Blackwood Dreamin’
Late Afternoon on the
Blackwood – Paradise Found
It has that effect on you. Drifting down the bank, casting
into the snags as the breeze and current do the hard work for you. The mirror
finish reflects the trees and sky giving and almost surreal vision.
How many of us really take the time to have a good look
around us when we’re on the water? To soak up the sights and sounds and really
appreciate what we have right at our doorstep. Some times it’s not just about
the fishing, it’s about taking time to relieve the stresses of the week share
it with a good mate or just enjoy it on your own.
It’s right on our doorstep, and yet how many of us really
know much about the Blackwood River? It’s been in the news for all the wrong
reasons, as the pursuit for Recreational fishing rights, fish stocks and
commercial fishing sees a battle waged on all fronts.
To be honest, it’s a snapshot of what has been brewing in
this state for the last few years. As the positive influence of Catch and
Release fishing from the print media and WABREAM Tournaments spreads, people
have started to have a good look at what we do to our rivers and not just the
fish. All that aside, but not forgotten, we have really just began to
appreciate the true potential that has been enjoyed by a lucky few for so many
years.
OK, so I’m a little biased when it comes to the Blackwood
and my passion for Black Bream has me coming back to this river often, but what
is it really that just keeps us coming back.
Well, for starters. How many rivers in the south of WA give sooo much
room to move and bank to fish? The Blackwood is one of our few big southern
rivers, extending from the mouth near Augusta right through to the trickles
around Balingup and Nannup. Its sides are surrounded by towering trees which
not only provide some great protection to the angler from strong winds and the
unpredictable rain, but also occasionally falls victim to the elements and
comes crashing down the banks to become part of the river system itself.
It’s also
a system that gives us corner after corner to explore. Trust me when I say you
can spend countless days going from snag to snag and have all your ideas spin
around as the weather changes or you find yet another nook.
And hey,
from just a guy’s point of view, the ski area can be a lot of fun :-)
For those
of you who love to pursue a Blackie or 2, then this is a great spot that is
still within easy travel distance from Perth. The choices are pretty easy as
far as accommodation. I’d avoid the town unless you want to travel across the
estuary every morning. Best bet is to either tent it at Alexandra Bridge or
spend a few more dollars and get a camp site at Molloy Caravan Park or spend a
bit more and live in luxury in one of the cabins. We managed to spend a few
nights at Molloy recently and the facilities are excellent. The extra dollars
for the cabin meant less hassle as far as the sleeping arrangements went and
the ramp is one of the best Park ramps I’ve had the pleasure to use. It also
makes a great backdrop for a few pics before release.
A Couple of Blackwood
Beasts, the Grassed area at Molloy Makes is Easy to Move Around
Woops,
aren’t these beasts just a tease. Sorry, couldn’t resist, but this is why we
keep coming back. Bream like this aren’t just for the pros, but can be caught
by anyone who puts in the hard yards and thinks about how they fish.
For the
hard body Breamer, this really is heaven. The deep banks mean you really do
need to get close to the bank and think about lure selection. As a bit of a HB
nut myself, I take 2 approaches to the Blackwood. The first is to get right
down amongst them. This means a deep diving lure that is going to go to 3m plus
and quickly. Two of the best of these for me are the Taylor Made Tiny Nugget
and the Salmo Hornet. Unlike a lot of other anglers I’ve fished with, I’ve
actually found that brighter lures like Chrome Gold or Fluro Orange work the
best as we head into the clearer waters of the warmer months.
The key……
slow and steady. A great way to get the lure down quickly is to actually
twitch\rip the lure a few times to start with. This is where a rod that is
stiffer in the tip is going to help. The less give, the quicker you’re going to
part action onto the lure and get it down. Once it’s down to a reasonable
depth, a slow retrieve with small pauses is the way to go. The easiest way to
impart a pause onto a lure is to nod the rod.
What we
mean by this is to lower and raise the rod or move the rod away and then back
towards the body while still retrieving the lure. The idea is that as the rod
moves with the retrieve, the lure literally pauses its movement. This pause
will often be enough for a Bream to strike. The next few seconds here can be
joy or sheer frustration to a lure fisherman. The first thing many a snag fish
will want to do is head straight back into the cover. The temptation here is to
pull like there is no tomorrow and more often than not, rip the hooks. In many
cases, a little line will be enough to get the Bream to have a small run, yet
still be able to turn it. On some occasions though, they will be straight back
in there and then it’s panic stations. Again, give the fish some line and then
gently play the fish out of the snag. DON’T keep pulling the fish up and down
to get it out, you will often be able to feel the line rubbing on the timber
and that is when it gets tricky. Giving the Bream some line often calms the
fish, as it’s not constantly struggling. Then we can tease the fish out slowly
but surely. You’d be surprised how many times you can do this and have the
leader chaffed to pieces. A good thing to remember here is that good leader
material is worth its weight in gold and can mean the difference between grief
and a possible PB. My choice here is the Yamatoyo Fluorocarbon leader and for the
Blackwood we usually fish around 6-8lb.
