NSW Northern Rivers

[LuckyFil]

Just back from a few weeks up north. It wasn't specifically a fishing trip as I had a niece's wedding to attend west of Brunswick (near Uki) then a visit to a mate who recently moved to Kingscliff then a family member who recently moved to Ocean Shores (near Brunswick Heads). But amongst all of that I managed a few fish related outings, mainly near Brunswick. I had a couple of goes spinning the break wall at Kingscliff for no joy although one fellow near me scored a good tailor at 50cm and I heard the luderick are now on the chew there . 

Everywhere is still recovering from the floods and all the rivers are still running brown since the floods.

I managed a couple of bream off the beach at Brunswick but the tailor were largely absent apart from one good one I saw landed off the southern breakwall. I saw a couple of nice luderick landed off the breakwall there as well. I enquired about jewies with every fisho I met and they were surprised how few were being caught since the floods , one theory was all the bait fish have been pushed so far out of the rivers the jews were maybe on the beaches.

I ventured out to Clarrie Hall Dam just west of Uki one day for a go at the bass. I was hoping it would have cleared after three weeks but it was still quite murky with limited visibility. It's a smaller dam than Glenbawn or St Clair and with woody hills on some sides it is quite picturesque and I believe is usually crystal clear water and a very pleasant place for a paddle - no power boats allowed apart from electric.

I was prospecting the edges around weedbeds and lily pad areas with a spinnerbait . Given the dirty water I wasn't expecting much which was just as well as the first hour wa s without a t ouch. I was retrieving the lure looking around for where next to throw it when the water exploded next to the kayak and line started peeling off my reel. This caused a single loud expletive from yours truly and came close to causing an out of body experience. Long story short it was caused by a very cranky bass which I eventually coaxed into the net . It was very fat and measured spot on 42cm. Hard to get a decent pic sitting in kayak but here's couple of attempts. Nothing more apart from one tentative hit that didn't connect.

Cheers

Fil 

[masterfisho7]

Man love your report and photos great stuff 

[Pickles]

Brilliant work Fil, a 42 cm Bass is a really good fish, well done

[Little_Flatty]

That's a stonker bass @LuckyFil. Memorable catch for sure.

[Yowie]

A solid bass. The smaller ones fight hard, so I imagine this one was stubborn and worth all the effort.

[bessell1955]

Great Bass,

[big Neil]

Not an overwhelmingly large number of fish on your venture up North Fil, but that Bass makes up for it. You'll always remember being scared witless by the sudden, unexpected attack on your spinnerbait. Hopefully things will settle down a bit in the near future and everyone will find the fishing more enjoyable. Great photos too. bn

[Isaac Ct]

Great report mate, fantastic Bass as well. 

Great stuff.

[LuckyFil]

2 hours ago, big Neil said:

Not an overwhelmingly large number of fish on your venture up North Fil, but that Bass makes up for it. You'll always remember being scared witless by the sudden, unexpected attack on your spinnerbait. Hopefully things will settle down a bit in the near future and everyone will find the fishing more enjoyable. Great photos too. bn

Spot on with those comments Neil. That one good fish is how I remember the trip, not all the fishless days, and yes I'll remember that surface hit for years to come!

[Rebel]

Top report and Super photos.

Well done.

[Pepin]

Has anyone ever spotted a carp in Clarrie hall dam?