Episode 434: Cania Dam Bass With John Noble

John’s Top Tips For Cania Bass Fishing

• Forget the reports you see on social media. Cania is a structurally diverse dam and there are always bass on different structures, so you can catch fish under any conditions once you know the system.
• Cania is similar in size and style to Lake Borumba, though its current 30% capacity makes it a fair bit smaller than it would normally be.
• Over late spring and early summer the fish will be all along the rocky edges, especially if there is a bit of timber around. As the season progresses and the water warms they’ll move into deeper water.
• Using sidescan is a good way to spot fish, John recommends starting to work you way along a stretch of bank making some casts and watching the sidescan. If you get no bites and see no fish, move to the next bank.
• It’s also worth scanning over the flats, which are currently in 15-20 ft of water. The timbered sections of the lake can also hold good fish and are worth a look.
• A calm, foggy morning is good for a surface bite, but as the day progresses a bright sunny day with 10-15 km/h breeze to ripple the surface. Fish can be caught at all times of day under all conditions, though.
• If the fishing is tough, try fishing a spinnerbait or chatterbait, noisy lure to get a reaction bite but burning it past fish.

John’s Bass Fishing Tackle

• A 7’ fast action 6-12lb spin rod with 2500 size spin reel loaded with 10lb braided line and 10lb leader.
• A 6’6”-7’ fast action baitcast rod in the 10-16lb line class, 150 size baitcast reel, 12lb braid and 14-16lb leader.

John’s Lures For Bass Fishing

• • Kamikaze Lures skirted jigs in the 3/8, 1/2, 5/8 oz sizes rigged with soft plastic craw trailers – John’s favourite soft craws for this are the X Zone 3.5” Muscle Backs Finesse Craws, which have floating claws and create a very natural appearance in the water. The 3/8 oz lure is perfect for working super slowly (a couple of inches per draw) down the edge of a rock face each draw is really about feeling if there is a weight there, rather than making the jig move. For really deep rock walls or when pitching to the base of tree trunks the 1/2oz jig is the best option. The 5/8 oz can be used on 15-25’ deep flats, again working it in super slow 2-3” draws along the bottom – loading the lure with scent can help with these very slow lures.
  • A Gangbanger G2 Spoon is a great tool over flats and in deeper water. This lure sinks at a rate of about 20ft for every 5-6 seconds, depending on the line and leader being used. Use sonar to find what depth the fish are sitting and count the lure down to that depth. Give the lure 5-6 quick winds and then open the bail and let it sink. Repeat!
  • A 3/8oz Kamikaze blade is a very versatile option that can be easily fished in water 30 ft deep, but can also be used along shallower rock wall, edges and structure. Often they’ll eat this lure if they’re being finnicky about the jig. On edges, fish it with little hops down the wall the double hooks this hook comes fitted with help reduce snagging. Slow roll once you reach the edge. In deeper water fish with a series of hops and pauses or slow rolls through the depth the fish are sitting.
  • A Mazzy Vibe or 79mm Jackall Pompadour fished over the top of weedbeds in low light periods can be very effective. Alternatively, find a tree where shags are roosting and fish underneath where bass wait for the food to drop from the sky.
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