Last bronze trip for the season

The first of the cool weather a month ago and subsequent drop in the water temperature signalled an end to what has been a difficult bass season on the far south coast. 

The bass turned and began their journey down stream to look for like-minded bass to make little bass with; I like to leave them in peace to do this. 

As an addict, I look for a different buzz to get my fix. EP’s in this part of the world are a month or so behind the bass and as such offer an extension to my fishing adventures, albeit only for a few weeks. 

About the time the first proper frosts ice the valley floor, I leave the EP’s to the important business that is essential to their continuity and search for a new buzz to see me through the winter. This time is very near.

With the prospect of a few months void of bronze coloured fish, I take the last weekend of the ‘season’ as a last chance opportunity for a trip.

We could fish locally, but the added bonus of some walking and camping in solitude draws us to lesser-frequented systems. 

The company of two of my favourite fishing companions makes for a really enjoyable adventure.

With time and observation certain predictability to fish behaviour is evident, this trip bore that out with EP’s taking our surface offerings in all the likely holds. Like bass, EP’s are structure based ambush predators. In a healthy system you can almost guarantee a fish from decent structure with a bit of tidal flow past it.

Fishing takes me to such beautiful places, this has led to a different appreciation of it nowadays; the landscapes, water, weather, ebbs and flows of nature all get noticed more.

I am lucky to live in a part of the world that abounds with places that are just beautiful to fish. The fishing in these locations can be spectacular but I would still travel there regardless of whether the fish were there or not. 

I am sure the distractions of nature mean I catch less fish, it does not seem to matter though, it makes me a worse fisherman but a better person.

So, another season of chasing bronze coloured fish is over and I will now chase bream until the frozen months pass. No doubt the cold nights spent pouring over google earth and topo maps will lengthen my already long wish list of trips for next season, but three months is such a looooong time.

Season change Bonnies

Well the days are cooling as autumn takes hold and the daylight hours get shorter.  The bass are no longer worth the effort of chasing, as they no longer look upwards in search of dinner.  EPs are beginning to school up to breed and the big blue nose bream are heading up into the creeks,  I will begin chasing some trophy estuary fish soon.  

At this time of year the coastal currents have finished heading south bringing warm water and pelagic fish to the far south coast.  In a few weeks the currents will turn and head north taking the fish with them.  In the mean time some excellent surface fishing is to be had with schools of big bonito cruising the inshore waters smashing baitfish schools.

The usual haunts such as washes and inshore current lines are the obvious place to start throwing baitfish imitations for these speedsters but watching the birds is an easier way to ensure you find them.  Diving birds are a sure fire indicator of pelagic action and more often that not a guarantee that you'll get fish casting slugs or flies.

As the day progresses it my be necessary to sink your lure or fly down deeper to find fish.  Trolling a deep diving minnows along the rocks is a good way to locate schools.  Once hooked up it pays to cast back over the school as often mulitple fish can be taken.

Bonnies are a great sport fish; they take a range of slugs, flies and trolled minnows and are easily targeted by the inshore angler.  Occasionally Stripped Tuna, Kingfish or Autralian Salmon are also chasing the baitfish and make for great by catch.