Gary’s Marine Centre

and a few golden perch. The smaller bass have been out in 5-10m of water and are very mobile making them hard to keep track of.

Spectre Vibration Jigs and hard bodies were very effective over the last few months. These lures should continue to produce on the edges but I’d consider testing spoons and plastics on the deeper fish as well.

• The lads at Charltons Fishing at Redbank are all over the fish activity at Maroon and Moogerah. Call in and grab your supplies and hit them up for tips on where the fish are biting. It is recommended camping be booked at least a couple of weeks in advance and you can also organise your day use barcode for the gate with Lake Moogerah Caravan Park (07) 5540 5600.

MAROON CLOSET TOWN: BOONAH

We enter an interesting month on Maroon. The schooling fish in the deeper water have been very willing to eat spinnerbaits and chatterbaits over the past few months. As things cool down, their mood will change and they will get tougher to catch but broaden their interest in a variety of lures. I think of it as a transition month where they start to prefer more subtle offerings.

Lures like suspending jerkbaits and soft plastics would usually perform well around the lake’s weedy margins. I am not sure how long it will take the deeper fish to make their way back to these shallower weedy edges. If they stay deep you can add blade baits and spoons to the list of lures worth trying. It really is up to the fish and what they want on the day so be prepared to toss a bit of everything until you work them out. Schools of fish have been found opposite the ramp in front of Pointro and into the bays on either side. There are also a few from the boat ramp upstream on that side of the lake. These fish will be more concentrated on flats created by the more prominent points.

COOBY CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA

The golden perch have slowed down on trolled lures. The cooler weather and shorter days will see their activity level drop off a bit and they will be less likely to exert energy to chase down anything fast moving. In your face presentations will be the preferred attack. A very slowly wound lipless cranbait could still get a few but I’d be digging into my blade box if you want numbers on lures. Blades like the ZX40 will continue to catch golden perch all year long. Hopping almost vertically around the boat will get the bites.

The goldens are still concentrated in the deeper water between 20-24ft. You’ll find a few outside of this range and if you do they are definitely worth trying. Sounding around will reveal the faint arches golden perch reveal on traditional 2D sonar. I like to run down image as well at the same time to compare the two and confirm any suspicions.

The fish are likely to be close to the bottom and if you can find a small patch pull up and give them a try.

Spot lock electric motors are awesome as it is easy to position over a show of fish for a few minutes before moving on to the next spot. The fish have been a bit spooky when luring so moving around has helped to keep the bites coming.

Bait fishing will produce plenty of golden perch. Live shrimp are the number one bait, and they can be caught around the edges of the lake. Frozen saltwater yabbies are a close second and they can be purchased from stores like Fish’n’Bits. Baits should be fished in the same depths recommended for luring. For shore-based anglers, try off the pontoon or from the banks on the walking trail just before the steep rock wall.

• Cooby is open to paddle and electric motor powered craft. The gates are open from 6am-8pm until next month. Fish’n’Bits tackle store in Toowoomba can help you out with all your bait and lure fishing needs.

LESLIE CLOSEST

TOWN: WARWICK

The ridiculously good fishing at Leslie Dam is about to steady up (I think). The cooling weather will see the golden perch less likely to eat trolled offerings. Anglers fishing blades and soft vibes will still be able to boat good numbers. It will be interesting to see if the smaller fish which have plagued anglers will continue to bite well through the cooler months or if the bigger models begin to dominate catches. Hopping vibes and blades around drop off ledges and structure will produce well.

Matt Taylor had a fun session hopping smaller blades for Cooby Dam golden perch. Blades and bait will continue to produce over the cooler months.

AWOONGA CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY, GLADSTONE

Awoonga Dam was very tough last month. It had its moments where the barra activity picked up but as a whole it was hard work.

Cooling weather will hopefully see a change in the mood of the fish making them more willing to bite.

The thick weed beds have drawn the fish in and they can be hard to find when they are buried deeply in it.

There are still some deeper areas where the fish can be seen outside the weed edges but even these fish are reluctant to bite.

Soft plastics cast to the edges of the weed have been one of the most productive approaches.

Lures like the Zerek Live Mullet 5.5” and 6 and 7” soft plastics rigged on 3/8 or 1/2oz jigheads are ideal. These can be tossed on top of weed just below the surface and wound back keeping them above the weed until you reach the edge and then slowed down.

If deeper weed is found, you can try the same approach with heavier plastics buzzed across the weed top before slowing down the retrieve.

It is hard to see fish in weed on sounders. The best way to pick them up is to tilt your live sonar transducer back and shoot into the weed.

In Scout, Perspective or Landscape modes (depending on your brand of sounder), you will learn to pick up fish movement in between the weed stands and on the edges of

Cod action should pick up in the shallower water. The cooler water temperatures will bring the cod into the shallows the weed bed. where anglers using live sonar will be able to go hunting them. Even without this technology you stand a reasonable chance of hooking a cod by maximising chances and fishing around first light. Big swimbaits of the hard and soft variety are ideal in the shallows. When the cod move to deeper parts of the lake during the day, target them on ledges and around structure with spinnerbaits or chatterbaits. You can troll or cast these lures. As long as you concentrated on putting your offerings right in the zone and near the bottom, you stand a good chance.

• Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing (0429 223 550) and Lake Awoonga Barra Charters (0404 151 844) run guided trips on the lake. Both cater to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. It is hard to beat time on the water and a guided trip is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish.

• Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge always has a few productive secret spots to share. The Gateway lodge is on the way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby. The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable air conditioned, selfcontained cabins each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 49750033.

• The local blokes at Warwick Outdoor and Sport in Palmerin Street can point in you in the right direction and hook you up with the good gear and bait to catch the fish at Leslie.