Spinnerbaits have been the gun tool in the freshwater impoundments thus far this summer. Lake MacDonald has delivered good numbers of quality bass around the weed beds and along the flats. Smaller versions of spinnerbaits and beetle spins have also been worth casting.

The large weed beds just outside of Bass Bay are a good place to start your MacDonald trip. Borer Creek runs into the southern end of Bass Bay and it can also deliver well in the warmer months although the cabomba weed can sometimes make things difficult. Mark Pertot picked up a Mary River cod of five or six kilos spinnerbaiting this area recently. The fish is now in the Gerry Cook Hatchery and will hopefully assist with future breeding programs.

Further down the lake where the confluence of the East and West leg forms Three Ways, there are some good open areas to cast, and some clear channels in the weed that are also worth stretching ones arm in. Heading up the East leg, the straight channel is known as Fry’s Run. Eagles Bay on the left is another feature in this area and its mouth is always worth a few casts on your way past. Fry’s Run eventually joins Rusty’s, which is deeper and holds piles of timber on the bottom and often good numbers of quality bass. The piles of timber are reasonably easy to find on your sounder and casting lures around these snags is very worthwhile.

In these upper areas small rafts of lilies are scattered across the surface. On a still morning it looks magnificent and very fishy, and the amazing bird life at this end of the lake makes the trip even more worthwhile.

Borumba has been fishing well also. Saratoga are keeping many fishos happy, with spinnerbaits and poppers the most successful tactic. Fly anglers are also getting into the saratoga with a few bass, yellows and silvers here and there as well. The big silvers in Borumba seem to like living under shag nests, perhaps due to the continual supply of berley that is delivered to them all day, every day. The Borumba Arm is a good place to have a go at them.

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1) Cooroy’s own John Cutmore with yet another quality bass. This one was trolled up on a glassy morning with a deep diving minnow.