Anglers at Googong are enjoying some of the best redfin fishing seen for years, with specimens over two kilograms reported on bait, fly and lure this week.
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Anglers walking the shore found numerous schools of fish in the shallows, commonly herding groups of small baitfish into weed beds. Most fish were small, but occasional groups of larger fish provided good fun on fly, lure and bait.
Boat anglers had more luck. One angler drifting with scrub worms in deep water landed two fish over two kilos and numerous more only slightly smaller. Bobbing with bibless minnows also yielded some large specimens.
Jason Naumann was one of several anglers who did well, landing a big bag of the larger fish on lures. Redfin are regarded as the best eating fish in the region.
Bashing the bass at Brogo
The annual Brogo Bass Bash at Brogo Reservoir got off to a great start last Saturday with fine weather and 87 of Australia's best bass fishers vying for the largest fish.
Some excellent fish to 38 centimetres were caught on fly and lure on the first day, before the weather turned on the second. Heavy rain forced the cancellation on Sunday.
The Bash began in 1994 to raise funds for stocking of the reservoir by the Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association and this year's event raised another $3700, which will be matched by NSW Fisheries.
Burley Griffin bass out of water
Local angler Greg Collins was surprised while fishing for redfin in Lake Burley Griffin to catch a healthy 30-centimetre bass, the second one caught in the lake in recent months.
The fish was in excellent condition and was caught on a Squidgy lure near the rowing course floating pontoon near Black Mountain. He also caught 11 good-sized redfin.
Bass have never been stocked in the lake by the ACT government and it is assumed the fish was stocked illegally by a private individual. Bass reside naturally in coastal streams such as the Shoalhaven, Clyde and Moruya rivers and move from fresh water to salt or brackish water to breed. They are unable to breed in waters such as Lake Burley Griffin.
Large lakes worth a spin
Fishing is still improving in Eucumbene and Jindabyne. The small rainbows from the 2013 stocking are growing rapidly and providing good fun on bait, fly and lure. Most have been taken on Power Bait but some have been caught on Celta and Imp spoon.
Larger fish, mostly browns, have been taken on fly, mainly on brown nymph and Woolly Bugger during the main part of the day and midge balls late in the afternoon.
Trollers have done best of all, with some nice browns and rainbows on Tasmanian Devil and small Rapala and Strike Pro minnows.
Salad days at Burrinjuck
Fishing has been good at Burrinjuck, with Murray cod of 105 and 115 centimetres as well as numerous smaller specimens caught and released and plenty of golden perch taken on bait and lure. Fish have been reported from all sections of the reservoir, but especially from deeper rocky areas and flooded trees.
Spinnerbaits and ultra-large deep divers have been the best lures for cod although several were taken on Burrinjuck Specials and on-surface lures.
Local shrimps, with scrub worms and yabbies, have been the top bait for golden perch, fish taken during day and night. Lure fishers have taken bags of up to 20 golden perch in a single session and most have been released immediately after capture. The two best lures have been Jackals and Stuckeys Burrinjuck Specials, but a few fish were taken also on Kokoda and other bibless minnows.
