound around areas like the rock walls near the dam wall and the major rocky points around the front of the dam. Here, the water is at its clearest due to the recent inflow. When a school has been located start by casting 5/8 spinnerbaits, 20 gram spoons and ½ rigged soft plastic and count from 5 to 7 seconds depending on how deep the fish are sitting. Consistent fast retrieves have been working best and it pays to put in multiple casts before you get a bite or a fish. ½ ounce rigged plastics have been a popular choice amongst anglers as the bait is a smaller profile and can be burnt fast as well to initiate a strike from any hungry fish.

The Yellow Belly in Boondooma are fat and ready for winter.

Anglers young and old are still enjoying the fishing at BP, this bass was caught casting a ½ bassman spinnerbait.

The timber is another great option, especially if you’re a bait fisherman as the fish are still holding around the trees in both arms. If you don’t have a sounder to work on the fish in the basin, this would be the smartest option, although the water is quite dirty due to both arms receiving water so lures in the arms aren’t a great option at the moment. The water is still quite warm so the fish should stick around in the trees until it starts to cool down.

Bait fishing in the Timber is another great option for Boondooma with some influx of dirty water. Live shrimps and worms are the best option.

Trollers are catching some nice bass and goldens in the main basin trolling 5/8 spinnerbaits and deep diving hard bodies.

Red claw have been coming in pretty thick of late and some big lobster size ones as well. Set your pots close to any rock structure or thick timber and you’re in with a good chance of a feed. Soft fruit and vegetables have been the best bait as well as dog biscuits.

Lake Barambah

BP has been a little tough of late for the lure casters due to the weather but fish are still getting caught if you’re willing to put in the time. Bass and goldens in some areas have been thick and sessions in the double digits still aren’t uncommon, so keep working on them if you’ve found a good show of fish. Best areas of late have been around the lightening ridge area and the quarry, fishing down the drop offs. The deeper water from Bass point right down the middle to the public boat ramp is also worth of a drift or two.  Best baits have been ½ ounce rigged plastics, ¼ ounce blades spinnerbaits and chatter-baits.

Anglers young and old are still enjoying the fishing at BP, this bass was caught casting a ½ bassman spinnerbait.

Because BP is a shallow dam most fish generally congregate around areas in the dam where drop offs are. The best way to find these drop off is to use your sounder and find them or look for points or banks that drop away quickly. Cast your lure up shallow and slowly wind it down the slope and try to keep it close to the bottom. I always try to imagine where my lure is sitting close to the bottom to keep in contact with the fish or the “strike zone”. I consistently let the lure touch the bottom so that I know I’m always close as I wind my lure back to the boat. Using this method usually puts you onto fish eventually.

½ ounce rigged plastics are the stand out bait at BP recently.

Be wary from Bass point onwards towards the timber as the water is still quite shallow.

Trollers are getting some nice bass and goldens trolling over the drop offs out from Bass point and down the middle of the dam between bass point and the caravan park boar ramp also try trolling over the prominent points of the dam using spinnerbaits and blades.

Bait fisherman are getting heaps of table fish, fishing just about anywhere on the dam that is over 10 feet deep and near any structure. Best baits have been shrimps and worms.

There is some red claw still about as well so make sure you pack the pots.

Park News

On a final note, if your needing to know any information about fishing spots on the dam or want any tackle for your weekends fishing, both Kiosks have a great amount of information and all the latest tackle that will help you on your way to some great fishing.

Hope to see you on the water soon

Tight Lines and Bent Rods

Matthew Langford

 

 

 

 

Legends of the South Burnett

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Legends of the South Burnett – Boxing Legend: Arthur Cripps

When you think of boxing one name comes to mind… Muhammad Ali. Well sorry to disappoint but there was another boxing great who came from the South Burnett… Arthur Cripps.

Born in 1879 Arthur Cripps started his sporting career playing rugby. He played in one game for Queensland – a “dramatic” 25-11 win over New South Wales in 1901 (see even back in the early 20th century Queensland were beating New South Wales!) But footy just wasn’t meant to be for Arthur who turned to professional boxing in early 1902.

Arthur was trained by “Big” Jim Austin, who was said to be one of the cleverest trainers of the time. He claimed that because of this training he never suffered a black eye or bloody nose.

In 1903 Arthur Cripps claimed the Australian Middleweight crown. He would then win this title on and off between the years 1903 to 1909.

A property at Broadwater (Nanango) brought Arthur, his wife Mary and their daughter Violet to the region to begin a farming life. Arthur held boxing fund raising activities and assisted many young men in gaining expertise in the boxing arena such as Bill Ewart of Nanango.

