Wollemi National Park Fishing Suggestions

[savit]

HI All,

Just wondering if you could share some suggestions for land based fishing in/near Wollemi NP  with easy access from the road. Is it worth to consider?

Thanks,

savit

[Volitan]

The only fishing I know of in the Wollemi is for bass in the Colo River and its tributaries. I used to fish it a fair bit - accessing off the Upper Colo Road. Just scramble down the bank and into the river where you can, but generally the more remote you go the better the fishing. 

Walking down from the end of Bob Turners Track or Canoe Creek is good too. The walk is fairly long.

In summer the bass can be quite abundant but it's real value is just being in unspoilt country.

Mostly it was just a matter of walking along the river chucking surface lures into the deeper pools.

the fish are on the smaller side, a few good ones in the deepest pools.

[savit]

Thank you very much, Volitan. Is it worth trying those small lakes near the river at Upper Colo e.g. Gospers Lagoon?

 I am also considering Dunns Swamp. Did anyone fish there recently?

[Volitan]

Never tried those small lagoons. I doubt they hold anything other then carp but don't really know anything about them.

 

i fished Dunns a few years back for zero. 

[krause]

I know dunns swamp and used to go as a kid when they stocked it.  I don't think they stock it these days, but there are a few fish left in there even if they aren't breeding. Visited for nostalgia in april and got a nice yella and a baby cod (that would suggest they either are horribly stunted or they are actually beeding...) both land based.  So theyre sparse but they're there

[savit]

Thank you again Volitan and krause.

What HB or SP lures would you suggest for a quick fishing sessions in that area? Is it worth to take a fly rod?

[krause]

Don't know how to fly fish, so can't say.  We were just running divers, cod was on a stuntjumper and the yellow was on a cheaper one

[Volitan]

I think dunns swamp and the colo river are quite different fishing situations so one reply won't do for both. As I caught nothing at Dunns, I can only answer for the colo.

for the colo, fly rod would be good because you are in close to the river, if not standing in it, so it's a short cast but control is required because of the overhanging vegetation. Any type of big bushy fly like a muddler would be good. 

The main thing is to get in close to the structure and overhangs. That's where the fish lurk, waiting for something to fall in the river. The fish may not chase a food item across shallow water away from cover. 

For lures, sorry but I never bothered to learn the names of the lures I was using. If there are fish in the river they won't care either. Something that makes a fair bit of vibration and surface disturbance will work well, but really anything will work. This is not hi-tech fishing.

most of my trips were done using a fly rod - they somehow compensate for the small size of the fish.

over the years I've fished at canoe creek, bob turners track, colo-merloo campground and all the way down to the Putty Road bridge. I've also done rafting or canoe trips all the way from bob turners to the Hawkesbury river junction, stopping and fishing as I go. It's all good. Generally, the bits accessible from bob turners or canoe creek are rarely fished so hold bigger, less wary fish but it is hard work to get there and on balance I'd say not really worth it. If you want a spot to start, drive to the end of the upper colo road, park and bush-crash down to the river, that's as good as anywhere. Walk up or downstream, fishing the bigger pools as you go. If there are fish in the river, you will get your share regardless of skill level or tackle. If the fish aren't yet in the river due to climatic conditions then obviously there isn't much you can do about it.

Its a lovely pristine water, look after it. 

Small fish and mostly c&r so use single hooks, never trebles.

Cheers

arron

Edited December 2, 2016 by Volitan

[savit]

Thank you very much Aaron for all the suggestions. I do C&R for all natives.