Oberon Dam
The
township of Oberon is well known for great trout fishing. The brown and
rainbow
trout found in Oberon Dam are often big, healthy and put up a great
fight. Oberon can be very cold in
winter and even in summer it has been known to drop to freezing, but
those who brave the cold are regularly rewarded with great fish.
Photo:
Oberon Dam © Amy McDowell 2009
Alternate
Names: Lake Oberon or Fish River
Dam
General
Info: Oberon Dam is a large water storage on the Fish River,
a renowned trout fishery. The Dam was build as part of the Fish River
Scheme, which
supplies water for electricity generation, town water, industry,
mining and forestry. The lake is regularly
used for sailing (one day per month), bird watching and fishing.
Boating
is not permitted except sailing as part of the monthly sailing club day.
A mix of brown and rainbow trout of 30-55cm
are a common
catch.
Fly fishing is extremely popular on this
lake.
Location: To get to Oberon take the
Jenolan Caves turn off from the Great Western Hwy
at Hartley, just after the River
Lett Bridge. From the main
street of Oberon turn left into Ross St and then left into Jenolan St
and you'll reach the dam at the end of the road.
History
& Purpose: Built on the Fish River
in 1949. Trout were
present in the dam from the time of constriction and it has been
stocked every year for decades.
River
System: Murray
Darling (some water from the dam is supplied to Lithgow dams which are
part of the Nepean catchment.
Fish
Species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout (possibly a small
number of Brook Trout) and Redfin Perch.
Fish
Stocking Details: An average season will see 30,000
trout stocked to the dam. More rainbows than browns have been stocked
over the
past decade.
Capacity:
45,400 Ml
Surface
Area: Approximately 250ha
Max Water
Depth: 25m
Shore
Access: The public reserve located at the end of Jenolan Street,
via
Kelly’s Lane (off Edith Rd)
and The Reef Road (off Black
Springs Rd) are the main access points.
You must have permission to entre
private land around the lake.
Boat Access:
Boating is not permitted. Sailing is permitted on club days which are
held once a month.
Restrictions:
Large areas of private land boarder the lake.
You must gain permission to entre private property.
Swimming and boating are not permitted. General Trout Dam
regulations apply. The gate at the dam wall picnic area is usually
locked overnight. Check the signs on the gate to find out the time the
gates will be locked on the day you are visiting.
Water
Quality: The water quality is generally good, although
inflows are largely from farm land.
Popular
Fishing
Methods & Locations
Bait:
Powerbait is the most
successful although mud eye, worms and yabbies all work well. Powerbait
will take
trout at any time of he day or night. See the standard power bait rig
by
following the following the link. Grass hoppers under a float work
well in summer. While the best winter bates are worms and Power Bait
Fly: Insect hatches are numerous and
varied from
spring to late autumn. Look for fish rising around the edges; rises are
numerous around dusk and dawn but can happen all day, particularly on
cool sunny days. Match the hatch and you should increase your chances.
The dam wall area
is very
popular with fly fishermen as is the golf course and Kelly’s Lane. The
water level tends to rise over winter and this is the best time to fish
the edges. Try large dark streamers, particularly on and after dusk
(best on a bright moon).
If the winter nights are to cold for you, try fishing during the day
over the weed beds and drop offs. Some good options are a nymph
suspended under a strike indicator, or a wet fly that features a
streak/spot of red, pink, yellow or orange. These colours tend to
attract fish a little better in the winter months.
Spinning: Yellow winged, and pink
Tassie’s or Cobra’s
work well during the day. Large minnows fished at first light will take
a large territorial
fish particularly brown trout. Celters, small minnows, and small soft
plastics are also handy over the
weed beds. Keep an eye out for fish rising to the surface. Polarised
glasses
are a must. Try dark coloured lures in the evening, night and early
morning.
Particularly when the fish are feeding on the surface. When spinning on
a day
with little surface activity try the deeper areas of the lake with
spooned and
deep diving lures.
Camping:
Camping facilities are not provided although there is
a public toilet and BBQ’s available at the Dam Wall.
Public
Toilet: Yes (Jenolan Street picnic area near the dam wall)
Map
For more info
contact: Oberon Tourist
Information Centre (02) 6336 0666
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