Dumaresq Dam

Rainbow trout:
The local fishing club liberates a few hundred rainbow trout broodstock from the Dutton Trout Hatchery every winter. The fish are released for a kids fishing day, but a large percentage do not get caught on the day, and become dam residents. Some of these fish are seriously huge, with fish caught up to 8lbs in some years. Those that survive the first few weeks outside capacity soon start to prey on the abundant yabby and redfin population and put on even more condition.
From the water, focusing on the weed beds and points in the dam with streamers and nymphs is the most effective method of connecting to these big fish. However, evenings spent on the western (carpark) bank casting over the shallow flats can also be very productive.
Australian Bass:
Due to their high country location, the bass population becomes a viable target once the water is at its warmest, which is generally late January to March. Due to competition with redfin, the bass aren’t there in great numbers or size, but nonetheless, they are very much a targetable species, if you are happy to wade through the hordes of redfin.
The bass can be caught on similar streamers that one would use for trout. In fact, by casting around a size 8 woolly bugger, one can catch all three species in a session.
Redfin:
Hordes of smaller redfin populate the points and shallow flats through the warmer months, with the bigger fish (35-45cm) becoming more targetable as the weather cools over autumn and early winter. Crayfish patterns, or trout streamers, are the most successful patterns for redfin, but then again, when the hordes are out, anything will work!