Berleyguts

My son and I joined a mate and his son and two other dads with their younger kids at the Upper Colo for an overnight camp on Saturday. The intention was to do a bit of canoeing with our kids, sit around the campfire, tell tall stories etc. My son wanted to fish, so I threw a couple of rods in and a handful of bass lures. The water was very shallow, ankle to knee deep in most places. I thought it was far too shallow for any decent bass and told my son as much. However, I told him we could hit the river bank just before dark and I'd show him how and where to cast to and there might just be a chance of picking up a baby bass, even though I hadn't spotted any all day. I tied on a coach-dog Jitterbug (I must have had this lure for 30 years) and said "I'll just flick this lure in under that tree on the opposite bank there". There was a slightly deeper section against that bank... less than a metre deep and about the same wide. "This is the type of spot you'd look for but you really need a lot more water. Most of the fish will be up or downstream where there are bigger, deeper pools". I haven't fished for bass for a few years and I was pleased with my first cast... it landed with a soft plop a few inches from the bank. I closed the bail arm and twitched the rod slightly once. Wham! A wonderful surface strike! I nonchalantly handed the rod to Ben and said, "There you go mate. This one's yours." The young, fit bass put up a good fight. Ben said, "Wow! You're a gun!" (or something to that effect). The bass was young, 10 or 11 inches, and released, of course, but only after my son ran back up to camp, coaxing everyone to scramble down the bank in the dark to have a look! A photo was taken and I'll post it when it is emailed to me. Of course, Ben expects me to put him onto a fish with the first cast every time now! The few times he has fished with me, I seem to be able to arrange this somehow! I caught a juvenile bass not much bigger then the Jitterbug and when I hung the lure in a tree, I called it a night and left it there for retrieval on Sunday. I woke up about 5.30 and hit the river again. The river had dropped a few more inches. I tied on a Crazy Crawler and caught a small bass (about 6 inches) on the 2nd cast. I got a few strikes from even smaller bass but that was about it. I didn't feel like going for a swim so Ben retrieved my Jitterbug for me just before lunch. Not much fish action but it was nice to be on bass water again. My friend and I will have to canoe the deeper sections of the Colo and find suitable camping and give it a serious bash, soon! Cheers, Baz

Without seeing the anchor (I don't have a Danforth, just light sand anchors now for my punt), you should be able to attach the chain with a U-bolt to that lower hole. Then you run the chain along the shaft and tie it with strong cord or light wire at the other end. An old Georges River jew fisherman showed me how to do this when I was a kid. Baz

I have always rigged my sand anchors up that way, to "trip" if caught (although not drilled). Rare to lose one. But, if not anchoring over sand or mud, use a reef pick and pull the prongs. You can also rig them to "trip" too. Baz

Hi Ben, It looks like I won't be going this weekend. I'm camping and canoeing on the Upper Colo instead, so will try and spin up a bass or two. Thanks for the offer, though. Have fun. Baz

This might be a start: http://www.fishingnet.com/England.htm You will probably need to contact some of the clubs - most of the waters are private access only. You have to pay. I did some pike fishing in England when I lived there in '87 (Buckinghamshire). That was not bad lure fishing. Picked up a few redfin too. Didn't chase trout, though. Good luck. Baz

Small world, it is. I was Class of '73 (i.e Year 7 '73). You? Baz

Hi Moses, I'm a possibility. Baz

That was Owen Orford, he was the lead singer and he was my industrial arts teacher, too. Peakhurst High, right? Finch played at our school dance. Baz

I'm a Peakhurst High boy but I'm not sure I remember going to a school dance at Hurstville Civic Centre but I do remember something about ACDC at a school dance. I would have been in 3rd form (Year 9) in '75. Who are you? Baz

Actually, it's one hundred and one. And, yeah, OK I tried to lick my elbow... almost got there! Baz

Richard Clapton and band at just about any pub gig I've seen him at and it has been many over 30 odd years. He mainly plays clubs these days but I did see him at the Crest Hotel, Sylvania a couple of years ago and that reminded me of the good old pub gig days of the 70s/80s. INXS when they supported Richard in 1980. The Family Inn at Rydalmere was a standout. The Church at the Royal Mail in Tewantin about 1984. Baz

