THE dams are full, the rivers are flowing and the fishing has been exceptional, but now the holidays are almost here, it’s time to escape the crowds.
Escaping to some of our dams that are full or over flowing is a good option. There is so much backed up water to fish and explore and some dams allow camping anywhere on the foreshore (check, as some restrict camping to a designated area).
So filling a boat, canoe, kayak with some camping gear and paddling away from the crowds is a fantastic idea, you can pick an isolated campsite with no near by neighbours.
Travelling to the upper reaches of a dam can also give you access to the rivers and creeks above which can fish extremely well with fish that have moved up on the big spring floods .
With the rivers flowing, it’s also a good time to load up a canoe, kayak or tinny and set off on a down stream journey which will see you fishing holes that have seen little or no fishing pressure. Again, you can pitch camp on a isolated section of river and enjoy the place to yourself.
A four wheel drive will help you to access a plethora of isolated camping / fishing spots and if you do your research you will find numerous state forests, pine forests, national parks and public reserves scattered through the mountains or even out on the Western plains. Websites such as Angler Access (nsw.gov.au) will give you plenty of options for campsites and eco huts.
Some travelling stock reserves out on the Western Plains still allow camping and access to the river.
Summer can be hot out on the western plains, both with the weather and the fishing. A night spent surface fishing for the big Murray cod of our big inland rivers can be a night of a lifetime with surface takes and missed opportunities.
Summer is also a time to head to the mountain regions and hike into the rivers and creeks that teem with bass on the eastern water shed and trout on the western water shed.
Mountain biking is becoming more and more popular and with the new electric mountain bikes that are welcomed into most National Parks it gives you the option of travelling further into the wilderness.
Hiking with a back pack and light weight camp gear and multi piece rods is still readily available to anyone with a reasonable fitness and sense of adventure.
Arriving at a remote stream such as the Colo River in the Blue Mountains National Park after a few hours hiking through the bush can be very self satisfying. It’s a beautiful clear flowing river, a white sand beach to pitch your tent and a river full of bass can make for a very enjoyable adventure.
Research with resources such as topographic maps , Google earth, online maps, angler access sites, National Parks and Wildlife websites can uncover many little gems of places to discover. It brings to mind a small stream that I love to access deep in the Blue Mountains Burragorang National Park. The stream is full of small colourful self sustaining population of trout.
The stream runs through mostly Eucalypt Forest complete with waterfalls and huge spagnum moss beds that filter the water seeping through it into the gin clear creek.
It is very rare when arriving at this secret little hideaway that there is any other campers here even though its open to anyone with a 2wd car.
The mountains in Summer can be of hot days and pleasant nights and the insect life on these streams can see fish feeding all day long.
The Barrington Tops is a favourite Summer destination with trout quite prolific in the upper reaches and as you make your way down the eastern side you will eventually find bass.
You have the option of pitching camp and fishing with the crowds or putting in the extra effort and finding your own isolated camping / fishing spot. I know what I will be doing!
