Sommerset Help for Fathers Day please

[aidbox]

I have only got my first ever boat not long ago and for Fathers Day I intend on taking my dad out to Sommerset for the day. As a young bloke, the old man used to take me and my brother out in his old 4hp tinny on the Condamine river in Chinchilla and now he's encountering some health issues of late.

Anyway long story short-Im repaying him by taking him out to Sommerset this Saturday. I have been out there once but haven't caught any fish. I urgently need help with some spots that could get me some results (for my old man's sake) either bass or yellas. I have a few jackall chubbies, cranks etc but have no idea how to locate the schooled bass/any yellas?
Do I just fish at trees? What is best technique etc? And obvioulsy some hints/tips and where to start.

I know this is asking a bit much but I feel in debt to the old man for giving me a passion and love for fishing and I can finally pay him back having my own boat. If you want to PM me-worried about posting up your spots that would be much appreciated. I just want to pay the old fart back and give some joy back if you know what I mean. Thanks

[darylive]

If you have a sounder search for schooled up bass around pelican point area. they may still be schooled although it it is warming a bit.

Try flicking around Queen St. Timber. Are you putting in at Kirkleigh or the Spit? The office kirkliegh will give you a map. Be aware you require a Stocked Impoundment permit and a boat permit on somerset. It is not like the old days with Pop, now nothing is free.


Best of luck.

[Mike Delisser]

Make sure you get your Dad a $7 weekly SIP's permit and carry it with you, a $200 + fine wouldn't be a good farther's day pressy. And if you're under 18 you won't need one. Like Daryl said Pelican Point is the go and grab a couple of Smak Blitz Baggas and troll them. If you're camping over night at Kirkleagh (Somerset Holiday Park) get a fine mesh shrimp trap and set it off the bank on dark with some dry dog food as bait, almost can't miss out with live shrimp.
Cheers

[aidbox]

Thanks to both of you-very helpful. Where can i get a boat permit from? Is trolling the go or casting and should those lures i mentioned go alright? Cheers again

[Mike Delisser]

Not realy, if the Chubby is a "Deep" you may catch a bass trolling it a long way back but you can do a lot better. You can get a Smak Blitz Bagga for $15 at B#F or maybe a blade for around $10. Boating permits can be baught at the camping ground of off the rangers if you see them.

[robersl]

great recent report in the freshwater reports on somerset that will help you out as well

shane

[bugman]

Aid,

Here's a link to a recent report from our trip. It might be the one Shane is referring to.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?p=1202621&posted=1#post1202621

Have you got a sounder ????? Probably the main question as it will help you locate the schools of fish or either the right depth in which to troll your lures.

If you're up there on the weekend no doubt there will be other boats fishing the schools near Pelican point. You'll seem them easily if you continue to head south from the Kirkleigh ramp. They will the boats seemingly out in the middle of the dam. Your sounder should show lots of lines or arches in these areas around the boats - anywhere from 22 feet to 35 feet was holding fish when we were there.

If you want to troll - work out how deep your lures are trolling down to and then troll around the edges a couple of feet deeper than how far your lures are going down. For us we used Voodoo deep diver lures but any will work. They get down to about 15 feet so we trolled in 15-20 feet in any of the bays or edges. We found predominantly dark colours worked best - particularly black and white.

You can get your boating permit and SIP (fishing permit) from the main kiosk at the Kirkleigh campground.

Brett

[aidbox]

Thanks guys, well i went out and blew last weeks pay on more luress yeeew! Yeah Brett i have a sounder and will be sure to try that spot (without hastling everyone els :), I was told that you can ring the campsite at Kirleigh to get a code to get in before 6? is this correct? but would anything be open at this time to get a boat permit or can i get it off the net or anywhere else? sounds like a pain in the a___

[darylive]

You can get the permit off the net and print a reciept that will get you out of trouble and yes the office will give you an access code if you ring the day before.

As for hassling others as long as you approach with care, preferably on the electric or if you don't have one pick a position to drift in then get clear before motoring around for another drift; any rerasonable Bass fisher on Somerset will accept that. It is only if you plough through the middle of boats fishing that you will be abused.

Best of luck, the only condition on all this advise is that you post a report here so we know how you went.

[aidbox]

Hey all-I had a crack at all the info and only got a little bass on a TN60 Ayu jigging it up from the bottom on a drift near Pelican point in about 20ft of water. The old man almost got a bass to the boat on a vibe but it came up with a sclae! As usual he tried to claim it! No bloody redclaw though, i tried rockmelon instead of potato and not a thing!! It blew up in a bad way so it was a short day......

I think i might give the ice jigs a crack next time-have any of you blokes used them? Is jigging the schools the go? or just cast and slow retrive with jackalls? Anyway 1 one is better than 0-thanks everyone