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Dartmouth Dam, situated in the mountains of north eastern Victoria, is one of the state?s trout fishing Meccas. The scenery is magnificent and the fish plentiful. The dam is very large, very deep, steep sided and totally surrounded by forest. The only visible signs of human interference are the dam wall and some old four wheel drive tracks leading to the water?s edge. Dartmouth was completed in 1979 by damming the Mitta Mitta and Dart Rivers and contributes to the Murray Valley Irrigation System by assisting to regulate the Hume Weir, which in turn regulates the Murray River. Dartmouth contains good populations of brown and rainbow trout and is the last recognised self sustaining fishery of the Macquarie perch. European Carp are also present and are being caught in increasing numbers. The dam was stocked with rainbow trout between 1979 and 1981 while the dam was filling but this no longer occurs as the authorities believe sufficient breeding occurs in the myriad of feeder streams.
Dartmouth?s reputation as a producer of many large trout peaked in 1988 when the dam filled for the first time. Extraordinary numbers of 2.5 kg plus fish were taken, but the population has now stabilised as the food supply has reached a natural equilibrium.
My first visit to the dam was in the early 1980s, fishing with some success (and lots of stories) from a rowing boat. These days I use a 5 metre alloy runabout with an auxiliary trolling motor which is certainly more comfortable, but the results are not always better.
The area offers plenty for the non-fisherman, such as a visit to the power station (now repaired following its much publicised problems) or a drive across the dam wall which has a viewing area providing excellent scenery. The wall itself is an impressive structure, being an earth and rock fill embankment some 180 m high, the tallest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The spillway leads to the ?cascades?, an aptly named series of rock ledges which are a tremendous sight when water is flowing. Hundreds of visitors come to the dam to witness the times when water thunders down the spillway and across the cascades. There are also some bushwalks leaving from Dartmouth township and the historic Mitta Mitta township, an old gold mining town settled in the 1840s, is only a short drive away and well worth the visit.
Getting There
Dartmouth Alpine Retreat (Dartmouth township) is a comfortable five-hour drive from Melbourne. Take the Hume Freeway to Wodonga and then the Murray Valley Highway. There are signs before Tallangatta that lead to Dartmouth. Steep inclines can slow progress somewhat during the latter part of the trip and it pays to have the trailer brakes in good condition. Keep a sharp lookout for wombats, wallabies and other wildlife when driving at night.
Dartmouth Alpine Retreat
Dartmouth Alpine Retreat is the old construction village converted into a tourist town. Fuel, ice and some food supplies can be purchased at the caravan park. The pub is a great spot to spend a little time learning the history of the area and it is usually possible to pick up a few fishing tips if you?re not too pushy. During the warmer months of the year it is possible to sit and eat on the pub?s verandah which overlooks the gardens and the Mitta Valley. Motel accommodation is available at the Rainbow Lodge Motel (060 724 511) or a six or eight berth self contained cabin can be rented. The caravan park (060 724 218) offers cabin style accommodation and powered and unpowered camping sites. Six Mile Creek Recreation and Boating Area: The only formed boat ramp is located at Six Mile Creek which is 13 km from Dartmouth township. Turn right at the caravan park and a bitumen road leads over a steep hill to the boat ramp, picnic and barbecue area, toilets and a telephone. The ramp itself is a steep and wide concrete affair, protected from prevailing winds and can easily handle boats up to six metres. Boats fitted with toilets and overnight accommodation are not permitted on the lake. Water skiing is also not permitted, which is a bonus for fishermen. Security parking can be arranged with the caravan park for campers if required. The car park can hold a couple of hundred vehicles, but it only gets part full, even during Easter or the Christmas break. Camping is only permitted at three locations on the shoreline - Eight Mile Creek, Eustace Creek and the Dart River. Facilities are limited to toilets and some semi-flat ground for the tents. Permits are not required, but of course usual fire restrictions apply.
Where to Fish
Most people blast off from the boat ramp in a great hurry to the far reaches of the Mitta Mitta arm nearly 40 km away, but probably as many fish have been caught within 3 km of the ramp as anywhere else in the dam. Try trolling near the bank and start fishing at the ramp - it will certainly save fuel and is likely to be as productive as anywhere else. For those anglers who are keen to travel, try the Mitta arm or more specifically, some of the small inlets in the Mitta arm that have feeder creeks. The Gibbo arm attracts many anglers but is not recommended due to the potential for large landslides and resultant ?tidal? waves. The other main arm of the dam, the Dart arm, is a little smaller and less popular with anglers because it does not seem to hold as many fish.