In 1916 at the age of 35 (which was not the norm as the average age of men enlisting was 26) Arthur enlisted as a driver in the Engineers. This grabbed the attention of Australians with newspaper headlines reading “Arthur Cripps gone to the front!” (16 May 1917). He also made headlines again upon his return in August 1919.

After the war Arthur returned to Nanango where he was the Post Office Hotel Proprietor, Chairman of the local football club (1923to 1925) and Director of the Dairy Company (1923). However, before his daughter Violet was 21 years old he decided to move the family to Brisbane.

In 1934 Arthur Cripps passed away.

A mild-mannered man – a home lover – an ace high husband and father – and a wonderful glove fighter!

Arthur Cripps 3

Arthur Cripps with his wife Mary and daughter Violet (dress in white with pig tails)

Arthur Cripps dressed in his army uniform

Arthur Cripps dressed in his army uniform

South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival

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The South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival is on again this Saturday 11th March at Memorial Park, Kingaroy.

This is the festival’s 18th year and is a great way of showcases the best of South Burnett wine and food. The event starts at 12 noon and runs till 8:30pm and will have eight hours of live entertainment including street performers and top music acts.

Kevin Liepins a freelance writer has wrote a great article for Weekend Notes on the festival. CLICK HERE to read.

Entertainment at South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival - image from the South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival website

Entertainment at South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival – image from the South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival website

Enjoy wine tastings at the South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival - image from the South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival website

Enjoy wine tastings at the South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival – image from the South Burnett Wine and Food in the Park Festival website

Nuts over Bunya Nuts

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bunya-nuts

The Australian Aboriginals knew a good thing when they tasted it and consequently in early times would set aside any tribal differences to travel for hundreds of miles to feast on this native bush food. I am in fact talking about the ‘Bunya Nut’. These giant cannon ball-sized pine cones contain between 50 to 100 nuts and weigh as much as 10 kilograms.  So you really don’t want to be hanging around under a Bunya Nut Tree during the fruiting season. The cones are covered in spikes and fall from towering heights of 30-45 metres. Heads up!!  Although nuts are produced each year, traditionally a bumper crop is produced every three years. The fruiting season occurs from December to March.
It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t like the taste of Bunya Pine nuts. The flavour is described similar to a starchy potato or chestnut. Ask a local the best way to cook a Bunya Nut and they will all tell you something different. Either way the kernel must be removed from the shell before being boiled in salty water or placed in the fire for cooking. Personally I like to throw mine in a pot of water used to cook a nice piece of corned beef and then smother it with butter when it’s done. Yummo!
Believe it or not the humble Bunya Nut has been used in cooking since the beginning of time and is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of bush tucker. Today this bush food can be found in a variety of recipes including pancakes, biscuits and breads to casseroles and hommus. Who would have thought you could be finishing your dinner this Christmas with a Steamed Bunya Nut pudding served with brandy custard and wattle seed ice cream.
So where can you find this bush tucker superfood? Simply follow the bunya trees along the Great Bunya Drive through the South Burnett and venture to the native origins of the Bunya Nut, deep into the subtropical rainforest of the beautiful Bunya Mountain National Park.
The Bunya Mountain National Park is 2.5 to 3 hours from Brisbane and 4 hours from both coasts. The Great Bunya Drive (pictured below) is a 390km self-drive tour which runs from Toowoomba to Gympie, with one of the highlights being the Bunya Mountains.

 

greatbunyadrive

Cooking with Bunya Nuts

Shelling

shelling-bunya-nuts

Place the nuts in a jug or bowl and cover with boiling water for 2-3 minutes.  This softens the shells making it easier to cut and makes the brown skin surrounding the nut, stick to the inside of the shell allowing the nut to be removed cleanly.  Use a strong short blade knife or Stanly knife and slice down the length of the nut.  The softened shell will peel away from the nut.  Slice the nut in half and discard the centre pith which can have a bitter after taste.

Boiling

Place the nuts in boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes.  Cool slightly before shelling to extract the edible nut.  To make a nut meal: place in blender when cold and process to bread crumb  consistency.

To enhance the flavor the nuts can be boiled in the water used for the cooking of corned meat.

Frying/Saute

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Used shelled nuts (raw or boiled) and toss lightly in a hot pan with melted butter or your favorite oil. Be careful not to overcook as the nut flesh will become hard and leathery.

