Pondage Update

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Blue
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Pondage Update

Post by Blue » Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:05 pm

Reporting on our trip on Sunday as promised.
Fishing at 7.30am near the bridge ,weather surprisingly calm but out flows creating quite a current not suitable for running a bubble float. Fished the bottom with worm and power bait without a touch. Moved to the Bourke st end and I finally cracked it for a 1.31kg Rainbow on Powerbait. By this time, 12pm, the Pondage was emptying before our eyes, despite forecast low out flows, it must have fallen over a metre and the wind had got up. Weighin was at the rotunda at 2pm where we found one of the blokes had snagged a 750g Rainbow on a Tassie devil and another with a nice fat Brown on P/bait at 1.316kg , this was the comp winner.
All in all, only three fish betwen 7 fisho's for the day plus a couple dropped was hard work.
By 3pm the pondage was the lowest I have ever seen it with mud banks and smaller pools all over the place .
Have been there many times over the years because it gives members without a boat the opportunity. However don't think we will bother again, the place is too unreliable, which is a pity,the place is so up and down the fish don't know where they are half the time.
From our experience, can only support the previous poor reports recently.
To find a fish
You do the miles.
Catch the fish
and earn the smiles.

Lord,allow me to catch a fish, so large that even I,when speaking of it afterwards.........May have no need to lie !!!

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Aussie_moose
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Re: Pondage Update

Post by Aussie_moose » Tue Jul 30, 2013 8:29 am

sounds like it was a tough days fishing, but at least there were some rewards which is better than what a lot of others are getting out there, but i completely agree with you, the water levels are too unpredictable and it will take some seriously good reports to get me fishing the pondage again.
cheers for the update
cory
There is a fine line between fishing and just standing on the bank like an idiot, I excel in the latter!!!

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Blue
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Re: Pondage Update

Post by Blue » Tue Jul 30, 2013 11:28 am

Yeah Aussie, we went to the trouble of checking the outflows beforehand for the weekend and they were predicted at 2000 megs, checked it out this morning and it was actually double at 4000 megs. fair dinkum you would reckon some one had pulled the plug out it was so rapid. Thanks your interest
To find a fish
You do the miles.
Catch the fish
and earn the smiles.

Lord,allow me to catch a fish, so large that even I,when speaking of it afterwards.........May have no need to lie !!!

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Rod Bender
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Re: Pondage Update

Post by Rod Bender » Tue Jul 30, 2013 11:59 am

I frequently look at what I assume would be the same site you look at Blue.
http://www.g-mwater.com.au/managing-water-storages" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It did forecast flows of 2000 megs daily over the weekend (from memory) then lifting to 4000megs. They also state that it is subject to change. If you look at the chart below it looks like it has been on the current level since Friday afternoon!

I don't think you can actually use the forecast outflow as an indication as to how the pondage will fish. For instance, if the pondage is full and water outflow is going to rise to 4000 megs outflow, then the pondage may drain in the process if they are not allowing any water through the dam wall. The pondage may then fill up the following night if electricity demands require the power station to generate power. This is why the pondage is their to start with - to regulate the outflow down the river. Could they manage the levels better? Who would know except the people involved.

All I would ask is if the effort DEPI put into stocking it is worth it? It is good that they do this but are the fish just going to go down the river when the pondage drains? That is still not a loss anyway but it is not helping the pondage fishing prospects!
thanks
Jim
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Blue
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Re: Pondage Update

Post by Blue » Tue Jul 30, 2013 3:40 pm

Thanks Jim, I understand the workings of the Pondage and the need for flow controls, fishing is a by product after all. The point is that even if you do the research (which I did on Friday) and decide that the projected flows (which were 2000megs) would give a reasonable stable level to fish, you can never be sure. If the water level is up with a comparitively slow output for even a few days, the chances of getting fish rise accordingly.
This is not a criticsism of the management, they do what they have to do.
All we are saying is that the end result is too unreliable to plan a trip around and probably won't bother again.
Thanks for your input.
To find a fish
You do the miles.
Catch the fish
and earn the smiles.

Lord,allow me to catch a fish, so large that even I,when speaking of it afterwards.........May have no need to lie !!!

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