# NSW: Bass fishing at Lake St Clair



## OnTheWater (Jun 21, 2010)

I drove to Lake St Clair yesterday (3 hours from Sydney) to chase a few bass. The conditions looked good on arrival with hot, humid weather and a slight breeze. A cicada landed on my arm as I was unpacking the yak. My casting arm began to twitch.










I was only staying over night so I rigged a tarp to the car, put a table and chair underneath it and a few beers on ice.










With the camp set up I launched the kayak and paddled off into a steamy afternoon. It was completely calm out there and the water's surface reflected the surrounding hills.










I spent a few hours working spinner baits on the edges of weed beds, probing the deeper water. No luck.

As the afternoon progressed I began to hear bass splashing in amongst the weed beds. I saw a big splash in one section and paddled quietly towards it. The water level is high at the moment and it looked like some scrub had been flooded earlier this year, providing a perfect hunting ground for bass.










I changed my rig to a surface lure and put my fast cast right up against the snags. Twitch...twitch...nothing. My second cast was a shocker and landed a few metres shy of the target. I began to reel in when smash!! The water erupted as a bass slammed the lure. Unfortunately for me, it hit the lure with speed heading straight back into the snags. I thumbed the spool to add pressure but with 4 pound leader there wasn't much I could do. I was well and truly buried under the snags.

After five minutes of trying to get it out I had all but given up hope. As a last ditched effort I stuck my paddle into the snags and pushed it about. To my relief the bass surfaced and I slipped my net underneath the fish. At 45cm it is my new PB. This fish was a beautiful bronze colour, while the other fish I caught would prove to be more silver.



















I took a few more bass around those snags, and even the smaller ones managed to bury me because they hit the lure so hard and fast, swimming into cover.










The evening was turning to night and it was time to head back to camp, admiring the scenery along the way.










But there's always time for one last cast, isn't there?










The bass was close to 40cm and inhaled a tiny little popper I use on whiting.










It ended up being a wonderful session and well worth the drive.

Cheers
Jason


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## GregW (Jan 26, 2009)

Very nice Jason. That is a nice big bass and the lake looked awesome. When are you heading up that way again...


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Great session Jason , conditions look ideal , where is Lake St Clare ?


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## Nativeman (Sep 6, 2005)

Nice session and pics...I hope to get to that dam one day, its a long drive from here though..

Well Done

Cheers


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## scater (Nov 24, 2007)

Great job getting them in on 4lb string! Geez that's generous for impoundment fish!


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## OnTheWater (Jun 21, 2010)

Hi Barry,

It is in the Hunter region, about half an hour past Singleton. You can pick a spot to camp right at the lake shore which makes it easy to launch the yak. Glenbawn is the better known bass spot in those parts, but I've always had more luck at St Clair - highly recommend you give it a go this summer.

Cheers
Jason


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Jason those results certainly made the trip worthwhile, good onya mate.


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## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

Nothing says get straight out there like a cicada landing on your arm.
Great report and well done on getting the pb out of the sticks.


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## Roman (Dec 14, 2010)

Awesome catch Jason! Well done! Shame I wasn't able to join you


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## MickG (Dec 5, 2010)

Hi Jason

We were due to go out to St Clair for a weekend trip about 2 weeks ago but changed to Glenbawn due to alleged blue/green algae issues. Did you see any evidence of that? Would have liked to have a go at St Clair because from memory the landscape and shape of the lake is a bit more kayak fisher friendly. At Glenbawn you have a travel some distance to find spots to cast into the weed beds.

Mick.


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## remora101 (Sep 6, 2008)

Nice one Jason - thanks for sharing


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## OnTheWater (Jun 21, 2010)

Hi Mick

Interesting you should mention the blue/green algae. There wasn't any sign in the main parts of the lake, but in one of the shallower sections I noticed quite a bit of green weed that looked like big clumps of green candy floss rather than the usual sorts of aquatic weed - no expert though so can't be sure.

Jason


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