BBQ/Campfire

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Turn the nuts frequently for even cooking. When cooking directly on the fire, the use of hot ashes gives better results as the shells can ignite on hot coals of flames.

Off and Racing!

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Did you know that horse racing in the South Burnett dates back to early 1850.

Pastoral stations of Taabinga, Tarong and Nanango had their own tracks and breeding programs. The first reported race meeting was held at Nanango Station on Boxing Day 1859.

Now we know the Melbourne Cup is a two mile race. Well the Nanango Cup (formally known as the Nanango Plate) was a three mile race. Yes you read right three miles! That’s three times around the current day track. The winner of the first Nanango Cup was Pat McCallum on his horse Pilgram. Unlike the millions of dollars todays’ jockeys and trainers get, pat received a winner’s cheque of £40. Which was worth a year’s pay!

For those wondering, racing began in Wondai around 1907 and were put on hold during WW1 and WW2. In 1958 the South Burnett Race Club was formed in Wondai with the first race meeting held on 4th April 1959. Racing in Wondai continues today with three races held each year.

Sadly Kingaroy’s racing history was a short one – just like the height of a jockey. Races were conducted at the Kingaroy showgrounds for various beneficiaries including the School of Arts. Racing in Kingaroy finishes before the Second World War.

Kumbia Races began in 1922 with intervals during war years and between 1953-1956. Racing began in earnest from 1956 to present day. Would you believe that there used to be eight race meets a year. Now there is only one held on Melbourne Cup day earning Kumbia the title of “The Flemington of the Bush”.

What about Blackbutt? Well there were races held up and down the Brisbane Valley and the Brisbane River Valley Blackbutt “Timbertown” Picnic Race Club Inc. is still an active and registered group, but haven’t held races for many years.

Who can forget about the legendary Burrandowan Picnic races, which have been held since 1922. Back in the day soldier settlers would gather together and the tradition still continues today, with the races held in May of each year.

This SUNDAY 4th December, the Nanango Race Club will be holding it’s last race meet for the year. Will this become a new trend? Some places in Australia have races everyday of the week! Time will tell as racing meanders through the 21st Century. So if you’re looking for a break from Christmas shopping grab some friends, throw on your glad rags and head to the Nanango Racecourse.

The Best of Horses on the Best of Country Courses!

 

Horse Racing at Tarong Phot - D Clapperton

Horse Racing at Tarong
Photo – D Clapperton

Pass the finishing post at Nanango Races

Pass the finishing post at Nanango Races

Wake Up in Wine Country

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There’s no better feeling than escaping the city on a Friday afternoon for a weekend away discovering the cellar doors, restaurants and cool natural places of Southern Queensland Country’s wine trails. Here is a weekend intinary taking in the South Burnett Wine Trail.

It’s so easy to wake up in wine country!

Friday

Take an early mark and hit the highway out of town. En route stop in at Blackbutt’s famous Wood-fired Bakery for some crusty bread and a sweet treat and Taste South Burnett in Kingaroy to stock up on  local goodies – olives, olive oil, caperberries and their hand-made fudge.

Check in at Crane Wines B&B overlooking the cool Booie Range. Do a cellar door tasting with winemaker Bernie and select a bottle to enjoy with dinner.

Settle in and cook your own barbecue (Crane’s BBQ packs include beef, chicken or Barkers Creek Pork, salad, potato bake and dessert).

Retire to your verandah to enjoy the twilight views over the vines. Star gazers may like to book a night sky tour with Kingaroy Observatory. 

Saturday

Head into Kingaroy for a hearty country breakfast at  local favourite Utopia Café.

After breakfast, pop into Kingaroy Art Gallery to catch an exhibition by local artists and don’t miss their gallery shop, a hub for artisan jewellery, ceramics, textiles and woodwork.

En route to lunch, drop into local icon The Peanut Van for a range of delicious locally grown flavoured peanuts.

Lunch is 10 minutes out of town at Kingsley Grove Estate, which offers cellar door wine tastings with winemaker Simon,  delicious house-made wood-fired pizzas and delectable wine ice cream handmade by Pat – the perfect finish!

For the afternoon head back to Cranes to relax on your verandah with a good book or put on your walking shoes and head for the trails of Yarraman State Forest.

For dinner take a lead from the locals who rave about the views and food at Cassis at Booie, just a few minutes’ drive or 10 minutes walk from your cottage (take a torch if you plan to walk!)

Sunday

Relax on your verandah overlooking the vineyards while you cook your own breakfast;  Crane’s breakfast pack includes country cured bacon, local sausages, eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms.

