First Bass Of The Season In My Small Creek

[arpie]

Hi all

For a year or so now, I'd promised myself to do more bass fishing, so with such a lovely day presenting itself this morning, I decided that I would give it a go today - the first day of the 2010 Bass Season!

Last year, after hours of driving, I found a quiet small creek & thought I'd give it another go today, even tho it only produced 1 small bass last time ...... time to try it again! Didn't take as long to find this time tho!

I launched into very shallow water, taking care not to slip on the weed covered rocks!! Working my way thru the reeds, to open water, I can see the creek opening up in front of me! BEWDIFUL!!

There is a submerged log ahead & I shoot a cast to it & the water explodes!!! OMG!! Immediately I feel extreme tension on the line & it feels like it is a good fish!! Luckily, I was using my Shimano Catano 2-4kg rod (mindful of Stewy's recommendation in another post recently) and it was loaded with 10lb braid & leader. The drag was done up nice & hard, so the bass wasn't gaining line, but it was pulling me towards the log, so I managed to change the rudder direction & was able to muscle it away from the snag as I pedaled away! Keep calm, don't panic - don't want to drop it near the yak ....... Woohoo!! It's in the net!! This was the first time that I had used a Heddon Zara Puppy lure (topwater lure, similar to Sammys.)

WHat a lovely Big Fat Wild Bass!!! On the Lie Detector, it shows as 42cm to the fork, and pretty well 45cm to the tail!! A quick weigh put it at 1.26kg! A PB WIld River Bass!! My 2nd biggest bass ever! I was about to take some more pics when the very lively big bass shook its head & did a swan drive over the side!! Shame, as I wanted to get it from a few more angles!!

Having caught that bass after the 2nd cast of the day, I was really buoyed up now, expecting a hit from every log, but it was not to be! A cast of thousands followed & some of them were 'right on the money' & should have resulted in a good hit ...... but it didn't happen. Over the next 3 hours, I slowly moved along the pristine creek, admiring the beauty of the area, watching a brilliant blue kingfisher flitting from tree to tree, spooking some fresh water mullet ........ getting in some much needed casting practise! I lost count the number of trees that I hooked!!! One was so far up, I thought I'd lost my Puppy, as it was further up than the length of my lure retriever, but the bonus with using stronger braid ..... is that you can give it an almighty YANK & usually the lure plops down onto the water again!

As the afternoon came to an end, I figured I'd better head home again ...... much as I would have loved to stay til dusk & keep casting ....... another day, perhaps.

I am totally STOKED about my PB Wild RIver Bass ........ and will make sure I get to visit some of the other creeks in the area now, too and even the bigger rivers! I may even head to the Manning some time down in the future!

CHeerio

Roberta

[sails]

Hi Roberta,

well done on the bass, it looked like it would have given you a good workout, and so thoughtfully released too !!

Good to see that you are geting some time on the water again while looking after Keiths' needs.

tight lines

Sails

[Day's Fishin]

Hi Roberta, what a nice bass. I noticed a couple of bass boats out on the Colo yesterday but didn't see them catch anything in the 300meter stretch that they drifted. Those sacred Kingfishers are sure spectacular birds and always make you stop and watch their antics. Did you know that they eat white ants? We watched a couple of them attack a nest in a tree, breaking bits off and grabbing the ants as they emerged.

Regards Jeff

[Guest rzep]

I am so jealous.

Well done on a great bass there Roberta

[Hodgey]

The excitement in your report is infectious, Roberta! What a terrific wild bass. Congratulations on your new PB. Fantastic photos of that waterway as well. Roll on Summer!

Cheers

Skip

[arpie]

Thanks guys

Hey Jeff - you learn something new every day!! I just assumed they would go for small fish in the creek!! I saw one tree that would have been its favourite, I reckon - it was criss-crossed with white ant trails!!

Hi Cam - my plan was to hit the water in the morning before the sun was high in the sky ...... Keith's (and now MY GP) insisted I have a 'once over' & sent me off for blood tests (or so I thought!) Three & a half hrs later ....... I had pretty well EVERYTHING tested!! Including ECG! The damn machine was playing up, so had to be done 3 times (sent to Sydney & read whilst done) until the cardiologists were happy with it!! So much for a morning fish!! However, being on the water when I was (about 1pm) got me my PB! So can't really complain. Can't wait to hit it in the late afternoon into dusk!

You'll get one, Rzep! he he I know where THIS one lives!

