Freshwater frolic

A few weeks ago a mate and I ventured up into the hills of the sunshine coast looking for some Australian Bass.  It was only just open season, by a month or so, and we were unsure as to whether any of the bigguns might have made it back upstream yet especially with the lack of rain and a weir between our spot and the breeding area about 50k's downstream.  Regardless we pushed on.  It started off with a 3am rise loading the two yaks onto the BoatHoist folding trailer and stopping at the first servo for an early coffee.  The wind was blowing about 30 bastards by 4am and we contemplated the fishing spot and how deep in the valleys it should be out of the wind or maybe not.  Regardless we pushed on.  We arrived at the launch spot by sun up and although we hadn't launched here before we quietly unstrapped the yaks from the trailer and slipped them into the steamy water.  We were hoping for an early top water cod although we would have been severley undergunned on 1-2kg rods and 4lb braid.  Matt was using a new surface lure he just bought, a walk-the-dog style lure but mixing it up with a propeller doo-da on the bag to make even more noise and movement, it didn't work this morning. 

 

  

After surveying the first long deep pool we realised this pool might see a bit of traffic due to it's closeness to the road so we quickly flicked and paddled to the next pool which opened up into what looked like fish heaven.  Heading upstream, to the right was a sheer cliff face that dropped into the drink, I could only guess how deep it was but further along the water was overshadowed my masses of native trees providing a nice dark hidey-hole for all manner of water dwellers.  On the other side was a nice slow rolling drop off with a sandy bed.  The sun was still slowly rising behind us and the 30knot wind seemed to miss us on the water and only deliver 10knots...  As the wind pushed us up the pool we flicked surface lures and shallow divers into the shadowed rock ledge for a good 30 minutes without a touch.  As we moved along I let a shallow divind sx40 rip right into the cover and hard up against the rocks, I let it sit for a second or two then started a slow twitch retrieve and bam, a little Australian Bass hooked up and gave up a little fight.  Perhaps the first lure this fish had seen?  I like to think so...  A quick snap and off he swam.

We paddled along our merry way passing deep and shallow pools, rapids and rocks and made our way further and further upstream.  My mate got caught up on some fallen timber and said to me just have a flick in here while im snagged I bet you get one.  Sure enough 2 casts and a rat Bass was fighting for his life.  Another quick snap and a lot of laughing and away we went again.

We arrived at the biggest of the mornings pools and what would be our last one till that afternoon.  Matt, my guide for the morning was still 2 bass short.  I went to the right he fished the deeper bank on the left and finally he produced the goods with a little Australian Bass.  At least he wouldn't be going home with a doughnut. 

Intermission for lunch and a beer, quick sleep and 3pm arrives time to have another crack for some top water bass.  We must have spent a good 2 hours paddling up and down this final pool without even a touch.  Local knowledge told us this was the spot for cod and bass and I even threw on the sounder to check it out.  At about 4m deep it looked the goods but we couldn't even get a touch.  We quickly packed up and started the 2hr drive home.  it was good to finally get onto some bass after about a year in exile.  We can rule out that stretch of water for next time and maybe head further downstream past that weir... Or ill just keep to the briney.

I know most freshwater places look the same, comment if you think you know where this spot is.

Hope your getting into a few.

Dan.

Jackson Coosa

As you might have seen in an earlier post I own a Jackson Coosa kayak - these things are fishing machines right out of the box but I have added a few bits and pieces to make things a little more comfortable and more suited to my type of fishing.  I thought I would put up a few pics and run you through it all.

For anyone considering an all round kayak this thing is the go.  I take it out offshore on calm-ish days, paddle my way half way to fraser island, fish some pretty big estuaries and get right up in the skinny water chasing bass and 'toga.

The first thing I noticed about the yak was that there is a place for everything - big, lockable front hatch, middle watertight compartment, foot pegs, large standing platform, horizontal rod holder and paddle holder on either side, removable camp-style chair with 2 positions, rear crate storage area with two flush trolling-angled rod holders and another hatch in the rear which is also lockable.

I have added some flush mount Scotty mounts.  The front one holds the Scotty rod holder - I use this for trolling light lures and generally just holding the rod.  The second mount holds the Lowrance Elite 4 fish finder with GPS.  The two are interchangable so I can have the rod closer etc.

There is a down side with this yak - it is a paddle yak so its a slog over long distances, but that said it can probably go a lot of places those big peddle yaks can't.

Ill let the piictures speak for themselves!