Safety
With a surface area of 6,400 ha, the sheer size of the dam is daunting and should not be underestimated. It doesn?t take much of a blow to whip up waves of around one metre, which can make life interesting for small tinnie fishermen, particularly if using a punt or half pointer.
A surprising number of small tinnie fishermen venture to the extremities of the dam. Another word of warning please make sure that navigation lights are functional before attempting a night crossing. It is stupid, not to mention illegal, to guess that you have the lake to yourself and cross at night without lights. Recently one night I noticed we had crossed the wake of another boat. We stopped and turned on the spotlight and saw five unlit small tinnies rushing out of our way.
The dam may be in the middle of nowhere but it is actively patrolled by Water Police and Conservation and Natural Resources. This is another incentive to carry all mandatory safety gear. If the thought of rowing your boat 40 km does not appeal and you plan to visit the extremities of the lake either travel with a mate or at least take an auxiliary motor.
Trout Fishing Techniques
Trolled cow bells or Ford Fender attractors towing a Tassie Devil is the most common rig used in Dartmouth. In fact when purchasing an attractor at your local fishing shop expect to be asked ?Are you going to Dartmouth??. During summer months the most common day time fishing technique is to troll deep as the surface temperature and oxygen levels are not to the liking of trout. By deep, I mean deep, often as deep as you can go using a down rigger. Don?t forget it is essential to troll at the correct speed for the lure, so an auxiliary or electric outboard is essential. Most people have the lure between 40 and 75 metres behind the boat, remembering that the more line you let out does not always mean the deeper the lure will go.
There are many methods used to determine the depth that the fish are swimming. It is sometimes possible to use a fish finder to ?see? the fish, but more often than not it?s a matter of trial and error. Some people claim to ?see? thermoclines, that is layers of water of a different temperature, on their sounder which makes the job a little easier. Start fishing at about 10 metres deep and keep going deeper until you catch a fish. Fishing at 30 metres or more is certainly not boring (particularly when I?m at the wheel) as it?s very easy to snag the lure of the underground timber. Local knowledge and reading the surrounding country will assist in reducing snags. To minimise the amount of lost tackle, use a lighter piece of line between the attractor and the lure. Although trolling is the most popular method of catching fish, using bait is often the more successful method. The trusty mudeye (dragonfly nymph) floated under a bubble float around the dead timber is a proven method, particularly between October and December. A bunch of worms or a single scrub worm fished in the same manner will also consistently produce trout. Another method which is gaining popularity is bait fishing at night in shallow water. This method involves using bait on or near the bottom in water of around one to two metres deep. Remember to be quiet and be very careful to use good tackle and knots as this is a good method of catching a trophy fish.
Macquarie Perch Fishing Techniques
A number six or eight hook rigged on light line with a sinker just heavy enough to keep the bait on the bottom is a common rig for this popular native species. The best baits are worms or small yabbies. Fish near trees and keep the bait moving a little. If you don?t catch a fish in about 10 minutes, move the boat a small distance as mackas are school fish. Local knowledge is almost essential to ensure regular catches - but try fishing where small streams enter the lake. There is a closed season between 1st October and 18th December (inclusive) each year, a minimum legal size of 25 cm and a bag limit of 10 fish per person per day. It pays to check Victorian fishing regulations prior to fishing as they are subject to change with little notice.
Eustace Gap Track
Road access to the Mitta Mitta arm of the dam and the Eustace Creek camping area is by the Eustace Gap track which leaves the Benambra - Corryong road at Sassafras Gap, about 60 km north of Benambra. It is suitable for conventional vehicles in dry weather and small trailer boats can be launched from the bank using a 4WD. Snow falls can cut the road in winter. The track is mainly used by tinnie fishermen as it provides easy access to the dam and avoids the often nasty 15 km crossing from the main 6 Mile Creek boat ramp.
Other Fishing Options
If the main dam is a little quiet or you don?t have a boat try the Dartmouth Regulation Dam which is about 5 km downstream from the main dam and contains mainly brown trout. It has a reputation for producing some big fish. Fishing is permitted, but only from the bank and care should be taken as the water level can rise very quickly. Although the water levels can fluctuate, fishing downstream of the pondage is often pretty good and a favourite spot with the fly fishermen in the summer months. Also don?t forget the Mitta Mitta River and the Snowy Creek.
Dartmouth Dam
Surface Area - 6400ha
Capacity - 4,000,000 mi
Catchment Area - 3600 sqkm.
Shoreline - 150km
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