Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Saltwater-Estuary » Fishing Saltwater Lakes

Fishing Saltwater Lakes

By Michael Wright

Saltwater lakes, lagoons or whatever you like to call them, are usually a backwater body of water running off the main estuary, fed from a drain or small creek. These serene and peaceful waterways can be amazing locations to fish, particularly from a kayak. This sort of habitat, manmade or natural, holds all the species of fish found in your typical river systems and maybe a few surprises thrown in. Species can include thumping big bream, monster mangrove jacks, tarpon, giant herring, barracuda, queenfish and trevally of various types, that will test your tackle... and the list goes on. Some of these lakes can be accessed by foot, however my preference is the Hobie kayak.

Stealth on the Water

Paddle or pedal yaks are the perfect craft on the lake as most are located in quiet areas, inaccessible to boats. For those with boat accessibility, a small electric motor is also a great option, however always check local rules to make ensure that you're allowed on that particular waterway.

On arrival at a lake, firstly I check out the wind direction as this will give me a good indication of the drifts and/or locations that I want to fish, as well as access and egress points in the lake. The next thing I look for is surface action, such as bait schools or small prawns being hit around the edges. Lastly, I take a few moments to stand back and simply watch, which could pay off when deciding which lure or plastic to rig up.

Lake Hotspots

Within the lake, likely locations may include stormwater drains, pontoons, rock walls and jetties. All of these hold fish, however the HOTSPOT is the main drain or mouth of the creek that runs into the tidal lake. On the run in tides you could expect the trevally, queenfish, giant herring and the like to be sitting higher in the water column picking off mullet, prawns, baitfish and so forth. They will often patrol this area and a good way to target these guys is with a Bagley Rattlin' Finger Mullet, topwater lure.

Jacks and flathead will take up the best ambush spots, out of the main flow and the perfect lure is a ZMan 3"MinnowZ on a TT Lures 1/4oz Big EyeZ jighead, especially for a fast tidal run. Lure colour is always a personal choice. In clear conditions I go with a Smoky Shad, which is a very natural presentation and in dirtier water maybe a MinnowZ in Red Shad or The Wright Stuff colours.

Bream will be found foraging around the drain and mooching in the rocks or around the bottom. Pontoons and jetties are also a favourite haunt for bream and maybe the odd jack. A proven lure choice is my all-time favourite as it delivers consistent hook ups. The best soft plastic by far is the ZMan 2.5" GrubZ in Midnight Oil or Motor Oil colours, rigged on a TT Lures 1/12oz or 1/16oz jighead or a light HWS (Hidden Weight System) jighead. If I had only one plastic to ever use in the estuary, this is the one. From beginner to pro, we can all use this one and all sorts of fish love the GrubZ.

Tips

Tip 1: If you're out at first light and have reeds in your lake, take a moment to observe fish moving among them and feeding on the small snails, prawns and mussels at the base of the reeds. This is awesome and I can't wait to throw the little ZMan GrubZ on a HWS jighead, get it right in there and watch the smack down!

Tip 2: People that live around saltwater lakes and those walking with kids will often feed ducks with bread. Bream go mad over the stuff... really mad! So again, watch and wait. Once the fish are in a feeding frenzy, cast in a lightly weighted ZMan GrubZ and hang on.

Tip 3: Small lakes can be very similar to their larger brother, the dams. So, on windy days you may find the best fishing is in the most uncomfortable conditions because the bait schools have been pushed over to the windblown side. This is okay for the pedal yaks and electrics, however it can be really tricky in a paddle yak. You're only going to get a couple of casts away before you're paddling again, unless the wind is at your back and you are fishing parallel to the shore. This will maintain a good drift and plenty of time to place those casts in the perfect spot.

Tip 4: Adding scent to your lures or plastics is vital in a lake as there is no real tidal run or constant flow, unless you're fishing the main feeder inlet. I use Pro-Cure scent in Bloody Tuna and Shrimp, which have UV Enhancement added. This will help more fish locate your presentation, especially when using soft plastics and dead sticking (leaving your plastic on the bottom and waiting for fish to find it).

Tip 5: The correct type of leader when fishing the surface, for species such as trevally, is a monofilament line. This line floats and you will achieve a better action out of your lure, while stopping your lure from sub surfacing. Use fluorocarbon leader when fishing soft plastics as it is a sinking line and it's near invisible when compared to mono, so therefore it's the perfect choice of leader material for breamin' with plastics.

Lake Tackle

I usually carry two rods with me on a general outing to the lake. One will be a light spin outfit, which will predominantly be used to target bream and flathead. The second outfit will be my baitcaster, for targeting jacks, trevally, cod and any other predators that will take a larger lure or plastic.

Spin Outfit:

Rod - Okuma Helios SX 702ML 7' 2-4kg
Reel - Okuma Ceymar Spin C-10
Line - Platypus 6lb Platinum Plus Braid
Leader - 4lb or 6lb Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader

Baitcast Outfit:

Rod - Okuma Trinus 7' 7-12kg
Reel - Okuma Ceymar Baitcast C-266W
Line - Platypus 30lb P8 Braid
Leader - Platypus 15lb Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader

Okay, so that's about a wrap on my saltwater lake fishing. Just an important note that some of these lakes are susceptible to runoff, from golf clubs, cane drains, suburban streets and so forth, so I would be a little wary on taking these fish for the table. However, it should be okay when we haven't had much rain, not like in my area at the time of this article's release with over 200mm falling in recent months.

I hope you have enjoyed my first article and that it has helped you understand an environment that you may not have fished previously, that may be available on your doorstep.

Tight Lines
Cheers, Michael