# VIC/NSW:2010 Road Trip..unplanned..PT1 and Pt2 and PT3



## madfishman (Dec 10, 2007)

Heres a little about my 2 week trip upto the NSW South Coast and back.Myself and good mate Chrisso left xmas day for Inverloch to drop of his dog at his parent and arrived back 8th Jan. In total we covered 3700km, fished 9places, [email protected] loads of fish ( heaps of flatties)and an awesome time. In a couple places we ended up with over 30+ bream a day and had a blast.

Of course we had our unexpected events along the way and a couple that took a few days to sort, which made the trip even more interesting but had to cut our time at some places.
lets say the only room available at one place said it all.....









Ended up with plenty of pics and a heaps of great stories including some interesting wildlife&#8230;

It was basically pack for anything from camping or what ever we could get. The first week was a practically a no go due to "unplanned" events, but im just going to put up a few highlights for now, but will add to the post during the week.

Part One:

We fished Bemm River and got blown out on the opposite side of the lake on the first day fishing, winds over 50knots and 2ft chop every meter. Got drenched to the bone and hit a sand bar in the shallows, due to mouth being open the lake had dropped at low tide so it was a mess with the wind and side way rain. We took refuge in a creek and ended up staying there for 8hrs, couldn't fish with the wind coming down the creek and had to wait it out.
Looked inviting but couldn't work out why no one else was around&#8230;???
















Then we found out why&#8230;

























Taking refuge in the creek and getting drenched








Back at camp and drying out, the outsides only&#8230;.








Caught a couple small bream and due to an unplanned event had to shoot of for a couple days before hitting Bekta river, Mallacoota. Couldn't get a tent in anywhere, let alone a room so had to shoot to Eden and had to cut Mallacoota too a couple hours of fishing and with amount of boats on the water we got the heads up on the Bekta River.
Found an awesome launch spot on the Bekta and landed a couple bream and a nice flatty, it was stinking hot and in places with no wind it was baking hot..








































After a couple hours we decided to hit Eden for a charter, but found out they were all booked and the only other charter boat was busted at peak time..bummer

We fond a dodgey place finally and it ended up having million dollar views of Twofold bay....


















Heres a snap shot of some of the trip ...found some awesome fisheries and great locations&#8230;and met some local wildlife&#8230;with attitude..

























































It ended up being an awsome trip and still uploading pics, heaps to come..


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## fishsmith (Mar 19, 2008)

Nice pics and report Neil, look forward to the rest of the adventure.


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## gcfisho (Oct 31, 2009)

Im going to hit the road for a similar adventure end of feb , cant wait .


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## doddsj (May 24, 2010)

G'day,

Great report and nice pictures, Can't wait to read part 2.

Cheers, Steve.


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

looks like its was a great trip Neil, some nice bream you got there too.

Cheers Dave


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## madfishman (Dec 10, 2007)

Part 2: may have some recap...

After leaving Mallacoota I was still calling BB's and nothing no accom at all, so off to Eden it was. 
We got to Eden and pulled up to the information board at the start of town and started calling a few places, we actually called all of them and no accom available not even an unpowered site in a Park, this was the middle of new years holidays alright, we knew it, but nothing at all, thats full on. All camp sites in town, outta town were tent cities and boats everywhere.
So we cruised around the town looking for no vacancies&#8230;Ive never been to Eden and had no idea. After a few small arguments chrisso took a right hand turn and down the end of the street we found a dodgey hotel with a VACANCY sign&#8230;you beauty&#8230;rang the bell, saw a note and called the number and a guy rocks up.."can I help you"...well yes I am looking for a room or 2&#8230;he replies that a young couple had rang 2mins before and if they didn't want it we could get it, it was very old stuff and NOT a refurbed 1950s appartment&#8230;so I waited and the couple arrived, mins later hes handing over some cash&#8230;there was no accom at all in town I don't blame them, so said did he know anywhere at all we were homeless and all we wanted was a shower and some where to sleep&#8230;..sir&#8230;lol
He replies there was one room that had water damage so all the carpets were up, but was clean and beds made, it was used by a few guys from the Sydney to Hobart, who had sailed from SA to Sydney to sail to Hobart &#8230;why&#8230;.so we said we would take it, $100. 

























