Another day on the Fitzroy

[Douglas]

Local happenings.

Talking to Bill Sawynok yesterday. Capture reports to hand have been over 250 king threadies in last few weeks with 130 of them over 1 metre. A couple of them hitting 1400 (plus change). One landbased report of 5 x 1m threadies in an hour. Only caught 5 fish, bagged out and took 'em home.

Bill's a bit more serious now about getting extensions for the measuring boards for the Barra Bounty. It was a bit of a throw-away observation not so long ago but with over 30 fish longer than 1200mm last year and what's been happening this year, the suggestion is taking on a new dimension (so to speak).

"King" of the Fitzroy comp coming up in August. That'll be interesting.

New city reach boat ramp almost completed. Opening in a week or two.

Stocking of barra ABOVE the barrage starting to crank up. It'll be an alternative to the annual barra closed seasons. Give the guide guys (5 of them with 8 boats at the moment) and tourism fishing visitors another barra option over summer.

No SIP fees involved. Like Awoonga.

The maths based on Fisheries stocking formula (impoundment surface area) gives about 300,000 fingerlings (50mm) per year. Currently only a 1000 or so per year ( bigger ones @ 200mm or so) put in annually. Local stocking group subsidised by Council.

Council interested in its own hatchery (started out as a grow-out facility idea and has now escalated a bit).