Mid-morning check out and make your way home via the northern South Burnett Wine Trail visiting the cellar doors at Clovely Estate, Moffatdale Ridge, Bridgeman Downs and Dusty Hill Wines.

On the way home:

  • Nature lovers may like to visit Wooroolin Wetland – a brilliant walking and birdwatching spot. Photographers will love the eerie stands of trees in the tea tree-stained water.
  • Ask Cranes Winery to pack you their famous Lazy Lunch Picnic Basket brimming with local gourmet goodies and a bottle of house bubbles, then make for Lake Barambah which offers peaceful waterside picnic spots and great freshwater fishing.
  • Other lunch options include a top counter meal at The Wondai Hotel, lunch overlooking  the vines at Dusty Hill’s Pendergast’s Tavern.

Take your time and savour the South Burnett.

Enjoy!

WORDS: Jane Hodges

February 2017 Boondooma Dam Fishing Competition

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Boondooma Dam Yellowbelly Fishing Competition spokesman Terry Allwood says that with the lake fishing extremely well the 2017 event should set new records in both the long standing gilled and gutted section, as well as in the catch and release component. Cash and other prizes will be presented at the end of each of the three sessions as well as overall competition winners at the conclusion of the event.

Profits from the event are used to supplement fishing permit funds from the Queensland Government and to date approximately 5 million fingerlings have been stocked into Lake Boondooma.

The catch and release category targeting Australian Bass and Yellowbelly is open to all anglers who nominate. This category has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of Stanwell and Swickers bacon factory.

The annual competition will be held on 11 and 12 February 2017. Entry costs for the February event will be $20 for adults and $5 for juniors aged 16 years and under.

The ongoing support of our many generous sponsors will ensure that a wide range of prizes and lucky draws are available for all competitors including a Boat ,Motor, Trailer package. Lucky draws are held at the end of each fishing session and at the Friday night briefing. All presentations and lucky draws are conducted at the event headquarters at the stocking association clubhouse.

Food and drinks stalls will be provided by local community groups over the weekend and the great camping facilities provided by the South Burnett Regional Council will be available for campers staying at the lake.

The cost of camping fees and details of accommodation options at the lake can be found at website www.lakeboondooma.com.au or by ringing the Lake Boondooma Kiosk on (07) 4168 9694.

Additional information on the local area and past fishing competitions can be found on the Proston Online website, www.prostononline.info

Please join us at Lake Boondooma for a family weekend of fishing and camping. For additional information please contact Terry Allwood on mobile 0400 860122.

SOUTH BURNETT BOASTS HOT EDGE BITE!

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Another sensational month of fishing has gone by since my last report and the edges have really come alive with some cracking fish caught at BP and Boondooma dams. It’s a great month to be out on the water as the temps are comfortable and the fishing is red hot. No matter what type of fisherman you are the dams in the South Burnett Region have something to offer you.

Boondooma

Boondooma is a well-known big bass fishery and this month has seen it really live up to its name. Good numbers of big bass and yellow belly have been caught all around the dam using a variety of techniques.
If you’re a keen lure fisherman the best place to start is on the edge, look for rocky points or weedy edges with a bit of structure and you’re sure to pick up a fish or two casting lipless cranks or spinner baits. I like throwing a Bassman spinner-bait 3/8 in Olive colour tight to the edge, let it sink to the bottom and use a slow wind back to the boat with a couple of rod shakes in between to entice a strike. In the warmer months the fish really respond well to a reaction lure so keep that in mind when casting to a bank. Mix up your casts and retrieve speed and adjust to what you’re getting your bites with. I like to ‘Burn’ or quickly crank a lure back occasionally to really get them to hit aggressively. If you’re doing this hold on to your rod cause the bite is usually hard and fast. Some cracking Golden Perch and Bass have been caught over the last month from the edge, so it will pay to start this way early on your day out.

The Author with a beautiful coloured golden from the edge at Boondooma.

The Author with a beautiful coloured golden from the edge at Boondooma.

Daniel Brooks with a couple of nice bass from the edge using Bassman Spinnerbaits

Daniel Brooks with a couple of nice bass from the edge using Bassman Spinnerbaits

The best way to keep catching quality is to move deeper as the day starts to heat up. The bigger bass have been caught out on the flats of the dam later in the morning as the wind starts to pick up, areas such as the junction through to pelican have been productive, as well as Death Valley the Barbour’s pole and Leisagangs ledge. Make sure to check with the kiosk if you’re unsure of the names of areas of the dam and they will be sure to help out. I like targeting the areas just wider of the flats as they start to drop off into deeper water. I’ve been finding the fish have been sitting on these ledges and are usually more willing to bite. Ambush points like this are great for our predatory bass, so keep this in mind next time you’re on Boondooma.

