SOMERSET DAM

Somerset is one of Australia’s premier Australian bass impoundments. And only about 110kms and roughly one and a half hour drive from Brisbane. The lake can produce great numbers of big bass at the right time of year, and holds the Australian record with a massive bass weighing in at over 4 kilos. It also has good numbers of Golden perch eel tailed catfish and the odd cod, silver perch, Saratoga and great red claw fishing. Unfortunately the lake also has a lot of tilapia. If caught these fish are not to be put back in the water and disposed of in a bin.

Bass fishing is manly taken place in deeper water as the lake has massive schools of bony bream. bass are usually found anywhere from 15 to 50ft harassing the bony schools. Techniques for fishing this lake can vary from paddle tailed soft plastics, making long casts sinking to the bottom and retrieving through the water column. Blades and soft vibes work well once again long casts sink to the bottom hopping the lure along the bottom back to the boat. Tail spinners and spoons are also very affective with long casts and sinking them down and retrieving through schooling fish. Ice jigs will also work buy sitting over the top of schooling fish using fast sharp hops off the bottom. Trolling deep diving crank baits is also another great way to catch bass.

Areas to look for are the edge of old creek beds bass will hold tight to the edge of the drop off. Deep points the fish will hold either side of the point waiting in ambush for any stray baitfish. Deep flats look for these flats in depths anywhere from 20ft to 50ft bass will be out in these areas herding schools of bony bream. Another thing to look for out there is bird activity, there a lot of shags and pelicans and the will often sit on the same schools of bait the bass are.

Golden perch fishing can be a little different than chasing bass here. While you will catch decent numbers bass fishing. You can up your golden numbers by fishing step rocky walls with spinnerbaits, crank baits, lipless cranks and blades. Lipless and blades are very effective casting tight to the edge and hopping down the face of the rock wall. Cranks are best fishing parallel to the edge but still work well sitting out and casting to the edge and cranking down. Spinner baits can be fished parallel to the edge or sitting out casting the edge and any laydown timber.

If you are wanting to set some traps for red claw you can find good size and numbers in ares with a muddy bottom in deeps anywhere from 12ft to 20ft using any bait from cat and dog food rock melon peel and off fruit or veggies.