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Gosling
Creek Reservoir
This is a
small water storage located close to Orange which supports an improving mixed fishery. Facilities include toilets, children's
play equipment, BBQ's and a recently installed fishing platform. It is
now classified as a General Trout Dam and related regulations apply.
Fish Stocking
The number of fish stocked to Gosling Creek Reservoir has steadily
increased over the last decade with close to 20,000 fish stocked in to
the dam in 2002 and 2005, with an average year seeing 8,000 fish
stocked to the dam. In 2009/2010 ten thousand native fish (6,000 Golden
Perch & 4,000 Murray Cod) are expected to be stocked to the dam, as
well as an unknown number of trout.
Species Present
Rainbow Trout, Golden Perch, Murray Cod, Silver Perch,
Brown Trout and Redfin Perch.
Rainbow Trout, Silver Perch, Golden Perch and Redfin Perch
are present in the dam in large numbers. Redfin should not be returned
to the water if caught. Redfin are a very good eating fish, but are
considered a pest species.
Capacity:
400Ml
Surface Area: 12ha
Max Depth: 5m
Year Constructed: 1890
Fishing
Methods
You can use just
about any fresh water fishing technique and catch a fish although
shallow water means fishing from a boat is not recommended.
Bait Fishing
Fishing with baits such as worms, grubs, shrimp and small yabbies works
well for most species. Try rigging these baits with a light leader (3 -
4 foot long) and a running sinker. Powerbait also works well with this
rig when targeting trout.
In summer live grass hoppers are a good bait to fish on the surface.
Use a bubble float half full of water with a 5 foot leader. Lightly
greased the leader so it floats. If you can collect lots of grass
hoppers you can throw some on the water to attract the fish and get
them feeding. Try to keep your float close to the grass hoppers you
throw onto the water.
Spinning
Redfin Perch and Natives prefer lipless crank baits and spinner baits.
The speed of your retrieve should be slow in winter and can be more
vigorous in summer when the fish are more active. Redfin will take
jigs. It is best to fish these from a boat bumping the jig off bottom
as you drift in a light wind.
A good all round lure is a small dark colour soft plastic that has a touch of silver,
gold, red, pink or orange along the sides. Fish shapes work best,
particularly those with a tail that moves vigorously. Attached to a
small or medium jig head these lures are very adaptable, as they can be
used to spin or jig. Perch and trout will take soft plastics. Trout
also like tassie devils and minnow style lures fished with a slow
retrieve.
Watch out for snags when fishing with lures.
Fly Fishing
In summer grass hoppers, pumpkin beetles, flying ants, dragonflies,
cadis flies and mayflies are often found in large numbers near Lake
Canobolas during the day. As night falls Christmas beetles, black
beetles, crickets and white and grey moths with appear. In summer try
dry flies that match these insects.
The cooler months are better for wet fly fishing. Most people use
streamers, with the wooly bugger being the most popular option.
Regulations
General Trout Dam. Two attended rods per person. Two hooks
per rod (with up to 3 hooks per artificial fly or lure) or 3 (where
those hooks are artificial flies or lures).
Trout size limit 25cm. Trout
bag limit 5 fish.
Redfin perch should not be returned to the water as they are a pest
species.
No power boats permitted.
Boating is dangerous due to shallow water depth.
Spring Creek and Suma Park
Dam's down stream of Gosling Creek Reservoir are both closed to fishing.
Check the DPI
website for other regulations.
Links
http://www.orange.nsw.gov.au/files/survey/PP37%20Gosling%20Creek%20System.pdf
http://www.watermarks.com.au/pages/civic_water/water_supply.cfm
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