Lake MacDonald in MacDonnell: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake MacDonald is listed under MacDonnell, Northern Territory. The surroundings are warm bottomland. This is big water, about 183.55 sq km, and in a wind it behaves like a small sea. Long inlets mean the far ends can be calm while the main body is rough. Yulara lies 282 km from the water. After that come Larapinta at 491 km and Araluen at 494 km. You would be travelling a fair way to find the next one. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Lake MacDonald

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Anyone new to Lake MacDonald should walk it once before setting up. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 16°C to 32°C. There is no dead season here at all. Spring runs September to November and autumn March to May, and both fish well. Spring, September into November, fishes hardest, with autumn a close second. The season on Lake MacDonald rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Check the current arrangement for Lake MacDonald.