there are rules?!

be interesting to know what it's like now...

picked them up on eBay, search for 'fishing rod float'. means your rods float if they end up in the drink 🤣defo worth it, i had a rod slip out of a holder a while back and it didn't have a float on it... never to be seen again 😢

mate that is a cracking result! a couple of toga more than make a session 😉good to know the fish are still around, it's been so tough of late (i've just not managed to get amongst them over the last couple of sessions...). i think it's going to be a while until the lake returns to it's former glory!

thanks nick 👍so good getting that toga, they are a such a hard fighting fish! the lake is fishing very, very tough... i did 5 hours last friday for 1 fish... and that was randomly caught on a drop shot worm, i didn't get a single hit on the lures... and the week before that was only slightly better, i think i managed 5 or so but it was incredibly hard going. big thing is the weed growth - it is EVERYWHERE! most of the spots are so choked with weed they're virtually unfishable... tbh it's like fishing a completely different lake 😥 and i've been pinged today by seq saying that pretty much every fishable dam is again closed due to the water level 🤦‍♂ i think it's going to be a good couple of months until it returns to its former glory! until then, i think i'm going to catch up with my video editing and do some woodwork 🤣

it certainly was a bit of a character 😂 put up a bit more if a fight than the average skimmer though 😉

thanks nick! and yup, it sure was the v-blade - the gold 'elvis' (which sadly rapala don't make anymore... knew i should've stocked up!)

@@jakewilliamson what a great lure! Yep I have a whole box of V blades but yes my favourites (eg Clown) are really hard to get

its always the way@@Nick-np7ps - can't tell you how many times over the years i've cursed myself for buying one or two of something rather than a whole box (or a couple of boxes 🤣) not sure where you've been buying them (and they do appear be rare as hens teeth sometimes...) but it's worth signing up for the newsletter from these guys: www.hookedonline.com.au/5cm-rapala-rap-v-blade-sinking-vibe-fishing-lure-s they often do midweek sales that feature the v-blades. the last batch i bought were $5 a pop which was an absolute bargain!

@@jakewilliamson awesome thanks Jake! I’ll sign up now! I got a few from Anglers Warehouse but they are running out of stock too. Also Otto’s Tackle World.

yup, you need a sips permit, take a look at www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/boating-fishing/rec-fishing/dams it's cheap as chips and you can try it for a week for only $12! well worth a go although i'd wait a while: kurwongba is absolutely choked with weed at the moment and fishing crazy hard...

thanks mate! yup, it has to be said that lake kurwongbah was incredibly kind to me throughout november and december. it's so tough now in comparison! i've been using the 5cm rapala rap-v blades as from what i've heard they 'swim' better that the 6cm versions (and so far they've been a winner so i've run with it!). i've actually just expanded my lure selection and bought some spinnerbaits. not going to lie, they are the weirdest looking lure and i've not caught on them yet but i hear they're good for targeting saratoga as well as bass so i figured give them a go 😉 thanks for the comment, appreciate it 👍

@@jakewilliamson thanks for the info mate, keen to give the vblades a go. We were killing it in November and December as well but it's tough now!

thank you nick - it was indeed a session to remember! what a lake?! mind you, i fished out there on friday and far out it was hard work... most of the 'hot spots' are virtually unfishable due to the weed growth, it's gone absolutely crazy now the waterski boats have become less frequent 😖 but i somehow managed a toga and a handful of small bass so it's defo still worth putting the effort in 👍

Congrats on the toga! Yes it’s seems high water temps and explosion of weed growth has made the fishing pretty tough. 😕

ha! i wondered when you were going to notice @jimcaola1535 🤣 yes, i have become absolutely obsessed with lure fishing - the bass over here are just amazing! so all those sessions on the bristol avon on the 'jims lure challenge' where totally worth it, you set me on the right path and taught me well 😉 good to hear from you btw, how you doing? still chasing pike?

Yep, still chasing the toothy critters! Ironically enough I do spend the coldest winter months deadbaiting!! 🤣

good to hear jim! out of interest, have the deadbaits resulted in bigger pike 🤔 my go to over when it gets cold is worms - the drop shot set up has saved from many a blank over here!

