Carcoar Lake is a deep irrigation dam just off the Mid Western Highway near Blayney, and it is the kind of water where a boat and a sounder do most of the work. The headline is redfin, in numbers, with stocked golden perch and Murray cod under them and rainbow trout for the bank.

The dam is a single basin on the Belubula River. The Belubula fills it, and the old creek line still runs along the bottom of the drowned valley. The method described for the natives is to fish that buried channel, and in our experience it matters more than any shoreline. Think of the lake as one body of open water with drop-offs and a creek bed, rather than a set of separate arms.

If you want fish on the bend of the rod, start with redfin. They are described as the most common catch by a wide margin. Work the drop-offs by jigging, or troll and cast blades, spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits across them. A fly rod can take them too: sink a small baitfish pattern down to the same edges on a fast-sinking line. Redfin are described as a pest not to be returned, so check the current NSW guide on what you must do with them before you keep or release one.

For the natives, plan on a boat. The method described for golden perch and Murray cod is to troll the old creek line with a downrigger, running the lure close to the bottom. That is trolling gear rather than fly gear, so if you are set on a fly rod, treat the natives as a bonus and put your hours into the redfin and the trout.

For trout from the bank, a fly angler can fish a light leader and a small, bright lure imitation near the shore. The conventional bank rigs are yellow or pink winged Tassies, or PowerBait on a light leader, and the colours tell you what the trout will look at. Trout have their own rules in NSW, so read the current NSW guide, including its trout waters and closures, before you plan a trip around them.

Camping at the dam is described as allowed and there is a boat ramp, so a weekend can work. Check the NSW guide, then pick your fish.