Chasing Australian Bass in the Kangaroo River

This was one of those spur of the moment fishing trips as I headed to the Kangaroo Valley, a picturesque part of southern NSW just a couple of hours drive south of Sydney. The target fish was Australian Bass, a species I had never actually caught before. A stretch of the Kangaroo River commencing at the main bridge was the perfect place to board a one many kayak and quietly paddle to the collection point.

The upper reaches of the Kangaroo River conclude at a power station where the river become inaccessible. The river itself is littered with some great tree snags, fast flowing water, eddies, shallow corners and deep holes. All these structures proved perfect for landing some good sized Australian Bass. The success I had on this trip came from casting spinner baits into deep running tree snags. I cast for 6 hours and landed only a handful of Australian Bass. That said, this was a great way to spend a day with nature.

Spinner baits, soft plastics (in the darker red colors) and a baitcaster rig with 10lb braided line was the order of the day. Next time I do this trip I will also take a small threadline reel and rod as a spare. I’ll also take a pillow to sit on… Tight lines! Australian Fishing Charters Database