Freshwater

TOOWOOMBA Jason Ehrlich

fishability1@bigpond.com

Winter is my least favourite time to fish the freshwater. It’s not the cold but the extra effort involved in getting fish to chew. Despite the frosts, the grass at home is still greenish. Maybe it’s not as cold as I think it is and I am just getting softer in my old age. This would help explain the reasonable fishing this year. If it does get a lot colder, the fishing is likely to get tougher but in the meantime make the most of the wintertime action.

Winter has been pretty kind and the fish are still willing to have a bit of a go. The early mornings and late afternoons are my favourite times to fish but the peak in fish activity can vary from lake to lake and the species being chased. The middle of the day is quite productive on some waterways. It’s a case of needing to experiment to see when they want to feed and are most active on the waterway you choose. As a general rule, fish like bass and cod like the lower light periods but you can have a sleep in when targeting winter barra. They can be tough early and wake up more as the day wears on and heats up.

Big bass are just around the corner. August can start off slowly but by the end of the month, they should be chewing well. Somerset is still the home to the giant fish where big numbers of fish over 2kg can be caught. The fatter roed up bass can weigh over 3kg and the giants over 4kg. Across the other bass lakes, we will see better quality well-conditioned fish too. Late August and early September is my favourite time to chase these big bass. I did it a bit tough last year so hopefully there are plenty of 3kg models or even one or two over 4kg this year.

Until next month, buckled rods from The Colonel. If the fish fire up later this month, try working bigger profile jigs through them. The 30g Raptor Slow Fall Jig fooled this Cressbrook fatty.

CRESSBROOK

CLOSEST TOWN:

CROWS NEST

Cressy has really surprised me this year. It is usually a hard winter fishery but this year it hasn’t failed to impress. There are still the days where things are tough but those in the know are managing good hauls of bass.

Then edges are producing a few fish on spinnerbaits and suspending jerk baits. This is more of a morning activity and don’t expect big numbers of fish. Bass of mixed sizes and even the occasional golden perch will be caught early in the day before the action dies off.

Schooling fish will produce the best action but you will need to spend time searching for them. The fish tend to hang in the same areas so once you have done your homework, you can find them a lot faster on return trips. Attacking the schools that have seen little fishing pressure is most rewarding. As soon as boats sit on them for a while they get tough. I’ve seen it time and time again where we can nail a bass a cast and then all of a sudden the action stops and they aren’t interested in anything you show them. When this happens, it’s time to rest them and move on. The good thing this year has been the amount of locations holding fish. Often there are only a few spots around the lake but this year there have been smaller schools in bays and on ledges and points all over the dam. Maybe they will bunch up more as they feel the breeding urge.

Straight out from the ramp and to the left along the first points below the campground is a good place to start your search. There are still a few bass schooling past the Eagles Nest rock wall but more seem to be holding in the first half of that Cressbrook Creek arm. Up into the Beams (Bull) Creek arm, the bass will start on the first points on the western banks. As you venture into the upper part of the arm, the old creek bed loses depth and the fish scatter across the flats and on the drop off ledges.

Spoons and soft plastics

Niki Sticklen was getting in some practice for the big fat bass at Somerset last month. The fish were already in good condition and will be even bigger now.

are hard to beat at this time of year. The average sized fish will be quick to pounce on a Gang Banger spoon or something similar weighing around 20g. These lures are very popular with the locals at Cressbrook. Bigger profile offerings like Palms Slow Blatts and Raptor Jigs will fool the bigger specimens. These lures are great for hopping across the flats and down drop off ledges where bass are holding. If you are working soft plastics, try 3”paddle tails rigged on 1/2 or 5/8oz jigheads.

The fish will move from the flats in 8m right out into very deep water. We use this to our advantage and position the boat in the deep water and cast back up onto the shallower areas holding the fish. The fish will work their way out to the boat and we can then pluck the good ones from the shallows and catch heaps of smaller ones almost vertically around the boat. • Fish’n’Bits in Toowoomba has all the gear and tips on how to chase the Cressy fish. They are an excellent store specialising in all freshwater lures and tackle. The dam hours are 7am to 6pm over the winter months. SOMERSET

CLOSEST TOWNS: ESK, KILCOY

The fishing has been a bit hit-and-miss this winter but still better than a lot of previous years. A few bass and goldens have been caught around the edges on suspending jerk baits but these fish should start to return to the schools as breeding season kick in.

Some of the better schools will be found just outside the main river channel. This opens up a lot of areas and locating them can take time if you have no idea where to start. In past years, locations near Red Rock, Happy Clappers, Bay of Plenty and Kirkleigh have held plenty of fish but each year is a bit different so be prepared to spend time looking.

The isothermic water allows fish to hold quite deep. It isn’t uncommon to find schooling fish at 14m deep and they will spend shorter periods in even deeper water. This habit is probably more the case towards the end of the month. If you are catching fish from these depths, they should be quickly released so they can power back down. When they are to be kept in a live well, the other option is to release the build-up of gasses by venting the swim bladder with a needle and equalising the air pressure.

At the start of August, I’d be throwing smaller spoons and jigs, 20 and 30g lures are great provided they have a small profile. As the action steps up a notch, I switch to the 30g Raptor Jigs or Slow Blatts, which have a bigger profile. These lures are great on the bigger fish (which tend to like shallower water) if you can find where they are holding. Other lures worth considering are soft plastics, tail spinners and smaller blade baits. • Somerset Fishing has their store based at the area above the day use boat ramp. The store is open over holidays and otherwise from Thursday to Sunday. Orders can also be made online via the website www. somersetfishing.com.au . They have an excellent range of gear suited to fishing for bass and golden perch. WIVENHOE

CLOSEST TOWNS:

ESK, LOWOOD

The schooling bass take a lot of time to find as they have spread out into other areas of the lake. Trolling hard body lures will allow you to cover heaps of water while searching and allow you to stumble upon them. Try deep diving lures that reach at least 10m as the lack of thermoclines allows the fish to push a bit deeper. The open water flats outside the main river channel in the Billies Bay area would be the best bet. Try out from the point at Billies and down towards the buoyed off no boating area. If schools are found, they should eat metal jigs and spoons, soft plastics, blades and tail spinners.

