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Logan's Inlet 11-04-09

werewolf

By werewolf
in Freshwater

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werewolf Newbie

werewolf

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After a cooked breaky and a minor tail light repair issue, I didn’t get to Big W until just after Romeo and his bros at around 8:45 AM (talk about casual lol). I was annoyed to see the temporary boat ramp is now fenced off to vehicles so I had to paddle that bit further from the main ramp. That said it was great to see the water has come up so far! Setting up my yak I noticed that the silicone holding the transducer to the hull had come loose, so no sounder this time round :(. We paddled to where the catfish schools were last time hoping to get a few runs on the board for fun and couldn’t even get a touch from the catties. Some people might say that is a good thing! We could even hear them in places too (well I think that is what caused it); a faint croaking in the middle of the dam like a frog, and exactly like what forkies sound like on the bank. Maybe I’m going fish crazy… :silly:

We paddled on to the cliffs and were impressed to see there was only 3 or so meters exposed above the water line. There was about 8 m clear last time we ventured that far… I wish the sounder was working as I have never been able to suss out the depth there, but I reckon it would be pretty impressive! The boys managed to get their blow up boats this far and after all that effort they set up on the cliffs throwing lures for a while. Romeo and I had a quick break and then paddled on!

Roughly midday Romeo decided he wanted to climb a hill nearby (yeah I dunno hey :huh: ) and I trolled back to fetch the boys from the cliffs as time was getting on. I turned around part way there as they were just starting to head back so I changed lures (again). This time round I put on a Killalure Flatz Rat 2, it looks like it goes deep but I’ve got no idea how far. It sure puts some serious vibrations back up the rod and I was literally paddling for 20 m when my rod buckled over and the drag started screaming. I’m on! :woohoo:

The fish really didn’t want to come up to the boat and every time I thought I must be getting close to getting colour it would power back down, bending my rod right over into the drink! Eventually I saw the glorious silver side of a bass and slid the net under it. I haven’t caught a bass in 9 years, so I raced back to shore to get a measure and picture before I released it. The bass went 40 cm and I didn’t even think to weight it. My PB bass is 44 cm, so it was close! The bass was the only action we managed but boy was I a happy boy.

It has taken four trips to Big W lure fishing before I cracked a Wivenhoe Bass. Mind you Romeo managed it on his FIRST trip, and his was bigger too! A few other boats were working the general area at times, so it was possible there was a school or drop off there. I wish my sounder didn’t pack it in… I’m looking forward to getting my GPS unit too, and the first thing I’ll do is take waypoints at the start and end of those cliffs! I suspect the cliffs will be completely submerged as the dam continues to rise (there is no trees on the flat behind them) and will be an awesome bit of hidden structure as the level comes up!

We also saw heaps of big lungfish surfacing. They look like crazy sea-serpents, they are unreal! Enough waffle, piccy time :)

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werewolf Newbie

werewolf

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Thanks guys

Wes - I couldn't say with confidence! We were on the water for about 4 hours. I pulled up on the bank twice for pit stops (and once more briefly for the fish). Apart from stopping now and then to de-weed lures, we probably paddled for a good 3-3.5 hours at trolling speed. If trolling speed was 6 km/hr (guess) then we are talking in the realms of 20 km traveled. That seems a lot so I certainly wouldn't claim that though! The only bit that gets tiresome is the paddle home into the wind (every time into the wind!) for a good 30-40 mins worth. You've always got to keep some in the tank for it! B)

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werewolf Newbie

werewolf

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Schmuck wrote:

Those cliffs are a decent paddle away too, I'm just glad I have my leccy with the wind blows up in the afternoons :laugh:

Aye! :laugh: But you would want to have some decent battery capacity as it is a long paddle home!

BTW - I've reattached the transducer today with a bit more care so hopefully it will hold better this time. I also popped into BCF at Ippy today hoping to pick up the rod holder that I have been eyeing off at the Arana Hills store. They didn't have it, so I consoled myself and bought some other goodies :woohoo:

My 6 lb spinning outfit is a bit light in the tip for trolling the big, deep lures I started experimenting with so I grabbed some 14 pound Fireline for my Ambassador 6000, a Deep Purple Boomerang 80UD and a Boomerang 65UD in Poddy Mullet. Schultzy used to rave about the Boomerangs in his Wivenhoe reports on Fishnet, but sadly I couldn't find them anymore :(.

Oh I also grabbed a roll of 4 mm rope as my current anchor line is about 7 m long, so useless in about 90% of Big W :P

EDIT: after a bit of googling I found Schultzy's articles: http://www.fishnet.com.au/default.aspx?id=242&memberid=28 The archive of his Dam reports are on the right B)

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