This weekend last year we watched the mighty Hawks smash the Eagles from the banks of Lake Eildon. This time, with the Hawks eliminated early, I was a little bit more relaxed heading into the long weekend. As we drove towards Lake Eildon, I was astounded to see all the gullies/creeks and rivers gushing with water. I'd never seen so much widespread runoff before. All the hills and paddocks were awashed with green.
We arrived at Bonnie Doon Lakeside resort at around 2pm where we met my parents and checked in to our booked cabin and powered site. After unpacking and setting up the tent, the kids went off to the playground and jumping pillow whilst my dad and I set up our fishing rods for a fish before dinner.
Upon arriving to the water's edge, we were greeted with flat white coffee coloured water and plenty of debris floating along the lake margins. My expectation of catching a fish was low, given the plummeting barometer and extremely cold conditions.
- Flat white coffee coloured water and floating debris
We chose a spot next to the boat ramp and cast out our lines. Even though I brought scrub worms with me, we chose to bait up with small freshwater yabbies. At least if we did get a bite, I was 90% confident that it would either be a cod or yella. To my surprise, after about 30min, my rod starts to double over. I quickly jumped out of my chair and struck. After a quick fight, up came a small yella. A quick measure on the brag mat... and you beauty 32cm - a keeper. We fished for another hour and half with my dad getting one other bite providing the only other action for the evening.
- 32cm yella
- The small submerged tree from where the 32cm yella came from
Saturday morning the weather was horrible, but my dad and I finally managed to go out for a fish when the showers lightened up a little bit.
- Horrible weather with the Bonnie Doon bridge in the back ground
I chose to fish a shallow clay bank to the right of the boat ramp whilst my dad stuck to the spot we fished the night before. After about an hour, a soft bite was starting to register on my rod tip. I got up from my chair and took the rod out of the rod holder and gave it a bit of slack. After about 2 minutes, the line starts to tighten and I struck. After another short tussle, I bank another yella that was a carbon copy of the fish from the night before. As I walked over to show my dad the fish, he just blurted out to me that he'd just got smoked by something that broke his 14lb leader like cotton. He was devastated. We fished for another hour for no more action before going back to the cabin for breakfast.
After watching the grand final and having a bbq, I fished for about an hour at night for no result.
- Looking back towards the cabins
Sunday morning was our last session as the sun finally decided to make an appearance.
- The sun comes out
- Sunday morning sun
Again I chose to fish the shallow clay bank whilst my dad stuck to the same spot as before. An hour later, I was browsing on my phone when I look up to see my rod doubled over. I raced over from my chair to pick up my rod, struck and got that devastating feeling of no weight. I reel in to find my yabbie in one piece and still in good condition. I cast it back out to the same spot and slumped back into my chair cursing myself for missing a third yella for the trip. But about a minute later, my rod tip registers a bite. I get up and watch the rod tip like a hawk. Another minute and nothing. Then, my rod tip slowly loads up. I picked up the rod and struck. Hook up! After a short tussle, I could feel solid weight. This was no small yella. I try to get my dad's attention to come over to where I was and bring the net over, but at 75 years of age, I had better chance of just beaching the fish and using my lip gripper. When I finally saw the fish, I was gobsmacked. At 65cm and 3.5kg, he was the biggest yella i'd ever caught.
- My PB yella
- 65cm and 3.5kg
In summary, we landed 3 fish from 6 confirmed bites. Despite the horrible conditions, it was a great weekend away and can't way for next year's trip. I reckon next month's Fishing Victoria trip should be a ripper.
