Guide to Lake Moogerah
by
Dave "Nugget" Downie

Typical Moogerah Dam Australian Bass

 

Late afternoon sitting in a boat on Lake Moogerah with an approaching storm can be an awe inspiring, even frightening experience. You begin to understand why the Aborigines named it Moogerah meaning ‘place of thunderstorms’.

 

Lake Moogerah is situated about one and a half hours easy drive from Brisbane or 63 kilometers from the country town of Warwick. It was Originally formed by the damming of Reynolds Creek in 1962 to provide a reservoir for irrigation within the Bremer Valley. Lake Moogerah has also provided water to many towns in the area including Boonah, Aratula, Kalbar, and Harrisville.

 

For the angler, Lake Moogerah offers excellent fishing with lures, fly as well as natural baits. Australian Bass are the main species caught as well as occasional catches of golden perch and silver perch. There is also a never-ending supply of spangled perch, eels and catfish. The lake is regularly stocked with bass by the local restocking association to ensure a good supply of Australian native species.

 

Although a small lake Moogerah has excellent facilities including wood and gas BBQs, public toilets, sheltered picnic tables, drinking water, playing fields, kiosk, BYO restaurant, public telephone and scenic walking trails.

 

Trolling the rocky points for bass is one of the most reliable techniques at Moogerah. By following the shore line sitting in between 15 – 25 feet of water using lures that troll at between 10 – 15 feet deep, good quality bass can be caught. Best times are early morning and late afternoon but it’s not uncommon to catch fish though out the day. The most productive areas for this style of fishing are the rocky points either side of the dam wall, the rocky points leading into the gorge as well as prominent points along the shore line.

 

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Fly fishing can be frustrating. My favourite lures include Horsey’s Dodger in pink and white or a Whitty’s DeeBob in predominantly white or red. I’ve had the most success by anchoring the boat in 30 feet of water in an area I’ve previously caught bass on lures, usually over a ledge or rock drop off.

I hold the boat at a side-on angle to the shoreline or underwater structure with the aid of two anchors, and then cast towards it and retrieve back to the boat. I use a sinking line and retrieve at a speed that I’ve calculated to keep the fly about six to 10 feet off the bottom, varying the speed of retrieve trying different depths. I’ve found Baited Breath’s in pink and white, New England Yabbies or prawn pattern fly’s the best.

 

Live shrimp is the best bait for bass. By dropping them down un-weighted or with a very small sinker and slowly lifting up several inches at a time, bass can’t resist. Worms are an alternative but no where near as good as shrimp.

 

Water skiers can be a problem for the angler, however they mainly follow a circuit towards the middle of the lake leaving us anglers to troll the shore line. However I wouldn’t recommend fishing out of a canoe on a hot Saturday afternoon. It is about as close to being in a washing machine as you are ever likely to come.

For information ph. 0755 630 177

or the A.G. Muller camping grounds on 0755 630 141

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