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Chipping Norton


Razzell

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Hi all,

I've been considering fishing Chippo for a while and the opportunity to do so presented itself today. I took a gamble on the weather, hoping that the storms would clear by the morning, and boy was I glad to have made the trip. Great morning out.

Got to the ramp around 6 and it was still raining, so decided to wait it out. On the water just before 7 when it cleared up. The tides were small today, and I was fishing the drop. I was concerned that the recent big tides and rain last night might make things tough, but my fears were abated almost immediately when I started getting knocks on the edges. Fourth cast got me my first ever EP! He was only little (~15cm) but I didn't mind. He promptly went back after a very quick snap. I had heard they were in there and I was secretly hoping for one, so it was a lovely turn up.

I fished the edges, hitting the structure, for a while longer and pulled out a fair few bream. Every cast was getting a knock, but they were tough to entice on to the lures (I was alternating between grubs and crusteaz). They were also preferring a rolling action to a jig, which was a nice thing to figure out. No monsters (all between 25 - 30) but it's been a while since I got stuck in to them so I was happy to have them playing again.

I decided to paddle round the islands and see what was going on. While moving I chucked out in hope of a wandering predator (pleeeaaase Jew) but wasn't expecting it. There were mullet going nuts everywhere - one nearly landed in the yak.

Eventually, as always, the wind picked up, so I let it take me back. It took me back to the first spot where I got the EP and the first bream, so I figured I'd let the wind drift me while I slow trolled a grub. First cast at the structure and something knocks me. I let the wind pick it up off the bottom, tap-tap, gave it a couple of light jigs, then bang. - something decent was on. This fish gave me a nice tussle and I called it for a mid thirties bream, but when it came yakside I could see it was pretty big. A bream that size would be nailing me, but I had control on this fish pretty well, so I just wasn't sure. I let it tire itself, then got it in the net. A BIG EP! I was stoked!

It went 43 to the fork and was fat. Absolutely beautiful fish and I was very happy to watch it gently swim off.

Decided to end on a high and paddle back. Couldn't resist a cast in to an eddie on the way and came up with a flatty - they're always happy to join the party.

All in all, a successful first trip - been wanting an EP for ages and today I get two.

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P.s. sorry for the sideways pictures - my camera is nackered at the moment so I have to use the front one, and for some reason it always uploads it sideways no matter how I save it... Sure you can tilt your heads ;)

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i second not eating anything from chippo lake. Im a local and do a fair bit of walking around the foreshore, there are signs posted up by govt/council stating not to eat the fish caught there due to pollution (though i do see people fish and keep their catch along the banks...)

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Have a look at the top of any small sail boat masts after they've gone turtle and you'll see the mast come out covered in black sludge. [emoji88]drop a sand anchor in and see what come up attached and you'll understand why not to eat the local produce from the lake.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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While the fishing is quite good at times upstream of alfords point bridge, I wouldnt eat any of the fish I caught for that exact reason. Will still be years before the upper Georges will be what it used to be, slowly it is getting better with the work they are putting in

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  • 5 years later...

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