Canberra

The going gets tough for locals

CANBERRA Toby Grundy

I can perfectly encapsulate the fishing action in Canberra over the last few weeks with one word, and that word is ‘slow’.

The heavy rain over the last few months has had a significant impact on the fishing here in the ACT, with many anglers ignoring the local waterways altogether and looking interstate to get their fishing fix. While I have fished locally in recent weeks and have caught a few fish, I have also been seeking angling opportunities further afield and have found plenty of pelagics down the South Coast. The wild weather on the coast has had a negative impact on the rivers but the fishing from the beach, the stones and out wide has been as good as it gets. I’ve It is possible to catch yellas down the river despite the flooding. The surface action on the coast has been fantastic.

Spinnerbaits are the go if you’re fishing the river.

been focusing my attention on the rocks and have caught plenty of salmon, trevally, tailor and the occasional small kingfish, all on surface, which has helped me forget about the lack of fishing action closer to home.

With the rain set to continue long into the summer months, cod season 2022/2023

in Canberra could be one of the toughest yet. I expect more and more local anglers to spend the majority of December and January driving the two hours to Batemans Bay and chasing saltwater species, as opposed to our bread and butter freshwater natives. LOCAL LAKES

Lake Burley Griffin is very hit-and-miss at the present time. I have fished the lake a few times over the past couple of weeks, and while I have caught plenty of small redfin along the rock wall behind the yacht club, I have yet to land a big golden perch. Usually, by

the end of November, social media is lighting up with anglers posting pics of 50cm+ golden perch from LBG but this year, that bumper end to spring just hasn’t eventuated. This is mostly due to the turbid water and fluctuating weather. That said, a few local anglers have landed medium-sized golden perch while fishing from kayaks at the entrance to the Molonglo River next to the hospice. This area is always worth a look at this time of year

as the natives push the bait into the shallows, and it is possible to entice a good fish by using a beetle-spin attached to a small paddle-tail soft plastic.

Yarralumla Bay is another good spot to cast a line if the weather is particularly nasty. The bay offers protection from the wind, and it is possible to catch golden perch by targeting the sunken reeds near the shoreline with wriggler-style soft plastics in natural colours. Lake Ginninderra has

often been my go-to fishery during November and December. This year, however, the lake just hasn’t produced the big numbers of yellas and reddies that I’m accustomed to seeing, and the cod are yet to come on the bite. Again, this waterway has been affected by heavy rain, and the weed issue still persists, which is putting a lot of anglers off.

It isn’t all doom and gloom though, as I have landed a couple of reddies and a few carp while slow rolling plastics along the rock walls opposite the mall. If (and it is a big IF) we get a week or two of clear skies, Lake Ginninderra could really fire up, and creature baits fished on ned rigs will produce plenty of big golden perch and Murray cod.

Lake Tuggeranong is a weird fishery. I often write about how frustrating this lake can be, and that there’s no real

pattern to bite. At the moment, the water is very discoloured and the oxygen levels on the lake continue to fluctuate dramatically. However, the unpredictable nature of the lake makes it an exciting place to fish. I have experienced some good fishing action here in recent weeks, but I have also had plenty of fishless sessions. My suggestion is to fish the lake on calm, overcast/ rainy days. The fish seem to be more interested in taking a lure during rain events, even when the water is dirty and high. Bright, flashy lures have worked best for me, with the Jackall TN70 in peacock getting the better bites.

At the time of writing, the Murrumbidgee River is in flood and will most likely be for some time. It is possible to catch smaller cod in the slower pools using spinnerbaits, but until the rain eases up, fishing the river will continue to be very tough. SURROUNDS

Googong Dam is at 100% capacity, which has made casting a lure from the bank very difficult. There is so much sunken foliage in close, and plenty of timber has been washed to the sides. This issue is so bad that some anglers have started wearing waders, and have been fishing in waist-high water in the hope of connecting with one of the giant cod which inhabit the dam.

Boat and kayak anglers have been faring much better, and there have been some superb captures at Googong of late. Local gun Ryan Milsted landed several massive golden perch to over 60cm during one eventful trip to the dam, and a few big reddies. The fish are on the bite and it is a case of casting lures like the Jackall TN60 which makes plenty of noise in the water and can draw fish in despite the water clarity.

The South Coast is the place to be at the moment.

The author with a good-sized salmon.