Fishing at Lake Burrinjuck, Yass Valley, New South Wales

• Overview

  In New South Wales, Lake Burrinjuck falls inside Yass Valley. Everything around it is pine and hardwood. Around 16.84 sq km of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. The perimeter is close to 69 km, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. It is high ground by New South Wales standards. Yass sits 31 km from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Canberra, 55 km away. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Lake Burrinjuck

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include Macquarie perch, silver perch and rainbow trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Lake Burrinjuck decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 6°C to 21°C. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. Spring runs September to November and autumn March to May, and both fish well. The shoulder seasons either side of summer are the ones to aim for. Lake Burrinjuck runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It is an impounded water, so levels are managed and can shift through the year. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Cotter Storage Reservoir, 44 km out. What applies at Lake Burrinjuck may have changed since it was mapped.