With Spring well and truly in the air and dam water temperatures starting to creep up with every passing week, our inland native fish stocks are starting to awaken from their winter slumber and feed vigorously after months in a semi dormant state. As Murray Cod season is closed in NSW until December 1st, fishers are looking to the dams and impoundments in search of some springtime sports fishing action, with Golden Perch, Bass, and Silver Perch all on the target species list for many of NSW’s 1 million or so recreational fishers.
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With so many fantastic lakes and dams to pick from, here’s a Dubbo Catches shortlist of just some of fantastic lakes and impoundments that are all open to recreational fishing this spring:
Blowering Dam: Currently 69.3%, is famous as the site of the world water speed record in 1978, Blowering Dam is one of the biggest dams in NSW. At 1,628,000 megalitres or three times the size of Sydney Harbour, Blowering Dam stores water released upstream for electricity generation in the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme and releases it for agriculture in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area. Blowering holds good stocks of native fish and is now open to Murray Cod fishing year round.
Carcoar Dam: Currently 54.1 %, is about 55 kilometres south-west of Bathurst and 6 kilometres east of Carcoar in Central West NSW. Famous for cricket score like catches of Redfin, the dam also has stocks of trout and some natives appear from time to time.
Pindari Dam: Currently 53%, is a popular sport and recreation destination north of Inverell near the NSW-Queensland border, offering year-round attractions for water sports and fishing enthusiasts, nature lovers, bushwalkers, campers and picnickers. Pindari has thick stands of drowned timber and holds some absolutely huge Golden Perch.
Glenbawn Dam: Currently 63.5%, is known as a hot spot for Bass fishing. Fishers from all over the country travel to Glenbawn in search of the fantastic Australian Bass fishing that the dam can often produce. Entry to the dam can be purchased through Lake Glenbawn State Park. The office is open 9am to 5pm daily. Phone 02 6543 7193
Wyangala Dam: Currently 54.7%, was once considered one of the best mixed fisheries in the region and held good stocks of both trout and native fish, however it is now more known as a native species dam only. Wyangala was the second major dam built for irrigation in NSW when construction began in 1928, Wyangala Dam helped drive the economic development of the Lachlan Valley as a major food producing region. Today the dam continues to support irrigated agriculture across the valley around Cowra, Forbes, Condobolin and Hillston.
Fishing is hotting as water temperatures in NSW dams climb, making for a hot spring time bite. Pictured: David Harris with a Yellowbelly
