There is nothing quite like the searing sound of fly line being furiously ripped through the ceramic guides of a fully-loaded fly rod. This is a scenario all too familiar to Clint Hansell after last year deciding to try tempt an impoundment goodoo on fly.
Not only is Clint brilliant with the baitcaster, but he’s also a wizard on the fly wand. Well, by wizard I mean he can throw it further than 3 feet and doesn’t look like a disabled giraffe when he’s making loops.
While ‘stuff on fluff’ is not for every cod angler, what it has provided is a deep insight into the impact of current flow in impoundments. Now, I know what you’re thinking, you only see current in rivers, not dams. Well, you’d be a bit off the mark.
Flow Retrieve
While not as rampant and strong as most Australian rivers, sans the Darling, currents still exist in dams. These are caused by constrictions up near the river entry points and by the wind. Yes, the wind.
A couple of strong, gusty days is all it takes to see entire sections of dams start to artificially flow in certain directions creating choke points and ambush locations where the current is at its most concentrated. Clint has seen this flow move his fly line as much as 3-4 metres per cast, showing just how powerful a push it can have.
Conversely, the water will pull back in the other direction as the winds abate creating a new set of Murray cod opportunities.
Things to look out for are the previous weeks wind patterns to see what sides of the dam you should start to interrogate to see if any ambush channels have emerged. Also, looking for snags and structure close to the bank that the wind is pushing along will help identify productive back eddies and choke points.
Clint has used this tip to deadly effectiveness, landing all 6 of his fly caught impoundment cod last year all from the backside of a choke point that had 3-4m of current per cast pushing past.
So, next time you are looking for a few cod clues on your local dam, check out last week’s weather as it may unlock tomorrow’s fishing secret.
Beaver Baits
If you’re useless with the wand and have a greater chance of strip striking a hook clean through yours or your mates ear then catching a fish, the beaver bait can be an awesome stepping stone to jagging some ‘stuff on fluff’. They come in three sizes all with adjustable weight systems requiring the angler to impart the action as they slowly make their way through the current.
