# NSW 16/07 Mummaga Lake



## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

It was meant to be an alpine start. Somewhere in my dreams I realised it was a dream. 12 months on the couch, followed by 8 hours on the ocean the previous day left the mind willing but the body weak (OK the mind too). The Saturday was what kayak fishing was invented for. Temperatures that demanded no more than a polypro and a spray jacket. A wind that produced a timid drift. A metre of swell to dust the clear blue water with a white transluscence. Miles of reefy bottom, cuttlefish carnage, a sounder sounding frequent warnings of fishiness. And the result? A red oogly, a smelly pike, a slimey mackeral and a wrasse. At least the Mackeral was a first, and there was 0.5 seconds where I may have had a red on the run. Nearly 15km of ocean kayaking, and nothing to show for it but memories and reminders of why I love this.

So the second half of my leave pass threatened to pass. I woke up, put on cold clothes moistened by those memories and dragged my sorry soul down to the local lake. By the time I was on the water it was 10am and the breeze had lifted to a flutter. The lake was still empty, with others opting for more prestigious contenders such as Wagonga and Tuross. I had the lake to myself, not unusual but also not encouraging. All I hear from Dalmeny locals is how well its been fishing, especially after re-opening earlier this year. It was still open, but the water colour was its usual mirky green self.










The near featureless bottom always 3m below held no sign of life to encourage me. I headed for the droppoff, where clear shallow water from the inlet would soon pass into the homogenious 3m at the end of the morning run in.

I started working an sx40 near the dropoff, while dragging a squidgy behind me. The wind dopped to nothing, puffed a bit, changed direction, glassed out, puffed again before giving up for the day. I soon gave up too, reaching for the trusty gulp sand worms, and a lazy twitch while drifting. A half worm after half an hour gave me some hope, as did the four boats that I had inspired into launching. All came my way, then departed once they realised my lack of tactics. But the sounder began showing bait balls, and I felt a dull pull as I passed over one. A twitch, a strike and a headshake. My 2kg outfit is a bit of a boaster when it comes to the bend test, but it seemed solid enough. A flathead no doubt. But doubt was indeed warranted, as a 30cm flounder came floundering to the surface. Another first, and therefore a PB. I had an idea that they were tasty, so a keeper it became.










The run in strengthened, so I paddled towards the inlet, into the shallows, sending falthead a scurrying and me a swearing. I tried to fish the shallow channel and surrounding flats, but the thin channel and current conspired to deny me. It mattered not as I knew I'd scared everything of worth.

Back to the droppoff it was, where fishy beeps now accompanied the bait balls. Another tender tug, another weighty trike, another big bend for a small fish. A flounder? Not this time. A 39cm flathead to turn a nibble into a meal.










The other boats cruised by. 'How'r ya doing?' 'Got a couple. Howbout you'. 'Gotta couple'.

And so it was. The local way. Nothing inspiring. No swell, no sweat, no crashing waves. No seals, no peeling reels, no cuttlefish stains. No reef, no grief, no adventures borne of bravery. Just drifting and fishing and ..... what do you know ... fish.


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

leftieant said:


> Please Sir, may we have some more?


Unfortunately Ant, that requires a prerequisite. Fishing! Unless, or course, you'll accept bold faced lies and fiction. Wait a minute, that IS fishing!!!


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## robsea (Apr 7, 2010)

"Cuttlefish Carnage' ....i love it! Great read and pix to boot!.

rob


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

I must have missed this report Ado - one of your finest, and great to see you back on the water! 

Well done on that flounder - one of my faves 8)


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Thanks for the comments guys. It's nice to know that the prodigal son is still loved (liked, tolerated)?



Squidder said:


> Well done on that flounder - one of my faves


Hmmmm. I baked mine and it came out as mushy and very very bony. Did I do something wrong? Or do you do something with it other than eating it (your comment is enticingly ambiguous). :lol:


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Ado said:



> Hmmmm. I baked mine and it came out as mushy and very very bony. Did I do something wrong? Or do you do something with it other than eating it (your comment is enticingly ambiguous). :lol:


 :lol: :lol:

Sorry mate no enticement intended 8) I usually scale/gut/behead flounder, then brush with garlic/herb butter and grill until the skin just starts to lift off the flesh. I used to chase them a lot in Victoria (spearing at night), and if I ever got a really big one I'd painstakingly remove the most delicate and delicious fillets you can imagine


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## .329 (Apr 17, 2006)

Squidder said:


> I usually scale/gut/behead flounder, then brush with garlic/herb butter and grill until the skin just starts to lift off the flesh. I used to chase them a lot in Victoria (spearing at night), and if I ever got a really big one I'd painstakingly remove the most delicate and delicious fillets you can imagine


Oh, sounds really good.

Loved the report Ado, as always.


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