Dunn's Swamp (Kandos Weir)

Dunn's Swamp is a small water storage on the upper Cudgegong River built to supply water for Kandos Cement Works. The swamp is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as it is part of Wollemi National Park.

There is a camping ground with pit toilets. Contact the NPWS for more info or to book (email: mudgee@environment.nsw.gov.au or phone: 02 6372 7199). Canoe hire is offered by Wollemi Afloat but bookings area essential (Email: wollemiafloat@bigpond.com Phone: 0428 734 373 or 02 6373 4300).

Dunn's Swamp is regularly stocked with native fish including Murray Cod, Golden Perch and Silver Perch and there are also a small number of Rainbow Trout. The swamp was formed when Kandos Wier was built accross the lower section of a small canyon. As a result the swamp is not very wide and the water gets deep very quickly. However the swamp snake through the canyon for more than 5 kilometres offering plent of water for the fish.

You can take a tiny with you, hire a canoe or fish from the rocky edges. If you choose to fish from the bank there is no need to get your feet wet, as it is a comfortable casting to the middle of the swamp in most places.

Be careful if fishing from the cliffs edges as the drop to the water (or rocks) below  is 15 metres in places and the rocks can be mossy and slippery. There are also plenty of snakes to contend with over summer.

When using the camping area watch out for hungry possums and goannas. They will steal food off your plate if you put it down for a few seconds. The possums are particularly cunning and may steal food from your hand if you are not careful. Please do not feed these or any other animals as this encorages them to pester other campers for food.

If you are chasing native fish such as Murray Cod try to get your lure down to about 15 feet as they tend to hold close to the bottom and long the deep rocky drop off's. If you see fish feeding on the surface try throwing a Jitter Bug or Surface Popper in the area of the rises. These surface lures can look like a cicada or other critter splashing about on the surface and often attract a big fish to the bite.

If casting lures try to cast against the rocky edge or weed beds where shade and cover is available. Native fish hold in shadows of weeds and under overhangs in the rock where they can not be seen. You need to get you lure right up against the edges and let it sink a little before you start retreving. As a rule of thumb the cooler the weather the deeper you need to get your lure.

The best lures are spinnerbaits, lipless cankbaits and stump jumpers in smaller sizes. Yabbies, shrimp, worms and wood grubs are the best baits.

The best fishing is over summer when the native fish are more active and will feed closer to the surface.