Patrick Conduit with a couple of big bass from the deeper flats of Boondooma using Tail Spinners

Patrick Conduit with a couple of big bass from the deeper flats of Boondooma using Tail Spinners

The best techniques on the flats and ledges have been Nories tail spinners in 12gram in Gold colour, ½ ounce rigged plastics in darker green or florescent colours, 5/8 ounce spinner baits rolled slowly along the bottom and ¼ and 3/8 ounce blades hopped or slow rolled along the bottom in silver or gold colours.

Bait fisherman have been bringing in consistent catches of yellow belly, bass and eel tail catfish fishing in the timbered arms. Best baits have been live shrimps, saltwater yabbies and worms jigged off the bottom.

Trollers have been starting to pick up some good numbers of Golden Perch trolling up in the arms of the dam using deep diving hard bodies. Make sure you have a lure retriever hand as you’ll be bound to get caught up in the timber eventually and this device will save you money.

Red claw have just started to pick up a bit with the consistent warm weather around the rocky edges using rockmelon, pumpkin and dog biscuits.

Lake Barambah

BP dam has really been making the customers happy with the Bass coming up from the deeper flats and creek beds to feed heavily on the edges. Most anglers have been reporting some great sessions and some cracking Bass and Yellow belly amongst them. The fish aren’t afraid to hit anything that resembles a bait fish. The consistent warm weather can be thanked for this ‘Reaction Bite’ and it’s only going to get better and better the further we move towards summer.

The Author with a good golden from the Flats of BP

The Author with a good golden from the Flats of BP

The best methods for getting amongst the action is to look for a good rocky edge, position yourself about 40 to 50 meters from the bank and cast towards the edge, let the lure sink to the bottom and start a slow consistent wind. I’ve found the best techniques have been lipless cranks, spinner baits, tail spinners, ½ ounce rigged plastics, jerk baits and blades cast up near the edge. Realistically, if you throw your favourite lure to the edge long enough it’s bound to get smashed by a hungry bass or yellow belly, the fishing is just that good at the moment. Likely areas to target are all over the dam from the dam wall all the way to the timber right up the back, just look for a rocky edge, sit out wide and cast towards the bank, it’s truly that simple.

Trollers are having the same luck by trolling the edges of the dam with deep diving hard bodies, most trollers won’t have to go far before hooking up with a fish or two.

Bait fisherman are in much the same boat with fish coming from most locations close to the bank using, live shrimp, salt water yabbies and worms fished closed to the bottom.

Red claw are also on the comeback as the water warms considerably.

Dam news

Next time you’re out at one of our dams in the South Burnett, keep in mind the brand new luxury cabins. I recently had the privilege of staying in one of the cabins and they were just fantastic. They were comfortable and a great way to relax after a hard session of fishing. They are fully furnished, have two bedrooms and can comfortably sleep up to 6 people and cost $150 per night. Also don’t forget that the festive season is coming upon us so don’t forget to book your site at YallaKool or Boondooma.

Until next time, tight lines and bent rods

Two nice bass caught by the author and Corey from the edge

Two nice bass caught by the author and Corey from the edge

Matthew Langford

INLAND FISHING A HIT IN THE SOUTH BURNETT

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Spring is finally here and it’s the time of year that I always look forward to. The water temps are gradually increasing and our native fish in our stoked impoundments really spring into life and start gorging themselves, which means for us anglers a great time to be on the water.

Boondooma Dam

In my last report the water temps were down around 16 degrees and the fishing was good, but as I write the water temps have increased and the fish have really started to fire up. The edge bite has somewhat slowed a little but the flats fishing has been insane. Some good Yellow belly and Bass can still be caught from the edges early if you’re casting lures. I’ve found the best areas to target are the steeper rocky edges with some timber, and the remains of the weed beds that outline the dam.

Lately I’ve been casting lipless cranks and spinner baits to great effect along these edges and getting some nice fish. The key is to cast in tight to the edge and let the lure sink to the bottom then retrieve the lure with a slow wind and twitch retrieve.

