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Monduran Delivers Big Bass
  |  First Published: September 2007



The cold conditions in Queensland always meant that the BASS Pro event at Lake Monduran was going to be tough. Not one of the hundred anglers weighed a full limit, but it was Stephen ‘Killer’ Kanowski who managed to be consistent enough to take the $2,500 cheque home, with a winning margin of over a kilo.

Kanowski captured 5/6 bass for 6.76kg, followed by Tim Morgan (4/6, 5.6kg), Mike Connolly (4/6, 5.06kg), Garry Hardman (3/6, 4.89kg) and Mike Creighton (5/6, 4.77kg).

Kanowski scored a Grand Final entry berth courtesy of using Angler rods too. His 842 and 843 models were matched to Shimano Chronarch reels, one spooled with 12lb Platypus Superbraid and the other with 20lb. Using 16lb Yamatoyo fluorocarbon to connect his Jackall TN60.

When asked what colour lure did the damage on the weekend, Killer replied, “Well, ayu worked, then I ran out of that colour and switched to brown dog and ghost wakasagi to catch the rest”.

Throwing to an open bank that had a steep taper to 15 feet, he would cast towards the weed edge in 3-4ft of water, count to five, then start a slow rolling retrieve.

“Quite often the bass would hit the lure late, almost back at the boat,” Kanowski said.

The second fish came late in the third session from a gully way up the back of the dam. Weighing in two fish for 2.8kg and clenching the title, it was a record making victory for Kanowski, as it was the first time Lake Monduran had seen a BASS Pro event.

Tim Morgan claimed second place using TT 3/4oz Spinnerbaits in black/gold colour.

He used a Millerod Blademaster Lite Spiralwrap matched to a Shimano Chronarch MG50 spooled with 8lb Berkley Fireline and 20lb Berkley Vanish leader.

Travelling 20 minutes up the dam to fish timber, all Morgan’s fish came from different areas with no real pattern.

“I would cast close to the bank, let the lure sink, do ten winds, let it hit the bottom again and slowly retrieve it back to the boat,” he said.

“With no schooled fish showing on my sounder, it was a matter of having the lure in the water as long as possible,” he continued.

A tight finish in the non-boater section saw Mick Elsley win by just 10g, with 3/6 bass for 5.13kg over Jaimen Tunstall (4/6, 5.12kg).

Elsley used a Strudwick Hardbaits 4kg rod and a Pflueger reel spooled with 14lb Fireline and 17lb Vanish to fish a Jackall TN60.

With 136 bass presented to the weighmaster for a total of 180kg, the Monduran bass weighed a healthy average of 1.32kg.

Matthew Mott held the Big Bass of 1.88kg for most of the weekend and it was going to take something special to beat it. Joe Allan did just that in the last session with a fat, 2kg specimen caught on a Bassman Spinnerbait in blue gill colour.

Fishing with 2006 AOY Champ Carl Jocumsen, the bass bricked him under a tree for about 20 seconds until it swam free and made its way to the net.

With Lake Monduran being the venue for a 2007 AFC Bass round and part of the 2007 BARRA Tour, the dam is sure to see some big name anglers and the like targeting some of the mighty fish this waterway holds.

For further information checkout www.australianbass.com.au or contact ABT on (07) 3268 7958. – ABT

Facts

Boater Results

PlaceAnglerFishWeight (kg)
1Stephen KANOWSKI5/66.76
2Tim MORGAN4/65.6
3Mike CONNOLLY4/65.06
4Garry HARDMAN3/64.89
5Mike CREIGHTON5/64.77
6Matthew MOTT3/64.72
7Steve ELDRED3/64.49
8Jason EHRLICH3/64.42
9Simon BARKHUIZEN3/64.35
10Carl JOCUMSEN3/64.19

Non-Boater Results

PlaceAnglerFishWeight (kg)
1Mick ELSLEY3/65.13
2Jaimen TUNSTALL4/65.12
3Joe ALLAN3/64.80
4Peter KELLEHER3/64.44
5Robert BARTLETT3/64.40
6Paul MCKAY2/63.57
7Paul COOPER3/63.53
8David MUDD2/63.32
9Michael STEWART3/63.01
10Joel QUINLAN3/62.88

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