Big bass and lots of them! SOMERSET DAM
Matthew Taylor
In last month’s edition I predicted that the fishing at Lake Somerset was about to fire. This could not have been more accurate, as anglers have been absolutely smashing them. Don’t fear, this fantastic fishing should continue for the best part of this month, so you still have a chance to experience it for yourself. While stories of success have come from many areas of the dam, there are a few key locations that have been the most consistent. These main areas are, the northern side of Pelican Point, the Happy Clappers, bottom end of Queen Street and Kirkleigh Flats, at the Dogleg and in front of the
Katarina Thompson, 12yo, with her first ever bass.
Dave Eklic with a cracker bass from a sensational session. island. Reports also suggest that there have been fish on the southern side of Pelican Point and bottom end of Bay 13. When searching for a school, these are the locations that I would advise. With that being said, the end of winter and start of spring brings with it a few changes. When bass head
deep at this time of year areas like Red Rock rarely disappoint. Mid-September also traditionally marks when bass start to congregate and school around the Spit. These fish should hold there until mid-October. So, keep these things in your head, as it could make the difference between a successful and unsuccessful
day on the water. There are a few main lures for bass that have been working very well. The key factor to catching these fish is using each lure at the right time. When you first come onto a school of bass spoons will be your best bet. Normal chrome coloured and custom painted Pimp My Lure Halco Twisties have accounted for many fish recently, with some measuring up to 55cm. The gold and black striped version has been going particularly well. The Pimp My Lure Diamond Back Spoon has also been red-hot, particularly in the green joker colour. The other spoon that has been the most successful and reliable in recent months is the Hot Bite Gangbanger G2. It is one you simply must have in your tackle box if you are heading to the lake. As fish have been caught on most colours, with the ayu and barred up colours proving successful countless times, I think that your lure presentation is more important than the actual colour.
When the spoon bite shuts down, or it fails to reward at all, ice-jigs and soft plastics will be your best bet. Numerous 50-70 fish sessions have occurred on these lures recently, with some measuring up to 57cm, so you would be silly not to give it a go. Like I say whenever I am talking about ice-jigs, the SMAK version is my favourite, and for good reason. I have probably caught as many fish on it as I have on every other lure combined. When the fish want it, they really want it. Again, I do not think that colour is particularly important, but if you are after a few key colours to get started off with blue ice, whitereuse and polar bear have been going very well. Soft plastics can be a game-changer at Lake Somerset. When the bite shuts down there are few lures that will continue to tempt a bite, and they are one of them. Try using makes like the Pro Lure Paddle Grub and Grub Tail, along with Charlie Brewer Sliders. At this time of year, you will want a 1/2 or 5/8oz jighead to keep your lure in the zone. Ensure to match your jighead colour to your lure. Somerset bass can be fussy at times, so you need everything in your favour.
Paul Schuit with a bass over 50cm that could not resist a Halco Twisty. • When heading to the lake, make sure to set aside some time to drop in and have a look at Somerset Fishing Tackle’s wide range of gear. They are located next to the amenities block in the day use area, so you can’t miss it. For those of you have been waiting for the return of Pimp My Lure, Somerset Fishing Tackle stocks all their new products, along with many other new
innovations. Also offering boat hire, it’s a shop you can’t go past. Alternatively, if you can’t make it to the lake, check them out on Facebook and Instagram, along with their website at www. somersetfishing.com.au. To see more from Matt, you can find him on Instagram (@matthew____ taylor) and Facebook (@ matthewtaylorfishing).
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Chris Whitesides with a 43cm bass caught on a slow rolled Jackall TN60 off the bank. This is a good way to catch fish when the bite shuts down.
email: web: phone:
torqeedo@powerequipment.com.au www.powerequipment.com.au 1800 069 469
SEPTEMBER 2018
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