Another 1.2 metre cod was caught on the January 10. The cod was taken while casting spinner bait around rocks in the main basin.
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This was the fifth fish captured over a metre in the main basin in the last month. They were all released.
Another 90 centimetre fish was also caught on the same day at the top end of Wade Island.
There have been reports of smaller fish being picked up on lures and bait but the catch rates have dropped off.
Yellow belly: a 68cm fish, caught on a worm in the main basin, took out the yellow belly of the week. There have been some other good size fish, up to 45cm, taken on jackalls in the main basin as well.
The yellows have quietened off further up river after the good run of the last two weeks. The bait fishermen are having more success then the lure fishermen.
Redfin: 15 fish on worms was the best report for the week. Not hearing too many other reports.
Trout: no reports this week but 5000 rainbow fingerlings are to be released next week in the bottom end of the lake.
Carp: plenty being caught. Worms and corn continue to do the trick. Still some reports of carp hitting trolled lures but not like they were.
Park news: Carly Van Delft and Greg Byng, along with some local singers, will be appearing at the park on Saturday January 26 (Australia Day). They will set up on the newly constructed stage beside the kiosk. Day visitors will pay the normal $10 car entry fee to attend the show. Music will kick off about 4pm. There will be a spit roast cooking with sandwiches for sale, as well as the normal take away food and beverages for sale from the kiosk.
The water levels are still dropping quite rapidly with the daily releases actually increasing in the past week. On New Year’s Day the dam level was 60.1 per cent. Two weeks later and the dam level is 47.5 per cent.
I would anticipate that access around the top of Wade Island will be gone by the weekend. Obviously there have been no lessons learned from the recent longest drought in memory. The dam reached levels of four per cent in the early years of the drought. Maybe there is a big wet coming, like in March 2012. Let’s hope the rains come this year or there won’t be any water for the farmers or the environment next year.
The Yellow Belly Championships are on again at the end of February and will be held here at the park. Go to http://www.yellowbellychampionships.com/ for bookings.
Current water level: 47.5 per cent.
Current discharge: 11,730 megalitres per day.
Current inflow: 200 ml per day.
Water visibility: up to 1.5 metres.
Weather: hot and 40 degrees Celsius today, before dropping back to 32 on the weekend, with light winds.
Full moon: January 27.
New moon: February 10
Water temperature: 22-26 degrees Celsius.
Dean Brind
Burrinjuck Waters State Park