Cullyamurra Waterhole

The only fish that Iv'e ever caught there have been Bony Bream, and now not sure of the bait, but is was something that was in the pantry at the time.

Locals say the best bait is yabbies but you need to bring them in - few there - you will get some shrimps at night - worms would be a good idea too - be prepared to catch a few tortoises - there can be lots of them there (particularly up by the choke) and they swallow the hooks ! I have always found the yellowbelly reluctant at Cully (but I'm no great fisher) - can be better in shallower water - have seen a beauty caught just in front of the pub - 1m of water ! Silver perch are often on the bite but fully protected.... they swallow hooks too. The water will most likely be very, very murky - lures very hard to see. Don't rule out a try downstream around Policemans and Ski beaches - they are big waterholes and can hold a lot of fish. BOL.

Hi Norm

We left our Ct's there and went to the dig tree four the day and also left it there while we went into town make sure you go to the pub for the bbq night or the roast night a greay feed plus if you have kids buy some marshmellows from them to cook on the fire they will give the kids little pokers to roast them with. we felt very safe at cully great spot

regards
Dave T

Norm,
Spent 4 days at Cully in 2004 and left the Ct set up a few times for day trips without problems. We were right down at the town end (South West) of the waterhole and got one feed of yabbies but no fish. Cullyamurra is a woderfull spot and is well worth getting up to get a few shots of sunrise over the water.
Enjoj yourself.
Vince

Norm, just went back and checked your trip ideas so I'd know which way you'd be travelling. If you are interested in catching fish - yellow belly in particular, then I suggest you get some fresh bait. Remember the water is muddy so lures may not be a good option (they don't work for me here anyhow!) - we like to use live yabbies. Can tell you for sure - no yabbies in Birdsville and probably not in the Cooper, but Noccundra is a possibility. Haven't heard of any catches in the Cooper (Innamincka) yet but can tell you that since we got water in the Diamantina three weeks ago we've been getting good Diamantina Barra here - mostly on frozen yabbies and cooked prawns (left over from Christmas!). Good catch last night at the "secret" fish hole in town - one good one and seven got away. Yabbies keep really well in a foam vegetable container!

Norm, we use a chunk of meat or shank wired inside an opera house cage and chuck it in the creek/river/waterhole - always remembering to hang onto the piece of rope on the end of the net!!! Not funny, Jan! (when you chuck the net and no-ones holding on the end)

G'day Norm,

I can't help with the fishing or security, but I did shoot a couple of FullScreen virtual tours while there in August.

You can check them out here:

Cullyamurra Waterhole Virtual Tours

Thanks,

Aaron.

A followon post!

You are tormenting me!

When I was a kid we used to get an old bucket and drill a lot of small quarter inch holes in the sides and two small holes in the bottom,(just big enough to put a peice of string through). Then drill or carve a hole through a cake of soap and tie it to the bottom of the bucket using the two holes in the bottom of the bucket. Tie a rope to the handle of the buicket. Throw it into the water making sure that the bucket came to lie on it's side wait 20 minuets and drag the bucket in as fast as you can, and walah!!!! yabbies in the bucket. They love soap!

Still jelaous!!!

Scott

Norm,

In May, you should still be good for Callop (Yellow Belly) in the Waterhole.

Shrimp, or Yabbies are the best bait, but I save the Yabbies for eating. They can be trapped with an Opera house net (Yabbies) or a shrimp net, for the little transparent bugger and baited with a fish head, (you gotta catch one first) red meat, a can of tuna with a few small holes punched into it, or dry dog food.

One problem with fishing from the bank is the proliferation of turtles in the waterhole that can take the baited hook before the fish do. Mind you, the turtle's "high season" is August/September so you may be OK.

The method recommended to me, (I have a tinnie though) is to drift with the wind and jiggle the baited hook up and down, using a light sinker.

Don't know of any problems leaving your campsite unattended during the day. We certainly didn't experience any.

I tried a bit of trolling with lures without any success.

One thing I will NOT divulge is our secret Yabbie hole. We caught the biggest Yabbie I have ever seen in Cullyamurra. Must have been close to the size of a Marron and also several more smaller, but still good sized ones.

Have a great trip Norm. This area is one of my very favorite places.

Caught a couple of silver perch a few years ago in Cullyamarra WH off the bank using prawns as bait. We preserved the prawns in salt before the trip and kept them in a bottle. Only got one yabbie but it was a decent size.
Can't help with security.