The upside of last summer’s big wet is that the rivers and creeks have been rejuvenated.

Species like threadfin salmon are in abundance like we have never seen before. Prawns are prolific on the coast, with people catching their quota of prawns in ten casts off Woodgate. The rains have well and truly un-choked our waterways and restocked our rivers systems.

The barramundi have turned up in our rivers in droves due to the dams overflowing and the fish escaping into the rivers and the oceans. These big battleships are moving down the coast and infiltrating every snag they can find, which will be great for spawning numbers this year.

However, I really think everybody should just take a moment to think about were these fish come from. Most of these fish came from stocked impoundments; so let’s not forget about our SIPS permits in order to continue to maintain the stocks in our dams.

Our dams are the areas that introduced barra to a lot of anglers and when you come to the areas like Lake Monduran and Gin Gin, you are not only supporting our stocks, but our communities as well. Our businesses are hurting and so are our fish stocks. We welcome all people to become involved to our Adopt a Barra Program, which is a great way for you to pay for your own fish in the dam and be involved in releasing and every part of the stocking.

You can also become a member of Monduran Anglers and Stocking Association (MASA) and help with their efforts to raise money for stocking. We have even opened up the viewing centre again thanks to the work on Rob Howell, Tim and Annette.

The month ahead will hold some off the best fishing for the year in our rivers. There will be 1m+ barra and threadfin in Baffle Creek and big jacks beginning to bite in the Burnett. All of your bread and butter species will also be on offer in both systems.

Lures are by far the best offerings at the moment. Gun lures are suspending hardbodies like Rapala X-Raps and Shad Raps, as well as lipless crankbaits from Jackall and Threadie Busters.

The dams are just seeing the barras on the bite don’t forget your SIPS and stay a night or two to really get into the fish.

The BARRA Trophy event will be held this month on September 30 to October 2 at Lake Monduran, so come and support the dams and ABT. For more information call Matt Fraser on 0407 132 153 or check the ABT website at www.australianbarra.com.au.

Offshore the fishing is also exceptional and the gamefishing is really firing up, with small blacks and sailfish along the Spit. Heavy tackle fish like big black marlin, blue marlin and striped marlin are also becoming more prevalent with the warming water, as are the wahoo, mahi mahi and mackerel species.

On the reefs we still have plenty of good reds and other species filling the bag.

The world may be your oyster, but at the moment Bundaberg and surrounding area has it all!