Hi guys, I just had a quick fishing trip tied in with work in the Monto area.
On monday arvo & Tuesday morning I was able to bang a few lures around the shallows of Callide Dam.
As luck would have it the wind arrived the second I pushed the boat from the bank. (gotta luv that,not!)
The 15kn SE/NE was just enough to make it awkard in the little crawdad punt with the electric motor. I was forced to fish the wall end of the dam fishing the windy points & sheltered bays.
I flogged the area with plastics & hard bodies both trolled & cast, with no luck.
I was kept interested with the occasional bump & tap but by 9pm I called it a day & crashed in the ute for a few hours.
I woke pre dawn & pushed the punt back out for another crack in hope of a fish but my enthusiasm was a little sluggish!
The air temp was still chilley & it took will power to get out of the truck, mmmm a nice warm bed or cold duey grass & mud
I braved it & was rewarded with still glassy conditions.
The wind had fallen out over night & there was surface action all over the dam.
Mostly bonny bream & shaggs disturbing an otherwise perfect reflection of the dry landscape.
The birds feeding & lack of wind gave hope on my final few hours of this adventure. As I watched the sounder for concerntrations of fish & water temps I trolled a Red & White Viper across the dam towards the Northern bank.
The sounder indicated a rise in temperature from 20 to 20.5degrees & within moments of thinking that was promissing I was on.
The rod bucked & braid crackled through guides out into the middle of the dam. Its almost snag free this place so you can fish lighter braid & enjoy the fight with less drag pressure.
(a rule of thumb only)
A boil from the fishes tail indicated it was net time, one final pump of the rod & the barra was in the net beside the boat. This fish looked about 26lbs. wooohoo...
I released the fish and noticed some action just a short distance away. A slick rig was on the end of my other rod so I grabbed it & lobbed in a cast. As the lure sank down it was hit twice but the slack line prevented a hookup.
Two more casts this time keeping the line tight as it sank & WACK..... I was on again. This fish felt a little better, putting more of a bend in the rod & holding its ground.
Staying out wide it thrashed on the surface but no jump.
none the less I was a very happy chappy. lifting this fish in the boat put an even bigger smile on my face but seeing the big girl swim off was iceing on the cake.
There was only one thing missing from this day, a good mate to share the moment with.
Maybe next time!
Cheers
Toppy
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