Lithgow/Oberon

Cool nights, warm fire

LITHGOW/OBERON Glen Stewart

stewie72@bigpond.com

If there’s anything better than a warm fire while camping on a cool autumn night, I’m yet to find it. ‘Bush TV’, as I like to call it, is even better with good company. Conversation just get a little stretched in the heat of a good yarn, but that’s par for the course, especially with a few brews under the belt. Laughter and a good ribbing will usually bring the storyteller back to reality! OBERON DAM

Frosts up high in the catchments drop surface water temperatures quickly. Oberon Dam is a case in point. Trout levels in Oberon Dam have encouraged weed growth in some areas, which also encourages trout to feed along its edges. Small soft plastic grubs and diving minnow style lures worked around these weed bed edges are a good choice, especially if the wind has activated the edge.

Fly fishing the same edges sub-surface with a mudeye (dragon fly larvae) imitation could also be worth a try.

Trout rising to the surface to feed in low-light conditions is also a very real possibility in Oberon Dam, especially as those surface layers begin to cool. GLORY DAYS

The streams around the Oberon district have seen a return somewhat to glory days. Two wet seasons and good restocking rates are having a very positive effect on the area. Most of the fish are small but it does bode well for the coming years, especially if the next drought is a year or so off.

It’s hard to go past an inline spinning bladed lure such as the old Celta or Mepps in the creeks I reckon. They are easy to cast accurately, they can be fished in a variety of depths and water flows, and the trout just love them.

Shallow-diving 5-7cm minnows are also well worth having in the kit. Trout are very cannibalistic at larger sizes, and think nothing of hammering smaller trout. THE NATIVES

ARE RESTLESS

Cooler nights are also a good thing when it comes to targeting our native fish. The drop in water temperatures brings these fish up higher in the water column, which makes it a little easier to target them consistently.

Deeper water will still hold more fish during higher light levels, but as those light levels drop, cod and golden

Hope to see you on the water soon. Until then, tight lines.

The trout in the area are in really good condition. This little brown was caught on a Bullet Lures Five-0 minnow. Not a big Murray cod, but a hungry one. Our natives are looking to put on condition for the winter months.

Light lines and leaders can change the odds in your favour if the fishing gets a little fickle at Windamere.

seems to flow when you’re relaxing around a campfire, with stories of the one that got away, and the ones you’ll catch tomorrow.

Yes, truth can sometimes can move quite quickly back into shallow margins, especially if the temperature drop is aligned with a level rise.

Consistent high-water perch will be moving into shallower water to feed.

Windamere has benefited recently with a good level rise, and this is great to see. It’s an encouraging sign for future years. Water over new ground encourages underwater ecosystems to flourish. In fact, in Windamere it can be a little to its detriment when it comes to nutrient levels; too much of a good thing can trigger algae blooms.

Edge bites on golden perch during autumn can be a little fickle. That said, sounder technology has come a long way, and making a call on where to start usually begins with a scan of the area. Narrowing down the percentages is game changing. However, seeing the fish and catching them are two very different things, especially in hard-pressured water. A stealthy approach is key, and lighter lines and leaders will give you longer casts, giving you a noise buffer between you and the fish. Sometimes this is all it takes to convert the odds.

From page 74 lean and weak to fat and strong. Even small bass are fighting hard and making a mockery of light tackle.

These gudgeonengorged bass can be difficult to catch. They are definitely not hungry, and I have found it necessary to elicit a reaction response to catch fish consistently. Lipless crankbaits worked at a steady rate have been producing the best results. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits have also been working in the same manner.

Work the lures from the shallow water into the deep. If you notice fish hanging deeper, just let your lure sink to the required depth and work it through the school. A steady retrieve has been working best. The fish need to see the lure and hit the lure without thinking, i.e. a reaction response.

Fishing soft plastics slowly to mimic a gudgeon or wounded baitfish has been catching a few fish, but it’s not catching fish consistently. I think the bass have too much food! The gudgeon schools are everywhere. I am hoping that over winter the plastics bite will take off, as the fishing will be sensational.

With the inflow of water the carp have bred, so be prepared to catch lots of carp. These fish have been hitting all lure types, from surface poppers to lipless crankbaits to swimbaits! They are also big and fat, and will demolish light gear. Please remember that carp are not wanted in our waterways, so you should remove all that

The author with a carp caught on a swimbait.

you catch.

With the school fish sitting in 15-25ft of water, bait has been very effective with shrimp and yabbies being the pick. Remember to keep moving until the fish are found, and if the bite stops then change location.

The consistent rain has kept the trout in the Barrington Tops active and healthy. The fishing is still sensational, with trout being caught on Celta-type spinners and fly. As the season nears to a close, the trout will get a rest from the constant pressure and will be able to grow and spawn. I am looking forward to next season when they will be bigger and stronger. The growth of the trout shows how healthy the waterways are in the Barrington; we just need consistent rain.

Next month I will start looking at winter fishing, in particular plastics and jerkbaits. My prediction is for a fantastic winter bite. Remember, if you’re heading to Glenbawn or St Clair, please drop into the shop at the turnoff to Glenbawn in Aberdeen and ask about the different techniques and what they are biting on. We stock all the quality tackle that you need.