Blue Mountains

[Matt]

Howdy all, been a long time since I popped up a report!

With the fishing being so good up at the Blue Mountains lake I joined the 2 Andrews (Ko-i and Swoffa) for a day up there starting at Thompsons Creek Dam. For a change the weather was rather pathetic (insert sarcasm here) with a heavy mist and a occasional rain showers making it a rather unfomfortable day but it was never enough to make us run for cover.

The Dam Wall was the first spot chosen and various metal lures were first choice, mainly for their ability to sink down to the depths. I had a decent Rainbow follow my maniac in and Swoff had a hit on an Ecogear VT before the other Andrew came up tight to a very solid fish that slugged it out deep:

We didnt take a measure or weight but at a guess it looked about 50-55cm and being so fat may have given 1.5 - 2kg a nudge.

No more fish were forth coming from the wall so off to the shore line which has been producing fish for the Andrews lately and where I have been getting a lot of fish over the last few months. But it was slow going and we were doing it tough, Ko-i even got out his Fly Rod! Eventually I scored a smallish Rainbow of about 35cm on the ever reliable Rapala Minnow Spin. Swoff has the photo on his camera.

We worked our way to the quarry, Swoff lost a decent fish on a Squidgie and we had a couple of follows but it was obvious last weeks "Trout Frenzy" had slowed and it was now back to what I consider traditional Trouting, lots of casts and work for a few fish!

The Andrew decided it was time to head off and try one of the other Blue Mountains Lakes, Wentworth Falls, whilst I decided to persist at Thommos for another hour or so before trying Wallace. In that hour, whilst the Andrews were still within site, I scored a healthy 900g Rainbow that nailed a Berkley Frenzy. This one had a date with a smoker and I was pleasantly surprised to see he had bright red flesh, a rarity in Thommo's Trout!:

After this chappy I ventured over to Wallace but to tell you the truth I was somewhat disappointed. I felt like I was fishing a farm dam or something and the best looking area, the Dam Wall, was fenced off by Delta Corp. But I did get a medium sized Brown follow the Frenzy to my feet, encouraging. I gave up after about 45 minutes and bashed my way home through driving rain.

Hopefully the 2 Andrews will report in soon on how Wentworth fished.

Cheers

Windy

[ankles]

love them trout pics there matt well done

[Matt]

How was the weather down there Swoff? When I went past Wentworth on the way home it was driving rain!

I think Wallace may be worth another shot but perhaps over the other side of the Lake. Like I mentioned the Dam Wall looked very good but Delta Corp have it gated off I pulled out an old article in Freshwater Fishing about Wallace (Alex Hickson) and from the photo's and map I can see they were fishing the easy to get to spots I fished, it just looks rather uninspiring. Persistance is the key, maybe another Thommo's morning and then Wallace next week.

Cheers

Windy

[mottyman]

Hi Guys,

How fat is that fish in the first Pic Cool report!

Very interested to hear you picked up a fish on a Berley Frenzy. I picked some minnows up the other day and am keener than ever to give them a run now.

Are they are good fish producer for you guys or just something you have handy and bring out now and then??

Cheers,

[Matt]

Very interested to hear you picked up a fish on a Berley Frenzy. I picked some minnows up the other day and am keener than ever to give them a run now.

Are they are good fish producer for you guys or just something you have handy and bring out now and then??

Cheers,

55469[/snapback]

I have been using them for quite a while now, mainly up at the Snowy Lakes but they have also been scoring some awesome fish in the Blue Mountains. Because they are a shallow runner you can work them over the top of weedbeds without the need to highstick the rod. Here is a Brown that took a Rainbow Trout Pattern Frenzy at Thommo's:

Cheers

Windy

[Narralakes]

Some fat and healthy looking trout there guys, good going.

[mottyman]

Thanks for the info Matt...

Rippa brown too!!

[troutboy]

hey guys in my limited experience wentworth falls lake doesnt fish particularly well in rainy /windy weather, but if you are fishing as the weather change is approaching the fish really come out to play. Last weekend i was fishing the weedbeds on the northern side of the lake and was only getting the occasional follow from smallish 30 cm or so fish, but as the storm front approached several very large fish were spotted very close to shore cruising along rather deliberate paths on the hunt for food.i tied on a 7cm floating rapala in gold and had several of these large fish follow the lure right to the bank but they refused to strike.Unfortunately i didnt have any plastics with me as i feel this would have been just the ticket to catch some of these larger fish.Hope to catch up with a few of you for a fish there sometime soon !

[clutch]

So thats the other name Johnny Wilkinson goes by.........Ko-i

He must have shot over there for a quick swoff between tests

Edited June 30, 2005 by clutch

[ko-i]

So thats the other name Johnny Wilkinson goes by.........Ko-i  

He must have shot over there for a quick swoff between tests

55695[/snapback]

The team just decided it was time for me to have a break between games.