No problem&#8230;this place had deceased estate furniture , carpets pulled and a dodgey balcony with MILLION DOLLAR views &#8230;.

































After a great sleep and coffee on the balcony we shot down to the harbor for a nice breaky, and then we left Eden and having driven for 3 days full on with little fishing it was killing us.
We headed towards Tathra only to find the place was chockers full and some of the rates being charged were stupidly ridiculous so we went straight up to Wapengo Lake. What a beautiful place, hot and picture perfect but no decent fish.

















Chrisso's first bream for the trip, 3x the size of his lure.

























Caught bugger all really, chrisso caught 5 nice mullet and a small bream..i caught a couple small bream upto 25cm and a small pinkie&#8230;I did however see some very elusive big bream in the oyster rack and on my approach I got yelled at by a lease holder, first time ever&#8230;.

The local oyster lady reckoned she hadn't seen many fish around the last few weeks. Also bumped into a few other yakkers crusing around who also didn't have much luck either and they had been there a few days already.. so realizing there wasn't anywhere to camp we picked a another place and headed for it.
After getting there and no signs to direct so I had to follow google earth pics and finally we arrived to our EDEN as it turned out&#8230;.not a soul in sight..
In the 3 days we camped there we caught over 150 fish&#8230;.with 98% being BREAM&#8230;.you bloody ripper our luck had turned, in a bog way&#8230;fishing the edges and the weeds we were throwing top water lures in 1-2ft of water&#8230;the NW pencil was the better of the selection and by the end of the 3rd day I was throwing the DOGx jnr as well&#8230;and it was getting smashed all over the place. After a small incident of getting 2 treble hooks on 1 treble caught in 2 fingers past the barb I was stuffed, while I worked out how to get them out,Chrisso was busy getting into them.(PICS TO COME on my mates camera). I snipped one off and yanked out the hook and did the same on the other hook..then it was back on again..another few bream and I was chuffed and finger paoin forgotten&#8230;I changed it up a bit and got some fish on squidgey wrigglers, turtle backs, k9 , sammy's and shallow divers..all caught fish..

Now my mate Chrisso hadn't fished for bream much before and never top water&#8230;after i showed him how it worked and caught a couple fish , it was on for him too. On the third day which was his birthday he lost count at 25 fish and endless more &#8230;he's truly hooked on top water bream fishing it was a buzz. We took pics of every fish up until lunch time then we were catching and throwing back faster than we could get a pic, it was on and it finally made the whole trip so far worth while&#8230;

The best thing was we were in 1ft of water in some places it was the best fun I had had in ages&#8230;standing in the PA and getting a good sports fish in..having a blast. :yahoo:

Heres a small selection of the fish caught&#8230;now there was over 500 pics taken on the trip and got a little confused so I'll see how it goes&#8230;.

































































































and heaps more...
After packing up and not being able to leave due to best 3 days ever and tempting ourselves to stay longer, but with the ice melted and supplies low it was not to be.

We then took the big drive up to Burril Lake to meet up with a friend for a couple days..

One night we ordered some take away Thai from Ulladulla as theres not too much in Burrrlll lake &#8230;my mate wants to make his own order and asked about masumun chicken and roti bread and was told&#8230;.this is not an Indian restaurant, sorry this is thai food, he just stood there and didn't know what to say, he thought it was Thai food but apparently not&#8230;. So the furthest we got in the trip was Ulladulla to get Thai food we think&#8230;much more to come&#8230;


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## Cid (Nov 14, 2005)

Great report, Neil, sounds like a blast. Some nice fish shots in there, too.

cheers,
Cid


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## Oddrod (Sep 27, 2009)

That's a brilliant adventure Neil, I'd have a grin a mortician couldn't shift if I'd caught that many fish. Looking forward to more pics.


