How to

How to catch river blackfish

Targeting Victorian river blackfish in a tiny forest creek feels like hunting. Traversing the tangled scrub in pitch black darkness makes me feel like a big game hunter closing in on a trophy stag. Or maybe it makes me feel like Rambo? Overactive imagination aside, taking the stealth approach when searching for river blackfish in shallow steams is both necessary, and immensely enjoyable.

INTRODUCING RIVER BLACKFISH

Not many stories are written about river blackfish. The rounded snout, swollen lips, and slimy mottled skin make these nocturnal predators uniquely beautiful. Or
horrifically ugly depending on who you ask! Different varieties of blackfish can be encountered from southern Queensland down to Tasmania and push west into South Australia. They are
protected in most states so southern Victoria or Tasmania are the places to be if you want to partake in the river blackfish experience. It is well documented that fish in this range grow to double the size of their northern counterparts and many southern river systems hold good numbers in the upper reaches. More investigation is needed to determine whether the notable size difference between river blackfish populations constitutes a separate species or sub-species.

The Yarra and Gellibrand River systems are my favourites for catching river blackfish. The Yarra provides a huge area of fishable water with the best blackfish habitat occurring in the forest and farmland upstream of Yarra Glen. The Gellibrand is a smaller system that rises in the Otway Ranges and flows west through some of Victoria’s most pristine bush land. Both systems have heaps of inaccessible water, and the lack of human interference is certainly a factor in their ability to sustain thriving river blackfish populations. Both systems also have many tributaries, and it is common for the smaller branches to produce larger fish than the main arms. The bag limit on river blackfish in Victoria is two fish over 30cm which I think is generous given the fragile little ecosystems they inhabit. There is also a closed season between the 1st of September and the 31st of December to facilitate breeding. I remember from way back that these guys are fantastic on the plate, but it’s mostly catch and release for me these days. It’s thrilling to capture and photograph the alpha blackfish of a skinny creek, and it’s also satisfying to see a breeding native fish swim free.

NOCTURNAL ENDEAVORS

River blackfish are for the most part nocturnal predators. If you get the opportunity to fish a good stretch of water in the daytime, and then at night, you should get a deeper understanding of the difference. Targeting shadows and thick structure is the way to entice a sleepy daytime fish. An opportunistic blackfish is likely to snap at a delicious offering that is gently presented amongst the tangled snag that it shelters in. This is an enjoyable challenge, and in a way, a daytime

blackfish is worth more than the same fish caught at night. After the sun sets you will not have to be so precise. In the darkness blackfish hunt the open water with territorial aggression and are likely to ambush anything bite sized that enters their zone. A fresh bait lowered into a calm pool can result in your rod buckling within 30 seconds when the conditions are favourable. In a skinny creek the big boss blackfish won’t be travelling far to snaffle your bait or lure so be ready for the quick hit!

Fishing in the bush at night is an adventure. Animals that are invisible by day, emerge from their hideouts after sundown to give you a real sense of the forest coming to life. The presence of a large beast breaking twigs as it saunters through the scrub always gets my heart pumping, especially if I’m sneaking around alone. There are plenty of ways to be frightened in the bush at night, but my favorite is when a heavy splash breaks the silence in the water right

in front of me. Platypus and rakali (native water rat) are common in the creeks that I fish, and I consider myself very lucky to witness them on the nightly forage.


River blackfish are the apex predators of their ecosystem and thus they feed on all the small creatures that inhabit their home creeks and rivers.

There is wild terrain surrounding many of the best blackfish holes and a quality head torch is almost essential if you plan to take it on at night. Most models come with brightness settings so you can enjoy maximum visibility on the way to the spot, and then dim down for stealth as you approach the water. I try not to shine a bright light directly at the shallow water, but at the same time, I have never known a head torch to spoil the fishing. Glowing rod clips are another useful tool that can be very handy for bait fishing. I generally don’t have time for them when the bite is hot, but on a quiet night I clip one on when I’m going for a wander. The luminous tip allows me to monitor bites from a distance while I scope out the next potential honey hole.

