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Lake Monduran Barramundi Fishing Guide

By Josh Dow

Lake Monduran is an iconic fishing destination for targeting one of Australia’s most highly regarded sportfish, the barramundi. It is situated in the Bundaberg Region, about 370km NNW of Brisbane, with Lake Monduran Holiday Park offering houses and cabins, along with powered and unpowered campsites. Make sure you book early in the warmer months, especially around the peak bite times of the full and new moon.

The lake itself is large, consisting of multiple arms and many areas that are heavily timbered, so caution is required when navigating the waters of the lake by boat. A SIP (Stocked Impoundment Permit) is required to fish Lake Monduran, which can be purchased online prior to your arrival. The lake is also popular for other activities, including kayaking and water skiing.

When?

Barramundi are more active during the warmer months, from September onward, and although there are key bite times for targeting them, sometimes you just need to hit the water when you have time and get a lure in the water. Traditionally feeding activity increases in the four days leading up to the full or new moon, and the two to three days after the moon can also be more productive. The day of the moon has proven to be a good downtime day for having a break and sorting gear, with the fishing often on the quiet side.

The hour before and after dawn and dusk is a prime time to be on the water, along with the periods of moon above, moon below and tide changes, even though targeting landlocked fish, with the moon being the key driver of tidal movement. Around the full moon I concentrate a lot of my fishing efforts during the night, and the reverse for the new moon, with a lot more action occurring during daylight hours.

Where?

Key structure in Lake Monduran includes points, weed beds and timber. You can utilise the topography to give you an idea of what is below the surface of the water, however a sounder is priceless when fishing impoundments, allowing you to locate structure, bait, and fish. I generally fish in around one to four metres of water, along with areas of four to six metres during the day in summer when it really heats up.

When fishing over weed beds I slow roll (slow wind) soft plastics over the top of the weed, bumping the weed occasionally and barramundi ambush the presentation from pockets within the weed. When fishing the timber, I will roll soft plastics in more open areas around the timber or cast jerkbaits in tight timber. Shadow lines are a key fish holding area when fishing the timber.

It is more difficult to locate fish when they are in the weed, so it’s more about fishing those key depths and finding areas that are holding bait. When fishing the timber though it is easier to locate fish moving around the area and I will use side scan and live sonar, taking the time to observe what the fish are doing. Fish will often move through areas in waves and mill around, and it’s important to understand if they are just transitioning through the area or feeding. You will also learn to understand the entry and exit points where fish move through timbered areas, allowing you to target the areas where fish are entering the area to feed, rather than where they are exiting.

Stealth is key when targeting barramundi, especially in shallower water, and I will kill the engine well away from where I intend to fish and creep in on the electric motor. Keep the fish at a distance of 15-20m and cast up to 40m, casting past the fish so that you are not spooking them, before retrieving the lure back through where the fish are holding. These are the one percent changes that will get you hooked up when the fish are pressured, and the bite is tough.

Wind

Without the influence of tidal flow, wind becomes an important influence on how the lake will fish. Consistent winds before you arrive can be beneficial as it will mean that the fish will have moved and settled into areas where they are comfortably holding and feeding. Shifting winds can make the fish unsettled and see them moving to find more comfortable conditions and food, rather than fired up in feeding mode.

North easterly and south easterly winds can both fish well, with westerlies often blowing in cold and shutting the fish down. Winds create currents within the lake, so take note of this. Consistent winds blowing into an area can create a current that brings warm water and bait, while oxygenating water if it is creating waves and turbulence. Fishing these windblown banks, bays and points can often be most productive.

If the wind direction is inconsistent it can pay to target weed flats and right up in the back of bays, where resident fish will often be found. A key in this situation can be locating weed flats and bays that are holding bait.

Combos

For more open water fishing I fish a combination of spin and baitcast combos, spooled with 20lb Platypus Pulse X8 Braid and 100lb Platypus Hard Armour Tough Leader.

Rod: TT Black Mamba Spin Rods – 7’, 4-8kg
Reel: Okuma ITX Carbon Spin Reels – ITX-4000

Rod: TT Black Mamba Baitcast Rods - 7’, 4-8kg
Reel: Okuma Komodo Baitcast Reels – KDS-273

For fishing tight timber it’s all about the accuracy and additional stopping power of the baitcast combo, with the ability to thumb the spool and lock things up. This heavier combo is spooled with 30lb Platypus Pulse X8 Braid and 100lb Platypus Hard Armour Tough Leader.

Rod: TT Black Adder Baitcast Rods – 7’, 8-15kg
Reel: Okuma Komodo Baitcast Reels – KDS-273

Go-To Soft Plastics

The ZMan HerculeZ pre-rigged swimbait is an effective presentation straight out of the packet, with the option of adding a stinger treble, assist hooks or a blade to the integrated stainless steel belly attachment point for additional hook points or added flash. This plastic is pre-rigged with a strong Mustad hook and is available in a selection of sizes / weights. I like the 4” when the weather is cooler and the bite tougher, the 5” as an allrounder, with the 6” suited more to targeting larger fish on deeper points.

The ZMan 5” DieZel MinnowZ and 6” SwimmerZ are both proven barramundi favourites and I like to fish these on a 3/8oz 7/0 TT SwimlockZ jighead, with the larger hook size offering increased hook clearance for a better hook up rate and more solid hookset. The TT SwimlockZ jighead is a must have for chasing barra, with it’s upgraded, brutally strong Mustad hook and integrated, stainless steel belly attachment point.

The larger 7” DieZel MinnowZ is perfect for when the weather is warmer, with water temperatures in the high 20’s and 30’s making the fish more active. This larger profile is ideal as a reaction bait for targeting larger fish on big points, rigged on a 1/2oz 9/0 TT SwimlockZ jighead, fitted with a 1/0 treble as a stinger.

Retrieves

When fishing plastics I generally fish with a slow roll (slow wind), and if you think you’re winding slow… wind slower. You can also mix this retrieve up, if the bites aren’t happening, by adding a pause or giving the lure a ‘pop’ a couple of times during the retrieve by punching the rod tip up or down.

When fishing the timber and more open water it’s about swimming the lure at a depth that sees it passing within the strike zone of the fish. When fishing over weed you want the plastic running just above the weed and bumping the weed tops occasionally to draw the fish out of their ambush points.

Don’t Forget Your Plonker!

What is a plonker? A plonker is a weight on a rope that you can lower into the water to hold position and fish an area effectively. You can use your electric motor to hold position, however this can be noisy, especially if the electric is making continual adjustments and you’re fishing in shallow water. You can make a plonker out of a brick or gym weight or mould up something specific for the job as I have.

I hope this quick overview of fishing Lake Monduran gives you a bit of a head start and a few tips that assist you with gear selection and locating and targeting fish on your next adventure. Remember, time on the water and persistence will allow you to build a better understanding of the lake and its fish, allowing you to crack their feeding patterns and experience those hot sessions and big bites that Lake Monduran has become famous for.

Cheers, Josh