Jaysun Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Hi everyone, I've recently decided that I'm going to get out of the city a bit more often on some overnight or day trips, enjoy the bush and try and catch me some fish ! I had a crack about 5 years ago and had bugger all luck... tried Oberon damn which I thought would be a goldmine - nothing. Lake Lyall, Royal National Park, also nothing. I stopped on a trip north somewhere around the Entrance (Central Coast), and I snagged a bloody bird. That was not a very good experience, and I haven't picked up the rod since. Was planning to head up to the foothills of the Blue Mountains today and camp overnight and fish the Nepean for bass, but it looks like rain tomorrow, so I'll probably drive up sometime in the next week. Is it OK to fish for Bass in August ? From what I'm reading, the season seems to start around August/September...... the Fisheries states that there are statewide closures for Bass until 31st May except for " All rivers and estuaries except rivers above impoundments ". What does this mean ? The area I'm going to is on the Nepean between Warragamba Dam and Lapstone. FYI I'm not interested so much in 'catch & release', but "catch & eat". I also want to do the right thing as far as the Fisheries regulations are concerned (from what I've read, they do a tremendous job in keeping the waterways in order), and am trying to get my hands on a hard copy of the Freshwater Guide as a reference, but neither my local Service NSW office or my local a shop have this book. I guess I will have to call the DPI to find out where I can get it, or visit my local tackle shop in Burwood. And it's pretty clear that I need to put more learning into techniques and methods - but maybe I can get some clarification on Bass lures. I have a couple of 'bugs' with a bib on the front - these ones of mine float on the surface, and I guess you cast, then 'swim' them back in. Does that mean I don't use a sinker ? Or do I use a sinker that's lighter than the lure, so that it stays on the surface and does not sink (or, as I found before, get snagged, and I end up losing my lures!). I also have a range of those 'Gulp' synthetic baits that I bought a few years ago. If any locals to the Penrith/Lower Mountains want to adopt a newbie, I'm up for it. Weather permitting, I'll likely head to Euroka campground either on Thursday this week, or Monday next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyT Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 Mate youve got it round the wrong way- Bass and Estuary Perch are a prohibited catch from midnight May31st to Midnight Aug 31st. Catch and release only in that period of time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rah Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 As PaddyT has said, its still the closed season for Bass and Estuary Perch. Check the DPI website for information on the area you are planning to fish for closed seasons or restricted areas. Try using the search function at the top of the page for areas you are thinking of going. There is an enormous amount of information on this site. Just quickly though, No sinker on your surface lures. Depending on the conditions, as light as possible jighead for your gulps. Cheers Tara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 you can fish for and keep bass in impoundments and the rivers above them..the closure on bass pertains to breeding stock which travel from fresh to brackish to breed.they need 17% or more salt or they cant breed..fish in dams cant breed so they are not under the closure...rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaysun Posted August 16, 2017 Author Share Posted August 16, 2017 Thanks all for the replies, I'm heading out this morning, hopefully there's decent river access from where I'll be camping. Tara - good tips on lures. 14 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said: you can fish for and keep bass in impoundments and the rivers above them..the closure on bass pertains to breeding stock which travel from fresh to brackish to breed.they need 17% or more salt or they cant breed..fish in dams cant breed so they are not under the closure...rick That's a good bit of information as to the reason why, cheers ! But I'm still not understanding the "rivers above impoundments". Mostly because I don't know the context of the word 'impoundment' concerning waterways. North of the Warragamba Dam wall is the dam, and north of that body of water is the Warragamba River, which then leads into the Nepean River. I'll be situated about 4km north of the Dam, so does that mean the Warragamba river is 'above the impoundment' ? I don;t know if I'll fish that river, but may give it a go I'm not looking for a loophole here, just want to do the right thing, and get a better understanding. I might drop into the Warragamba Visitors Centre for a chat with the staff, as I don't want to get busted by a Fisheries Ranger ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaddyT Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Above the impoundment means upstream of the dam wall- which in Warragamba's case is a no go zone anyway. The Warragamba river is holding a few trout at the moment. If you are camping at Bents Basin you might be lucky but if you have a look at accessing the Warragamba next to Nortons Basin that stretch would be a better bet for a trout. If you want to keep it simple its closed season for bass/Ep's in rivers, streams and estuaries at the moment. Plus the migration back up into the fresh hasnt really started yet and the water is too cold for the bass to get fired up much. Take a drive up to Lake Lyell and go trout fishing instead if you want a feed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaysun Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 Cheers - I took the trail down to the Nepean from the Euroka campground (Glenbrook area) without gear, and decided against hauling the fishing equipment down since it's not bass season anyway. The shoreline position down there is pretty tiny, really only appropriate for one or two people to be fishing at a time. Might go for an overnighter to Lake Lyall in the next few weeks for a cast. I would also like to give Oberon a go when the weather warms up...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regan Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 with your bug lures do not use a sinker as they are ment to immitate a cicader/bug on the surface Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaysun Posted August 23, 2017 Author Share Posted August 23, 2017 So no trout fishing in Lake Lyall till October season starts? I'm having a harx time trying to understand which waters are exempt from closures. No worries though, im happy enough to pull out some Redfin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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