queensland Just another 25 bass

[Tim a]

Hey guys,

theres been alot of questions lately about how to catch bass at NPD so I'll go through step by step what I did to score mine today.

I got to the dam around midday and started walking from an undisclosed location. I wasn't 100% sure where I was going as I was looking for new spots. I had a report from earlier in the week that the water was dirty so I decided to use a lure that focused more and vibration and noise rather than visual aspects. So I started out with a TN70 Jackall in Bluegill colour on my Pixy and 4\" minnow on my sol.

I finally got to a place that looked suitable for fish around 1:30 pm. I was fishing for around 2 hours walking the banks of a place I'd never seen before without a single hit so after changing lures constantly I decided to head back to the spot I got a few last weekend. I got there around 4 pm. Using the tn70 again I finally got my first bass of the day. The fishing was sporadic with schools coming through every few minutes. I was using my 4\" minnow on 2lb braid when the most amazing thing happened. I was fishing a very deep area and I had been talking about catching a cod all weekend. So I was casting out and just bouncing the sp back when caboom! geez this is fricking heavy I thought. I hooked it close to my feet and it didn't even know it was hooked. it came up to the surface and I saw it, my words were literally WTF!? it was over a metre long, and didn't know that it was hooked. it just start shaking its head and splashing on the surface. I knew I wasn't gonna land it and knew it wouldn't be long before it would effortlessly swim away taking all my 2lb with it so I decided to try get my camera out. Just as I got it out the lure came flying at me. I was soo so cut but was happy just to see it. it took about 20mins for the heart rate to lower back down to a safe level I can assure you!

I got about 10 bass in about an hour and after 5pm around dusk every started to bite.

I didn't wanna loose my jackall so I was using sp's. they were working better anyway. there is a steep ledge about 5 metres off the bank. all the fish I have caught at this spot hang just off it. So my tactic was to cast out as far as I could, let the lure hit the bottom, bring it back slowly with the occasional twitch. naturally, the lure came up in the water column so when I think the lure is coming near the ledge I let it sink back to the bottom, frequently getting smashed on the drop. if I didn't have a fish on the drop I'd slowly wind up the ledge and be assured a fish.

I left at 5:30 whilst the fish were still biting.

Lures used :

Jackall TN70

Berkley PowerMinnow 4\"

Ecogear grass minnow

Atomic paddle tails

1/2 TT vortex spinner baits

gulp 3\" minnow in boji blue.

Jigheads:

1/4 Dam Deep Berkley jigheads

this awsome looking skirted jighead that I don't know the name of, it was a daiwa from memory.

hope this helps!

tim [img size=455]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/Bass_bluegilljackall.JPG

[Tim a]

I liked this photo [img size=455]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/38cm_bass_jackall.JPG

[Tim a]

The strange jighead [img size=455]http://www.australianfishing.com.au/media/kunena/attachments/legacy/images/Bass_35_oddjighead.JPG

[James W]

the skirted jighead looks like a \"football jig\"..they had em with modern fishing mags a while back...looks like they work!..well done timbo..and nice pics too

[Tim a]

yeah jim it came with the mag. They aren't too great. the skirt doesn't do too much in the water unlike a spinner baits.

[James W]

yer they lack a bit of action..i have used them for flattys in the passage and not a hit...ther definatly need a sp on the end i think ....

[Tim a]

That's what I did, put the 3\" gulp on there.

Post edited by: Tim a, at: 2007/09/01 22:01

Post edited by: Tim a, at: 2007/09/01 22:01

[Dinodadog]

Well done Tim they are still around, looks like you were between bullocky and forgans by the ground in the photo. there is some deep water there and good drop offs.

DINO

[Tim a]

nah Dino I was a bit farther away than that. good bit farther infact

[mackmauler]

ranger darren will be looking for you tim

[STU]

Nice score tim good to see there around in numbers still

[robski]

Tim, that's awesome. Thanks for the repor and the info.

[reef_raider]

nice work tim, wish we had that luck this morning

[Mack_attack]

tim any idea what the big thing was. lungfish? saratoga? 1.75m cobia?

[Tim a]

oh I thought i said it was a cod. I had a perfect few of it before I started shaking around. around a metre aswell. just no chance of landing it! it was on the 4\" minnow so I wasn't incredible suprised.

[basskid]

good work timmy good to see your intense walkin pay off mate hahha well worth it and thats crazy about the cod hahha there is supposed to be some big ones in barroon but i dunno alot of cod stories i hear hahah

[pcsolutionman]

I have seen one cod caught by a bloke in a tiny at baroon while I was out there on my yak. he got it right hard up against the eastern water tower, it was around 70cm long. thats the only confirmed one I have seen there

Lee

[adventure_angler]

Great session tim, well done mate!

Wish I was there to get a glimpse of that cod, it would have been exhilerating stuff I bet.

-nelson-

[mackmauler]

tim, ive caught craploads of meter long lungfish in there on lures, did you get a good look at the marking pattern on it, lungfidsh always kick around on the surface as well, i dont think a hook would bother a big old cod one bit, just my 2 cents.

[Tim a]

yeah Mack I've seen heaps of lungfish aswell, defo not a lungy. The hook didn't bother the fish that much as he just sat there looking at me for awhile. It was fat as and had a mottled greenish colour.

[Mack_attack]

i believe you tim your argument makes sense. but really, anthing that is a metre long in a freshwater dam is great catch (or hookup) regardless of the species. imagine if it was a new record for a bass

[Tim a]

If only it was on my heavier set up I may have had a chance. ohwell, apparently theres been a good few toga around this spot. multispecies trip soon if I'm lucky!