# NSW: Kangaroo River 22/1/10 Hampden Bridge to Bendeela



## etr420 (Jan 7, 2008)

A few mates and our boys did the 5km kayak trip from Hampden Bridge to the Bendeela campground, starting about 11.00am and finishing about 2.00pm (lots of stops for swimming etc). A very pretty, fishy-looking stretch of river.

Two of slipped in a bit of lure fishing - maybe 45 minutes in total - but between us we caught 9 smallish but feisty bass. The enjoyable aspect of this was that neither of us had fished for bass before. We used small (3.5cm) poppers cast, as per conventional wisdom, to the bank or boulders just above water, in shade, near overhanging trees. Plop into the water. Wait 30 seconds. Bloop. Wait. Bloop bloop. Whack! Conventional wisdom works sometimes.

The lures were cicada imitations.

Wish we'd had more time for it, and were perhaps able to fish at dusk. Got the bass bug now - A fishing only return trip is on the drawing board.


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Nice report etr, Kangaroo Valley is a magic spot, I've only been once and can't wait to get back there, Tallowa dam has some massive lure eating carp which are a surprise on light gear when you're expecting 20-30cm bass


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## snapperz (Dec 31, 2008)

etr420,I would like to do that trip myself one day.Well done on the bass.Bendeela is an awesome place,I caught my first ever bass there.Are there any rapids between bridge and Bendeela?What sort of yaks were you in?SNAPPERZ


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## Ozzybass (Jun 29, 2007)

I'm sorry, but it sounds like you've caught the bassing disease. Symptoms - financial woes caused by lure addiction (especially the highly addictive Japanese crackbaits), obsessive compulsive rod & reel upgrading, water craft pimping & alimony payments; psychological problems from bass separation anxiety & physical deterioration from sun exposure, painful wilderness expeditions, Xtreme portaging, insect & snake bites and gangrene from bass spikes & cuts. It is usually terminal!


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## nexy (Dec 25, 2009)

While i am sitting looking online, wating for the missus to tell me her waters have broke
so she can finally deliver this baby, the rest of my family (in-laws) have gone to
Bendeela today for a fish , i thought i had forgotten about the trip untill i read this post,
hopefully they will post a good report on here for all to read. I suppose i can 
think about the sunburn they will get and how hot it will be with no wind, but what a great day
to spend Australia Day.


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

ETR , Bloody Bassitis , its a scourge , i have it and cant wait to get out and have another go , i have never been to the kangaroo valley but soon intend to rectify that as soon as it cools down a bit


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## etr420 (Jan 7, 2008)

snapperz said:


> etr420,I would like to do that trip myself one day.Well done on the bass.Bendeela is an awesome place,I caught my first ever bass there.Are there any rapids between bridge and Bendeela?What sort of yaks were you in?SNAPPERZ


We had a mix: I was in my little Hobie Sport, my mate had a two-seater pedal Hobie, most of the kids were in 2 person canoes, and a couple in rented Drifters.

There wasn't anything I'd call a rapid, but we had to port about half a dozen times, but only for a few metres at a go, and mainly in the first half of the trip. The second half, 2km or so, was just one long lovely pool with shady, overhung fishy-looking spots all the way.


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## etr420 (Jan 7, 2008)

Ozzybass said:


> I'm sorry, but it sounds like you've caught the bassing disease. Symptoms - financial woes caused by lure addiction (especially the highly addictive Japanese crackbaits), obsessive compulsive rod & reel upgrading, water craft pimping & alimony payments; psychological problems from bass separation anxiety & physical deterioration from sun exposure, painful wilderness expeditions, Xtreme portaging, insect & snake bites and gangrene from bass spikes & cuts. It is usually terminal!


Too right! I'm already afflicted with the trout thing, but that's mostly on foot in mountain streams. These little bass were just amazing spiky bundles of energy with a huge survival instinct. I'm going to sit down on the weekend with my copy of John Bethune's book and plot the next trip (not as extreme as the worst of his, though).


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## FishinFanatic (Oct 10, 2008)

Great report, quick question for someone like me who was unfortuante enough to 'have' to sell the yak, reckon the hire yaks down there will suffice enough for a good bass session?
Drove pass that bridge on the way to and from Jervis bay always wondered about the bass fishing in there. very popular spot by the looks of things.


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

Vanna: The caravan park next the bridge uses Australis Bass' and Barra's. I actually first fished from a yak at tallowa using one of these hired yaks. there's no rod holders but the cockpit is plenty big enough to fit all your gear in. Not as comfy as your revo would have been, but it does the job. Don't paddle too far if it's windy, they track like crap



nexy said:


> hopefully they will post a good report on here for all to read.


Only decent sized fish was a big carp on lure. I have never been more dissapointed in my life. I had it pegged for a 40+cm bass.


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## Revo (Aug 3, 2008)

Great result Ed.  You chose a great place for kayaking ... Kangaroo Valley is a top place.


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