While the
deeper regions are often a better source for larger fish, don’t discount the
shallower regions either. While not abound with larger specimens, there can be
a LOT of smaller fish ready to give you a bit of fun. For me, this is the
domain for the twitchers. I just love using smaller lures like Yo-Zuri Snap
Shads or Eddy’s Lip Rippas and twitching them ready to be slammed.
There is
something about our southern Bream that just seems to make them meaner and even
a 27-32cm fish will give a good account of itself. Again, a more responsive rod
like the Black Diamond Sniper or Hardback are ideal rods.
Author with one of a Bag of 15 fish, all
Caught Twitching
For
plastics Breamers, this really is the ultimate in scary fishing. If the
plethora of trees, rocks and other hazards don’t get you, then there’s a good
chance Mr. Bream will have a good try any way. It’s a great way to learn how to
fish plastics better as you watch the line for signs of a hit and learn to
gauge the depth of a region and when to lift the plastic.
One of
the big plusses in this area is the use of a brightly coloured main line like
the fluro yellow Fireline. Even in bright conditions, you can see the line move
when a fish hits. A good pair of polarising sun glasses is also an advantage
here.
The
beauty of plastics is that they can be fish in an incredible variety of ways.
Something we just can’t achieve with HB lures without an very good collection.
Still, we tackle rats never need much of an excuse. We can also use an
incredible number of sizes and colours without even having to change the jig
head. Lately the belief has been bigger plastics mean bigger Bream, and to that
extent, plastics like the Berkley 3” Bass Minnow and the 3” Eyeball Tail have
been a popular choice and a real winner.
30cm Bream Caught on a
Pearl\Watermelon Bass Minnow on a 1\16th EnviroJig Head
Jig head
selection is also critical as some really do like the timber more than others.
Lately I’ve been fishing the new EnviroJigs, made locally here in WA. They are
a lead free jig which fish like no other I’ve used. They actually fish light
for their weight, which means you can keep I tin the zone for longer. Don’t
feel as though you must use a heavy head for deeper water though. As said, keep
it in the zone for longer as you just never know what may be lurking on the way
down. You’ll be surprised how many Bream are picked up on the drop. For most
occasions, that means 1\16th at the most unless the current is
ripping.
It’s
going to be a bit hit and miss to start with as you get used to fishing the
deep snags, but the key is persistence and be willing to learn. Places like the
Blackwood do often have a good current so for something different, cast the jig
a little further out so it drifts back to the snag as it sinks. This is a great
way to get to those fish sitting in deeper water and also allows you to get
right under a log instead of just down the side of it.
Another
lesser know structure is the shady tree. The banks of the Blackwood are lined
with hundreds of Peppermint trees in sections, and under these tress lurk Bream
seeking shelter from the bright sun.
While
it’s not easy to cast straight under these trees, there is a method that comes
in very handy. Skipping is the act of casting a plastic so that it skips along
the surface of the water, very much like skipping stones. The idea here is to
cast using a sideways flick, holding the rod down low with your arm in a
similar position you would have it if you were skipping stones. A bit of
practise and you’ll have a deadly weapon that also a great way to get in under
jetties on the Swan.
Another
very overlooked structure for the plastics Breamer is the scrubby shoreline
back down near Molloy Island itself. Bream often lurk in along the edges,
feeling on the moss growing on the exposed roots of the trees, the mussels that
grow on them or the small bait fish that swim in amongst them as well. The
beauty here is that a plastics can get right beside the snags, whereas a HB
lure tends to miss the zone as it is retrieved out from the snag before it’s at
the right depth. In the recent WABREAM State Invitational, this area was very
productive for many anglers. One frustration here though is that many of the
smaller fish tend to inhabit these zones and can be an annoying distraction as
you look for better quality.
In the
end, it’s the deeper water where the reward is. There is just nothing quite
like the feel of a kilo plus fish doing its best to stitch you up. And the
reward for your patience is all worth it.
Willo with a PB 1.24kg
Bream Taken on a 1\16th Nitro Head Using a Bass Minnow.
Oh, and
the by-catch isn’t too bad either. Monster yellow fin whiting, herring, tailor
and the occasional mulloway, but that’s for another session. ‘Til then, may
your leaders hold and you hooks stay true.