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## madfishman (Dec 10, 2007)

Part 3-final chapter&#8230;..

We left our mates place and headed for Merimbula we had booked a "reef" charter after speaking to the guy on the phone about catching snapper, morwong and nanigi's. This was our first planned event so we had to organize accom, Greg at Capri Apartments in Merimbula and it was awesome we ended up with a 2br self cont unit for the 3 days, somewhere to stash the trailer and do our own cooking, we were 5 mins walk from main street and the bottlo. 









Cruised around and found another charter the next day for Kingies at $200 a pop we thought it could be worth it so we booked for the day after the "reef" charter..
Alarms set we headed down to the marina to jump on the "reef" charter and there was about 10 people altogether, pretty excited we started heading out with the skipper saying the "reef's" had been quite the last few days we are chasing flatties&#8230;[email protected] hell , flatties, I can get them anytime&#8230;

























we'd blown $100 each and 6hrs fishing for friggin flatties ( at commercial rates we would have to catch 5kgs at $40kg to make it worth) and only 1km from the entrance from the bay, I coulda done that in the yak, and some guys were getting bonnies outta the entrance..but anyhow while we were out there approx. 6 people got sea sick and were barfing everywhere and we caught 4-6 small flatties and a chinaman leather jacket&#8230;wohoo

Hit the top lake that afternoon and what a nice place, no wind pleasant with a few stubbies we caught a couple flatties a small pinkie and ravaged by some schoolie tailor&#8230;nice place&#8230;

































Alarms set again for the second time on the trip and it was Kingie time&#8230;or so we thought&#8230;rocked up and this time there was only 9 on the boat&#8230;.started heading out and the deckie starts tying 250gram jigs to the 20lb mono lines on the charter rods&#8230;what&#8230;and then starts on about how it's the wrong time of the year , but theres a few small ones around&#8230;.1.5hrs on the boat to get to the fishing ground, we even passed EDEN to get to the spot&#8230;.get the rod ready and a boat not too far away is pulling fish, one of the other guys drops his jig, jerks it a couple times and he's on&#8230;not for long this thing went like a torpedo and busted him of&#8230;.









Too make a long story short&#8230;they didn't throw out any bait/burley..the deckie went to sleep in the cabin and we lost 5-6 fish..after 4hrs of consistent jigging me and chrisso gave up&#8230;3 people on the boat were spewing and jigging at the same time and 1 guy landed a rat at 59cm..
We did how ever get a monster leathery&#8230;..









Rested that arvo, we were stuffed, my arms were burning from the lactic acid and I had cramps most of the arvo so we couched it and watched the tube&#8230;and slept and slept&#8230;
Packed up the next morning and headed for the next destination TAMBOON River &#8230;

Got to Tambo around 2.30pm and it was stinking hot again&#8230;unpacked the yaks , refreshed our throats and headed off&#8230;.
































found a few smallish fish and explored around, this place was amazing, no power or water and only a few people around.
























While we heading back down river I told Chrisso I would head back and get some refreshments and munchies&#8230;5min paddle seemed worth it&#8230;&#8230;
Pulled up at the bank and I was parched az , as I was walking along the side of the car I get this monster Monitor/Goanna start hissing at me on the bonnet of my mates brand newish Navara&#8230;I sharted, and squeeled like a bitch and bolted back to the yak turned around and this thing had launched itself of the car and was doing the stand off thing to me, big yellow throat and hissing, meant , to me, piss off&#8230;..
I tried shooing (not shooting) it off, no luck, didn't want to through anything as to damage the poor barstard or Chrissos car&#8230;I jumped in the yak and started to head of and look for Chrisso when the bloody thing started to try and climb the tailgate of his new car and I could hear it scratching away, thinking [email protected] hell if chrisso was here it would be a new seat cover by now&#8230;.lol&#8230;
























Heading for a tree, cos he knew chrisso was pissed&#8230;

And just as I was heading around the corner, he comes chrisso&#8230;.i explained and he wasn't happy&#8230;
