There are boating restrictions in place. If you are petrol powered, you need to have a 4-stroke or low emissions outboard and travel at 6 knots when on this lake. The only boat ramp in play is the one at Logan’s Inlet so there is quite a bit of travelling involved. It’s a huge expanse of water so keep a close eye on the weather.

COOBY

CLOSEST TOWNS: HIGHFIELDS, TOOWOOMBA

The fishing has been pretty slow. The occasional golden perch and cod are taking lures or bait. Don’t expect the goldens to pick up until mid-spring. You never know when a big Murray cod is going to turn up though. Most of the cod being caught are smaller models but the lake holds some giants. LESLIE DAM CLOSEST

TOWN: WARWICK

The water is still a bit coloured making luring slower. This should however be a prime cod month just before breeding season is in full swing. Big swimbaits, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits will get the bites but there will be a lot of work involved.

The edges around the dam wall end of the lake will cop a fair flogging as they are known to hold a lot of fish. Anglers can even try their luck from the shore here and it is within easy reach of a kayak. Boats can explore some of the areas further up the lake. Look for flats outside the main riverbed and if you have the luxury of a side imaging sounder, see if the fish are there. Long casts with big swimbaits will be the way to start the day. When the fish retreat from the shallower flats, switch it up and work the drop off edges with spinnerbaits and chatterbaits. Trolling on an electric motor is a good way to cover heaps of right direction.

COOLMUNDA

CLOSEST TOWNS: INGLEWOOD, TEXAS

The dam is still dirty with some cleaner water up the top of the river and creeks. Reports of cod have been few and far between but as soon as the water clears more, it will be on my radar. GLENLYON

CLOSEST TOWNS; STANTHORPE, TEXAS

Some monster cod are being caught at Glenlyon again this year.

It is a lot slower than last year but still one of the best if not the best place to try for a giant Queensland cod.

There are a few things making it more difficult this year.

After the rise several months ago, the water is still a stained colour in the main basin. This has reduced visibility when using swimbaits and topwater offerings but it continues to improve every month.

The main obstacle has been the floating weed that washed down when the dam rose. The stuff is floating everywhere and you are at the mercy of the wind as to where you can fish.

The thick weed is too dense to fish and even the

water when doing this. • Warwick Outdoor and Sport in Palmerin Street has all your fishing needs covered. They can set you up and point you in the

Days of hundreds of casts paid off for Brett Trueman. This metre-plus Glenlyon cod gave him bragging rights over the boys. It was caught on a chatterbait. bait doesn’t seem to like hanging around in the dark water under it. Hopefully the cold kills it off and the waterway is soon free of it.

The upper parts of the lake did have clearer water and were producing the best action. A downpour of rain last month saw a bit of water come down and dirty up the top end again. I think it will settle fairly quickly but I’d be looking for the clearer water for luring.

It’s going to be a case of finding the ideal conditions but then matching them with the right type of areas. The big cod will be cruising the flats and hunting the bony bream and smaller fish early in the morning. Big swimbaits, topwater and chatterbaits have all caught metre plus fish. Don’t expect it to be easy but the fish are there to be caught. If you want big Murray cod, they rarely come easy. • The Glenlyon Tourist Park is a great place to stay. You can opt for a campsite or stay in the warmth of one of the cabins. Brian and Debbie are very passionate about Murray cod and their kiosk has a good range of lures for sale to target them. You can make bookings by calling (02) 6737 5266.

AWOONGA

CLOSEST TOWNS: BENARABY,

GLADSTONE

The barra have chewed most of their way through winter. The deeper fish have thinned out a bit and more are now being found in the windy bays or weed edges and right up in the shallows.

Weedless rigged soft plastics and stealth will be needed to fool the fish in very shallow water. Long casts over the warmer pockets of water should produce some of the bigger fish this month. The fish can take a bit of finding in the shallow water so keep all your senses alert. Look for tails, fins, bow waves and less obvious signs of water movement. If you aren’t seeing fish, you can still cast lures over the shallow weedy areas in case they are waiting in ambush.

Numbers of fish will also be found in bays and weed edges around the dam. A degree rise in water temperature can make all the difference to fish numbers and mood. The weather has been all over the place and wind will also play a factor.

The oxygen charged banks and discoloured edges can hold good numbers of fish. Suspending lures like the Jackall Super Squirrel are perfect for these barra as they will be reluctant to spend too much energy chasing their prey. Long pauses are key.

Fishing from lunch time until dark is a good time to be on the water in winter. The barra have the chance to warm up and often feed better during this period. • Justin Nye from Gladstone Fly and Sportfishing runs fishing charters on the lake. He caters to the needs of the angler and can do fly or conventional tackle trips to target the lake’s barramundi. He successfully guides clients onto fish right through the year and has a good understanding of fish movements. It is hard to beat time on the water and this is a great way to learn more about this lake and its fish. You can contact him on 0429 223 550 or visit the website gladstoneflyandsportfishing. com.au. • Mark from Awoonga Gateway Lodge always has a few productive secret spots to share. The Gateway lodge is on the way in to the dam after turning off at Benaraby. The accommodation is great with plenty of boat parking space right beside the comfortable air conditioned, self-contained cabins each with its own veranda. To book in a stay give Mark or Lyn a call on (07) 4975 0033.

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