They have in indeed, my best out of the river has been 16lb at this time last year 👍

fingers crossed all those fingerlings didn't disappear over the dam wall! the dam only reopened to paddle craft again yesterday so i went up for a paddle after work: the water is the colour of coffee and a lot of the lilypads have died back... i'm desperate to go out for a fish but these conditions are just not any good for getting a bite 😥

@@jakewilliamson yes for sure! Thanks for the update. I was wondering about the water quality.

i'll take that 😉 far out, what a spot! absolutely alive with fish! sadly the speedboats have completely destroyed the weed in the bay and the fish defo aren't hanging out there at the moment.... it'll be awhile before it grows back, but when it does, we defo have to check it out again...

@@jakewilliamson Will be an interesting process to see where the fish settle too after a disruptive couple of months.

yup! defo put the time and effort into extracting one from there, it had to come good one day 😉 i wonder how all those fingerlings are getting on 🤔

@@jakewilliamson They will as happy as a pig in mud. Most probably double the size by now. Went for a walk down to he rezzy yesterday. Lilies are looking a little worse for wear. Water is sill a bit dirty, but settling nicely.

thanks nick 😉 it was indeed an amazing session, but what's more amazing is that i've just started editing the next two sessions and they get even better... and i think you're right, it's only a matter of time before a 50cm shows itself, that's going to be an epic bass! and yup, this was shot back in november of 2023.... sadly from december onwards the fishing got tougher and tougher, a combination of speedboat activity and crazy weather conditions completely changing the lake. i can't wait till it gets back to its former self, i've not been on the water now for about 3 weeks and its slightly doing my head in 😆

Would love to know how you don't get stuck on all the weed! I run a soft plastic and get snagged up constantly at the moment.

thank you dan! kurwongbah is an amazing lake, i've had some cracking sessions over the last year. its tough going at the moment, after the rain and crazy weather we've been having but i'm hoping it'll return to form as things calm down. this session and the next couple were simply amazing, the water was alive with fish... i just need to get my editing cap on and whip through them!

@@Danfitz27 ok, so the secret is to ditch the trebles and swap them out for circle hooks - i got the tip from @PTPFishing and there's a link to his video and a write up on my blog: blog.jakewilliamson.com/post/2023/03/16/setting-up-rapala-rap-v-blade-fishing-lures-for-weedless-fishing/ i've not really used soft plastics much and've mainly stuck to blades for my fishing (although i've just picked up some spinner baits that i'm excited to try out!). i know a lot of people do well on them at kurwongbah but more for jigging that casting?

and no worries on the shorten version! i had a feeling that an hour+ would be a big ask for most viewers on youtube... i do these videos as a bit of a 'memory project' or diary of my fishing as i love looking back over the year and seeing how things change and what i was up to. but it seemed like a good idea to throw the main part of this session up as it was just so good!

@jakewilliamson thabks mate ill give it a read, appreciate it!. Good luck with the spinnerbait I've always used soft plastics and just slow rolled them when I find schools, sometimes a chatterbait has worked as well. Glad we can all find some fish! Wish the weed would bugger off! See you out there

it sure was! i'm missing my weekly sessions at kurwongbah, can't wait for this crazy weather to pass and the water getting back to normal... just need to be patient!

Wow Jake! A cricket score of bass, well done.

thanks@@Nick-np7ps 👍 desperate to get out there again, but kurwongbah is currently closed due to crazy water levels... keeping myself busy editing videos, just been reviewing the next sessions footage: managed to find some of those 40+ monsters you got amongst in your video 😉

ha! more fish than water 😉

far out, it really isn't! desperate to go fishing, but everywhere is at capacity and overflowing... just going to have to wait it out and hope those bass aren't disappearing over the dam wall ☹️

@@jakewilliamson lets chat this week. I am sure we can go somewhere.

