Ten-year-old LJ Mittelheuser had the fishing trip dreams are made of, when he hooked an impressive one-metre-long Barramundi and reeled in a cool $1,000 at Lake Awoonga earlier this month – thanks to one very special pink tag.
A self-proclaimed fish fanatic, LJ was in disbelief when he felt a big bite on his line and saw what he had caught.
“I’ve been trying to catch a metre-long Barra for a long time, so I was pretty surprised and happy when I got one,” LJ said.
The moment was epic, even more so when the father and son spotted the iconic pink tag and realised they may have bagged more than just an impressive fish.
“We were straight on the phone to log that catch,” Leon, LJ’s dad, said.
“The fishing community at Lake Awoonga is really welcoming and the quality of fishing is fantastic – we love coming back,” he said.
While he may be a keen fisherman you won’t see young LJ buying fishing rods and lures with his prize money – it’s gone straight into a savings account.
Gladstone Area Water Board CEO Darren Barlow couldn’t be happier for the young fisherman.
“It’s fantastic to see local families getting out onto the water and enjoying Lake Awoonga, which is a stunning location and premier fishing destination”, Darren said.
“Our fish for cash promotions bring an exciting new layer of fun to the already fantastic fishing experience at the lake – there’s thousands of dollars swimming below the surface.
“Lake Awoonga is a great place to fish, hike, camp or go boating, so make sure it’s top of your must visit destinations all year round.”
Lucky anglers can fish for the following at Lake Awoonga:
• Pink tagged fish, worth $5,000 if caught over the HookUp weekend (2-4 May 2025) and worth $1,000 if caught at any other time
• Four blue and yellow tagged fish worth $25,000 each, able to be caught at any time.