Freshwater Bait Fishing

[gutsy]

Gents,

Would appreciate any input on the following.

Have secured a trip to Lake Eucumbeme for 5 days Trout fishing with Dad and his 9 mates. Im the baby of the group at 42 years of age.

We normally bait fish with Bardi Grubs/Powerbait and Mudies dependent on weather and everything else.

I was thinking this year that all the big fish caught have Yabbies in their guts. This must show that the big fish perefer big meals or big baits. Anyway my idea was a Paternoster rig but with a cork at the top to present the bait vertically and not allowing the Yabbie to hide in the weed and algie. Has anyone any experience with such a rig. As long as the weights were right I thought it must work. You could trim the cork for less bouyancy.

Thanks

Gutsy

PS. Will also be lure fishing and throwing SP's and fly. Will be busy.

[gutsy]

Thanks Pedro and Gav,

Pedro will be fishing from the bank so need them to sit off the bottom.

Gav, float is good if wind is favorable, can blow the froth off your beer at times at Eucumbeme.

Have found at night the big Browns cruise the flats looking for food and we have had good sucess with Bardi Grubs and Powerbait.

Always looking for the EDGE.

Gutsy

[troutboy]

Gday all

In my experience using yabbies ( somewhat limited ) i have had most success using a small bubble float partially filled with water free running on your mainline to a small bead and tied to a small swivel.Tie on a short leader of about40 to 60cmto a size 4 hook. Pin the yabby through the tail , cast it uot and either use a very slow retrieve or a natural drift if possible. I f fishing in shallow water just give the rod a slow lift and drop every 30 seconds or so as this will stop the yabby taking refuge under any logs or rocks nearby. Hope this helps troutboy

[pogo]

If the wind is up try this

You need a longish rod for this one

I use my Blackfish rod

Hook, 30-40 cm trace, small brass ring or swivel, another length of trace 60-80 cm threaded through bubble float partially filled to the point that it will lift the bait (yabbie, scrubbie, bardie grub etc) then a bean sinker big enough to moor the bubble float then another swivel then mainline.

The aim of the game is to have the bubble float hold the bait off the bottom, but not float to the surface.

Works particularly well in windy conditions because the bubble float doesnt drift, and the best spot for it is on the windward shore that has the wind kind of blowing along it at an angle , so that the current caused by the wind and chop streams the bait out from the float a little (less tangles)

Doesnt need to be in deep waterand dont cast out too far the fish will be patrolling along the edge of the bank looking for food stirred up by the wave action

Its a lot more comfortable fishing the shore in the lee of the shore, (with the wind behind you with a bit of protection from the bank) but the fishing will be a lot better where the wind blows onto the shore.