Swan Lake Fishing Guide, Central Darling, New South Wales

• Overview

  Set in Central Darling, New South Wales, this is Swan Lake. Height above sea level is 63 metres. The water covers some 68 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Some 5.3 km of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. It is a small entry by Central Darling standards. Start from Broken Hill, 184 km down the road. Gol Gol is 239 km away, with Buronga at 240 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Swan Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Swan Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics. Weed beds hold food, and food holds fish.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put January at about 27°C and July near 11°C. The season is continuous, with heat as the only real check. Levels swing with the wet season, which moves the fishing about. October and November fish well as the water warms. The season on Swan Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Haystack Lake, 5.2 km out. Where Swan Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.