It was so surreal on that creek - I had it to myself, I got the fish within view of the car! My cast to it bounced off the log & I thought "Bugger, I've scared everything to kingdom come" ....WHACK!! Must have woken it up, I reckon!!

Cheerio

Roberta

Thanks Skip - the smile is still on my dial!!

From the pics, it isn't as 'small a creek' as you would think, given the launch spot!!

Edited September 1, 2010 by Roberta

[james7]

WOW! What a beautiful place to fish Roberta! Sensational! And those kingfishers are brilliant to see in the wild.

Congratulations on the pb. It was a real thumper. I can only imagine the power it had.

Thanks Roberta. Another great report to make me jealous! Well done on passing the "once over" too.

Cheers

Peter

[pmak]

Roberta, congrats on the new wild bass PB. So early on, it must have been disappointing not to have more action as the day progressed. That's fishing! But I do think the scenery and serenity of being out on the water was worth it too!

[paul.kenny]

Roberta - congratulations on the new PB....that is an outstanding wild river bass and I can imagine the spectacular surface strike. I cannot wait to get time off work to go for another Bass trip to the Hunter Valley.

[Guest]

You go Girl!!! that heavy braid and leader will not let you down and just shows what it takes to get the bigger boys out of the snags.

Thats a screamer of a PB as well ,Roberta

Cheers Stewy

[wannabefisho]

You must be stoked with a fish like that, stuff dreams are made of ...

Fantastic catch

Tight lines

Anthony

[Anti-Carp]

Hi all

For a year or so now, I'd promised myself to do more bass fishing, so with such a lovely day presenting itself this morning, I decided that I would give it a go today - the first day of the 2010 Bass Season!

Last year, after hours of driving, I found a quiet small creek & thought I'd give it another go today, even tho it only produced 1 small bass last time ...... time to try it again! Didn't take as long to find this time tho!

I launched into very shallow water, taking care not to slip on the weed covered rocks!! Working my way thru the reeds, to open water, I can see the creek opening up in front of me! BEWDIFUL!!

There is a submerged log ahead & I shoot a cast to it & the water explodes!!! OMG!! Immediately I feel extreme tension on the line & it feels like it is a good fish!! Luckily, I was using my Shimano Catano 2-4kg rod (mindful of Stewy's recommendation in another post recently) and it was loaded with 10lb braid & leader. The drag was done up nice & hard, so the bass wasn't gaining line, but it was pulling me towards the log, so I managed to change the rudder direction & was able to muscle it away from the snag as I pedaled away! Keep calm, don't panic - don't want to drop it near the yak ....... Woohoo!! It's in the net!! This was the first time that I had used a Heddon Zara Puppy lure (topwater lure, similar to Sammys.)

WHat a lovely Big Fat Wild Bass!!! On the Lie Detector, it shows as 42cm to the fork, and pretty well 45cm to the tail!! A quick weigh put it at 1.26kg! A PB WIld River Bass!! My 2nd biggest bass ever! I was about to take some more pics when the very lively big bass shook its head & did a swan drive over the side!! Shame, as I wanted to get it from a few more angles!!

Having caught that bass after the 2nd cast of the day, I was really buoyed up now, expecting a hit from every log, but it was not to be! A cast of thousands followed & some of them were 'right on the money' & should have resulted in a good hit ...... but it didn't happen. Over the next 3 hours, I slowly moved along the pristine creek, admiring the beauty of the area, watching a brilliant blue kingfisher flitting from tree to tree, spooking some fresh water mullet ........ getting in some much needed casting practise! I lost count the number of trees that I hooked!!! One was so far up, I thought I'd lost my Puppy, as it was further up than the length of my lure retriever, but the bonus with using stronger braid ..... is that you can give it an almighty YANK & usually the lure plops down onto the water again!

As the afternoon came to an end, I figured I'd better head home again ...... much as I would have loved to stay til dusk & keep casting ....... another day, perhaps.

I am totally STOKED about my PB Wild RIver Bass ........ and will make sure I get to visit some of the other creeks in the area now, too and even the bigger rivers! I may even head to the Manning some time down in the future!

CHeerio

Roberta

Awesome stuff, Im looking forward to getting amongst them once again this season. Have you ever tried targeting the freshwater mullet on the surface lures? they are a formidable target and pound for pound they'd pull a king backwards. Last season we were getting them regularly which chasing bass on lucky craft kerolls.

[arpie]

Thanks guys - it really was a great few hours on the water! The strike really gave me a bit of a fright, if I am totally honest .... then my bream practise kicked in! oh yes - it was my bream 'top water lure' retrieve that tempted the bass onto the lure!!

