Episode 382: Lake Fyans Redfin With Angus James

Angus’ Lake Fyans Redfin Secrets

• Redfin are more prolific from November to March, but are a year-round option and the larger specimens often come during the cooler months.
• On quiet days, persist in working the snags. Redfin eventually seem to be susceptible to a reaction bite and will eventually take a lure even if they’re not actively feeding.
• When boat fishing for redfin, Angus finds that sonar is not super important other than for watching water temperature and knowing what depth you’re fishing. Redfin are available in good numbers but tend to be tight to the bottom and tight in structure, so sonar has limited use.
• If you’re new to Lake Fyans a good place to start is targeting the timbered areas and the edges of weedbeds. Drifting and making casts between weedbeds and timber is a good strategy.
• A single degree of temperature difference can be significant. During the cooler months the lake margins often contain warmer water and the redfin tend to congregate and be more active there. Areas where shoreline rocks can heat up and retain warmth tends to also have warmer water.
• Use the wind for redfin as you would for just about any species in dams and lakes. Places where the wind is striking the banks and pushing food, oxygenated water and slightly dirtier water around are prime places to target.
• Afternoons often fish better in winter as the surface water temps tend to rise a little after getting some sunshine. Persistence is important. It might be tempting to head out deeper and target the schools of smaller redfin, but Angus prefers to keep methodically working the shallow margins in search of the bigger specimens.
• Angus likes to be on the water and fishing the timbered areas at dawn. He’ll fish those areas hard for a few hours and if nothing is happening will then move on to the weed edges. To fish the weed edges he positions his boat between the weed bed and the shore and will cast over the weed and work the lure over the top and back down the other side.
• During the summer, stormy, balmy afternoons can return crickets score catches with a fish a cast. Other times it can be a lot of casts between fish.
• Land-based fishing is effective in Lake Fyans, but you need to be prepared to wade in order to get your lures to the redfin. Get your lures past the long grass that grows around the margins and you’re in the hunt. There’s plenty of access for land based anglers.

Angus’ Lake Fyans Redfin Tackle

• A spin rod in the 1-3kg class with a 1000-2500 size reel 4-6lb braid and a rod length of 6lb fluorocarbon leader will handle your redfin fishing needs.

Angus’ Lake Fyans Redfin Lures

• A TT Lures 1/4oz Vortex spinnerbait is the first lure Angus wouldn’t be caught without when he’s fishing for redfin. Colour is not important but these lures are the perfect size for big redfin when worked through weed. Generally they’re cast as far as possible around timber and allowed to sink, then retrieved with various combinations of slow rolling, hopping pausing and rod tip action. These spinnerbaits are often taken on the drop, so be prepared for that.
• A TT Jig Spinner attached to a ZMan Slim SwimZ paddle tail is a very effective combination and is a good option if the fish are a little timid and aren’t hitting the larger Vortex Spinnerbait. It’s fished in a similar way to the spinnerbait but with a little less aggression for a more finesse approach.
• In the warmer months the ZMan TRD Craws rigged on a headlocks jig head. The buoyant plastic causes this lure to sit on the bottom with the tail down and the claws pointing upwards like a yabby in the defensive position. This lure is walked super slowly across the bottom of the lake, keeping the rod tip high.