Decent rainbow from a little creek, on worms

[skronkman]

So I was inspired to try and make an electrical worm catcher after reading another thread on here. I built mine with an old car battery and an inverter so as not to blow the earth leakage detector in my fuse box and make it more portable. To be honest I had my doubts it would actually work. Well, the first lawn I tried it in was a bit of a failure, a few creepy crawlers ventured out from the grass but no decent worms for bait. So I lugged the contraption a hundred yards or so to a different lawn and tried again..... WOW, the worms couldn't wait to get out of the soil, I had about 40 good scrubbies in 15 minutes. This thing is great for getting worms but it is totally dangerous, I did actually get a zap from it when I tried to wrestle out a worm a bit close to the probe. Didn't hurt but scared the bejesus out of me and it has the potential to kill. Maybe rubber gloves are an idea for next time.

Anyhow, worms in hand it was time to try and convert them into fish. Off to Don lake for 2 hours and only one bite on 4 rods, no fish to take home. A few days later I headed out to Emerald lake, I have been chucking lures around here once a week or so without success but thought maybe they just aren't active, maybe deep, maybe on worms? 1.5 hours later and no bites, again on 4 rods. Damn it, I'm drowning these poor worms for no reason, I am lumbricidae sadistica! On the way home I decided to drift a few worms into the fishy looking holes of a local creek, I've fished it before with no luck but was always using lures, not worms. First cast I felt some weight and lifted up a crayfish, full to the brim with berries. Back in she went. 10 minutes later, the line tightens and I lift yet another cray! Damn, aren't these things supposed to be hibernating? Next hole, try again.... This time let out the line slowly and drifted the worm about 7 meters down the bank and waited, nothing, time to retrieve when I feel a snag and then a few shakes and then a flash of silver and I'm on. Not the greatest fight ever but I could see it was a decent fish as I brought in closer and lifted onto the bank. Damn this thing was a whopper for such a tiny creek. I thought about putting it back in but the hook was deep in and blood was coming from the gills, besides I haven't smoked a trout for a while so home I went and into a brine my prize did go. 46cm long but a bit on the skinny side; you could have jumped over the creek and most of it was barely 40cm deep. In an hour or so I managed 3 crays, 1 trout and a whopper blackfish about 30cm that I returned to the creek. My first blackfish ever, It was a good day.

[davek]

that's good work mate and a nice trout, :thumbsup: cheers davo

[Lightningx]

Nice report mate. That trout is a beauty! Will be awesome in the smoker! Congrats on your first blackfish :thumbsup:

[Mutley and Scruffy]

.......................................................................................................................................................................
Anyhow, worms in hand it was time to try and convert them into fish. Off to Don lake for 2 hours and only one bite on 4 rods, no fish to take home. A few days later I headed out to Emerald lake, I have been chucking lures around here once a week or so without success but thought maybe they just aren't active, maybe deep, maybe on worms? 1.5 hours later and no bites, again on 4 rods. ...........................................................................

Unless you were with somebody, you do realise you can only use 2 rods in freshwater? Good to see the persistence paid off! Also, try not to electrocute yourself with the bait gathering in the future!
cheers
Jim
I found some aspects of this report shocking!

[happyfriggincamper]

Geez - great perseverance, effort and reward! Well done and congrats!

Nice coloured rosy cheek, stripe and fins - looks s similar in shape to larger trout I have caught from stocked lakes (namely Lilydale). Is the creek linked to any stocked waters?

[skronkman]

No worries Muttley I was with my regular fishing buddy (fondly known as "the winch *****" ) Which was great because the look on his face when he saw it made my day, he couldn't retie his hook back on fast enough, and to think he doubted my technique. He also added humour to the day when he slipped off a log and fell in, clearly it was my day and not his.

I am not sure if it is connected to any stocked impoundments but most of the creeks in the Yarra ranges were stocked many many years ago. I have caught trout in many of them with little rapalas and craw daddies but this is by far my largest fish from the area. Pretty sure it was wild for a few years at least. I have cleaned up on fish in the stocked lakes after a release of fish but lilydale has never produced for me. There are also a few trout farms around the area that are fed from local creeks that from time to time may flood and let a few escape.

[Nude up]

Ripper fish great read

[Freshfishin]

Nice report, to avoid shocking experiences in the future probe the ground, get it live and watch the worms come up wait until there is a reasonable quantity then turn off the power before collecting the little wriggglers and no one gets hurt. Happy hunting

Cheers Alex

[Crusher777]

Nice fish!!! :a_goodjob:

[Marty.A]

Nice big rainbow mate really beautiful colours as well and a great report also :thumbsup: