{"id":194587,"date":"2017-11-06T10:56:41","date_gmt":"2017-11-06T00:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=194587"},"modified":"2020-08-11T13:36:42","modified_gmt":"2020-08-11T03:36:42","slug":"spring-heat-brings-out-the-big-fish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/11\/06\/spring-heat-brings-out-the-big-fish\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring Heat Brings Out The Big Fish"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Mick Johnson with a cracker from the deep suspended fish around the dam wall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

November 6, 2017<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

by Matthew Langford<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a good feeling to know that summer is finally on its way. The water temperatures in both dams are rising considerably during the day, which makes for some pretty intense fishing at times.<\/p>\n

This time of year is up there with my favourite times to fish for Australian Bass and Yellowbelly in our impoundments because they can be caught thick and fast as the bigger Bass and Yellowbelly become vulnerable.<\/p>\n

Our native fish like to suspend in the deeper water when the water warms and this opens up a variety of techniques, including trolling, as a great way to catch some big fish during these hotter months.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Boondooma<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The flavour of the month this month is Bass, and big ones at that, but it does pay to move around a bit in search of the right spot.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Productive areas recently have been mainly the dam wall, the drop off from the shallower flats and the spindly timber in the Stuart and the Boyne arms of the dam. Sound around the flats in search of the schools and cast \u00bd ounce rigged soft plastics, 12 20 gram spoons, tail spinners and blades.<\/p>\n

The timber is the place I would head to first as the fish hit hard and it\u2019s a real challenge to get them out with your gear still in one piece.<\/p>\n

For this type of fishing I always use a stiff spin rod with some guts, a 2500 size spin reel for extra torque, spooled with 12 pound braid and 14 to 20 pound leader.<\/p>\n

This may sound heavy but just imagine a 50cm Bass hitting your lure as it\u2019s rolled between two big clumps of spindly timber, it really counts for some exciting fishing.<\/p>\n

The lure of choice for this type of fishing is definitely a spinnerbait, or a lipless crankbait. I like to throw a Bassman Compact in 3\/8 or 5\/8 ounce.<\/p>\n

Once you have a combo similar to the above mentioned, head up the arms of the dam and cast in as close to the spindly trees as you can, let the lure sink for 3 to 5 seconds and start a slow roll. Make sure the drag is done up solid so they can\u2019t get you in the timber without a hard fight.<\/p>\n

Once the bite comes give him everything you\u2019ve got to get the fish away from any structure otherwise the fight will be short and you\u2019ll be left wondering what happened.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A big healthy Bass from the suspended fish in deep water … keeping the lure in the zone is the key to take fish like this<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If the timber isn\u2019t producing, the next place I\u2019ll look is the deep water off any prominent points or parallel to any steep rock walls.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll use my sounder to sound the fish sitting in that optimal depth, which is generally 20ft in the thermocline.<\/p>\n

When I\u2019m happy that I’ve found a good concentration of fish, I will pull up and begin casting 3\u201d to 4\u201d soft plastics rigged with a \u00bd ounce or 5\/8 ounce head. With a big long cast over the areas that I found the fish, I will let the jig head sink 7 to 10 seconds and begin a slow retrieve back to the boat with a couple of twitches mixed in.<\/p>\n

The same can be done with a 12 gram norries spoon. Continue this technique until you start to feel a few taps on the plastic or spoon. When you feel a tap, it’s important to keep that slow wind going until you feel weight on the line. Slowly lift the rod tip until you feel the weight of the fish. At this point the fish will know its hooked and make some great runs back down into the deeper water. Keep your drag fairly loose so that the hook doesn\u2019t pull on the way back to the boat.<\/p>\n

Trollers have been starting to pick up some nice Golden Perch and Bass trolling up in the arms of the dam as well as the main lake points and edges using deep diving hard bodies.<\/p>\n

Bait fisherman have been bringing in consistent catches of Yellowbelly, Bass and Eeltail catfish fishing in the timbered arms. Best baits have been live shrimps, saltwater yabbies and worms jigged off the bottom.<\/p>\n

Red claw have just started to pick up a bit with the consistent warm weather around the rocky edges.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Lake Barambah<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The fishing at Barambah has been spectacular with lots of fish being caught on everything … casting lures, jigging a bait and trolling.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The key, however, is moving around to find the fish. The fish this month have been moving around considerably. I\u2019ve found that the fish will be on one flat or bank one day then the next day they have moved a few hundred metres.<\/p>\n

This is not uncommon during the warmer months because the fish are active and purely moving around the dam with the bait they are feeding on.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Brady Ellis with a nice Yellowbelly from the edge at BP Dam<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I always love fishing BP and I always like to go and start on the banks in the morning.<\/p>\n

I commonly cast lipless cranks or spinnerbaits to get an early reaction bite. I’ll fish the banks that are generally fairly steep with a bit of rock or structure.<\/p>\n

Another thing to keep an eye on is the sounder whilst you\u2019re fishing a bank. It pays to make sure that there is bait or fish sporadically coming through. This obviously increases the chances of fish being caught on the bank that you\u2019re targeting. Later in the day when the sun starts to get high I move out to the flats and commonly target areas in the 15 to 20 foot range.<\/p>\n

The fish seem to really relate well to this depth in BP and it pays to visit multiple areas like this until you find a good school. Another thing to note that in summer time in BP the fish like to sit high in the thermocline (or comfortable water).<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re on the water and this is the case, slow roll any smaller bait like a blade, through these suspended fish. In this situation it\u2019s not uncommon to have a great session when the fish are sitting high in the water column.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Dean Thompson with a couple of very nice fish caught from the deeper flats of BP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trollers are having the same luck by trolling the edges of the dam and out in the 15 to 20 foot range with deep diving hard bodies. Most trollers won\u2019t have to go far before hooking up with a fish or two.<\/p>\n

For those using bait, the fish are coming from most locations close to the bank using live shrimp, salt water yabbies and worms fished hard on the bottom.<\/p>\n

Red claw are also on the comeback as the water warms considerably.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Park News<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Make sure you book your camp site for the 2018 Boondooma Dam Yellowbelly fishing comp being held on\u00a0 February 10-11. $20 entry for adults and $5 for juniors (16 years and under).<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are live and dead weight divisions with prizes for Bass, Yellowbelly, Silver and Spangled perch. There are thousands of dollars\u2019 worth of prizes up for grabs, with food and drinks available at the event. It\u2019s one comp you don\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n

Call Lake Boondooma kiosk to make a camp site booking on (07) 4168-9694.<\/p>\n

Finally also don\u2019t forget that this year\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve party at Lake Boondooma is shaping up to be the biggest and best we\u2019ve seen, so write that down in your calendar and book a site for this year\u2019s fireworks spectacular.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like to keep in regular contact with what\u2019s happening on the dams don\u2019t forget to like the Yallakool and Boondooma dams Facebook page.<\/p>\n

Until next time, tight lines and bent rods!<\/em><\/p>\n

[Photos: Matthew Langford]<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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