Burrill Lake Holiday fishing

[pmak]

Late-ish report from our family trip to Burrill Lake last week.

Left on the day of the social, disappointed it had to be cancelled but glad that we could head down the coast in the morning. Weather was pretty ordinary and was windy as predicted with some scattered showers thrown in. Unpacked at the holiday house we had rented in Dolphin Point and went out to the fishing platforms near the base of the lake to let the boys do some bait fishing like the good old days when we just started fishing. A few years ago when the lake was closed there were heaps of leatherjackets near the platforms but they were noticeably absent this time around. I prospected the area with soft plastics and hard bodies and came up tight with this trevally just as the sun was setting. Good way to start the holidays I thought.

The next two days seemed clear and not too windy so those were the days I planned to take the boat out into the lake. Monday morning, I had my two boys with me and we spent most of the morning in the south west arm of the lake and fished the shoreline with wrigglers/grubs, flickbaits and shallow hardbodies. There were heaps of little flathead close to the shore which provided entertainment for the boys. I managed a lone bream and my youngest also got a tailor while working a 70mm squidgy flickbait.

Not long after, he managed this 44cm flattie which we kept for dinner.

My youngest son also lost what we suspected was a good flattie. He had hooked up a fish that had considerable weight and was giving him a good fight and as he managed to get it closer to the boat, the fight stopped and he easily reeled in a small flathead of about 30cm. We were remarking how this little fish had put up a great fight until I noticed it's body had lost scales for about a third of its length! Something had the flathead in its mouth and had let go as it got close to the boat!

After that bit of excitement, we headed back for lunch where the tailor was immediately cleaned and cooked for us. Yum. The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and planning for the next day's outing.

I decided to bring my father-in-law out on the boat for next trip out. I had established some sort of a pattern I thought that would at least allow him to have some fun using soft plastics. My FIL is a long time bait fisho and the times where I've taken him out on the boat I've tried to cater to his normal fishing style with little success. He's had a recent run of health issues and has not been able to go out fishing with his mates of late plus one of his best fishing buddies passed away recently as well. I could see that he was itching to go out on the boat too.

So, I told him to leave his bait rod behind and set him up with a robust Pflueger Trion 2-4kg rod with a Daiwa Revros 2506 reel loaded with 10lb Sunline PE braid and switched the reel handle over to the right for him. I put myself into 'tour guide' mode and took the boat out to the lake and stopped just outside where the main channel meets the lake. There is a distinct drop-off there that we had not fished the day before but I thought might hold some fish. I gave him a quick lesson on casting single handed, line management and retrieve technique (basic lift and drop) using a pink squidgy fish. His first cast and he was on already! We had the Minn Kota on spot lock and that drop-off produced numerous flathead for him and the kids. His catches were getting bigger until he hooked one that had him fighting the fish for over five minutes. We were so used to catching flatties at that stage that I called it for a tailor or trevally as the fight was different. I was proved wrong when the fish finally came to the surface. It was a massive flattie! After a botched netting that saw the fish swim away and we thought we had lost it, the hook miraculously stuck and it was pulled in a second time where it did not escape the net.

The flattie measured 84cm. The old man was so happy and remarked that he was being given a big reward after not having caught anything substantial in a long while. My wife remarked later that afternoon when we were back at the house that her dad was a changed person after that and that the fishing session had really lifted his spirits. I was mighty happy to hear that.

The remaining days were too windy to take the boat out so we relaxed and hung out at the fishing platforms for a bit. I managed the odd flattie and even a blackfish on the same hardbodied lure I had caught the earlier trevally on.

The local tackle shop owner advised Luderick were around in good numbers so I decided to give it a go. Being a novice in this game, I had realistic expectations but was happy enough to get a couple from the side of the bridge.

The blackies were very finicky and were only grazing at my offering. The float would go down and stay down but when I struck, I got nothing. I resorted to adding more split shot to the rig until only the tiniest tip of the float was visible and struck only when the float got taken deep. My wife really likes fresh blackfish now ...

My eldest son had a go as well and had a few missed strikes but could not get any.

All in all it was a great holiday on the fishing front even though we only had the boat out for a couple of days. We were not sure what to expect in this trip but have left with great memories and I'm looking forward to another trip there some time in the future.

[Bashful]

Great report pmak! Funny that we both headed south after the bad weather cancelled the social. I just missed you guys because I was there on Tuesday arvo and Wednesday at dawn, but I didn't get the sun shine as you did. I didn't get the nice feed of fish as you did either But two flatties were good on SPs.

I'm also waiting for the next time down there...when the weather warms up a bit!!

[Guest]

Nice report Pete and it was a bummer that the social had to be cancelled.

I hope to catch up with you and the boys sooner than later.

Cheers Stewy

[GregL]

oh man that takes me back, I miss family holidays!

Running around some little country town with a fishing rod tryin g to catch anything that swims. The family time away bonding, not enough these days!

Great report and the kids look like they had a ball!

G

[pmak]

dchu - I was there for the week and was out on the boat on Monday and Tuesday morning. I was also at the fishing platforms on Tuesday evening but must have just missed you. It's a great place and fishes alright land based. At least you caught some flatties too.

Stewie - we were massively disappointed but the fishing during the holiday did make up for it. We'll look out for the next social eh!

GregL - I fish only a fraction of what you must do but try to make the most of it when I do go out. Plus your reports give me inspiration to go out there and do more!!

[Breambucket]

Great work pmak and boys and dont forget farther inlaw too \

Besides Bream, Blackfish are my second favorite fish to catch and my favorite to eat! They put up a great fisht amd are a real surprise on lures!

Very envious of that large flattie

cheers

Pete

[Formosan]

Good report Pmak. It is really good to see the whole family fishing and doing well at it.

Great to hear that flatty did wonders for the father in law.

[Joco]

Great report PMAK....

I love the photos especially with the little ones...

I recentley became an uncle to a healthy baby boy...

Cant wait for the little one to grow up so i can take him fishing....

[paul.kenny]

Great report Pmak, looks like the boys really enjoyed the holiday. Great to see your FIL being converted to SP fishing and having immediate success .

I love the spotlock function on my Minn Kota...makes life so much easier when you find a suitable location for fishing doesn't it.