# NSW, Lake Conjola - brimming with bream



## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

After the first week of our holidays on the Clyde we headed off for a "nostalgic" bike ride tracing the old Hume Highway through all the little towns now by-passed by the express-way. This was to be capped off with another bit of nostalgia with a ride across Razorback Mountain. It would seem that nostalgia is not what it used to be and I'll add a small note with all the nice things to say about the old road and the little towns...

Back home we packed up on Tuesday afternoon and headed off to Lake Canjola at a reasonable hour on Wednesday morning and had the site ready ASAP but were a little concerned at the look of the sky. it just had that look that the weather might break any time.









The caravan park we stayed at is one that is predominantly filled with permanent vans and one of the few sites for tents is right on the waters edge, just perfect for getting the kayaks in and out of the water.









While we were still setting up a guy came in to the boat ramp on the other side of the fence with his tinny and I asked how he had done and he gave me a couple of clues as to where and when to fish. Shortly after that the child bride was startled by a noisy approach from the water and turned to see Godzillaroo emerge from the lake. After that we saw the roos come and go through the water a few times as they went around the fence which jutted out into the lake at the park boundry.









I was itching to get out on the water and after assisting the child bride with a few of the necessary chores I grabbed the yak and headed for a likely spot that I had liked on a previous visit with a couple of other AKFF members. I was wearing my prescription sunnies and as the afternoon got a bit late the fish started to come on but I had to call it quits as I was having trouble seeing what I was doing. During this session I had a good tussle with a Tahwine and also caught a nice Tailor. There were a few other hits but I failed to hook up on some and others were a bit small so they were returned to the water. I liked the look of the Tahwine and I think its a more handsome fish than the bream even though it is very similar. After dinner I rugged up a bit and headed back and anchored up in the same place and the fishing at night was only spoiled by the required night light being in front and hindering my vision. I brought home another couple of good bream, both around the mid 30's but most casts were getting some response. I lost several very active fish at the side of the kayak but because of the light I was having difficulty seeing what they were. I am guessing either Tailor or Witing as they appeared to be long and slender but the fish of the night was one I never saw.

I had two rods with me, a 6ft 8 raider and a 7ft 6, the slightly heavier rod with a Shimano 1500 reel and the smaller rod with a 1000. The little reel is spooled with 2lb braid and the 1500 has two spools, one with 4lb and the second with 10lb braid. The fish in question took the heavier line and headed for the hills. There was little I could do but sit and wait to see what happened as the drag yielded line and then there was a slight ping as the line was bitten through above the hook. I had heard reports of large Tailor, up to 7kg, and I have my suspicions that this was both large and toothy so Tailor fits the bill.

On Thursday morning we were both out on the water early enough to go for an exploratory paddle and also get in some fishing. One old bloke in a tinny was happy to show off his flathead but I somehow still find it disappointing that so many big breeders get taken home. Its a bit like the reformed smoker who now hates smokers, when I finally "got" the idea of releasing the big breeders I like to see them swim...









We drifted and paddled around some of the little islands up the front of the lake and as we did we both noted the number of blackfish in the shallow water. I could see fish in close to the shoreline and made an exploratory cast and in no time was hooked up. I really love fishing skinny water for bream just because their first run is so explosive when they are running shallow. The 2lb line was ripping through the water in a zig zag run and when I had the chance I was lifting the rod and winding down the line and soon enough I had a beautiful silver bream in the net. Shortly after that a school of Witing idled past and I cast a line out in front of them and hooked up quickly. I must have been thinking too much of eating Witing rather than what I was doing as I had the fish at the boat and then mucked up the landing...

As we were heading back to the main channel there was a little bay that is too shallow to use the pedals and I could see swirls left by feeding fish. I think I said I love skinny water... First cast had a hard fighting bream hooked up and even on the light line it wasn't long before it was in the net and a second cast hooked up to another bream that just went ballistic. As this thing was running hard I suddenly saw a dead branch in the water and it was obvious that this was the primary destination of the fish so it was hold the rod with one hand and try to paddle with the other to see if I could avoid being busted off. Fish won the race and then as I watched the line screaming through the tangle of twigs I also saw the bream swim back past me under the kayak. When you know your busted you just accept it as a part of the day so I opened the bail arm to take the tension out of the line and after a brief high speed run the line went limp. I began to remove the line from the tangle in the twigs and as I finally got the last bit freed I began to wind in the line when it suddenly got very tight. Seems like the fish waited for me. That ended up being three in the bag and I released 2 and kept one for dinner.

Friday we headed down past the steps (an area where the water goes from about 50cms deep through to about 10 metres in a series of "steps"), and had a look around one of the bays. While there the wind began to rise and the child bride wanted to get back to camp before the sky fell in. When I pulled in the back line that had been trolling a minnow lure, I was aware of a slight weight but as there had been no strike and no fight I assumed I was fouled with some weed. Much to my surprise and as a complete first for me a leather jack had taken the lure and thereafter just followed along behind. We headed back to camp and I grabbed a "waterproof" jacket before heading back out as I had had a few good enquiries where we had been fishing and I also wanted to fish the deeper water at the steps. While there I was watching the clouds approaching from the south and realized that this was going to be storm best faced off the water. It was when I was halfway back I looked over my shoulder and could see the first of the rain coming over the hills that I knew I wasn't going to make it dry. When it hit I was wet through to the skin so quickly I was wondering why I had bothered with the jacket...

















Monday is back to work again but the holiday has been interesting with two totally different camping trips, the Clyde river back to basics and Lake Conjola with all mod cons. Both had water and both turned on the bream. Now if I just had another week I'd love to do a trip down to that other place...

With winter coming on I hope to get away to Depot for a few weekends and get out after a snapper or two...

Cheers

John


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## snapperz (Dec 31, 2008)

Once again John,a great report.It's a shame you have to go back to work because you are catching some good fish.I have heard about the "steps"and will be checking them out myself in the future.It looks like Conjola is kayak friendly with launch spots right in front of camp.BTW,I sent you a PM regarding your Clyde report.Cheers SNAPPERZ


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## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

yep.. got the pm and will reply but not tonight... just got home and posted the report but need to get some zzzzzzzs and maybe dream of zzzs of a different kind...

cheers

John


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## southcoastmatty (Jan 21, 2009)

Great report and sounds like a nice break despite the soaking. :? 
I don't mind the rain as long as I have a wettie or weather proof on. It tends to keep the stinkers at bay.
scm


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Fantastic report John and some great photos from one of my favorite spots. Well done on getting some nice fish, I agree shallow water breaming is one of the best things about the South Coast


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## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

Always enjoy your reports John, this ones no exception, thanks for your efforts,cheers, Dave.


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