BLACKFISH TACTICS

River blackfish are the apex predators of their ecosystem and thus they feed on all the small creatures that inhabit their home creeks and rivers. You wouldn’t want to be a yabby swept up in the current at night because blackfish are highly alert to the presence of an easy feed! Small yabbies and worms are the classic blackfish baits and imitating them well is the key to successful lure fishing.

Soft plastic lures are a great way to search creek pools for hungry blackfish. Creature baits and curly tail grubs can be very effective in imitating small crustaceans and worms. Fishing light is very important in shallow streams

because too much splash will thwart your attempt to present a natural offering. A 1/20-ounce jig head should be enough to flick a small soft plastic into the sweet spot. A slow sink rate is the other lightweight advantage because ideally your lure will be noticed as it slowly flutters to the bottom. With any luck, a couple of subtle twitches will be all it takes to turn an observing blackfish into a biting one! In the daytime your goal is to land a cast very close to the snags and undercut banks where fish are likely to be sheltering. At night-time a lure worked through an open pool stands a good chance of being attacked. Be careful not to get caught up fishing one pool for too long even if it looks particularly fishy. In my experience, a pool that holds willing blackfish is likely to produce a bite within ten minutes. Keep moving and don’t be shy about dropping a lure into pockets of water that look a little less promising. Sometimes the most unlikely tangle of branches is housing the dominant blackfish, especially if your creek is visited by other anglers.

Bait fishing is the traditional way to engage river blackfish and achieving the perfect cast in dense scrub is challenging. The best spots that I know of require a well-practiced pendulum cast to swing your bait under overhanging branches and into the prime position. Flip the bail arm and use your index finger to pin the line while you swing your bait back and forth to gain momentum. Release the line at the perfect moment to lob that tasty morsel under an overhanging branch, or deep into the pocket of

an undercut bank. A ball of wriggling worms or a feisty little yabby are sure to get the attention of the dominant blackfish in the pool. They will also grab the attention of many eels but navigating eel slime is all part of the blackfishing experience if you ask me! Pin your live bait gently on a small hook so that it still has plenty of wiggle when it lands in the pool. Use as small a sinker as possible so that you don’t frighten your potential catch with a suspicious plop. Now that the bait is set, keep a close eye on the rod tip. It is important to hold your nerve when the nibbling begins because a hasty jerk of the rod at this point is likely to ruin your chances. Wait until you notice a substantial weight loading on the rod before gently lifting it to set hooks. The timing of this takes practice when blackfish are tentative but when the bite is hot, they’ll snatch the whole bait and take off up the creek with it.

Many anglers, including myself, have a bucket list of Australian fish species that we’d like to tick off in our travels. River blackfish may not feature on many of them but the fish themselves, and the adventure that leads to them, certainly make them list-worthy.

TIPS

TALKING HEADLAMPS
Night fishing in the bush is a great adventure but it can be very awkward for the unpre- pared. Darkness will ramp up the level of difficulty in everything you do, and a quality headlamp is the solution. It’s easy to underestimate just how frustrating it will be if you get caught in the dark in dense scrub with a fading torch! Not only will you need good visibility, but having two hands free is vitally important in many fishing scenarios. Imagine that you have just set hooks in a monster blackfish. You will have a buckled rod in one hand, a net in the other, your adrenaline will be pumping, and you will be extremely happy that your torch is strapped to your head!

Headlamps range in price from $20 to $500 and beyond. I find that for fishing purposes something in the $30 to $60 dollar range is very capable, and not so expensive that I’m terrified of breaking it. Most models come with high and low settings that are very useful for switching into stealth mode as you approach the water. Some headlamps even allow you to focus the beam so you can zoom in on the nocturnal critters that are making a ruckus in the distance. Whether you opt for rechargeable or replicable batteries, it is always smart to pack a spare set just in case. Prepare yourself well for a night mission in the bush and your chances of crossing paths with a colossal blackfish will go through the roof!

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