The weed edges still hold some cracking Bass but I’d be moving to the 20 to 30 foot flats to start looking about mid-morning as the day starts to heat up. Areas I like to start looking are the Junction to Pelican point edges out 80 meters from the bank in the above mentioned depths. There’s a few baits that have really been working well but if you cast anything that imitates a bony bream you’ll be in with a good chance of hooking up with a good fish. 12 gram Nories Tail spinners and Spoons and ¼ ounce blades have been working really well, but also soft plastics have also accounted for a few good sessions. I like to throw a ½ ounce jig head rigged with a Slider grub or 3 inch curl tail.

Dylan Brandley with a nice brace of big bass from Boondooma.

Dylan Brandley with a nice brace of big bass from Boondooma.

Local Terry Allwood with a nice golden from the flats of Boondooma.

Local Terry Allwood with a nice golden from the flats of Boondooma.

The key with a plastic retrieve on schooled fish is to let the lure sink to the bottom and slow wind the bait through the fish. If you think you’ve got the lure too high through the fish make sure you drop it back down through them and start the retrieve again. Eventually you will get a bite, persistence is a big key when fishing anywhere.

Bait fisherman have been doing well out on the flats. Use your sounder to locate a good showing of fish in the 20 to 25 foot range. Once you find a good show, anchor up and drop down using live shrimp. The great thing about live shrimp is that you can catch them in the dam itself. It shouldn’t be long until you have some nice fish coming to the boat.

A great tip for bait fishing is making sure that you have some fresh bait and also make sure your knots are tied well as the fish on the flats can be big and can leave you broken hearted if you’re not prepared.

If you’re trolling, the fishing should improve as the waters temps continue to rise but there have been some reports of fish trolled up in the timber of the Boyne and Stuart arms. The key is to use deep diving hard bodies in dark colours.

Red claw have been moving well with the warmer water bringing them back to the pots.

Barambah Dam

The same is happening at Lake Barambah, the water temps have risen and the fish are really active. Fish are responding to most lure techniques but the bigger fish have been coming from the points and edges. The most effective lures have been ¼ blades, spinner baits, lipless cranks and ¼ ounce rigged 3 inch plastics. You’ll note that most of these baits imitate the bait that fish are feeding on which is masses and masses of small bony bream, gudgeon, sleepy cod, barred grunter and spangled perch.

This time of year the Bass get big and fiery when you’re fishing the edges

This time of year the Bass get big and fiery when you’re fishing the edges

I’ve been fishing the dam quite regularly and have had some of the best fishing from the edges that I can remember. Nice Yellow belly a big Bass have been caught every trip. The key to success however is finding the right bank to fish. If you’re an avid lure angler like me, pick an edge and start moving along it. I like to sit about 30 meters from the bank and fan out casts, trying to cover as much water as possible. Keep moving along the edge and eventually you’ll come across a lure that works for you. Once you’ve caught a fish, there’s a big chance that there will be more in very close proximity so make sure you cover that water thoroughly. The big fish have been hanging out together, so if you get one there’s a chance you’ll get a few.

A big golden caught from the weed edges at BP on an Ecogear Power shad.

A big golden caught from the weed edges at BP on an Ecogear Power shad.

Bait fisherman have been catching good bags of fish up in the timbered sections of the dam, and from the edges using live shrimp, saltwater yabbies and worms.

The big bass are gorging and will take quite a large bait like this big Sleepy cod

The big bass are gorging and will take quite a large bait like this big Sleepy cod

The big bass are gorging and will take quite a large bait like this big Sleepy cod

Trollers are picking up the odd fish trolling over Lightening ridge and around the edges of the dam. The trolling will be fantastic in the coming months as the fish move up in the water column and start to suspend with the warmer weather.

The red claw have been really moving with some big numbers being caught so now’s the time to drop the pots in.

Park News

If you’re looking at coming to the dams to stay make sure you give the guys at the kiosk a call and they’ll book your site tailored to your needs. Give Yallakool a call on 07 4168 4746 or Boondooma on 07 4168 9694.

Until next time

Tight lines and bent rods

Matthew Langford

 

KINGSLEY GROVE ESTATE VINTAGE REPORT 2016

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This year has been a vintage of two stories, all about the weather but with differing results. We were told to expect an El Niño this summer which means reduced rainfall. Obviously this is not ideal for any form of agriculture. With grapes requiring watering, particularly in the early part of the season when the vines are coming back to life and then when the fruit is developing. The latter part of 2015 brought us timely rainfall and cooler conditions – perfect for the Kingsley Grove Estate vines!

So here is the first part of the story….

