{{+1}}Cania Dam{{-1}}

Cania Dam has a reputation of being an all round fishing venue but in reality for me it is best suited to the warmer months when there is plenty of insect activity.

Even then, for the best results, fish a morning session from at least half an hour before sun rise to when the dawn bite window finishes and then fish afternoon session from two hours before sunset to at least half an hour after sunset.

The dawn bite window for barra varies from day to day and is governed not only by the rising of the sun but also by phenomenon including; moon phases, wind, barometric pressure, cloud cover and even your stealth but other things being equal is generally over by 4 or 5 hours after sun rise.

In the down time encompassing the middle of the day I suggest you focus on family, a siesta, a swim or some other non-fishing activity. If you stick to those guidelines you'll get the best of the fishing that Cania has to offer.

Those times obviously exclude fishing from after the sunrise bite window finishes till two hours before sun set and in that period focus on a siesta, a swim or some other non-fishing activity.

That doesn't mean that you wont get fish outside those bite windows or at other times of the year but, other things being equal, you can be sure that catch rates will be slower than if you fish the times I have outlined above.

Also note that when there is no reason for fish to come to the surface which may include when the water is heavily discolored from recent rain, bleak weather forecasts or when there is a cane toad outbreak it can present some very frustrating fishing with surface bass and saratoga being scarce and the best option then being to locate and target schooled up bass.

My trips to Cania generally involve getting there on the Friday afternoon so that I get an afternoon sessions on Friday in and also an afternoon session on Saturday and morning sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Four sessions in prime times and a rest, a BBQ lunch and shower in the down time around the middle of the day on the Saturday is my recipe for a great fishing trip.

At the right time Cania Dam can be a fantastic fishery with plenty of top water action from both Bass and Saratoga.

I mentioned Cane Toads above. They bread twice a year between September and March and a single female can produce between 8 to 35 thousand eggs. Right from the start those tadpoles are toxic and there is anecdotal evidence that fish avoid areas where there are significant numbers of the little black Cane Toad tadpoles swimming freely during the warmer part of the day. So, if you hear there is a cane toad hatch my suggestion is to reschedule your trip.

Lake Cania is a man-made lake which was constructed in the early 1980’s. The construction of the lake resulted in the old gold mining township of Cania being covered.

There are some tombstones that were saved from the Old Cania Township cemetery and these can be viewed at the Cania Dam lookout. Story Boards are located inside the lookout building and these explain the construction and specifications of the lake.

The water collected in this reservoir is primarily for the use of primary producers and during times of low rainfall water is released from the lake to refill aquifers and allow further irrigation of crops.

As well as being a year-round fishing venue Cania Dam is popular other sports enthusiasts during the warmer months.

Cania Dam (Lake Cania) is named after the nearby Cania Gorge National Park.

How to get there

From the south follow the Burnett Highway in a northerly direction 37 kilometres until you come to the sign showing Cania Gorge 14 Kilometres and Cania Dam 24 kilometres.

Coming from the North the turnoff referred to above is 77km south of Biloela.

Accommodation

Only 10 kilometres from Cania Dam Cania Gorge Caravan Park is not only the only local accommodation but it gets very good raps.

The second option is that there is also the very popular "Cania Cottages". There is two of them and they are just 100 meters from the boat ramp. For more information call Nev Burton on 0409340184. Bookings are essential.

Open season

Cania Dam is open all year. A stocked impoundment license is required.

Services & facilities available

There are no boating restrictions at Cania Dam. The Dam is serviced by a single lane concrete boat ramp which is great when the Dam is at mid levels or better. When the water level drops below the end of the ramp, which more often than not seems to be the case, most anglers prefer to launch from the bank near the dam wall which is easily accessed by a dirt track.

The dam is well suited to smaller boats and kayaks as it is well protected from the elements because of the shear granite cliffs and hills surrounding the dam and the relatively narrow nature of the various arms of the dam. The water is generally very clear and quite deep and a sounder is a useful tool if your targeting schooled up bass.

Stocking

Cania Dam Fish Stocking Association do a great job particularly keeping Saratoga and Bass populations up at levels making it relatively easy for most anglers get fish. For the Bass Cania Dam is regarded as a put and take fishery but most thinking anglers return the majority if not all of their catch these days. Whilst a fantastic sports fish to catch Saratoga are a shocking table fish so it’s best to release them to live to fight another day.

The Cania Dam Fish Stocking Association also host the annual Lake Cania Freshwater Fishing Classic.

Lake Cania Fishing Classic

Food chain

The dam has a biodiverse food chain dominated by small fish, gudgeons, shrimp, red-claw, frogs and tadpoles which is complemented by nymphs and in warmer months terrestrials that find their way onto the water including hoppers, cicadas, beetles, ants and of course any mice or other small mammals, birds or reptiles that find their way into the water.

Target species

The main species that are targeted on fly are large populations of Bass up to 3kg and Saratoga which patrol in loose cohorts making them a very exciting draw-card. Whilst Silver Perch and Golden Perch (AKA Golden Perch, White Perch or Callop) are generally not specifically trageted are a welcome by catch. Other species that you may get as by catch include eel -tailed catfish, spangled perch, eel and snub-nosed garfish.

