SOMERSET SESSION Midyear Muster 25th July

[darylive]

Did I mention, Fire wood?

and as Chris said there will be dew if not snow. Further more, the ground will be frozen! So if you are just swagging it, at least bring a tarp.

For those not familiar with an ice jig it is a small hard body that ties off in the center with a hook sticking out at either end. Sort of like a blade runner only not flat.

Obviously I got the date right lookin at the poll

[DEANO68]

might bring some tassie devils......surley there is trout in thar...sounds bloody cold enough...
deano..

[darylive]

What is this "ice jigging" that you all speak of? I am having visions of building a little shack on the ice, cutting a whole in the floor and fishing through it.

I've almost forgotten what it's like to catch a Bass so will be nice get get a few (I'll be having a good bash at it anyway)

Brian - I hear you with the leader, I have to hold my tongue jusssst right using the fiddly light stuff, hopefully my new specs will help! (I hoped to have them before the last Mondy trip - was a relief not to hit any trees) j/k

Having blown all my pocket money on the boat I think I'll be in the swag - at least it's warmer than the little pop up tent, I think nearby the campfire and add some htfu should keep me pretty warm Stuff the Zambucca, this will call for Canadian Club I think - brrrrrrr

Cheers
Tony

I did mention fire wood right.

Was half thinking of a swag as well. Early June is the camping and van expo in brissie.. "might" be a few good buys.. I will also bring along one of those shade tents that just fold out. Might be good in case of rain.. or sun.. I am counting on Sun!!!

Planning on arriving Friday and departing Monday... already booked the days off !!!

My wife is umming about tagging along.. not a fisho but make a ripper mars bar cheese cake !!!!

Steve

MMM Cheeze cake. the ideal compliment to a nice coffee and I have the coffee thing sorted, bloop bloop

yes i will arrive the friday and leave sunday afternoon late and mars bars cheese cake my missus makes that as well awsomne stuff but i gunner have a glass or 2 of stone ginger warm up nothing like it hey darryl

Well yes it does warm you and seems like a good idea at the time.

might bring some tassie devils......surley there is trout in thar...sounds bloody cold enough...
deano..

Well Deano jigging a tazzie Devile with a little splitty on might work.

To the Shed!

[NAGG]

might bring some tassie devils......surley there is trout in thar...sounds bloody cold enough...
deano..

This is still only pretend cold - HTFU

[darylive]

A Tazzie devil on the line with a stopper above a light jig head with a slidder!

and maybe a spinner! and a stinger!

TO THE SHED!

[Tropicaltrout]

Give it a few years Chris, it will become freezing.....

[Apollo]

Give it a few years Chris, it will become freezing.....

Not wrong Nath. Before I moved up, we use to race sailboat and ride horses in below freezing conditions, now I look for for a jumper once the temp drops below 15.

Steve

[NAGG]

Give it a few years Chris, it will become freezing.....

That does worry me .... specially when I venture up the snowies trout fishing brrrr

[stevelcqld]

as I get older, the can of HTFU just does not seem to work to well anymore.

So Wife, feather dona, maybe a hot water bottle... and a lite HTFU and I should be right...

Lived near wivenhoe for a few years.. was cold in winter.. but a fire always helped for some reason.... Plus we will all have the perfect fire starter - Fuel !! 2 logs, 5 liters of fuel... seems to burn well...

Steve

PS Advised wife that a Mars Bar Cheese cake will be required, will find out how cold it outside at night as sleeping in the dog house tonight .. lol

[BR65]

as I get older, the can of HTFU just does not seem to work to well anymore.

So Wife, feather dona, maybe a hot water bottle... and a lite HTFU and I should be right...

Lived near wivenhoe for a few years.. was cold in winter.. but a fire always helped for some reason.... Plus we will all have the perfect fire starter - Fuel !! 2 logs, 5 liters of fuel... seems to burn well...

Steve

PS Advised wife that a Mars Bar Cheese cake will be required, will find out how cold it outside at night as sleeping in the dog house tonight .. lol

lol

[Mike Delisser]

What is this "ice jigging" that you all speak of? I am having visions of building a little shack on the ice, cutting a whole in the floor and fishing through it.

This small excerpt from the Oct 2008 Bushn'Beach might help

They all came from small schools holding on the bottom in 25 to 40 feet of water and showed a distinct preference for Ice Jigs over everything else. Ice Jigs are quite a strange looking lure with a single fixed hook protruding from each end and a light treble hanging below. As the name suggests, they're designed to be fished vertically through holes cut out of the ice on frozen lakes in the Northern Hemisphere, here in Aus we fish them basically the same way, just without the ice.(except at Somerset in July)

The best way to use them is to first locate with your sounder fish that are holding tight on the dam floor. Then, (and this is critical if you're to have any success) position the boat directly above them and keep it there with either an electric motor or by anchoring. Now after free-spooling the Ice Jig down to the dam floor, click the reel into gear and raise the lure approximately three inches off the bottom and hold it still. Now give your rod tip two very short, sharp flicks then pause the lure for several seconds again at that three inch level before giving it another couple of flicks and so on, and so on. Lowering the rod tip occasionally and relocating the bottom will help you keep your Ice Jig just in the correct zone and right in the fishes face. The idea of all this is to imitate a shrimp or tiny baitfish darting around on the dam floor, you'll get the picture by holding the lure just under the surface and studying of how it moves each time the rod tip is flicked, they're quite an amazing little lure really.

Light spin tackle is ideal for this technique with most anglers choosing to use a rod with a crisp action then running 4 to 6lb braid through to a leader of 6lb fluorocarbon. The main reason for such light gear is because the bite will feel like a couple of tiny taps, not unlike a small whiting bite. Try to resist the urge to strike and wait for the taps to increase to a rattle, then you should lift the rod tip and hopefully you'll feel the fish's weight. Also, in spite of so many hooks on the one lure, Ice Jigs have a bit of a reputation for just lipping the fish so it pays to use a fairly light drag and take it a little cautiously when winding in your catch.

Understandably Ice Jigs aren’t stocked by every tackle store so you may need to shop around a little or possibly ask to have some ordered in for you. Two of the most popular brands seem to be Strike Pro and Nils Master with the mid-size or 7cm (15gm) version most suited to our bass.

BTW how do you guys know about using Tassie Devels for bass in the dams?????
That's suppose to be a secret

Cheers
Mike

[nipsta]

at least i know we dont need to get out on the water too early that is for sure i did that at boondooma one june day never again frost bites that hurt me for 3 days

[Awoonga]

BTW how do you guys know about using Tassie Devels for bass in the dams?????
my mate Stue used one on the weekend to no avail

[Apollo]

Thanks Mike for the info on ice jigs.

[Tropicaltrout]

BTW how do you guys know about using Tassie Devels for bass in the dams?????
my mate Stue used one on the weekend to no avail

Tassie devils have been around for years around 30 to be percise, nearly everyone would have one somewhere and would sample them on different fish...

A old classic they are