We Like Em’ Fresh! – By Luke Galea
I realise that freshwater fishing isn’t for everyone, but for me personally, I don’t discriminate. As long as it has fins, avidly munches on a lure and pulls a bit of string, then I am all about trying to catch it. So many people, even in my own family are quite old-school and they have the mentality that if you can’t eat it, then what’s the point catching it? Well, there is so much more to fishing than necking everything you catch and filling your freezer with fillets.
Sooty grunter have got to be one of my absolute favourite freshwater piscatorial species. They are prevalent in most freshwater catchments across the northern half of Australia (and even into Papua New Guinea), grow to a respectable size, fight out of their skin and absolutely smash any lure you put in front of them (including surface lures). Additionally, some of the locations where they are caught will rival scenery out of a David Attenborough documentary.
Anticipation is high first thing in the morning just before the kayaks are launched.
The sooty grunter fishing around Mackay is second to none, in my opinion. They not only occupy many of our larger local barramundi impoundments but also inhabit the freshwater reaches of the Pioneer valley. They breed in the fresh, so the multiple weirs (and their largely un-operational fish ladders / fish locks / fish lifts) that have wreaked havoc on the migration, spawning and recruitment of some of our diadromous fish (fish that spend time in both saltwater and freshwater) such as our barramundi, mangrove jack and jungle perch, has not negatively impacted the sooty grunter.
Sootys’ love flow. They will push upstream against the flow, through riffle zones and up waterfalls (when the levels are elevated) as far as they can possibly go, spawning right at the top of the system so their progeny disperses downstream with the current and is dispersed through the reach. Any large snag in the water or boulder in as little as two feet of water; or undercut bank will be prime habitat for sooty grunter. The larger specimens will take up the most optimal vantage points first. General rule of thumb, like most fishing scenarios, is to cast your lures to the shaded bank as a matter of priority.
By way of gear, well, this is down to personal preference but I use a 6-12lb (3-6kg) Samurai Infinite, 7 foot spin rod matched with a 3000 size spin reel, 10lb braid and 14lb fluorocarbon leader. Some people opt for a 2-4kg rod with a 2500 spin reel and that is fine but I wouldn’t go too much lighter than this, otherwise you’re severely at risk of being blown away by some of the larger models. Even the heavier gear I run is not enough to stop them 100% of the time. I certainly prefer spin gear over bait cast gear as well. Mainly just because it’s easier to cast the smaller, lighter lures which might get a run at times. Fluorocarbon is a non-negotiable, not only for its’ abrasion resistance around the gnarly structure but for its properties. Some of the waters we fish around Mackay are rainforest streams coming straight out of the mountains and are absolutely gin clear and fish can spook easily. Given the fact that fluorocarbon leader contains the same mirroring qualities as water, it is virtually invisible in water and therefore is your friend.
Did I tell you it’s a pretty place?
Sooty grunter can be caught on a whole host of different lures shapes, styles and colours. By far, the best way to catch them is off the surface using 60-80mm poppers and stickbaits, but like most fish, tend to bite down deeper as the sun gets higher in the sky. For this reason, you need to make sure you take a few hardbodies and/or soft plastics with you.
I honestly believe that Mackay boasts some of the best sooty grunter fishing around. There aren’t too many places where you can go and rack up 20-30 sootys in the day. We’ve got plenty of spots you can chase them on foot but if you are still reading this article, then I’m going to reward you with the precise location that has continually produced world-class fishing for me, every time, without fail BUT from my kayak.
The precise stretch I am talking about is a 12km stretch from Uruba Crossing (about 500m east of Finch Hatton service station), past the Gargett bridge, through to the high bridge on the way to Mia Mia / Septimus (this is your exit point). This takes you to some of the most beautiful places and best fishing in Cattle Creek. The sooty fishing here is nothing short of epic.
The base of root balls such as this one is always worth a cast or two.
Be warned, although epic, this trip is physically exhausting. It’s not so much the 12km distance because the flow pushes you along for the majority of it (you just have to cast). You do have to drag the kayak around some rapids, through the long grass and over cobbles due to the rapids taking you into hanging vegetation or undercut banks. Your back and your butt does really ache after a day out here and I usually need a couple of days at home after this trip just to recover. You will need to do this trip with a mate, not just for safety, but you need to park one car at the exit point and one car at the entry point so you can retrieve your car from the entry point after your long day paddling one-way, downstream with the flow. You will not be able to paddle back upstream against the flow so don’t even think about it.
The last time I undertook this trip was literally on Anzac Day. My mate Todd and I ended up with exactly 50 sootys between us and all but one were taken on hardbodies. There was a time there where I actually caught 5 fish in 5 casts which was certainly a first for me. The 60mm atomic shiner in the colour of black beauty was a real stand out for me. I swear they must predate on their own kind due to the fact the colour lure I was using was perfectly replicative on a baby sooty grunter.
If you haven’t yet tangled with sooty grunter then do yourself a favour and add them to your list. They are super-addictive and can be caught in some of the most beautiful places. The last trip was an absolute cracker. To check out the video from the day enter the following url into YouTube:https://youtu.be/n7qsMA8nwII
