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Published on :Nov 25,2009

Tallowa Dam was constructed at the confluence of the Kangaroo and Shoalhaven Rivers in 1976 for the Sydney Catchment Authority to form what is known as Lake Yarrunga. Lake Yarrunga is a popular recreational waterway and particularly popular as a canoe / kayak destination. As a result, mainly of the activities of Southern Bass, it is gaining a reputation as a good fishery. Southern Bass have been holding fishing competitions on Lake Yarrunga for at least the last 10 years and in most of those years have put considerable donations forward in a dollar for dollar stocking program to ensure a good population of bass. The popularity as a fishery and the activities and encouragement of Southern Bass has also led to the construction of a fish elevator at Tallowa to provide a way of fish migrating past the dam wall back to the Shoalhaven river so that during winter they can return to the sea to spawn naturally. Fish also return to the dam via the fish elevator creating an increasing natural fishery supplemented by stocking. The true suckles of the fish ladder is still being assessed and will be gauged over the next few seasons as a result of a program of putting sensors in fish both above and below the dam so that their movements over time can be tracked.

Lake Yarrunga is part of the Shoalhaven and Sydney water supplies and consequently it has been deemed that no internal combustion motors or electric motors are permitted on Lake Yarrunga. Waterways, police and fisheries have a dispensation from that caveat but mere mortals are restricted to ore, paddle and sail.

There is a concrete launching area near dam wall but at most times there is a gate limiting access to water craft like canoes, kayaks and small tinnies that can be manoeuvred under the gate or down the walkway access. You can also launch similar water craft at Bendeela and at Bee Hive point but access is often rough, a long walk and very limited.

How to get there

The nearest town is Kangaroo Valley. From there you can access to the dam by heading west on Bendeela Rod which turns of Kangaroo Road about 1 kilometre north of the Kangaroo Valley bridge. Bendeela camping area is about 8 kilometres from Kangaroo Valley and if you continue along that road which is unsealed after Bendeela you can access the river again at Beehive Point. Access at Beehive Point is very rough and only suitable to true 4 wheel driver vehicles. Alternatively if you turn west just half a kilometre south of the bridge onto Mount Scanzi / Tallowa road which is sealed the full 30 kilometres to the parking area at the dam wall.

For detailed maps search Falls Creek on Google Earth.

View Larger Map

Facilities

Camping is permitted at Tallowa Dam camping area (22km from Kangaroo Valley) and at Bendeela Camping area (8km from Kangaroo Valley and hotel and motel style accommodation is available at Kangaroo Valley and at Nowra which is just a further 38 kilometres away.

Picnic shelters, toilets (with disabled access), BBQs, non-potable drinking water, firewood and bins are provided at Tallowa Dam. Ranger on site.
Facilities as above for Bendeela camping area with exception of no swimming, pets or fires at Bendeela.

Open season

There is no closed season on Tallowa dam.

Target species

I have been assured that Australian Bass, Rainbow Trout, Macquarie Perch and eels are found in Lake Yurrunga. Having said that I have only ever caught bass there. Both rainbow trout and bass are stocked but I suspect that the rainbow trout stay up in the higher reaches of the Shoalhaven arm of the dam.

Food chain

The ecology of the lake is diverse and populated by galaxia, yabbies, nymphs, and shrimp and terrestrials such as beetles, hoppers and other insects forma large part of particularly the bass diet.

Fly fishing techniques

Dry fly is the most popular fly technique. Two approaches are popular either casting into the bank or casting along the bank. In either case it's best to let the fly sit when it lands and wait as long as possible whilst fish that heard or saw the fly land make up their mind if its edible. If there is no response a twitch of the fly may produce results. Fish also hit flies retrieved at various speeds but in my view static fishing is by far the best option. Wet fly fishing for bass in Lake Yarrunga is not as popular as dry fly but it definitely works. I like to cast the fly parallel to the shore on a sinking line and then twitch it back once it has reached the desired depth.

Fly suggestions

These are the flies I carry when I fish Lake Yarrunga.

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