Rob Paxevanos and family enjoying some kayak fishing on the NSW south coast.

CONJOLA

I spent a few days fishing in the lower reaches of Lake Conjola last week and was pleasantly surprised with quality and quantity of estuary fishing on offer at the moment.

First up the kids and I burlied up some yellow eye mullet in the shallows.  The slight current was perfect for dispersing the readily available pre mixed burley mixture and before long massive numbers of big mullet were following the scent right up to out feet.   Other species like bream and flathead were also in the trail but it was the mullet we were after on this occasion.

A float one meter above a pea sized ball of bread on a size 8 long shank hook soon produced a dozen fresh mullet for the BBQ.  Mullet have a few bones in them but apart from that they are as good a table fish as any estuary species when caught from such clear water-YUM! 

If you haven’t tried this type of fishing before it does work in most south coast estuaries and is practically guaranteed in places like Conjola.

The big tip is to use fresh bread for bait, it stays on better, use light gauge chemically sharpened hooks and keep the bait moving slowly so that the line is tight when the mullet mouth it. 

This fishing normally takes place in knee deep water and most of the time you can see the fish biting so your fishing skills will grow in leaps and bounds.   Add to that the fact that the kids are fully entertained when they can see what they are trying to hook and you have a recipe for a great summers outing for all ages.

A sneaky little trick that Kayak anglers might like to employ is a little cross current berley. This involves releasing a steady tricky of burley from your hand as you cross the channel. By the time you reach the other side you will have covered a lot more mullet and will also have the school to yourself, particularly if you stop in a no boating zone where the bigger boats can’t go!

I also got to try out Hobies Rod Tube extension holders. These kept my reels high and dry and saved me a lot of time washing salt of them later in the day. Worth their weight in gold.

I then took a snorkel from the Lake Side Van Park to the drop off and spotted more species including luderick, garfish, small prawns and some XL flathead.  What impressed me most though was the number of sand whiting in the system at the moment. 

Anywhere with sand flats had whiting and I saw hundreds of them of all sizes including some which were so big I had to look at them twice to confirm they were whiting!

We caught half a dozen on storm hopper poppers which believe it or not is considered slow; sometimes cricket score numbers are possible when they are aggressive on the poppers.  The whiting were on the chew at 7 am when we started, but soon slowed up when the sun came up.

I would’ve liked to have been fishing at 5:30 am, this is when the waterways are coolest and quietest and the smarter fish like whiting are less likely to be line shy or lethargic.   Mullet are the exception; they bite almost anytime at this time of year which is great if you are planning your fishing around your families day which typically doesn’t start at 5:30 am!

The whiting hanging on the bottom in 6 to 8 feet of water will bite during the day but need some solid bloops from poppers around the 7 cm mark to get their interest. If they come up they are ready to bite so it’s up to you from here. A more flickering retrieve will ‘usually’ turn a looker into taker, so long as you don’t pause which ‘usually’ puts the whiting off the chew.

The typically calm waters of Conjola are a good place to practice standing up in your Hobie. I was able to do this for hours while my mate in the front of my Outfitter paddled (gently…). We took it in turns standing up as it is easier to bloop a popper for extended periods when your higher off the water. Some hobie side kicks might be very handy if you plan to do lots of poppering.

BASS FISHING BONZA

The Far South Coast Bass Stocking Association are holding a canoe and kayak bass fishing comp at Brogo Dam on the 21st and 22nd of February with proceeds going to the stocking of the dam.

There will also be a few hobie kayaks on display so if you want to check out the amazing foot powered mirage drive system it is a good chance to do so.

Brogo Dam is a scenic pristine and extremely well stocked waterway that offers up some of the very best bass fishing in the country.  The event offers everyone from complete newcomers to experienced bass anglers the chance to learn from each other and most of all will be lots of fun.  For more information contact Darren Redman at darren@bermifishinghut.com.au

SNOWIES

Up at Lake Jindabyne Steve Williamson reports that the fishing is all about beating the heat.  Fly lure and bait anglers are doing best very early and late in the day and at night. 

Trollers have done well during the middle of the day but are trolling their lines way down around the 35 feet deep mark where the water is much cooler. 

A small handful of Kayakers have been enjoying the warmer summer temperatures but always check the forecast as extremes of temp are common at this time of year and more importantly winds can change quickly.  Know what is expected and plan accordingly.

With safety matters taken care of you can relax and enjoy trout fishing, clever yakers that are onto this have lots of good fishing to themselves at the moment.

Rob Paxevanos