3 sides of the car scatched up, the roof and the bonnet, lucky it didn't get onto the canvas on the back&#8230;lol

So after scaring the Komodo dragon off with some loud noise it was back to fishing&#8230;.well that's what we though&#8230;got back and all was good, it was getting dark and I had just put my head lamp on and saw something at chrisso's feet,..
"Chrisso, step towards me slowly theres a snake&#8230;.."&#8230;








Holy shit this thing was a baby brown snake and it was just cruising around, so we directed it towards somewhere nowhere near us&#8230;.setting up for dinner and this huge huntman scutters across the table then a large skink&#8230;the wildlife was turning it on&#8230;and to top it off a freaky lookin caterpillar decided to join us for dinner&#8230;
















Finished of a few cans and hit the sack&#8230;
Up early and off fishing again, headed out to the little island and pulled a few fish..
3 flatties over 45cm and upto 55cm, a couple bream and a 50cm tailor on 4lb line with a muddy prawn atomic&#8230;took nearly 5mins to land and what a beauty it was, screaming line every 10-20sec and it was hooked under the jaw so no bite off thank god, that's my last one&#8230;

























































well an interesting way to finish of the trip at least..before heading to Sale, Sea spray and home....

cheers,

Happy and content on the trip we headed back to camp.

The Goanna had got its revenge and tore not one but 3 friggin holes in my tent and sliced up my air matresss&#8230;.theres no way im staying another night&#8230;.the mongrel got his revenge&#8230;








Not a good sign when coming back to camp&#8230;


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## Cid (Nov 14, 2005)

Oh Neil, what a read that was! Bummer about the charters (magic how they don't fill you in on what you'll be chasing until you're on board and away) but that tale of the Goanna had me in stitches. :lol: Brilliant stuff, buddy.

cheers,
Cid


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## TheFishinMusician (Feb 5, 2007)

Top stuff Niel, can't think of a better way to spend a couple of weeks!
Thanks!


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## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

Top report and some of thhose pics are terrific! Well done boys.


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## FHM (Mar 21, 2008)

Great report and some fantastic pictures. Well Done.

I was in Eden during Xmas eve for 2 days and it was cold, raining and very windy. caught a couple of fat 50+ lizards from Quarantin Bay Road jetty, but I think Eden is a great place to visit as it is quiet and you get to get to access to clean public toilets and there you can have a warm shower near the wharf.


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## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

loved your report, a great read, cheers, Dave.


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## clarkey (Jan 13, 2009)

Top stuff,Sounds like a fun trip,that's one evil lizard :lol: 
Clarkey


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## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

tanks for a wonderful read... there's more to fishing than just the time spent fishing..

cheers
John


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## madfishman (Dec 10, 2007)

thanks guys, it was a bloody good trip....got a few more pics and vids which you may find interesting.........

Ive got a few more pics from my mate and will put them up ....and some nice vid.....

Whilst fishing top water i changed over to my fav lure the DOG X jnr, and as i stated it went off, heres a nice fish i got with it.....









and heres what happened 2sec after the photo when the fish went beserk..........


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Looks like lots of fish, you would have had a ball!

The "fireplace" looks suspiciously like a cut-down 50l stainless steel keg ;-)


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## madfishman (Dec 10, 2007)

Barrabundy said:


> Looks like lots of fish, you would have had a ball!
> 
> The "fireplace" looks suspiciously like a cut-down 50l stainless steel keg ;-)


Certainly did ....and yes, it was supplied by the Bemm River Caravan park, just had to get your own wood...

thanks for the replies, i thought some of guys would enjoy it...
got a few vids of the Komodo dragon i will chuck up soon...i cant work out how to censor the swearing..... :twisted:


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## Booyah (Apr 26, 2009)

Yep Nice work the whole area between orbost and eden is awesome. I nearly got myself stuck in where you saw the goanna..only have a 2wd vectra and trying to go back up the track got stuck straddling the first bump...more speed required!..poor car


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