thanks mate! glad you're enjoying the vids, i'm working through a bit of a backlog at the moment so there's plenty more to come 😉 Kurwongbah is such a cracking water, i can't believe the amount of bass i've been catching. it's got tough recently though, a combination of speedboat activity and that massive dump of rain we had over xmas/new year seems to have completely killed the fishing... interesting idea on the anchor, it's not something i've considered 🤔 i whipped up some h-blocks recently and i've used them to great effect as markers (hook a fish, throw the h-block over the side and it gives me a point to paddle back to for another go) but i'm wondering if an anchor would be a better option! thank you for taking the time to comment 👍

it was a beast was it not! keep thinking about making a return to north pine dam... maybe once we get back into some prime bass weather it'd be worth another go 🤔

@@jakewilliamson it may well be worth a visit after this rise in water levels. It may bring the fish to the edges. MAY 🙂

hey alex, i did a couple of times with limited success... access is very limited, it's snaggy as all hell and you've got to get the weather and tides bang on. but the rewards are there if it's your style of fishing! a mate of mine had success there a couple of times using lures and there are defo pike in there (did i see something on facebook recently where someone pulled out a 20+?!) if you give it a go, tackle up heavy and i'd defo suggest lures or float rigged deadbaits to avoid the snags. good luck and let me know how you go?!

found the post on facebook: facebook.com/groups/2440502296176039/permalink/4075012099391709/?mibextid=Nif5oz you'll have to do some sleuthing with the background to figure out where it is but to me, that looks like the end nearest the city?

he was certainly a character! my weirdest bass to date 😂 funny thing is, if i was go on weight rather than length i think he'd be a pb! defo worth a return trip soon, see if i can find that elusive 40+ 😉

@@jakewilliamson I have my 40cm fish or the unicorn as I call it. Happy to improve my Enoggera PB any time the fish want to cooperate 😉

it certainly came up with the goods 👍 interestingly, the fish don't seem to congregate in there at the moment... i've not had a bite in there on the last 3 sessions! my theory is that since the water level has dropped so much is really shallow around the edges? there also seems to be a big family of cormorants who sit the waters edge...

@@jakewilliamson Who really knows. it has always been a fickle area. I have seen huge schools of fish in the deep water just out from it, so maybe they have just settled a little deeper and come shallow occasionally.

ha, i love pike but can't stand how their slime smells 🤮

it sure was! got some absolutely stunning fish that day and the action was thick and fast. the interesting thing was that the following weeks resulted in a couple of blanks and some really tough fishing, it was almost like the whole lake shut down...

@@jakewilliamson they would have been zoned somewhere or they were just mid transition and not chewing. Amazing what can be so easy one week gets so hard the next. Always an interesting time of the year.

h! i love pike but can't stand how their slime smells 🤮

@@jakewilliamson It's all part of it mate stinking like a pole cat and pissing the missis of do you not think

urg. i never enjoyed catching them in the uk... but at least they were small... this thing was the size of my leg 🤣

@@jakewilliamson I had one completely chew and destroy a lure and then tangle me up. Was a wonderful experience, NOT!

thank you peter 😉 the worms were a bit of a 'eureka' moment tbh, it completely turned the session around. you'll have to wait for the next video for the eel... it was bloody massive 😬

@@jakewilliamson There are some monsters in there. I am well and truely on the mend so we should try and get out somewhere. I have another week or so before it is green light to lifting the kayak 🙂

​@@PTPFishingdefo! need a new challenge 👍

hey jim, it is predominantly lakes,.dams and the sea but there is river and creek fishing if you know where to look... i've yet to venture out on the brisbane and pine rivers on the kayak but apparently the fishing is really good! watch this space 😉

ha! thought you might find that amusing 🤣 took me completely by surprise, wasn't expecting it at all

@@jakewilliamson they are always a pleasant surprise and a welcome bonus anytime you get one. Welcome to the toga club 🙂

thanks you 👍 it's been a while... lots of fishing going on in aus though, so the vids should become a bit more regular!

thanks mate 😉 good on this side of the pond and i've found my fishing groove again, with a bit of luck the vids'll become a bit more regular now 👍

hi rob, there are several clubs in the area that sell tickets for the avon but i used keynsham aa www.keynsham-angling.co.uk/ the ticket used to be £20 a year. most of the tackle shops in the area sell the ticket including premier angling premierangling.co.uk/ which is right on lock at keynsham - so you could park, get your ticket, bait and any tackle you need and then hit the river! good luck!

@@jakewilliamson thanks for the info mate, appreciated.