at work on hinze dam

[gav39]

Went fishing at the hinze dam on last sunday, got 8 bass in 3 hours and had 3 lookers as well. That might sound weird but we were using surface poppers for the first 1 hour, 1 hook up and 3 lookers. The other 7 were all caught trawling using jackals. Important to remember there was 2 of us and we only kept 2 each above 35 to 38cm not to bad for this time of year

[Bronson]

hey mate i just bought myself a tinnie and was wondreing if its worth buying a little electric to troll for bass at hinze do you think it would be worth it or isnt the fishing good this time of year

[gav39]

It would be a good investment, but bass fishing in most dams is usually quiet this time of year, once the water starts warming up about october/november should start to fire up a bit more. This gives you a chance to look around for a goood priced second hand or brand new one. I have a mate you paid about $280 for one from Kmart it he is very happy with it, wasn't a popular brand but that did not bother him, as for my self i have a 46pound minn kota but they cost around $480. Do you live on the coast ?

[tiges]

Bronson and Gav,

Winter is one of the best times for impoundment bass fishing. They've still gotta eat, just gotta find 'em. When you do they are usually good size fish, and in numbers. A half decent sounder and a leccy are tools that make the job much easier.

Cheers
Tiges

[gav39]

Hey Tiges do you fish hinze often, if so wouldn't mind a few tips or suggestions. I do seem to do allright on the old jackals. You are right there still have to eat. The thing i love in the summer months is the action on the surface, that slows down in the cold times due to water temp. Has any one fished Clarrie Hall dam lately.

[tiges]

Have never fished Hinze Gav. I live on the Sunshine coast, so frequent the dams up there. In winter the bass usually school up in certain areas, so if you can find them on your sounder it's just a matter of finding what lure/technique will entice them to strike. Trolling deepish diving lures can also be helpful in covering ground to locate fish. In the dams up this way like Macdonald and Ewen Maddock the fish are usually found congregating or scattered around on flats in 4-6m of water, usually not too far from the old creek beds. This pattern seems to be pretty similar in the bigger dams too like Somerset/Wivenhoe etc but usually in a bit deeper water. From what I can tell Hinze is a bit more of a shallow, sprawling lake like the ones up here. So I'd be trying those 4-6m flats adjacent to any submerged,deeper channels. If the fish are found holding close to the bottom, hopping jackalls (particuarly the soft mask vibe versions) along the bottom is deadly. When they're further up in the water column a slow rolled jackall or soft plastic rigged with a beetlespin also works well. Of course you can just troll some divers around the area and get fish too, but casting is way more fun as far as I'm concerned. If ya look back in this reports section, I've posted a few reports on Lake Mac and EMD that might also be useful for ya.

Cheers
Tiges

[gav39]

Do you ever go to somerset dam, if so when was the last time and how do you go. We went there about 6 weeks ago a got onto a few yellowbelly. The time before that about 10 weeks ago a mate of mine pulled in a 55cm bass on a black jackal around the old tree stumps in about 2 foot of water (just lucky i reckon) We are going up there again on the 22nd of september for 9 days. might even do a day trip to lake macdonald as i have been there once before.

[tiges]

Only fished Somerset once, just over a year ago. Did alright, but only got small fish. Prefer the smaller, less fished dams up here. Less water between the fish. ;D

[gav39]

Yeh i know what you mean, i am yet to have a real successfull day at somerset but i suppose it all comes down to working the area and trying to find them no different to anywhere else. It is just a lot bigger than hinze. Hopefully when i am there in september i have 9 days to chase and catch the little blighters

[Bronson]

yeah gav-39 i do live in the gold coast i might go and look for a nice electric motor.

[ibbo]

We went there about 6 weeks ago a got onto a few yellowbelly. The time before that about 10 weeks ago a mate of mine pulled in a 55cm bass

Thats a big bass, got a photo?

I'm not doubting your mate caught it, I would just love to see it :)

Cheers

IBBO

[gav39]

Yes my mate did take a photo, i will get him to send it via email and then i will download in to this sight it will be a first time for me to display a photo. It shouldn't be that hard. You will see what a great fish.

[gav39]

Hey Bronson when the water warms up and the surface action starts happening at hinze we should arrange to get out there for a fish. I will be honest i just love getting out there at any time of the year. There is normally a few of us that go with our boats, so we can probally meet you out there 1 day. Do your self a favour and if you don't have any Jackals (lures) buy some there is 1 that works very well out there most of the time. I will get the name for you i just can't think off it at the moment

[gav39]

i hope these work i am trying to download 2 pictures the first is a yellowbelly about 56cm and the next is a bass 55cm caught at somerset dam a couple of monthe ago.

[ibbo]

Nice fish gav

Whats that jackall by the way :)

Cheers

IBBO

[gav39]

Yes that was a Jackall ( Black ) and the yellowbelly was on worm. Not bad hey, the only problem was they were few and far between. Have i mentioned we are going back to somerset on the 21st of september for 9 days so should do alot better then.

Ps Redclaw also very good



Gav