Lake Leslie 29/12/08 to 03/01/09

[Higgins Family]

Hey all,

I took the family out to Leslie camping, fishing, and skiing over the new year period. The first day we arrived and set up the camper we got hit very hard by a big storm... 100km/hr winds tore many campsites apart (we were fine but what a welcome)!!! The next morning we were up and ready at sun up, tried every lure in my box (and I have many) not even a hit!
My brother and wife came out the next day with his boat armed with shrimp and worms, he tried many locations while I persisted with the lures... still not 1 hit for either boat. No one on the dam had hardly caught a fish...The weather conditions were very hot and dry with a westerly wind air pressures were low and dropping. I do feel this has a lot to do with the way fish (yella and Cod) bite?
I tried everyday trolling and casting at different depths from 50,40,30,20,and 10ft still no luck, my brother had some success landing a nice 40cm silver perch on shrimp, then later a 44cm silver from casting the weed beds.
Again we were really hit hard by a big storm on the 1st and the next day alll day the dam was like glass still no fish???
All in all we had a great camp with many family members and friends and lovley new years skiing ect .
Fishing has always been hard at Leslie and it was a stark contrast to our week at Lake Coolamundra before xmas where we bagged out on 40cm plus Yellows... Ill post that story soon as I upload the pix.
Here is a sunset from Leslie with my brother drinking a beer after hard day

[hkconc]

We went out yesterday around mid morning till around 4.00pm. Got one 3 lb yella on a set line with a shrimp, as well as a small one on another lure.
It was blowen at least 15/20 knots from the east.
We had two yellas chase the lure right up to the boat at one stage.
Due to the wind, we were restricted to the upper reaches out of the wind. Other boats commented that they also were quiet.
Still beats a day at work thou.

[finga]

We missed the storm in town on the 1st. Wonder why??

The scariest I've ever been in a boat was on Leslie.
The wind came up, the chop came up, the little boat bucked and tossed, water was coming in over the front, I could hardly make any head way and I pooped my y-fronts during the terrifying 1/2 it took me to get to the trailer.

Really nice picture too.
There were some definite Kodak sunsets in the last week or so.

The cook and I will be back out around 26th for another while. Hopefully the belly's will be back on the chew by then.

[Higgins Family]

Not sure Finga but I know Cunninghams Gap copped it really bad on the 1s... alot of trees down over the road ect.
Last year I saved a small 10ft Punt with 3 people in it... a big easterly chop blew up with breakers and they were trying to get back to the ramp from Sandy Creek. 1 was driving while the other 2 paled out water, I gave them a wake break to follow until their little 6hp got drowned. Then the fun started, they were on free drift side on in 2ft+ breakers. Luckily I managed to throw them a rope line and towed them in!
We are undecided as to where to go for the Australia day long weekend, I have just finished cleaning out and washing all the camper and equipment ect. Its a 2.5hr run from the Goldcoast to Leslie for us and 3 days just is not long enough!
I was thining Moogerah or Maroon but the fishing has been quiet and last year over 3000 booked into Moogerah...

Cheers Jeff.H.

[budgebass]

Hi Jeff

Just to let you know we were also out at Leslie on the 1st, there was a few fish around.

We only got ours on bait but we fished til lunchtime for 7 silvers and 5 yellowbelly. They were in the middle of the dam, but only started biting about 10am in the morning.

We fished the back early and then come back to the middle in the midst of the washing machine and found the fish.

Cheers
Budgebass