# QLD: 29 May 2013 Bowenville Reserve



## Kahuna (Aug 9, 2010)

There's a stretch of water I've been meaning to fish for a while. It must be nearly 5 years since I last wet a line there, and that was from the bank, prior to owning a kayak.

Since then a fair bit of work has been done in this section of the system in an effort to increase native fish numbers, amongst other things. You can read more about this here http://www.condaminealliance.com.au/dewfish-demonstration-reach if you like.

I woke this morning to find an easterly wind powering away. Not to matter, today's fishing location should be fairly sheltered.

I dropped my daughter off to catch the school bus, then headed off for Bowenville Reserve, a section of Oakey Creek near the town of Bowenville. Upon arrival I was surprised to see how many gray nomads were camped at the reserve, close to a dozen caravans and motor homes scattered amongst the trees.

I proceeded down to the 'boat ramp' and got the yak loaded up. I headed upstream casting HBs and spinner baits at the numerous snags that looked like good fish holding structure. I looked up at some of the big old River Red Gums and could see and hear that the easterly had only strengthened as the day went on. Fortunately the creek was well protected and conditions on the water were quite pleasant.


















I slowly worked my way further up the creek peppering the snags and edges with casts. There wasn't much doing. I began trolling a HB and moved along a bit faster, still casting a spinner bait along the way. After the getting the spinner bait snagged a few times too many times I decided to just troll the HB for a while. As I rounded a bend in the creek a felt a couple of taps on the line and then I was on. Before long I had yellow belly in the net.













































After releasing this guy I kept heading upstream. The snags were plentiful and the lure retriever got a fair work out. I only lost one lure, one of the cod type spinner baits, which the lure retriever just couldn't bring back from the depths.










The fishing was a little quite but the scenery along this section of the creek was beautiful, very relaxing and therapeutic. I was amazed by the amount and variety of bird life as well, ranging from tiny wrens and willy wagtails through to kestrels and some larger birds of prey.


















The return to the 'boat ramp' was relatively uneventful. Once out of the shelter of the creek I was welcomed by the full force of that bloody easterly wind which hadn't abated.


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## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

Therapeutic indeed, it's not always about the fish. Looks like a top bit of water, thanks for the report, cheers, Dave


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Looking at your comments and the pictures that was time well spent on the water, and made for good reading.


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## Duggo (Dec 29, 2012)

It's great to see all that region in such good condition, and a good little yella! I remember how bad the Condamine Myall and Oakey creek looked through most of the 2000's. I'm assuming between the drought and the carp natives would have become scarce once the river ran again.
I donlt imagine the nomads will hang around too long, the frosts will really start cranking up there now. I was living at Mary's in '99 when we had 40 odd consecutive frosts, needless to say the rooms in the pub were bloody cold.


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