Backwater Bass

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Backwater Bass

Published on Wednesday, 15 June 2011 22:43

Written by Jay 'Yakfisher' Penfold

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After a week of decidedly dodgy weather and work commitments separating my yak and me from the water, I took my 4 year old son out for a quick Jewie chasing mission. At the water's edge, I could tell it may well be a wasted trip, the murkiness didn't bode well. The sun was, however, shining brightly and the tide nearly as full as the moon, so we threw all negativity to the wind and trolled along a millpond still Brunswick River, enjoying the day as Father and Son. What a quiet day. No bait on the sounder, no mullet jumping, no birds hitting anything. No raptors wheeling overhead seeking a feed, usually a good indicator of fish numbers. We came to the end of a 3km trolling run fishless. I decided to cast a 3" flickbait on a 1/8^th jighead at a rockbar and see what happens. Third cast hooked up solidly, only to see a nice fish not pinned well enough and be lost yakside before we got colour. Was a small Jewie for sure. Next cast hooked up straight away. 45cm of Jewie found it's way aboard. My son asked if he could touch it, he stroked it so gently then we returned her to the water. There was a school evident on the sounder, but no more bites came, son started the "Can we go home now?" routine so we trolled back.

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Within 200m of the boat ramp, I started throwing a Squidgy critter about, hoping for a bank dwelling flattie, whilst trolling a 2” hardbody in hot pink. Something smashed it. I could hear the drag coming off reverberate through the hull, the rod fully loaded up and I swore I had dinner. What came aboard was a regrettable capture. An estimated (I didn't measure her because I wanted to get her back into the water asap) 40cm bass, full of eggs and in prime condition. Returned to the water as soon as humanly possible, she swam , hopefully to spawn away. Bass have a habit of absorbing their eggs if captured. I hope she has more maternal instincts.