Bateson's Dam

The universal worm has got some competition now, since ‘Sandy’ took me out to Bateson’s dam. This don’t include the ‘whitchys’ we get in a broken bough, nor ‘scrubbies’ on the hooks we have to cram to hide the silver hook that a ‘blackie’ sometimes took, where a ‘mudeye’ just might have a better look. We have to have a bucket for these water baits we scoop, and a net of fly-wire mesh across the face that’s been tied on with fishing line, around a metal hoop, keeping flatness of the fly-wire in its place; so when the net is lifted and the water’s all been sifted, we grab our bait, and with a turn the net is shifted. We must don a pair of waders when we wander past the edge, for our gumboots do not have the needed height. And as we scoop the bottom in amongst bulrush and sedge, at first we see the shrimp put into flight; but gambesia and ‘toe-biters’ rarely show that they are fighters, and multitudes of water beetles, are un-needed ‘blighters’. Now the water lily pads that extend across the pond, offer some protection from a diving bird. But the tangled stem’s and roots, are no barrier to squand a chance to net amongst the water stirred. And little pygmy perch, arch their pretty backs and lurch. Quickly released for they’re not in our search. And backwater from the overflow is holding treasure too, as it wraps the base of tussock, weed and reed. ‘Sandy’ said “In here there is yabby”, and we net up quite a few - the ultimate of lure when a blackfish wants to feed. So yabbies highly rate, as the premier blackfish bait, almost if to say; write a ‘blackie’ on my slate! And with numbers in the bucket quite enough to see a day of fishing in the Bunyip, Lang Lang or Minniburn, I go looking for the wildlife that we’ve kept at bay, when scooping water’s edge became our turn. There’s teal, black duck and swan; pygmy geese keep feeding on, but shy mountain ducks have took to wing and gone. So Bateson’s dam’s a haven from the damming of a creek, where expanding water draws a teeming crowd. When fishermen like us retain the chance to reach our peak, netting better baits where there’s better baits endowed; if we take a little care, and we take what’s only fair; the better baits we seek will still be there.