The results of the mild spring weather in our vineyard were excellent, good canopy growth on the vines and optimal conditions during fruit set. It was shaping up to be our best vintage since 2006, both in quantity and quality. Even with a hailstorm that probably meant a 10% loss in crop, we were lucky with it happening early enough in the season that grapes were still relatively small and still quite hard. This meant damage was limited to the few grapes that were hit by the hail.

Despite the good start to the season, all the same pressures were always possible. So as not to take any chances we followed a religious spraying program to prevent any disease later in the season and we netted at the first sight of the birds, which always arrive in ones and twos at the start of season and then multiply quickly as the grapes start to get sweet and irresistible!

So, all sensible precautions taken, we started picking a bit later than in many previous years thanks to the milder weather, on 14th January.

We began with the early picks, some of our Semillon for our unique Queensland Green wine and Chardonnay for sparkling Brut which we call Tingle. We are fortunate to have our own mechanical harvester so we can pick at night, which is best for the grapes. We also had the opportunity to hand pick a small amount of our new Pinot Grigio to add in to the Chardonnay, to make a classic style sparkling. The results in the winery are very exciting and these wines will likely be in bottle by the end of February 2016.

We then moved on to our Verdelho just a few days later, and once again we were blessed with some beautiful fruit which we can see has already produced one of our best Verdelhos yet!

Now for part two of our story….

Then began the summer rain, which we were supposed to have this year. It did not cause too much drama with the next picks on the schedule but now is putting some pressure on the quality of red wine grapes. With the Semillon and Chambourcin safely picked just before the rain started we have hardly any white grapes left on the vine, just those we leave on late for our fortified white wines.

We went from showers, to storms, to rain pretty much every day and the red grapes are not happy with the persistence of the strangely wet El Niño weather pattern. Most of them are still going along okay, but our Sangiovese is not happy at all. This variety has large berries and closed bunches so don’t cope so well with the rain. They are not as quick to dry as more open bunched varieties and have thinner skins which do have the same resilience as the smaller Shiraz, Merlot and Cabernet grapes.

The Sangiovese is very important to us; it will make 4 different wines this year, some of which are our best-selling wines. The saving grace this year is that they are yielding a lot of fruit, so with some more careful picking we should be able to still get a good result, just losing a fair bit of quantity. Having said that, we plan to pick the Sangiovese and the Merlot on the 5th February….if only the rain breaks for long enough for the grapes to dry and for us to get them off the vine. So we watch the weather radar hourly, read the forecasts daily, and pray for good fortune.

Once we get past these then we just have to worry about the Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and late picks for the fortified wines. Needless to see, we will be happy when all the fruit of labours are under the broad roof of our winery.

wine icecream

Kingsley Grove Estate

Simon Berry.

WINTER CHILL BRINGS THE BIG BITE

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With the unseasonably warm weather hanging around for quite some time the warm weather gear hasn’t had to make much of an appearance of late. The last few weeks however have seen the water temps slowly drop but the fish are still active and still hungry. With the cold moving in fast now, the edge bite has really fired up and you should be able to bag yourself some really healthy bass over the coming months. The great thing is this time of year they Bass and Goldens are fat and healthy and a whole new array of lures can be used to target the natives in our local dams.

Lake Boondooma

Recently the best techniques have been to hit the edges early with lipless cranks and spinnerbaits, rocky or weedy edges being the best to target. Another good way of finding good fish is sounding over the main lake points and large flats in the main basin in search of the large schools that generally congregate at this time of year. In the morning when it’s quiet and still is the best time for this type of fishing because the water temps are at their lowest and the dams at its quietest. Having a good quality sounder is important when trying to locate the schools as you’ll pick up the fish close to the bottom when you’re searching. Once a school is located position the boat towards the school and cast ¼ or 3/8 ounce Eco gear VX or Little Max blades, let the blade hit the bottom and use a slow roll retrieve. Occasionally change it up and use a slow roll and kill technique as the fish will hit the lure when it’s close to the bottom, as it’s falling or just after it’s rolled off the bottom.

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Terry Allwood with a giant bass from the edge at Boondooma

Later in the day when the water heats up I’ve found that the fish can be caught well using Nories tail spinners, 12 gram being the best. Cast the tails spinner out with a long cast and let it sink to the bottom, wind up the slack and slowly lift the rod tip then drop it back to the bottom keeping contact with the lure at all times. The fish this time of year love a bait that is falling in their face and the tail spinner suits the bite perfectly. The fish will hit the tail spinner generally as its falling after the lift so be on your toes for the bite. Ice jigs are also a great way of catching the schooled fish as its constantly in their face, keep an eye on the sounder with this technique though as you’ll get more bites when the fish rise off the bottom. This generally means they are flared up and ready to eat.

