Mon 26/3/12 - Fishing

Ok so Monday the 26th, I got a chance to fish one of my favourite childhood spots. We went camping several times a year, and every second I got, I spent it fishing. My mates Nick, Chris and I spent the day fishing Lostock Dam, The beginning point of the Paterson River. I'll be writing plenty more about both of these places later.
Between the 3 of us we caught a large catfish about 60/70cm(Nick), an eel over a metre long (Nick), several bass about 20/25cm long, 3 mullet and many more small bass and eels.
We caught more earlier in the day, and while the sun was covered. Once the sun came out I only pulled a couple of smaller bass from the deep holes.
Nick and Chris both caught a mullet on metal spinners and another on a worm.

Friendly tip - Don't throw your only water bottle down a hill, it will break and spill.

As it had been raining, the dam wall was spilling over. This caused the river to run high and murky, but from above the dam outlet pump we could make out several large carp feeding in the weed beds. I think they were carp as in polarised sunglasses I could make out diamond shaped scales, too big for bass.
When running high the rapids in the river were harder to make out, but with a ready food source of the dam wall overspill and the rising water reaching over the shore there was a lot of activity. That means better fishing higher up the river and closer to the banks.
My next post will be something about fishing no doubt. I want to write down how I go about getting ready and finding a spot so maybe that will do.

Getting To Know Me and What I'm All About

Ok so here is a basic rundown of where I live and where I spend my free time.
I live in Maitland, half an hour outside of Newcastle in NSW, Australia and as you can see from this tiny map there are many waterways and wide open areas to play in.

Now I may only be 21, but I have fished all my life, from Lake Macquarie to Port Macquarie, from bush to beach and out west as far as Dubbo. I know most of this area like the back of my hand and I've spent a lot of time studying the waters, tides and the fish so if there is anyone wanting advice or an opinion on say a fishing trip or the like just let me know and I'll do my best to help.
My dad runs a small 4WDing club if you wanna check them out Mud Pigs 4X4, so I've learnt a lot about the bush and the area through him and I'll get the videos up soon and hopefully make a couple of new ones too as its well past time. Once again, anyone looking for advice on 4wding or just the local bush let me know and I'll do my best.
Ok so locally around Maitland there is:

• The Hunter River
• The Paterson River
• The Williams River
• Several Lagoons, Quarries and Creeks
• Newcastle
• Many Nature Reserves

Then if you head a little further out say an hour or so there is:

•  Lake Macquarie
• Stockton Beach
• Cessnock, Aberdare and Heaton State Forests
• Mt Sugarloaf and Vincent
• Lostock Dam and Lake St Clair
• Chichester Dam and State Forest
• Barrington Tops

 Now I have visited nearly all of these places, and I will make a comprehensive list of all of them and what I found as I go on. Next post I'll show a couple of things my friends and I have caught over the last year or so, before I started making records of when, where and baits etc.

I'll try to make this as interesting as I can, but at times I may branch off into specific things I find interesting or need help with. Skip these if they don't interest you, I won't be offended :)