Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Sweetwater-Impoundments-Brackish » The Hunt for Bronze
The Hunt for Bronze
By Ryan Fogg
We are spoilt for choice when it comes to bass impoundments in South East Queensland. From small irrigation dams to sprawling dam catchments, there are plenty to choose from if you’re looking for a change from chasing bread and butter species in the salt. Chasing bass on light gear is an awesome way to spend a few hours, whether it be summer or winter, the morning bite, or an afternoon session.
My favourite techniques for targeting bass are casting spinnerbaits and lightly weighted plastics along weed edges. Colour selection when fishing impoundments follows many of the similar principles as fishing in the estuaries. When rigging up to chase some bass I find that green and white coloured plastics and purple spinnerbaits feature heavily in my kit.
My local dam is quite shallow and a 1/4oz spinnerbait or jighead is plenty of weight to fish above the shallow weed banks and along the deeper edges. The TT Vortex spinnerbait in Purple Mauve colour, fished straight out of the packet, has accounted for plenty of bass over the last few years.
Upon its release the ZMan 3” Baby GOAT caught my eye, becoming a confidence bait that always has a place in my tackle box. Like any plastic there are plenty of ways to rig them, however given the twin legs and flattened GrubZ style body, I find that keeping it simple and rigging unweighted on a TT ChinlockZ hook to be the best option. Rigging weedless also allows you to fish this presentation tight into timber structure and reeded weed banks. If I find it necessary to add weight, to allow for a longer cast or change in wind strength, the clip on SnakelockZ head weights allows me to do this on the fly and not miss too much fishing time.
Due to there being no tide as such in dams, it’s important to be flexible when planning your fishing sessions. Wind direction can create flow along banks and both predator and prey use this to their advantage. Finding a bank or bay that has the wind blowing along or into it helps narrow down where the bait will be sitting. If you find bait, the bass won’t be far behind. I like to position my kayak upwind, to allow for a nice long cast and this also helps me to stay in contact with my lure. If possible, I will use my Power Pole to position the kayak so that I can make multiple casts in one spot, while swapping between presentations to find what the fish are feeding on.
My rod and reel selection for these presentations is a 7’ rod with a fast action, like the TT Black Mamba 2-4kg, paired with a 1000-2500 size reel, such as the Okuma ITX Carbon. I usually run 8-10lb Platypus Pulse X8 Braid and Platypus 10lb Hard Armour Supple Leader. A nice light and smooth drag is super important for bass fishing as bass. They have very soft mouths, making it easy to tear a hook out if you have your drag set too tight. As with all my light setups, I fish between 2-3 rod lengths of leader for the ultimate stealth, even in discoloured water.
In the summer months, when the bass have pushed up onto the edges and shallow banks, my retrieve for a spinnerbait comprises of a nice long cast, before allowing the spinnerbait to get close to the bottom. I find that with a 1/4oz spinnerbait, a count of five in 2-3 metres of water is enough to get my presentation close to the bottom.
Whilst on the drop (sink) be mindful that bass will quite often eat your presentation, so be sure to monitor your line for any speed changes. Once the spinnerbait has reached the desired depth, I engage the bail arm and begin my retrieve. One of my go-to retrieves is a nice slow roll (slow wind), with the spinnerbait just clipping the weed towers.
Spinnerbaits are fairly weed resistant, however, if I feel it getting caught, a simple flick of the wrist is enough to free it up and I can continue my roll. I like to try and keep the lure within half a metre of the bottom. If this retrieve doesn’t get the nibbles, I will often add a few short sharp flicks as this can sometimes trigger a strike. It also gives me a chance to open the bail arm and allow the spinnerbait to flutter down toward the bottom.
When fishing an unweighted ZMan Baby GOAT, my positioning is very similar to fishing the spinnerbait. With this presentation being quite finesse, maintaining contact with your lure is really important. On the Baby GOAT I find that a 2/0 TT ChinlockZ hook gives me enough weight to make a cast. This hook also allows plenty of hook clearance for a great hookset. Scent is important in murky, stained water, so a find a healthy smear of Garlic Plus Pro-Cure Super Gel Scent, every 30 casts, increases my chances of getting a bite.
When fishing this presentation, I will look for changes in the shape of the edge or maybe some isolated lilies, that give the bait places to seek shelter. Make a long cast close into the edge and allow the Baby GOAT to slowly sink down. This is followed by some subtle working of the plastic, to get those twin legs moving.
For this plastic I use monofilament leader (Platypus Hard Armour) as it floats and allows the Baby GOAT to sink more naturally. Monofilament leader also helps you to observe the presentation as sometimes the most subtle of ripples can result in interest from a hungry bass. I find that this presentation works year-round, even in the cooler months, when most fish move down into the dam basins to spawn.
Visual cues, when fishing impoundments, can be seen on and above the water. I will always have my sounder on and be scanning for bait, but this type of fishing is often very visual. Overhanging trees can be loaded with all sorts of natural fauna, with hungry predators waiting below. The ZMan Baby GOAT, rigged weedless, is great for this type of environment as it can be fished right up under these trees and made to represent a falling cicada or small lizard. The GOAT family of soft plastics comes in three sizes, so if the 3” Baby GOAT isn’t getting the nibbles, don’t be afraid to go to a larger model with more displacement. This might be just the change that the bass are looking for.
So, next time you are hitting your local impoundment try out a couple of my favourites, the ZMan Baby GOAT soft plastics and TT Vortex spinnerbaits. They are both simple but very effective presentations, that have accounted for plenty of very healthy bronze nuggets.
Enjoy your time on the water
Taut lines and bent rods.
Cheers, Foggy