Blowering Dam 29-9-2010

Headed off to Blowering yesterday morning to spend some quality time with my brother in-law, Andrew. This was my second time visiting Blowering in the last two weeks, however this time I wasn't taking my yak. Andrew owns a beautifully set up Quintrex Hornet 435 with a 50hp Yamaha, all the bells and whistles you could think of, it is by far the most comfortable fishing platform I have fished from. Only recently had Andrew upgraded his electric motor to an I-pilot, so I was very keen to see if these I-pilots were as good as people say they are.

Andrew and his two sons (My Nephews), Hunter and Angus

We arrived at the Dam and had intentions of spending the day casting in the shallow margins of grassy bays in the hope of snagging a Golden Perch or two. But due to the rising water it was only possible to launch at "Log Bridge'. This was because each of the other launch sites were either extremely shallow or covered in a forest of trees.

The snake!

We finally got on the water at 10.30am, with the changed plan of fishing until dark and spending the last 2-3hours of light on the flats. First up we headed up Log Bridge Creek, set up the electric and started casting some spinnerbaits to some nice snaggy/rocky water in the hope of snaring a Golden. On our way we came across a very keen Brown snake which was having a swim, we took a photo and left him to enjoy his swim. Water visibility was about 4-6m, very clear. I made a cast next to a couple of standing dead trees which had some bushes down the bottom that I could just make out. As I was bringing the spinner bait back, a massive shadow started to follow it, as it got closer we saw it was a huge Murray Cod.  He followed the lure to within 3m of the boat and then took off...frustrating but also exciting, we both estimated it to be 80-90cm and bloody fat!!! Now I know it is closed season on Murray Cod, but I would like to see someone show the restraint needed to not make another 100casts in the same area. We didn't see the big fella again, but I think I know where he hides..... and I will be back!

The wind had really started to pick up now so we went in search of some shelter and eventually found some in a little grassy bay just back around from Log Bridge, we cast to this area with a lipless crankbait and spinnerbait for nothing. Then the wind really started to pick, I mean really pick up!!!!!! So we headed in to shore to have some lunch. We were hoping the wind would die down but it didn't.... Instead it only got worse, so strong we had to tie up, but even then it was difficult to make good casts. So we gave it until 4.45pm and finally called it a day. It was a reasonably disappointing day, with the highlight being that big Murray Cod. I will definitely head back there within the next month in search of some good Golden Perch.

I'm off to Eucumbene next Tuesday for 3 nights, I have had great sessions catching cricket scores of rainbows at Eucumbene, but I am really going to focus my efforts on catching a nice brown next week. Hopefully I can snag a good one.

Weather

• 15*C
• 1017
• Very strong winds
• Patchy Cloud
• Water temp 15*C

Results

• 0

Wyangala Dam 26-9-2010

Fished Wyangala Dam near Cowra yesterday. My In-laws own a property just north of Cowra and seeing as though I was on school holidays I thought I would try my luck. First time I had fished this place for a couple of years, I wasn't to sure what to expect. Last time I visited the dam it was at only 8%, over the past few months it has managed to climb up to 40%. The locals reported that there had been a lot of Golden Perch and Silver Perch being caught on bait not far from the bank, obviously coming up to feed in the freshly covered ground. When I arrived I realised that the dam was very dirty, this probably was the reason for the lack of fish caught on lures. I fished on anyway and within 20mins I picked up a 50cm Murray Cod trolling along a moderately steep bank in 4m of water. I caught it on an Oar-gee Pee Wee in a Murray Cod pattern, I am always impressed with how hard cod hit lures. 



Wyangala Murray Cod



It was a beautiful morning for fishing and I found a nice little bay which I thought was worth a cast or two and seen as though there was little wind I stayed in the yak and cast back towards shore. After what seemed like decades of casting a gold and red lipless crank bait around I managed to hook up on a good Golden Perch, I lost this fella at the boat which was disappointing, as I think he might of been a new PB. After lunch I spent a good 1.5hrs casting in another little bay for no result. Headed back to the farm at about 3pm, reasonably satisfied.

One thing that is worth noting is that originally I didn't use rod leashes in the yak, however over my last two trips I have started using them and whilst fighting the little cod I caught I got blown into a tree in about 4m of water and somehow my rod that was in the upright holder got caught on the tree and fell out into the water, needless to say I shat myself at first, only to be relieved when I remembered it was attached to the yak. I will always use rod leashes from now on!!!!!

Weather:

• 22*C
• 1015
• Sunny
• Slight wind

Results:

• Murray Cod @ 50cm Oar-Gee 'Pee Wee' (Murray Cod pattern)

About me

My name is Scott McAuliffe I come from Wagga Wagga, NSW and have decided to create a blog that follows and documents my fishing adventures.

Rainbow Trout from Talbingo Dam (Sioux City)

I started fishing when I was very young when my old man would take me chasing Trout in the Tumbarumba region of the Snowy Mountains and you could say that I have had the fishing 'bug' ever since. However, over the last four years I have really started to fish the Wagga and Snowy Mountain regions extensivly.
I have a soft spot for Trout fishing but I also love fishing for Natives, with 99% of my fishing being with lures, with the occosional use of bait. There is just something very special about hooking a fish while casting a lure.

My Hobie Outback

I own a Hobie Outback, which I bought at the start of 2010 and use it extensivly in a local waterway called 'Old Man Creek' but it also accompanies me on most of my trips to impoundments.Most of my impoundment fishing is at Blowering Dam, Talbingo Dam, Lake Eucumbene, Mannus Lake or Bethungra Dam, with Eucumbene veing my favourite, mainly due to the fact that I have rarely had a bad day there.

I do my fair share of trolling in the Hobie, but my absolutre favourite type of fishing is lurecasting from the bank, whether it be for natives or Trout, the rush you get when that strike happens is awesome.
90% of my fishing is done with a good mate from work, Kancky. We get out probably every second weekend, maybe more often in spring/summer, much to the dissapointment of our better-halves.

Kancky with a nice Golden Perch

I plan on using this blog as a way of keeping a diary of my fishing events to hopefully find some corelations between, time of day, weather patterns, air pressure and good fishing.

Cheers,

Scottie

Personal Bests:

• Rainbow Trout: 53cm - Eucumebene, Buckenderra. (Nilsmaster Invincible)
• Brown Trout: 58cm - Talbingo Dam (Custom Crafted Teeny Extractor)
• Murray Cod: 72cm - Old Man Creek (70ml AC Invader)
• Yellow Belly: 44cm - Burrinjuck Dam, Woolgarlo. (Lipless crank bait)
• Redfin: 45cm - Bethungra Dam (3" Pumpkinseed softplastic)
• Carp: Don't know.

Gear I Use

• Pflueger Trion 6'4" 2-4kg Baitcast rod + Daiwa Zillion (Crazy Cranker), 30pd Power Pro Braid
• Pflueger Trion 6' 4-8kg Baitcast rod + Abu Revo PRM, 30pd Power Pro Braid
• Pflueger Trion 6'6" 2-4kg Spin rod + Pflueger Supreme 1030, 5pd Sensei Braid
• Pfluger Trion Tournament 7'2" 2-5kg Spin Rod + Daiwa SOL 2000, 8pd Power Pro Braid