Whilst Bass and Saratoga are great target species, my preference when fishing is to targeting just one species and treat others as a by catch. By doing this I definitely get more out of my fishing day than when I take a generalist prospecting approach.

Bass would without any doubt have to be one of my favorite fresh water impoundment fish in Australia and undoubtedly the fish I prefer to target in this mixed fishery. They hit hard and pound for pound are probably our best sporting fish. As a surface fish they are in a class all of their own with takes being sudden, hard and very fast and the ensuing action being nothing less that an ultimate dash for cover followed by a dogged fight right until that are boated.

The Saratoga in Cania Dam are the southern species of Fitzroy River Saratoga (scleropages leichardi) whereas the northern species you would expect to find in the Northern Territory and other tropical climes is (saratoga Jardini). Saratoga are ancient fish that are well suited to surface feeding with their eyes located on the top of their heads and almost flat back with no dorsal fin and consequently a great target on surface or close to the surface flies.

Hot spots

With any lake that your not experienced in it’s easy not to know where to start so this is the logic I apply.

Regardless of the technique your using as usual you should approach the target areas with stealth.

When fishing fly present your fly or flies with long accurate casts into or toward selected structure. Strip strikes are best as often if a hit is missed the fish will come back for a second go. When fly fishing among the timber keep in mind that there is as much if not more timber below the water as you can see above the water so getting snagged up can be a problem so try to fish above the tops of structure. You can put a weed guard on your flies but that will definitely reduce your hook up rate.
My preference is to restrict fly fishing in the timbered areas to targeting surface and top water feeders. In open water away from the heavily timbered areas it's a different story and I like to swap over to an intermediate line and fish either one fly or a team of two flies around shore structure.

Lure fishing is a little easier than fly in both the timbered and more open waters but snags can still be a problem so I recommend you have a lure retrieval pole with you.

In summer and to a lesser extent in spring and autumn the best parts of the lake to fish are the "hot spots" described above. The hour before and after dawn and dusk are definitely the best times to fish and at those times you can expect fish to be actively feeding close to weed and lily beds and structure, such as the drowned timber and rocky points, and looking up and quite receptive to dry flies. As the sun gets higher in the sky and depending depending on cloud cover whilst fishing will generally taper off fish may still be at their ambush stations, albeit a little deeper, more entrenched and harder to interest in your offerings.

In winter still focus on the hot spots and seek out areas that are protected from cold winds and are consequently a little hotter ... just one degree warmer can make a world of difference to your catch rate.

I like to fish away from other anglers when possible and generally seek out areas that I have all to myself.

A tendency of many anglers that fish Cania Dam is to head straight up to the back of the lake and to fish up the back of the dam. That takes them straight past some great bays with drowned standing timber adjacent to deep water.

Fish Behaviour

Saratoga

Late spring and summer are regarded as the prime time to target Saratoga.

When the water is warmer they move around more freely and are more susceptible to surface and sub surface flies. Being opportunistic feeders as the season progresses you will find fish will be out searching to supplement their diets with terrestrials, frogs, small rodents like mice and even small birds finding their way onto the water so definitely watch what is happening around you and where possible "match the hatch".

If you see a swirl or rise from a Saratoga you should assume that the fish will still be in the area ... particularly early in the season they don't stray far from their ambush post unless seriously spooked. Work a larger area around that sighting and if you don't get a strike let the area rest for an hour or so and then come back and work the area of the earlier sighting over again.

As the water gets colder Saratoga become less active and retreat to structure and are less likely to be under lily pads and more likely to stay closer to home which may be a snag, next to a trunk of a standing drowned tree, undercuts in the bank or overhanging vegetation only venturing out for short forays in their immediate area and around the shallow edges and lily pads. From there they are ambush predators and stern defenders against other saratoga of their territory. They are solitary fish so if you do catch one its worth moving on to another snag etc.

I also like to put repetitive long casts to where I think Saratoga are holding as they don't spook as easily as some fish and often finally succumb to the repetitive presentations of a fly or lure close enough to where they are holding.

Most of the year I think that by on large you will catch more toga fishing sub surface or deeper so if I only had one fly rod I that would be loaded with an intermediate line between November and May and for my spin or overhead toga outfit that would be loaded with a top water or subsurface hard body lure.

Having said that I do like to fish for toga deeper as the day heats up and have been fortunate enough to take them quite deep.

Bass

Bass behave in much the same way as Saratoga in Spring and Summer and on warmer days when there is plenty of terrestrials around and on the water they are fantastic targets for a surface fly or a surface lure ... matching the hatch is still the key. As water temperatures fall they tend to move closer into structure or to school up in deeper water becoming quite easy to locate with the help of a good sounder.

Golden Perch

In the warmer summer months Perch become more active mooching along just out of polaroiding sight, searching out food in water with plenty of structure, and rocky shores. Golden and Silver Perch also school up as the water gets cooler but whereas Bass tend to favor deeper water the Perch stay in the warmer shallow water and school up close to drowned timber often as little as half a meter deep.

Silver Perch

Silver Perch are not as prolific as yellowbelly but are a welcome catch. They behave much the same as the yellowbelly and readily accept a fly or lure.

What next

To get your best out of your Cania Dam fishing trip take a micro approach and methodically fish individual structure in the "hot spot" areas described above and the times described above.