Wilko.

[ko-i]

Another wet and wild day in the mountains, thoroughly enjoyable once again.

I wish the fish decided to play ball (not a word clutch), but that’s fishing. I think Wentworth falls needs a fair bit of time to suss out. It comes across as a hard fishery.

Cheers Matt and Swoff for another pleasant day on the water.

Andrew.

[Aero]

Good fishing guys,

Im wayy to jealous to compliment the quality of the fish

Chris

[Guest hottuna]

Good fishing guys,

  Im wayy to jealous to compliment the quality of the fish 

Chris

55838[/snapback]

Me too, looking to head up the mountains this tuesday on my day off.

Dan

[covanova]

I went to Wentworth Falls lake for a few casts on Sunday. Nice day, but no fish! It's a long drive from the northern beaches, so I think I'll wait till I can go with a bit more knowlege... I cast a rapala and a celta-style spinner all along the wall with no luck. Was it the wrong part of the lake? Too sunny?

It's nice and accessible, with a nice picnic ground. Good day to spend the day though, so all is not lost.

[Mick]

The wall used to be the gun location with big schools cruising up and down but the low water levels have changed things considerably. The most productive areas are now the banks and if there is a wind pushing on to the bank all the better. 5-6 inch minnows in darker patterns seem to be very productive at the moment.

[troutboy]

Hey guys all the best fish tend to be found around the back/northern side of the lake. The wall can fire at times, but if you park on the Waratah road side of the lake you have access to the whole northern shoreline via walking tracks which take you to much better fishing.I was there on sunday morning and despite a few half hearted hits i found it a very slow day.It can be a tough fishery but with time and knowledge it has proven to be a little gem of a lake thats close to home( for me anyhow!)

[covanova]

Only if manly dam was full of trout.....It'd be nice to have it so close.

I fished near the weir a fair bit and only caught sticks. The bottom must be pretty clean now that I've scraped it clean.

Does anyone go out in a kayak or canoe? What fun that must be...

They must be good sized fish if they're taking 6 inch lures!

[Matt]

Probably far too warm for them and it also depends on what species. Rainbows only have a life span of about 7 years so chances are they are kaput anyway. Browns live a long time and also have a higher tolerance so there could be a big, mean old Browny in the deepest hole if the Dam, but I doubt it.

Cheers

Windy

[covanova]

Old books I had talked about sea-run trout being caught at queenscliff lagoon. I would have thought it was too warm, but they thought the fish escaped from the dam after trying to get to the deepest part of the dam - the wall - which is also where the water comes out.

It's a romantic notion, I know. It's nice to think about big brownies chowing down on baby carp...

[Hooky.]

Wenty Lake is a total disaster to what it used to be.

I remember as a kid walking to the lake for a swim after school and swinging from the tree at the overflow and never been able to touch bottom. Many a corrigated iron canoe was paddled from one side to the other and some even sank and never retrieved, great memories. My dad did the same and so too his dad and his. Used to be a big day at the lake for everyone during summer. (Just a thirty second walk too)

Then the do gooders decide the overflow needs to be lowered and the water gets shallower and then a bloody flock of desease ridden ducks and geese move in.

Oh well, at least there's some good fishing to be had.

The weed beds at the western end are usually pretty good for a fly flick especially in summer in the arvo using "white ant" imitations and as troutboy said, the northern side for luring.

The dam wall still puts out every now and again (not like it used to) but I've usually only had recent success using baits like corn kernells and even then the old corn seems to attract carp. Just pick a pole to cast at and let your bait sit there for a while.

cheers

Hooky

[Matt]

I have to admit I was surprised when Wentworth Falls came up as a good Trout Water. You never hear anything about these little dams/lakes/ponds in any of the Trout literature and it gets you hunting around for more hidden little jems. Just a quick perusal of the Blue Mountains road map shows a multitude of little lakes that are around the same size as Wenty. One in particular has caught my eye a few times on the drive up there, its just past Katoomba and you can see it from the road (heavily forested around it). Its called Cascade Creek Dams, a fair bit bigger in size than Wenty and looks the goods. Anyboy heard anything at all about Trouting in this lake?

Cheers

Windy

[troutboy]

As far as i am aware the cascade creek dams are off limits to any form of fishing,bushwalking etc and is patrolled frequently by the relevent water authority.But if you were to be very inconspicuous and sneak in early in the morning or late in the afternoon rumour has it that some fine fishing is to be had! This was told to me by a friend of a waterboard employee who fishes in the dams quite often. As it is supposedly off limits i have not yet bothered going there myself . Apparently the trout were purchased and released by waterboard employees or so i have been told. Either way it looks like a very promising piece of water.