granpop

Hey BOb There is a release program in the Huon river, but it is accidental The salmon pens for growing them have accidents (seals like salmon too) and the results end up in the Huon No matter, they taste good and fight well. Good fish

Dunno what the fish could be - maybe redfin chasing fry - they get somewhat excitred at times, and someone said that there were a lot of reddies in the river. Havn't heard of too many trout in the lake - it has been a while since any were released, ACT Govt concentrating on releasing natives (either yellowbelly or cod).

Sorry Covanova - didnt look yesterday Sp's work well on redfin (grub types best), hardbodies and spinnerbaits. I have caught redfin on BIG cod sized stumpjumpers, but spinnerbaits and medium deep divers are best for Yellas. Dave

Googong is about 40 minutes away and is still under 40% full. If you are at Floriade, I would suggest spinning/luring the walls around Commonwealth Bridge and thru to the wall behind the Hyatt Hotel. Lake BG is reasonably clear, but fishing is still quiet, althougth some reports are coming in. I caught a 68cm cod last week, but nothing but a small redfin this week. The Molonglo between Duntroon and airport is OK if access with boat/canoe, but weedbeds can make life difficult spiunning from the bank. I would offer a boat trip, but am committed to the garden this weekend ('s OK - I usually go midweek when SHE is at work HOpe that helps Dave

Haven't tried it yet, but I know of a guy who does. He uses a VERY large grub thing with waggly legs all over it. I think he rolls his own. Chucks them unweighted into a variety of nast snaggy county. His PB on Sps is around the 30 lb mark. This year........

I worked the point near Kirkleigh and some deeper holes further down the dam. Looked for bass/bait on the sounder then cast lures. One local was catching good fish and I finally caught up with him - he would locate fish on the sounder then jig with a small chrome lure. If no strikes within 5-10 minutes, he would move on to another school. Apparently tortoises also school and look like bass around the baitfish, but they didn't take the jig. Caught fish on slow rolled spinnerbait, a jackall, and on soft plastics. Those on SPs were taken on the drop. The bass were also starting to move out onto the flats in about 4 metres of water, and others were catching them there anchored up. I preferred drifting on the wind and if the breeze was a bit brisk, would put a drogue out to slow things down. At Bjelke Petersen, the fish were deeper (about 18 ft) and very shut down. It took a slowly sinking liver shrimp to wake them up.

Its B******y freezing here and the local lake is the colour of milk chocolate. Dog was please to see me home and the garden needs some work . Fishing is not on the plans for the next week or so, but I will be overhauling all reels taken on the trip. When I first looked at that photo of Ken, I wondered where he kept the brolly until I had a closer look too.

The first photo is a Caloundra bream, followed by Ken at Work and then a BJP Bass These two are a 43 cm Bass and a Somerset pair (Bass and Yellowbelly) both 42 cm.

Back home again. Will post more details of areas fished in my BLOG over the next few days. After Brisbane, I fished with Ken @ Caloundra in marginal conditions, but caught fish, at Bjelke Petersen Dam for Bass, Bundaberg for bream, flathead and threadfin salmon, Somerset Dam for Bass and Yellowbelly and Ballina for flathead, bream abd blackfish. Some of the Photos attached...

Have arrived in Brisbane after 3 days at Iluka. 1st day was quiet except for a large bream in the surf - the Clarence was the colour of milk chocolate. Day 2 gave me 5 bream of legal size and many others just undersize. Day 3 (Friday) was brilliant - the Clarence had cleared to the colour of strong tea and the bream were on the chew - over 35 bream in 5 hours on soft plastics (Berkely Hawgs to be precise) - went thru 2 packets and the best was 38 cm - a PB on softies. Fished mainly along the middle wall, but the bream turned out to be everywhere - I was catching them in about 4 foot water while waiting for a turn at the small boat ramp near the Caravan Park.

Packing to depart on our trip north on Sunday - winds & rain and flood warnings wherever I planned to stay and fish. I hope the Claence clears for next week or else I will be forced to hit the beach and see if any jewies are hanging out waiting for the brown water to dissipate. Ken - you need to get out and clean up the passage ready for when I arrive!!

Back to the book---- Have just finished my first troll through its chapters and they state up fron and on a few occasions that they have a financial interest in Squidgies, but they also give other SP a good mention - eg Prawnstar & DOA prawn imitations, Sluggos for stick baits etc. Pictures are good and not all have squidgies in them. Some useful hints and reminders on the ways and wheres to fish them. Bushy is still a larrikin with some of his comments, but they are generally spot on. I will be referring to it again and again - just to remind myself to think out of my square. I get into a groove and need a bit of a jolt to get out of it.

Hobie Cat have a stand at the show - check it out!! Rob Paxevanos uses his everywhere - it is almost a fixture on his vehicle

He was still alive in June 2004 when I fished Hinchinbrook and stayed at Cardwell. Showing his age though.

That is a nice feed of jackets - well done.

Love the stern mounted .50 cal accessory - it would be useful on skiers and PWC drivers as well. Whats with the Large-=mouth Bass??

Hope to see you there on the Friday - always looking for a new lure. Have some SX40s on hand Cheers

I have found that Redfin will still be caught - just need to look around more and get deeper. Other species - well I will have four days at Yamba/Iluka, a few more days near Caloundra, some time after bass on Bjelke Petersen, and Somerset and then look for some Yellowbelly in Pindari, Copeton or Split Rock.

Ken Damn - that looks good. We have frost on the ground here Should be able to fish with you 12 or 13 July (or both).

Try Bias Boating (www.biasboating.com.au) - they and Whitworths seem to have a good range of parts

Go Katie - I bet Dad still gets a buzz out of all the fish you catch.

thanks for the report guys, I enjoyed reading it. One day I'll get to the Parra myself.

Look at Garmin, Magellan and Lowrance. www.gpsoz.com.au have both the Garmin and Magellan range and will be at the show at the end of the month. Biasboating have the Lowrance range. All will interface with a laptop (if needed), and the 'new' ones are pretty much all similar in operation. I have been watching ebay and any good one is going for new price or greater!!

Thanks for the comments on the reddie - it was a pleasing fish to catch & ate well too, dusted in flour and fried in butter (yum). As they are so deep at the moment and need stirring up, I have been using various spinnerbaits. In summer when they are keener, a small Basspro grub (brown with a chartreuse tail) seems to be the go. Darryl - that fish ruler is from WA- I also have a Victorian, SA, NSW & Qld around the boat. Hoped to add one from NT, but they were out of production. NSW & VIC & SA stop short , but WA and NT go the out past 60 cm.

Food mate, food! The most dangerous thing to small redfin is bigger redfin.