I sure have been reading your landbased reports, Ray. I've stocked up on soft plastics and will give them a bash, for sure. If you see my old white kombi around, say "Hi". Baz

Looks like you had a great day . Ray, your reports of the fishing around Patonga have wet my appetite. My kombi is due for a cruise, so it looks like I'm heading up to Patonga next weekend to camp and fish (landbased). I'm looking forward to it. Baz

Justin, You will get the casting right. Alveys are great. You can drop them in the sand, wash them off in the surf and keep on fishing. They cast lightly weighted baits well. The main problem I have is if I get lazy and don't watch what I'm doing on the retrieve... you can get the line wrapped around the handles, instead of on the spool. If you try to cast like that you'll find you pilly heading for NZ and you'll get a few tangles too. Watch the line twist, too. A quality swivel above the sinker helps. Good luck. Baz

If you can track down a copy of the old Ron Calcutt TV series, "River To The Sea", that will whet your appetite. It's fairly dated but they fished the Clyde from the freshwater (bass) down to the sea (kings and snapper and stuff around the Tollgate Islands). It's a great system - wish I could get down there more often. Baz

I'd be definitely interested. I had reasonable success back in the early 80s with Mr Twisters on flathead but I can't seem to have any success with the modern plastics. They don't seem to have much action and I usually revert to hard body lures. Baz

I had a report today from a friend who normally fishes around the Tarana area. She didn't fish the weekend but her husband did and got 30 (he releases). She said they are going to have to start keeping a few if they want to ensure bigger trout. Baz

Have you got any photos of you in some of your skirts? Baz

Wish I could go with you! Baldface - try about 10 boat lengths off the eastern shore - there's a big hole there. Baldface is definitely a run-out spot, so your tide choice is good. The current races along but if you're fishing that hole, you should find that as the ebb-tide comes round the point, it will create an eddy into that hole. Sometimes, in the warmer months, there will be a few small whalers about. Dark Hole is opposite Baldface and is a nice spot to sit out of a southerly. Run-off spot too, I believe. I haven't fished there for years but we used to look for a house with stairs with white rails leading down to the water. I must see if I can find the old notes I had of all the marks, that an old guy showed me as a kid - before fishfinders and gps! I guess half the houses have been painted or knocked down now and I'm not sure about the pine trees we used to line up. The bridges - 3rd pylon from the Sydney side has always been the favourite but any of the middle pylons should be OK, too. On the Captain Cook Bridge, some anglers tie off to the 3rd pylon, climb up and fish hard against it for bream and luderick. I used to anchor across current (two anchors) and fish back towards it, in the eddy (for either bridges). There is a big deep hole upriver of the Captain Cook bridge. Head upriver from between about pylons 4 & 5 (counting from Sydney side) and see if you can find it with your sounder. This hole is a good chance for a jew. Tight lines! Baz

Maybe you should check out the fishing club down there. SOmewone there should be able to steer you in the right direction. Baz

I'm hoping to get to the Social. Have a bit of a big night tonight, though. If I get there, I'll be fishing land-based along the beach and the groynes, Picked up some new soft plastics, so I'll give them a go and test my new shoulder out (now the pin's out). If you see an old white kombi, I won't be too far away. Baz

Why not use WD40? I use a light spray of WD40 but I make sure I don't get it on the line. How can WD40 hurt? Cheers. Baz

I know! Thanks Mariner 31. Not exactly local for me but at least I know I can fish near where you get the weed! Cheers, Baz

Guess they didn't foresee the advent of laser eye surgery, eh? Baz

Oh, I forgot. You can sometimes pick up mack tuna or bluefin in the Port but don't know if they've been around lately, as I haven't fished there for a couple of years. September/October used to be a good time for these species. I remember the Trailer Boat Tournament the week before Easter a few years back, a few were picked up just off the marina and also at the Corlette wreck. If heading outside and the weather's OK you might want to make the run up to Broughton Island and give that a go. Good lcuk. Baz