Somerset and Wivenhoe Update February 6th, 2008
Sorry for being AWOL for a bit. The good news is "RAIN" and lots of it. Somerset is up to 75% at the moment, and Wivenhoe has risen by at least a metre. Heavy rain around Yarraman today will see even more water pouring down the Brisbane River. The flood gates at Somerset are open and there is still plenty of water coming in from the Stanley river. All of this is a very good sign for an action packed winter. I went to Somerset on Australia day and was able to get my boat all the way up the Stanley to Villeneuve Bridge. That hasn't been possible for quite a while. We didn't do any fishing, just had a drive and a look around. Some even better news is that Atkinsons Lagoon is filling quickly. Fitzy and I went for a drive there on Tuesday afternoon and there was about a metre of water flowing through the inlet channel. Word is that it will be full by the end of the weekend. This is perfect timing for the Somerset & Wivenhoe Fish Stocking Association, as we have a shipment of about 310 Saratoga coming next Wednesday. 180 of these will be going in to Atkinsons Lagoon with the remainder going in to Somerset. The North Pine guys have also secured 130 'toga for the newest stocked dam, Lake Kurwongba. We are determined to have Atkinson's Lagoon developed into the best Saratoga fishery in South East Queensland. For all the up to date reports on plenty of fresh water locations feel free to visit: www.sweetwaterfishing.com.au
Dale
Great to have you back again "Dale", you have been sorely missed, now we can get reports that we can believe, on where the fish are, and the best way to catch them.
Now we have all the latest fishing from "THE MAN HIMSELF"
NO NOT ANTHONY MUNDINE .lol.
MR FISHING. our "DALE"
SOMERSET DAM.16/1/08.
With all the rain in the area, the most water has gone into the "BIG ONE" ""Somerset Dam", the fresh in there was badly needed to stir the fish population up, and put some better tucker on offer too them, so now the way to go is to present the same bait to them as; either a fly or a well presented lure, baitfish will do well at this time, when they are all feeding like mad, until the sicken themselves by gorging on all the food being swept into the dam.
Flies that copy their natural food, are "Vampires and Clouser Minnows,Scottie Yabby Pattern, New England Yabbies, and Hinze Bugs'
If you tie your own, you will find the details and recipes for all the patterns in the section about tying Bass flies,
Best fishing is if you get up with the "Sparras" and hit the water as early as you can, fishing small Dahlburg Poppers, into the edges, up until about ten, or there abouts , moving into the deeper holes and then changing to "Vampires. Clousers, Blondes, Sofy Plastics, or any shrimp pattern that is native to these climes. plenty in the recipes in the group,
Another top way to fish, [if you can get the flies], is to fish an "Allies Shrimp, Double", "tied on a #6 double hook" all the way into the edges , this ofcourse is the fly that former Channel Seven TV personality "Des Charles" caught eleven bass with twelve casts, first thing in the morning all caught on camera and all without doctoring the film. It's a wonderful fly, I have fished for Saltwater species as well as all freshwater fish,it was originally tied by Allister Gowans, as a Salmon fly in Scotland, when I came out here many years ago peiople were astounded at my success with this "POMMEY WAY OF FISHING MATE" !!! [you wont catch anything with that gear. lol.]If you are tying your own,keep exactly to the pattern, as that is definately the top taker, not these weird and somewhat wonderful [to some-one I suppose???] concoctions that I have come across.
17/12/07.
The last news that I have had from the dam was from the flying Scotsman. "Les Dundas" who fishes with the "Mallard and Claret" fly fishing club, from Brisbane.
Les said that although some big fish are schooling near the dam wall, there is still a lot of water between them and you are still having to put the time in to have a decent days sport. This drought really has hit this lovely corner of the State very hard, with regards to fishing, as well as other things.
Some of the never fail laces to start with are, Queens Street, and Bay 13. If you start your sounder as soon as you are in 5 Mtrs off water keep it going until you find the school, then best bet is to drift, over the school, if there's a decent wind in the direction that you have chosen, then when you finish the drift, keeping well clear go round the school again, if you find that the first couple of fish are small, move somewhere else as the fish in schools are generaly all the same size, so move until you hit a decent size of fish, there are plenty of big ones in Somerset, and you will find plenty of 50+ fish. The have been coming regularly to lures as well as flies, although soft plastics have been the top way to go in the last week.
FLIES "Les's own version of the "White Bait" style of fly is doing the best, tied in "Tiewells", "Hi-Vis", in the following colours: "Lavender", "Smoke" and "White", better still tied with a wee throat, tied in with "Red", "Fluro Fibre", this fly is best tied on a TMC 7999. #2/0, this shank length gives it the correct body length to resemble the bait fish that you are representing.
Best areas are "Bay 13". "Queens Street",and any bay that is sheltered from the wind on the day that you visit this wonderful dam.
Tight lines desi
SOMERSET DAM 15/01/07.
Not much news this week again for the fraternaty that fishes the big one.
There are some top fishing to be had in the dam with "Queen Street" the pick of the best. If you are fishing in this area, you will find the bigger fish schooling at 12' 18'. These are taking the ubiquitous "Alleys Shrimp', "Vampires" and all the usual small soft plastics. For the guys throwing the latest hard ware at Yello belly, I have heard that some guys are using spinner baits with some effect on the resident population.
Hopefully we will have a decent report for you in the next fortnight.
tight lines desi
: 29/12/06.
No new reports from the "Big One" for this week, but suffice to say that this dam will be firing over the next weekend, with wind, weather, water (allthough still pretty low), all being conducive for good fishing, whether with fly, lure or natural bait. It is definately a weekend to get on the water, with the family or friends.
All the usual places are firing, but if you are in doubt, keep your eyes and ears open
Flies to use are the same as last weeks report but with the addition of two (2) new flies from "Kerry Mitchell's" fly tying club at "ANGLERS WAREHOUSE" down at "TWEED HEADS" . Aptly called for this time of the year a "HOGMANAY FLY" and a "MIDNIGHT MARAUDER". Both have been successfully tested over the last few weeks and will be hot favourites for the next two months.
. When you are on the boat ramp, ask one of the campers where the large schools are that day and most will tell you.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR GROUP FISHERS.
Tight lines desi
SOMERSET DAM. 18/12/06.
Dale is still settling into his new house, out in the country so the report is coming from LES THE FLYING SCOTSMAN His reports are that allthough the fishing has been a wee bit harder than it was at this time last year, the quality of the fish is really "A1" and are in superb condition.