...Have you ever tried targeting the freshwater mullet on the surface lures? they are a formidable target and pound for pound they'd pull a king backwards. Last season we were getting them regularly which chasing bass on lucky craft kerolls.....

Thanks for that, AC - I was looking at one of those in my popper box ..... I'd chucked just about every thing at the bass except the kitchen sink & if I'd had one, would have used it too!! Didn't use the Keroll tho!

Cheers

Roberta

[Anti-Carp]

Thanks guys - it really was a great few hours on the water! The strike really gave me a bit of a fright, if I am totally honest .... then my bream practise kicked in! oh yes - it was my bream 'top water lure' retrieve that tempted the bass onto the lure!!

...Have you ever tried targeting the freshwater mullet on the surface lures? they are a formidable target and pound for pound they'd pull a king backwards. Last season we were getting them regularly which chasing bass on lucky craft kerolls.....

Thanks for that, AC - I was looking at one of those in my popper box ..... I'd chucked just about every thing at the bass except the kitchen sink & if I'd had one, would have used it too!! Didn't use the Keroll tho!

Cheers

Roberta

Every thing seems to eat them from mullet to kings, they look really . They are a very odd looking lure but they are really versatile lure and you can work thme like you would a popper or you could even work em as a WTD lure.

[bassboy888]

NICE BASS i miss they way they hit and fight, not much pull as well as an angry bass does around a snag. even better when they are on a surface lure, well done roberta

[Breambucket]

Im so so so jelous

Great fish and report

Pete

[taloyoak]

Berta right on!.

I've never caught one yet, but so happy for you and well worth getting out for.

Hope all is well and things are going well on the home front, thinking of you guys,

Matt

[GregL]

Beautiful fish to start the season!

Greg

[jenno64]

Top stuff Roberta, you'll be doing a bass special in FW soon!

[slinkymalinky]

What a beautiful fish and what a beautiful creek

You surely are living in paradise, Roberta.

Cheers, Slinky

[arpie]

Thanks again guys - it is blowing a gale here today, seas are really rough & looked like it was going to be horrible for the whole weekend, so I managed to sneak out yesterday during the rain, to try the brackish area ...... finding the bass that hadn't made it back to the fresh yet ......

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any bass but did find the smallest blackfish in the creek & a silly little tailor! I had as much fun as you can have when fishing in a kayak in the rain!! Luckily, I'd replaced my 'holey' hat with a fully covered one, so at least my hair stayed dry! Matter of fact, I didn't get too wet at all, as it was more drizzle than anything!

....I've never caught one yet,..... Hey Matt - let me know if you ever come up this way - I'll have you out in a yak real quick, heading for the fresh!

....you'll be doing a bass special in FW soon! :074: Rob, I don't think so!!! he he, just re-read the bream one & insert 'Bass' instead of 'Bream' & add 'lots of shadows' instead of 'oyster racks' & it could all look the same!!

.....You surely are living in paradise, Roberta. .... Thanks Tony ...... I bet you could find some creeks like this, just around the corner from you too!!!

We'll see what tomorrow brings! I'm on a bit of a bass kick just now!!

Cheerio

Roberta

[Dusky]

Hey Roberta

What a great report. It's like being there with you. As usual, your report & pics make me want to grab my rod & head off NOW never mind my turn will come soon

Congrats on the PB & I look forward to your next escapade

[nemo1203]

Smashing bass well done, cant wait to chase them mighty fish this summer, so looking foward it!!

[tide'n'knots]

thats a great fish roberta especially this early in the season! that spot will only get better as the water slowly warms up.

when the wattle starts to bloom and the insects become more prevalent the bass will really come on!

rosetta and I went for a drive out to the water fall (sorry cant remember the name but I think you know where I mean) when I was up your way last january and there were some very bassy looking creeks that we crossed on the way - It could be worth checking it out?

pete.

[arpie]

he he he Pete - there are some terrific bassy spots not that far from here - the Manning being FAMOUS of course ...... I look forward to discovering some more little creeks around here too - let me know next time you are up - I've got a yak you can use, too!

I went out again yesterday afternoon, planning on fishing into the evening (first time ever) but forgot to take my headlamp, so didn't stay out much beyond the sunset ........ which was gorgeous!!!

Didn't catch any fish, but it was worth it just for the sunset! Felt a bit spooked, being on my own, too!

As the sunset wore on ....

No, that is not my lure in the tree .... tho I DID have to go in for one

BEWDIFUL!!!

Roberta