Plying the Paterson by PAUL GOGARTY

The Hunter Valley is largely under-rated when it comes to bass angling. It's a place with four major stocked impoundments and four principal river systems and the most under-rated all is the Paterson River.

The Paterson starts its journey as a series of mountain streams and springs high up in the Barrington Tops National Park. At this point the river would be lucky to be as wide as a footpath at best and flows gin-clear and cold.

From here it meanders through farmland and open plains lowering in altitude to Carrabolla and Lostock, where it is held back by Lostock Dam. With generous stockings of fish within this impoundment it is here that the serious bass fishing starts.

From the dam the Paterson winds its way through some of the Hunter Valley's most picturesque landscape and eventually meets the Allyn River at Vacy.

From Vacy on, the river gradually widens to the township of Paterson and the upper reaches of tidal influence.

Here the river flows wide and deep until it terminates at its junction with the Hunter River at the township of Hinton.

The Paterson in its entirety is a no-water-ski zone, making for some peaceful early mornings sessions.