Fishing Lake Awoonga
Anglers fishing Lake Awoonga must hold a valid Queensland Stocked Impoundment Permit Scheme (SIPS) permit. **Barramundi can be legally targeted YEAR-ROUND in Lake Awoonga**, even during the East Coast Barramundi closure! Personal possession limits permit 1 Barramundi per fisher (no maximum size limit in Awoonga Dam). Adhering to boating safety rules ensures clean impoundment waters remain protected.
Land-based anglers enjoy world-class infrastructure along the Lake Awoonga recreation parkland foreshore, boardwalk lookouts, and dam wall precinct. Casting 13cm to 15cm floating hardbody minnows or heavy soft plastic paddletails off the day-use bank at dusk yields explosive strikes from giant Barramundi. Shaded clay margins near fallen timber produce heavy catches of Sea Mullet and Mangrove Jack on live bait.
Boating fishers launching from the 2-lane main ramp or Trevor Burgess ramp cover wide open basin waters and flooded timber arms. Slow-trolling deep-diving minnow lures or casting weedless soft plastic paddletails through drowned timber pockets in the Boyne arm accounts for trophy Barramundi exceeding 120cm. Electric trolling motors allow silent boat navigation through flooded tree lines.
Landbased
- AWOONGA LOOKOUT POINT: Elevated rock point overlooking the main basin, offering deep-water land-based casting into Awoonga's main basin. Cast 13cm floating hardbody minnows or topwater stickbaits into shallow weed clearings during early evening hours. Retrieve lures with a slow twitch-and-pause action.
- SADDLE DAM EMBANKMENT: Elevated earthen saddle dam structure offering deep-water casting into the impoundment. Cast heavy soft plastic paddletails or swimbaits into deep water drop-offs at dusk. Early morning calm periods yield active surface feeding strikes.
- IRONBARK GULLY FORESHORE: Shaded clay bank area in a protected gully, providing easy shore access for casting lures for trophy Barramundi. Cast shallow-running minnows or surface frogs along flooded grass edges when afternoon winds push warm water into the bay.
- BOYNE RIVER INFLOW MOUTH: Freshwater stream inlet entering the upper impoundment, providing prime Barramundi and Mangrove Jack habitat during spring runoff. Work small floating hardbody minnows or live Cherabins through moving water pockets.
- AWOONGA PARK BOARDWALK: Paved boardwalk area near the recreation area, providing comfortable casting over deep water drop-offs. Cast fine monofilament rigs baited with earthworms for Sea Mullet and Sooty Grunter.
Offshore
- BOYNE RIVER SUBMERGED BED: Deep river channel running through the Boyne Arm of Lake Awoonga, holding dense aggregations of 1m+ Barramundi. Slow-troll 150mm deep-diving hardbodies 30 metres behind the boat at 2 knots along the submerged channel edges.
- IVERAGH ARM FLOODED WATTLES: Shallow bay in the Iveragh Arm filled with drowned wattle trees, holding active Barramundi when afternoon winds warm the surface layer. Cast 140mm soft paddletails directly into wattle forks.
- IRONBARK GULLY DROP-OFF: Deep water drop-off off Ironbark Gully point, ideal for jigging vibration blades in 12m depth during cooler winter months.
- CENTRAL DEEP BASIN: Open water basin averaging 12 to 28 metres depth, ideal for trolling deep-diving minnow lures for trophy Barramundi. Use side-scan sonar to locate fish holding off timber edges.
- IVERAGH REDCLAW BAYS: Sheltered shallow coves with flooded timber roots, ideal for setting opera-house traps for Redclaw Crayfish. Bait traps with wet cat food or vegetable pellets and set along timber margins overnight.
Hot Spots
- BOYNE RIVER SUBMERGED BED: Deep river bed channel delivering giant meter-plus Barramundi on deep trolls.
- IVERAGH ARM: Shallow flooded wattle bay famous for afternoon topwater Barramundi strikes.
- AWOONGA LOOKOUT POINT: Elevated rock point offering world-class land-based Barramundi casting.
- IRONBARK GULLY: Protected gully drop-off delivering consistent Barra catches on soft plastics.
- IVERAGH REDCLAW BAYS: Sheltered coves delivering high-volume Redclaw Crayfish trapping.
Local Bait Tips
- AWOONGA CHERABINS: Trapped in opera-house pots baited with fish heads or dry dog food set in the shallow timber coves of Iveragh Arm. Live cherabins are prime bait for big Awoonga Barra and Mangrove Jack.
- BOYNE VALLEY EARTHWORMS: Dug from damp soil along the lower Boyne River banks after rain. Excellent bait for Sea Mullet and Sooty Grunter around Awoonga park boardwalk.
- CAST-NETTED HARDYHEADS: Netting shallow sandy clearings near the Awoonga boat ramp at dawn yields schools of hardyheads, perfect for live-baiting off the lookout point.
Boat Ramps
- Lake Awoonga Main Boat Ramp (Benaraby):
Located at Awoonga Dam Road on the Lake Awoonga foreshore, Benaraby / Gladstone QLD 4680. Managed by TMR QLD and Gladstone Area Water Board. Features a 2-lane (double) concrete boat launch ramp equipped with a central floating universal access pontoon jetty. Positioned in deep water, providing smooth launching into Lake Awoonga across all season water levels for sportsboats, ski craft, and bass boats. Facilities feature an extensive bitumen car-and-trailer carpark, public restrooms, stainless-steel fish cleaning station, vessel wash-down bay, shade sails, and Lake Awoonga Caravan Park amenities. Free public access; SIPS permit required.
- Trevor Burgess Boat Ramp (Lake Awoonga / Boynedale):
Located at Boynedale Bush Camp off Gladstone-Monto Road, Boynedale / Lake Awoonga QLD 4680. Managed by Gladstone Area Water Board and TMR QLD. Features a single-lane concrete boat launch ramp providing direct water access to western Lake Awoonga timber bays for campers, tinnies, and kayaks targeting Barramundi. Facilities include unsealed car-trailer parking, public restrooms, and Boynedale bush camping grounds. Free public access; SIPS permit required.
Bait and Tackle
- PAT'S TACKLE WORLD GLADSTONE: 23 Lord Street, Gladstone QLD 4680 | Phone: (07) 4972 3692
- BOYNE ISLAND BAIT & TACKLE: 91 Malpas Street, Boyne Island QLD 4680 | Phone: (07) 4973 9749
Basecamp & Accom
- Lake Awoonga Caravan Park: Awoonga Dam Rd, Benaraby QLD 4680 - Ph: (07) 4975 0155
- Benaraby Motel: 1 Bruce Hwy, Benaraby QLD 4680 - Ph: (07) 4975 0100
- Boyne Valley Discovery Cabins: Dawson Hwy, Benaraby QLD 4680 - Ph: (07) 4975 0200
Emergency & Safety
- State Emergency Service Benaraby / Gladstone (SES): Dawson Hwy, Benaraby QLD 4680 - Ph: 132 500 / Emergency 000 - UHF Ch 40 / Local SES 132 500
