Google Maps couldn’t help us—just muddy hands, yabby lines, and belly-deep laughter
The Flicker of a Line, the Tug of Time: A Day Catching Yabbies Near Finniss
They say some memories don’t age—just like a good spot by the riverbank
You don’t forget the first time a bucket rattles with a fresh catch or the way your gumboots squelch into black, sticky clay as laughter bounces off the gum trees. Last weekend near Finniss, the yabbies were biting—but that wasn’t the biggest surprise.
We headed out thinking we’d maybe pull up a couple, enjoy the mild weather, and rinse off the week. Instead, we found a pocket of joy bigger than the Esky we brought along.
Catching more than yabbies
There’s something oddly grounding about yabbying—it demands no phone reception, no fancy gear, and no set of instructions. Just meat on a string and a little patience. We used old chicken bones tied to twine, dropped from the edge of a sleepy bank downstream from Finniss, where cows blink at you indifferently from behind fence lines.
And while we waited—and tugged, and whooped—we swapped stories, bickered over who’d caught the biggest, and stood still long enough to hear frogs chirping under the rushes.
“We come for the yabbies, but what we really reeled in was time well spent,” said local fisherman Neil, who’s been fiddling with yabby traps since the 70s. “It’s the one kind of fishing that makes you feel twelve again.”
He’s right. Something about sitting barefoot with muddy hands, a tin mug of tea, and a line in still water connects you straight back to childhood—even if the knees creak a bit more these days.
For those who miss the basics
We’re not short of recreational choices these days. Gear is digital, trips are curated, and even nature now has a ‘recommended algorithm’. But yabbying? It stays wonderfully analog.
- No Wi-Fi, just wagtails and willows.
- No reviews, only your gut telling you this spot feels right.
- No instructions beyond ‘tie it tight and don’t fall in.’
What’s rare isn’t the yabbies—it’s the kind of happiness that comes from simplicity and dirty hands. You don’t look at your watch when your nose catches wood smoke and the breeze carries magpie song.
Where to go near Finniss
Between Strathalbyn and Milang, gritty little detours sneak off behind cattle gates and rows of sheoaks, often leading to shallow creeks or unexpected bends in the Finniss River. These are the places to pull over, toss in a line, and let the hours surprise you.
Just remember local wildlife laws—keep your yabby catch within bag limits, and never release non-locals into new waters. It’s part of the unwritten code when living (or playing) around here.
Essentials you didn’t know you needed
Sure, you can get by with string and a bit of raw meat. But let’s be honest: a small bucket with a lid, backup bait, and mozzie spray can be the difference between a magical family outing and a short, scratchy regret. Around town, local shops will often have just enough to kit you up for a quick detour into yabby country.
Heard someone at the bakery mention ‘good action near the pipes’? Listen closely. That’s the unofficial network humming to life. Every town has it—you just need to tune in.
What this really says about us
It wasn’t about the half dozen yabbies rattling around in a white bucket by our feet. It was about hands cold from the water, a thermos of milky tea shared from chipped enamel cups, and the moment someone fell in and everyone laughed till our ribs hurt.
We chase slow weekends, but it's the unhurried wonder of wild mud and tangled lines that finds us instead.
This kind of joy—muddy, unscripted, and a bit nippy around the edges—doesn’t come from apps or box-office holidays. It sneaks up on quiet Saturdays and leaves you swearing to do it again next weekend. Only next time, a little earlier. Maybe near Clayton Bay. Maybe with the same crew and a proper net.
Because here’s the thing: the yabbies were biting, but it’s not the yabbies we’ll be talking about for years.
See you by the water,
Candeece
I blog about Strathalbyn and the surrounding area and my mission is to highlight all the small businesses, organisations and events that make our region great. Please reach out if you would like to be involved with guest blogging.
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