Episode 290: Lostock Dam Bass With Dave Rudder

Dave’s Lostock Bass Fishing Tips

• Lostock Dam is on the central NSW coast and is a much smaller and significantly shallower system than nearby Glenbawn and Lake Saint Clair. It is often overlooked and has a reputation for being a lesser bass destination, but actually holds large numbers of quality, well-conditioned fish. The entry road in is in very poor condition, so take it easy.
• Due to the relatively low fishing pressure, Lostock fishing starts within a few metres of the boat ramp. Dave reckons once you push your boat off the trailer it’s simply a matter of taking a look at the sounder an seeing the fish everywhere.
• Weedbeds are the predominant fish holding structure in Lostock, and extend a long way out from the banks due to the great water clarity.
• Lostock is an all-year bass fishery, but Dave prefers to fish for snapper during the cooler months and head for the bass waters later I the year as the water warms up. Fish become more aggressive as the water warms and it’s easier to get that reaction bite.
• Fishing with confidence is super important, and confidence only comes from time on the water.
• Dave loves the edge bite in Oct-Dec. The points in Lostock Dam are a great place to start fishing because they support large “V” shaped weedbeds. Dave likes to position his boat off the ends of a point and cast down the face of the weedbeds.
• A period of high barometric pressure is usually good for Lostock bass, especially if it coincides with overcast conditions.
• When the fishing is slow try mixing the lures and techniques a well as moving around to find active fish. If you have been through a whole bunch of lures and had no luck then try switching colours and as a last resort try dropping the leader down to 6lb or even lighter to get the bite.

Dave’s Preferred Bass Fishing Tackle

• For casting hard vibes, hard bodies and spinnerbaits Dave likes spin gear. A 6’10” to 7’ rod in the 2-4 or 3-5kg range, and a 2000 size reel loaded with 10lb braid and a metre or so of 12lb fluorocarbon leader.
• For soft plastic fishing Dave likes the Daiwa Gekkabijin rod and a matching Gekabijin reel in 2000 size. He loads the reel with 8lb braid and adds an 8lb fluorocarbon leader. This combo is exceptionally light and sensitive (but not cheap).

Dave’s Top Bass Fishing Lures

• Jackall TN50 and TN60 hard vibration baits are a top fish catcher. Dave removes the stock hooks and rings and replaced just the front hook with a Gamakatsu inline single on the front towpoint, allowing him to fish the lures through heavy weed without fouling and through snags and hard structure with minimal hangups. Dave finds that hookup rates are not affected but the versatility of the lure and ability to fish it in heavy cover is vastly improved. The TN50’s can be cast long over the shallow weeds, perhaps only a metre or so deep and can be cranked back at speed with the rod held high to burn them over the top of the weeds – quick reaction bits are the norm. Once the lure reaches the edge of the weed it can be allowed to sink for 5 or 6 seconds and then slow rolled through the deeper water. The TN60’s are great when the fish are holding in deeper water off the edges of the weed beds. Dave tries sinking the TN60 to the bottom and then slow rolling, or a “burn and kill” approach, counting down to the depth fish are holding at.
• A small paddletail style soft plastic lure is a consistently deadly option at Lostock Dam. Dave likes the Fish Arrow Flash J Shad in Au silver colour by he’s also had great success with the 3” Ecogear Powershad in eel colour. The latter lure he shortens by removing 3-4mm from the head end of the lure. If the fish are shy or the bait are really small he might even remove 5-6 mm from the head. Jig heads range from 1/8-1/4 oz, depending on water depth and the manner in which they’re being worked. These can be slow rolled an kept in touch with the bottom of weed, or they can be cast over shallow weed and worked back with sharp rips, between which the rod is held high and the tip vibrated to give the lure shimmer.
• A 1/2 oz spinnerbait with a single gold Colorado blade is deadly and is super snag resistant. Natural colours such as green and yellow work well, although Dave doesn’t mind blacks and purples sometimes either. A stinger hook with a lumo bead on it is essential. Spinnerbaiting is about counting: 5 seconds the first cast, 10 seconds the second cast and so on until you find where the fish are – often it will be around 15-20 feet in October-December. Once the lure is at depth Dave likes to roll them back as slowly as possible without the blade stalling.
• Surface fishing in the dead of night works really well. Dave finds much larger lures than would normally be used for bass tend to be very successful on Lostock bass. The Daiwa Hooking Noisy Rattle could easily be cast at cod, but works well on bass, as do the large, rat style lures. Dave finds that leaving the boat navigation light on makes it easier to fish and doesn’t seen to bother the bass. It’s not necessary to cast too close to the banks, so why risk snagging a lure? Lob the lure a rods length or two from the bank and work it back to the boat.