# NSW 03/08 - Brow Beaten



## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

It's been chilly. The dog wears a hoodie at night. I had to wear two windproof layers for my bike ride yesterday. There has been a 4m swell with an offshore wind, but the surfers in their 5mm steamers were watching from the luxury of their car heaters. That's cold.

But today dawned oh so clear and wind free. I can just as well sit on the water waiting for work to come in. So off to what seems to have been christened Ado's Pondage.










There was no planning and a late start. It was 11:30 before my paddle broke the placid pond. There were cars parked in the siding. Invaders! But I realised soon after than they were more akin to pillagers. The infamous netters had arrived to plunder my pantry. I sighed at the imminent loss of paradise found. Maybe I could beat them one last time before desolation ensued. I headed across the pondage as far from their commercial contamination as I could while still staying on water.


















I trolled a large medium diving Rapala (species unknown) at high speed to the northern side of the pondage. The clear crisp skin of the lake was disturbed only by wallowing jellyfish that seem to spring up from no-where this time of year. The mirrored millpond was both blessing and curse, allowing me to see the slightest disturbance and, at the same time, proving there was none. I flicked my G5IJSCLISPN around the dropoff without a touch for an hour before heading for the Northern shallows.

A massive sea eagle cruised overhead, similarly undisturbed by sightings. He gave up and landed heavily in a tree on the shoreline. I flicked and flicked as my hopes wavered.

Another hour passed. A 10 knot North East breeze began to bite into my enthusiasm. I scurried to the western shore in a last gasp at fulfilment. The pedal with the wind would have warmed the hearts of Olympic scullers. At least it meant I travelled at the same speed as the wind, reducing my now uncomfortable heat loss.

I arrived at the gnarly reef area that had produced Flathead before when all else had failed. But my sounder told me that water temperature had fallen further, from a wicked 13 oC to a frosty 12 oC. The flathead didn't have the hoodie advantage. I plugged my way casting at shoreline structure without so much as a tap.

I was spent. Fishing gave way to fitness as I decided to paddle the 1.7 km to the launch at a reach to the wind. Unlike my inspiration, the netters nets were still buoyed. A south coast winter is something to be endured.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

So what's for dinner honey


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## foxx1 (Jun 3, 2012)

Ado,

I grew up surfing, fishing and spearfishing on the south coast of NSW from the Gong all the way down to Tartha (Tarthra pub NYE awesome by the way, but I am older now) the place you have signified looks very familiar from my youth and I am pretty sure net fishing like that is illegal in that area.

Well done with your outing anyway it wil be a shame to see it lost to the greed of a limited few.


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

They're professionals foxx1. Unlike most lakes, it's not a restricted fishing zone (though parts are sanctuary). Therefore they are unfortunately allowed to do their worst.

They somehow miss all the big bream though  .


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## foxx1 (Jun 3, 2012)

Ado you are truely fortunate to have such a plethora of fishing locations at you doorstep. I recall diving for abalone at Araganu and a young lass named Helen at Tartha.
Back then I spear fished and remember comming face to face with a grouper bigger than my myself, respect saw me turn my spear gun wide as I watched this magnificent beast turn slowly then dissapear into the abyss.
Thanks for the memory


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

I went out on Mummuga today as a change up. Fishing wasn't really the priority  .

















30 mins, three crazy legs de-legged by leatherjackets. Good times.


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## Brez (Mar 2, 2012)

Big black bream or not Ado that was an entertaining read , cheers


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## jfish87 (Jul 12, 2011)

Gee Ado, you are a bit younger than I had imagined


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

jfish87 said:


> Gee Ado, you are a bit younger than I had imagined


Height can be deceiving.


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