I flicked out a cast under one of the bridge pylons and began the slow jerky retrieve that I knew attracted bream. The tide had just faltered and was starting to come in. A small eddy was starting to form on the lee side of the concrete structure and that was where I hoped a sheltering bream might be hiding. The wind was more than just a breeze from the south and the water surface had a ruffled appearance. Clare and I had driven up from Sydney the night before in a very flash Britz Campervan and found a very pleasant, powered site at the council owned Budgewoi Tourist Park right on Lake Munmorah. The small town of Budgewoi (an aboriginal word meaning 'Young Grass") is a comfortable two hour drive north of Sydney via the freeway. It is a place that time has passed by. There are no big shopping malls, no theme parks and no huge advertising billboards. It was interesting to note the main body of tourists tended to head for the more popular haunts on the Central Coast such as Tuggerah, Terrigal and The Entrance, leaving this small town mainly domiciled by residents and a few out of towners. I let the lure sit close to the pylon and every half minute or so would give it a twitch. I was just about to wind in for another cast when the small diver was severely crash tackled. The drag moaned as the rod bent to the fish's urge to get back to the safety of the concrete. I am always amazed by the feistiness of bream and their never-say-die attitude. I walked down the rocks and cradled the fish in my hand. Clare took a couple of quick shots and the fish was safely returned to the creek. There are good land based bream spinning options at Budgewoi Budgewoi and surrounds is a Mecca for anglers. It is pinched between Lake Munmorah and Budgewoi Lake (both connected by Budgewoi Creek) with the magnificent Birdie surf beach, which extends for about ten kilometers, less than five minutes drive away. There are the basic amenities in the town, such as a supermarket, butcher, bottle shop and pub as well as a couple of cafes where you can sit and watch the world go by whilst sucking on a milkshake or sipping a cappuccino. The local fishing tackle shop is beautifully placed right down by the creek in Ocean Street and for a small town, I was most impressed with the large range of stock and the very competitive pricing. I spent an hour right outside the shop shooting the breeze with a few of the local blackfish guys who proudly pulled out some good specimens in that short space of time. There is easy access for fishing all around the lake. This jetty is near the boat ramp It was only a two day visit, as both of us had to be back at work on Monday, so fishing options were limited. The southerly wind had whipped up the ocean so I concentrated on the lakes and creeks. We also wanted to do a bit of exploring to see what the place had to offer and to take in some of the very picturesque scenery. On Saturday afternoon a few casts of the fly rod soon saw me connected to some small mullet 80 metres from the van at the Tourist Park. They were great fun in the warm shallow water and to finish off, a hapless bream also fell to my floating and sinking bread fly combination. In the evening we watched a team of prawners walking the shallows dragging a large net behind them, not a practice I endorse, but the main prawn run was over and the haul only netted a few. We awoke on Sunday morning to overcast skies and a sou'easter that had the palm trees rustling. We treated ourselves to a breakfast of bacon & eggs washed down with a fresh plunger of percolated coffee. It was still warm and humid and we could see a number of small tinnies nestled into the lee of the wind on the lake. A trip to the boat ramp saw a couple of young blokes cleaning a catch of flathead and bream. Another boat came in and the family of four proudly showed me their catch of a few flathead and a bream. Flathead provide good sport and good eating. The clouds broke and we set off for a run down Elizabeth Bay Drive on the Budgewoi peninsular. Ten minutes later we stopped the van and viewed the lake from a different perspective. The wind was hard into our faces and small waves were lapping on the sandy beach. I tried a few casts with a deep diving flathead lure but kept getting it blown back into my face. We decided to have a brew in the Britz then start the trip back to Sydney as the van had to be back at the depot in Mascot by 4pm. FACT BOX ­ Britz Elite Campervan The van we had, an Elite is no small toy. At just under 7 metres it takes a bit of getting used to amongst city traffic. However Mercedes Benz engineering is evident in the creature comforts the driver has such as comfortable seating, air conditioning and a powerful diesel engine. The indicators are on the left stalk so for half an hour or so I kept triggering the wipers when I really wanted to indicate. Breakfast at Budgewoi. The van itself lacks nothing. Having a high fixed roof, you can stand upright when moving around and access is easy, even for those who have disabilities, through large double doors at the back, or a sliding door on the near side. With hot and cold pressurized water, shower, toilet, microwave, fully air-conditioned interior, wardrobe and four-burner stove and oven, it really is a home away from home. Also included are cutlery, crockery, bed linen and towels. To add to your outdoor comfort, they supplied thoughtful things like a table, a couple of camping chairs and a clip-on awning that would be perfect for longer stays. There is ample room for two people to live without tripping over each other and the double bed is oversize and takes no time to set up at the end of the day. Sitting outside with a plunger jug (supplied) full of coffee watching the sun slowly sink over the western hills was so relaxing I didn't want it to end. FACT BOX: Accommodation Budgewoi Tourist Park Weemala Street Budgewoi Ph. (02) 4399 1904 Walu Caravan Park 32 Walu Avenue Budgewoi Ph. (02) 4390 9866 Sunnylake Caravan Park 2 Macleay Drive Budgewoi Ph. (02) 4390 9471 Janeille Gates Real Estate 79 Scenic Drive Budgewoi Ph. 4390 9094 FACT BOX: Fishing Tackle & Bait Budgewoi Marine Sports 2 Ocean Street Budgewoi Ph. (02) 4390 9326 FACT BOX: Location Map