[Davey G]

I'm having a camping trip at Coolendel on the Shoalhaven River, just out of Nowra with a bunch of mates/families etc over the October long weekend. I'll be packing the kayak for a bit of paddling fun with the kids (apparently theres a few rapids etc) and i'll also be packing a rod to have a throw around for some bass or whatever else is swimming around.

Quick question as I'm a novice when it comes to bass (the only freshwater fishing I've done is for trout). Do I need to get bass specific lures or am I going to stand a chance with things like small celtas, sx40's, tassie devils, surface poppers or small scorpions??

Has anyone fished around the upper Shoalhaven? What can I expect? If I do need to get a couple of bass lures, what would you suggest?

Thanks in anticipation...

 

[RedPhoenix]

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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[Davey G]

ahh, yes the sp's will definitely be packed in anticipation!

Re the camping, I've also heard that the area upstream of Tallowa Dam /downstream of Kangaroo Valley is also sensational and great kayaking water. Keen to do a yakking / fishing/ camping trip there sometime over summer. Also need to do some homework beforehand!

 

[Guest]

Heya Davey

Your Celta's would be worth a flick, I've read of river Bass taking spun Celtas, not much good for impoundment Bass tho I'd say.....

Your Tassie Devils might be worth a shot as well (smaller sizes) if the Bass are particularly active, Bass definately get turned on by a fast retrieved lure with an erratic action. I've read of guys jigging these for Bass in impoundments as well but have not tried this myself If the fish are in a lazy mood or a little shut down I reckon they'd be very hard to tempt with a Tassie tho.

I reckon your SX-40's would be a hot lure, and probably the pick of the bunch of the ones you've mentioned any small insect type poppers you have should be deadly at dawn/dusk as well.

Bass love 3" Gulp Curl Tailed Grubs, either on a standard jighead, I've found the TT Rev Heads with Gulps attached deadly as well......Pumpkinseed has been most productive for me

My wife and I recently fished a small creek in northen NSW on a picnic outing (which happened to be near a creek! :wink: ), tossing lures for Bass.
I threw everything at them, we could see them clearly moving around in small schools, they wouldnt touch anything, poppers, lipless crankbaits, some suspending shallow divers......they wouldnt touch anything until we switched to some 3" Gulps on small Rev Heads, and we then caught and released 3 fish in 15 mins heaps of fun........

 

[hairymick]

Heya Davey,

SX 40s,48s,&60s and sneaky scorpions all have cought bass for me up here. I reckon the 40s have accounted for the most fish.

 

[beefs]

hey Dave - i'd be giving some small poppers or surface fished soft plastics (squidgie bugs etc) a go around dusk in along the weedy/overhung edges of the river. Works out here at the mckenzie weir.

 

[sam60]

Davey, any of the lures you have should work..... but you can always tell the wife you need some different ones.... like jitterbugs or any of the surface poppers or you could try any of the walk the dog type lures like the zippin ziggy or a couple of the other ones which may be a bit smaller. Upstream from coolendel there is supposed to be some good size bass and this time of year should see the bass post spawn and chasing food. Near the dam wall at tallowa you may get some good size bass but this is probably a bit far to paddle. If you troll from the camping area up stream try a jakall copy lure or a sx48 to tempt anything around. Tallowa Dam can be hit and miss and the best idea is to try and get away from the crowds but success is not guarenteed.

 

[fishinswing]

Hey Dave,

Grab yourself a packet of Chalie Brewers Slider softplastics in 3 inch but try and match the colour to the bait fish in the area. I have caught 90% of my bass on the sliders. Use a heavy jighead in deepwater and lighter one if jigging and working the edges. Work your lures very slowly for bass. You will have a ball and hang on when they strike, they hit very hard.

 

[polylureosis]

Davey,

I would be using this as an excuse to expand the collection.

Not into the soft plastics myself but as for hardbodies my favorites are.....

1. Rapala Shadrap or Taildancer (the balsa ones) size 05 in Perch and Shad.
2. Heddon torpedo in black and frog.
3. Tilsan Bass in Gold
4. Nilsmaster invincible Size8 in green/cream Glow in the dark (colour 10) - Use just after dusk.
5. Knolls native minnow.
6. Also try spinnerbaits. I like them with a white skirt (but it probably depends what they are eating).

The celta's, Sx40's, scorpions and poppers will all work if the Bass are in the mood.

Get the poppers in right next to the structure and Let them sit still as long as you can.........wait......................................................small twitch..........wait............................................................................................................... you get the idea.......

Good luck let us know how you go.

 

[hairymick]

Heya Poly

re the poppers, that is exactly what my mate told me the other day what sort of poppers to you recommend?

also re the invincible Great classic lure - never used em on bass but will be soon - now

 

[polylureosis]

Hiya Mick / Davey,

I have attached a pic of the Favorite lures.....

Mick in answer to your question.
My favorites are the small fizzers. But also in the pic is a small yozuri popper that seems to work well on everything (bass, trevally, jacks, jungle perch, sooty grunter..... have all taken a liking to it) Seems to work well when they are feeding on baitfish.
I think with topwaters it is about the size and how you use them rather than the brand, colour, etc.
You never quite quite the same hookup rate with topwaters but I would rather see the strike anyday.
Also seems nylon rather than flurocarbon helps as the flurocarbon sinks and can pull the lures under.

 

[mark5fish]

Greta advice

 

[dishley]

get a small black kokoda bat for topwater, they're only $6 and they're damn effective. As mentioned your divers will work fine. Celta's have caught thousands of bass.

 

[nicktoozoff]

Davey,

I'd be stocking up on 1/8th oz Ausspin spinnerbaits in blk/purp combinations also consider some more natural looking colours pumpkin seed etc. The 1/8th's are great as you can fish them shallow as they don't sink too fast, but allowing them to sink you can also get them down deep. Try the lucky craft sammy's and Koolabung Cicada fizzers for surface action. If there is no cicada action, then surface luring can be very hit and miss. Of the 90 or so bass I landed this summer only a handful were on surface lures, that's not for a lack of trying, spinnerbaits out preformed this year. Hopefully next summer will see an increase in surface action!!! I'll be up to the Wild Rivers Bass lodge for three days two weekends after your trip, so will be hoping for a hot surface bite. Whatever you use, don't go any lighter than 15lb with your leader material, big bass can be very unforgiving on light leaders. I lost two good fish this summer in consectutive cast using 12lb mono. These were not rub off's but shear strength bust off's heading back into cover!!!

Hope this helps.

Cheers Nick.