Tom joining us for some river bass’n today. Plenty of fish taking a liking to the Hideup lures which are fast becoming our favourite crank baits for these river bass.
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My Fishing Place
Channel 7’s My Fishing Place visited New England last week and Harry was more than happy to guide them around. Harry spent 3 days with the cast and crew showing them the best fishing in the area.
Day 1 Bracey from Bush2Beach Adventures smashed his personal best by landing a 102cm wild river Murray Cod! To say he was stoked is an understatement. “I’ve been chasing this moment for 25 years and finally caught a fish of a lifetime!” Bracey said. You can read Braceys article on the capture here https://tackletactics.com.au/Tips-Techniques/Sweetwater-Impoundments-Brackish/New-England-Murray-Cod
That day a number of other cod were landed by the crew and a few golden perch too. Day 2 the weather changed and the boys struggled to put fish in the landing net with only a few cod tallied.
Day 3 a change in location put the boys back onto the fish. Several cod were encountered throughout the day all between 60 and 82cm. A few unstopables were lost to the snags. Harry reported that it’s great to see after all the flooding rain, the fish are looking fat and healthy and fish numbers are in abundance.
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Raining Fish
Anthony and Anton from Melbourne fishing with us this week. Despite the turbid water and the persistent rain, the boys tangled with a number of solid brutes out on the lake. In winter the bass tend to congregate in certain areas of the lake. The trick was to first locate these schooling fish with the sounder. We got the best results from schooled up bass that also had plenty of baitfish nearby.
We chose lures with a bit of vibration and worked them very slowly so that the bass had the chance to locate our offerings in the dirty water. It worked a treat! Was so good to see such fat healthy fish after all the flooding rain. It was truly a pleasure to help the lads tick Aussie Bass off their bucket lists. Very nicely done gents!
White Gold at Clarrie
Interesting how fish often adopt the colour of their environment to blend in with their surroundings. Since the floods Clarrie’s water has turned a pale coffee colour and the bass have gone from gold/silver to milky white! The good news is that the bass are as fat, feisty and fit as ever.
This guy was sight fished using the Livescope. This type of ‘virtual sight fishing’ is the best way to catch bass this time of year. After spotting a cruising fish in perspective mode, you simply estimate the distance and direction of the fish. Watching a fish turn and pounce on a lure on the screen and then have your rod buckle over is next level fun!
Tenterfield Creek to Coast
Harry showing the Creek to Coast crew some New England goodoo.
Wading Back to My Roots
Catching my first trout some 40 years ago sparked a life long passion for fishing in me. So it was great to head back to my roots with a trip to trout country. Spending the weekend catching up with family at Lake Eucumbene, my Grandfathers favourite fly fishing destination, was the obvious choice.
Out on the lake we angled from grandads old tinnie that he bought back in the 1950s! Although he left us some years ago, we felt his presence there and his legacy that we inherited.
We fished with his tackle and his clothes kept us warm. Im sure he was watching down on me when I landed a 3 1/2lb brown on a Hamills Killer that he tied probably 40 years ago. That night we smoked trout, drank 30 year old port and told tall tales by the fire. What a fantastic weekend. The first of our annual pilgrimage me thinks.
Richmond River Bass
Today we found fish gorging themselves in a number of drains in preparation for their spawning run. It appears that all the heavy rain and flood events have been beneficial to the fish, more than a dozen fat pre spawners were landed.
June, July, August our Aussie Bass get busy making baby Bass, so we seized the opportunity to fish the river one last time before the seasons ends.
Over the coming winter months we will turn our focus to the lakes where Bass can often be found schooling up good numbers.
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Trip to New England
Not only did Greg tick Murray Cod off his bucket list today 
but he caught them all off the top on @mammoth_custom_lures. Such a privilege guiding folks onto these very special fish 
but he caught them all off the top on @mammoth_custom_lures. Such a privilege guiding folks onto these very special fish .
@fishnsw #fishnsw #destinationnsw #JourneyYourWay #tenterfield #murraycod #surfacefishing #northernriverssportfishing #shimanofishing #freshwaterfishing
Flood Events Feb & March 2022
Our favorite freshwater fishing locations in the Northern Rivers are still recovering after the recent record breaking floods. Phenomenal amounts of rain fell in the region causing severe flooding in February and then again a month later. Communities were forced into survival mode as rivers swelled and inundated streets, towns and homes. Whole villages like Uki and Murwillumbah went under water and the cleanup is still underway. The tackle store I work in Lismore the water level was 2m+ over the ceiling!
Whilst the roads are now open to travel to the Tweed River and Clarrie Hall Dam, landslides, potholes and huge missing bits of road are constant obstacles along route. Clarrie Hall boat ramp is buried under thick mud and is presently unusable. The lake is the colour of puddle water, as is the river. The kayak/canoe launching facility in the river has been destroyed by the torrent and washed away. Large sedimentary deposits and debris litter the banks.
On the positive side, these type of flood events can benefit river systems and fishing in the long term. Big flushes like this remove a build up of noxious weeds in the lakes and rivers. When the water in Clarrie Hall clears, the Cobomba weed would have died back considerably. The Bass will be more exposed and therefore easier for the angler to locate and present a lure or fly to.
Similarly, the river will be flushed of weeds, algae and stagnant water. There will be plenty of new snags to investigate that should be loaded with hungry fish! It may be another month or so before the water clears and the fishing improves. So stay tuned for some great Bass fishing in the Northern Rivers once again!