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A nice Golden taken on a free falling tail spinner on the flats of Boondooma

Bill Schloss, the Author and Terry Allwood hold up a nice brace of bass caught in shallow water on lake Boondooma.
If you’re a keen fly fisherman deep fly is a deadly technique on those schooled fish, fast sink line with a sinking fly in dark colours have been working very well. Try this when the wind is quiet because it can be difficult to cast a fly when the winds blowing over the open water later in the day.
Trollers are getting some good yellow belly in the arms of the dam using deep diving hard bodies. Troll in close to the timber of the rocks in the Boyne arm but make sure that you have a lure retriever handy because you will get snagged occasionally, but your hard work will be rewarded.
Bait fisherman your best chance is to fish the trees in the arms of the dam in 20 to 30 feet of water with live shrimp. I witnessed a couple of bait fisherman catch two cracking bass using shrimp in the Stuart arm, they told me they had caught the shrimp using opera house pots with a bit of steak just below the Kiosk, so it pays to get live bait, even better when you can get it from the dam your fishing in.
Some great reports of good numbers of big red claw coming in, dog biscuits and soft vegetables proving to be great bait for their opera house pots. Rocky ledges and points are the best spots to drop your pots but make sure your pots are clearly marked with your name and address.

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Lake Barambah
The fishing over the past month has slowed down a little but you can still catch some very decent fish if you’re up early and fish patiently. The fish have been up on the edge early when the waters cool and I’ve been catching some good Bass and Yellow belly using ½ ounce rigged grub tail plastics. Target rocky ledges with a bit of timber or rocks. As the sun gets higher I always move to the deeper flats and target areas around points and flats, spots like lightening ridge, bass point and Treasure Island are likely spots to find fish sitting out deeper. If you’re not familiar with the places I mentioned, call into the Kiosk, they are always willing to explain where they are. If the regular deeper areas don’t produce it’s a good idea to sound around the outskirts of the dam and find those fish sitting in 15 to 30 feet of water. Once located, target them with the techniques that I mentioned for the Boondooma flats. Blades, tail spinners and ice jigs are the go to lures to use when the fish are sitting out deep. Both dams are reasonably similar but sometimes it does pay to experiment with your lure selection. The bass are getting bigger, models of up to 45 cm have been caught recently off the edges and out on the flats. If your chasing yellow belly, fish tight in around any timber on the dam with lipless cranks or spinner baits, persist long enough and you’re sure to get a couple. Yellow belly over 50cm have been caught recently using this technique, afternoon when the waters warmer proves to be the best time.

 

Trollers are getting some nice yellow belly up in the timber of an afternoon, troll through the timbered areas up the back of the dam with deep diving hard bodies. Some bass have also been mixed in with their catches.
Bait fisherman have also been having some success, they’ve been catching mixed bags of Yellow belly, silver perch and bass from the timber. Tie up to a tree and use live shrimp as bait. Drop your bait to the bottom and slowly jig the bait, if your first spot doesn’t produce don’t be afraid to move several times until you know you’re sitting on some active fish. The red claw are still around but you’ll have to put in the effort for a feed, target rocky edges or spindly timber and use soft vegies for bait.
Park News
There have been some exciting developments within the shop at Yallakool and Boondooma, keep a close eye out on the tackle range at both parks as the range grows and become more specific to the fish in both dams. Stay tuned, more to come.
Also if you’re looking at coming out our way and wanting to stay at either park give us a call and we’ll book your site tailored to your needs. Give Yallakool a call on 07 4168 4746 or Boondooma on 07 4168 9694.
That’s this month’s wrap up of the two dams.
Until next time, tight lines and bent rods.
Matthew Langford

 

HERITAGE NANANGO COUNTRY MUSTER

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Nanango Show Society holds its Annual Country Muster featuring Traditional Australian Country Music on the second weekend in September. It’s four days full of country music, poetry, gospel and all those things that make the Australian Bush Lifestyle great. The committee prides itself on the choice of artists as well as the variety from year to year. In the days leading up to the festival you are entertained by “Walk Up Artists” who are itching to showcase their talent. The festival was foundered in 2003 to provide an event that encourages tourists to stop and experience the warm country hospitality of Nanango and the South Burnett. So Bring your caravan, tent, ute, or whatever you have and settle in for the celebrations of this traditional style of music. Full camping facilities available from the Monday 1 September (bookings essential). Plenty of hot showers and toilets available. A real bush atmosphere.