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Just a short story about a trip to Cooby Dam only 10 mins from home. It was the first week of a two week holiday, my plans were for a week of camping and kayakfishing along the coast but they were postponed due to lots of rain and strong winds. Plan B was to fish my local hotspots of Cooby and Cressbrook, but the winds were also putting a hold on things for me. The gusts were way to strong to comfortably kayak.
I waited for the right morning and loaded up and hit the water. I had just started paddling and the early morning winds were just picking up again and making things a little difficult
. I kept going and started trolling a Halco Poltergeist 50 at 3 metres deep with no touches for approx 20 mins. I stuck to my game plan and headed for the northern end of Cooby to see what it could produce for me. Getting closer to the spot, the little stratic started singing to me and I reached around and grabbed the rod and started fighting the fish. What ever it was it certainly was not giving in easily and fought all the way to the kayak. I grabbed my net and slid it under the fish and lifted it up onto my lap in the kayak. A really nice yellowbelly of 46cm, a personal best. After getting some pictures and measuring the fish, it was released to fight another day. There are some very big yellowbelly in Cooby and I would love to hook up to one of those 60cm + fish. I am discovering that yellowbelly fight equally as hard as bass do, they are great fun on light gear. I was fishing with 6lb fireline with both 10lb and 14lb Nitlon flurocarbon leaders.
I turned around and started to paddle south following the bank. I started casting to the bank and jigging back to me. Had no luck at all. I started trolling again while heading back to the ramp when the winds really picked up with a half metre swell rolling through, I felt like I was out at Mooloolaba on the coast again. Battling into the wind I finally made it to the wind protected bank. I was still trolling the halco poltergeist when it got slammed and the Pfluger trion sprung to life. This fish also put up a nice fight, it was not fighting like other fish I have caught before. Bringing it to the side of the kayak and gliding it into the net as the lure popped out of it's mouth. Just as well I use a net for every fish I land. Took some photos and measurements and left him to fight another day. I was going to keep this fish for the barbeque but forgot my knife, lucky fish. The silver perch went 42cm.
I had a great morning despite the strong gusts of wind and scored a new species of fish to add to my slowly growing PB list. I am seriously targeting the Murray Cod that call Cooby Dam home. It's there season now and I know of some hotspots which I will be investigating over the next few months. Will keep you posted.
I waited for the right morning and loaded up and hit the water. I had just started paddling and the early morning winds were just picking up again and making things a little difficult
. I kept going and started trolling a Halco Poltergeist 50 at 3 metres deep with no touches for approx 20 mins. I stuck to my game plan and headed for the northern end of Cooby to see what it could produce for me. Getting closer to the spot, the little stratic started singing to me and I reached around and grabbed the rod and started fighting the fish. What ever it was it certainly was not giving in easily and fought all the way to the kayak. I grabbed my net and slid it under the fish and lifted it up onto my lap in the kayak. A really nice yellowbelly of 46cm, a personal best. After getting some pictures and measuring the fish, it was released to fight another day. There are some very big yellowbelly in Cooby and I would love to hook up to one of those 60cm + fish. I am discovering that yellowbelly fight equally as hard as bass do, they are great fun on light gear. I was fishing with 6lb fireline with both 10lb and 14lb Nitlon flurocarbon leaders.I turned around and started to paddle south following the bank. I started casting to the bank and jigging back to me. Had no luck at all. I started trolling again while heading back to the ramp when the winds really picked up with a half metre swell rolling through, I felt like I was out at Mooloolaba on the coast again. Battling into the wind I finally made it to the wind protected bank. I was still trolling the halco poltergeist when it got slammed and the Pfluger trion sprung to life. This fish also put up a nice fight, it was not fighting like other fish I have caught before. Bringing it to the side of the kayak and gliding it into the net as the lure popped out of it's mouth. Just as well I use a net for every fish I land. Took some photos and measurements and left him to fight another day. I was going to keep this fish for the barbeque but forgot my knife, lucky fish. The silver perch went 42cm.
I had a great morning despite the strong gusts of wind and scored a new species of fish to add to my slowly growing PB list. I am seriously targeting the Murray Cod that call Cooby Dam home. It's there season now and I know of some hotspots which I will be investigating over the next few months.
Will keep you posted.
