Well I didn’t anticipate all the recent rainfall occurring down around the lower Hunter region, so my report for last month was way off the mark and I apologise for that. It was even worse than in 2007, when the same type of weather system — a big low — anchored off the coast and caused heaps of damage.

I think the only use my boat has seen over the past weeks has been to occupy my 2 year old grandson with my vast array of lures!

Before the big wet arrived, the lower systems were just starting to produce some nice bass and all was looking good before the closed season commenced on May 1. It is now 1 month earlier in NSW.

The lower Hunter did have some good sections for the spawning bass, but now they will be right down the bottom of the rivers and will gradually come back up with the salt line until the correct spawning criteria is met.

This month, winter patterns start to kick in, with the water temperature beginning to fall to around 15 ° and usually the westerlies beginning to puff.

Some nice fish were coming from lakes Glenbawn and St Clair, with deep plastics and jigs producing, but also on live crickets and yabbies.

The dams will be the only place for a fish and although they did receive some rainfall, they have risen just slightly. It is best to time your trip with a couple of days of constantly high barometer readings.

The fishing at this time of year fires from around 8.00am to around 4.00pm (office hours), as this is the warmest part of the day and also the time when the barometer is at its highest. The fish will be very close to structure in winter, as the timber transmits heat into the water and produces good weed growth for the baitfish.

‘Work Slowly’ is the motto for this month, and if using lures, especially jerkbaits, I prefer to use mono as it can delay the strike, which prevents pulled hooks. By working slowly it allows the fish time to react, as bass can be very lethargic with the low water temperatures.

The big advantage with using these lures is the ability to plop them precisely into specific zones, or very close to cover without disturbing the fish too much.

The fishing has been a bit slow at Lake St Clair, with the bass in particular spread throughout the dam. Up the back of the Fallbrook Arm there are a few good trees worth targeting for bass and goldens using bait or jigs. Near Eurella Point, whilst trolling along the river, there are also be productive pockets when using fairly deep lures in solid patterns.

Down around Andrews Point and Richards Point is a good area to target the banks with spinnerbaits and Jackalls.

Carrowbrook Arm is not fishing too well, as it is very open to the wind, but some of the water off the deeper points is worth a cast.

If there has been a few days of westerlies, then head down around the eastern side of the island and along Thunderbolts Run for some deep bass, targeting them with blades, jigs and TN60s. If using TNs or hardbodies, I thoroughly recommend using the long line technique, as you can cover a lot of water without upsetting the fish.

Lake Glenbawn can be very hot or cold this month, due to the strong winds blowing down from the Barringtons. There has been some decent goldens and bass taken on deep plastics and ice jigs around the Panhandle in 10-15m though. Up the back of the dam from One Tree along the Panhandle and up to the Ruins is good for bobbing worms and yabbies.

This area is also great for trolling deep diving Feralcatts and Stuckeys along the river channel and adjacent to the timber that lines the river out in the shallower water.

There can also be some deep school bass holding off the Dogleg on the southern side and also on the southern side of Pelican Point when the dam is rising. If using plastics in this cold water, I like to warm them in warm water first, as it gives them some more action by making them a bit softer.

Another good option to use in winter around the timber with plastics is the Bass Spin Jig, which is very similar to the Betts Spin, and I like to work it as close to the bottom as possible as it can resemble a yabby.

Around the bottom of the dam, Boat Harbour and the entrances to it are also good areas to target with jigs, lures and spinnerbaits.