Fishing Australia

TROUT OPENING: FOUL WEATHER SUITS TROUT

Declared Trout Streams and Rivers in New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) open to fishing this weekend and the cold weather spells over the last few weeks will hopefully result in best opening season in a long time.

Foul weather last weekend saw a foot of snow line the edge of the Eucumbene River and she is running stronger than at any opening season lead up in a long time, reports Col Sinclair from the Adaminaby Angler.

The strong flows and extra snow melt has suit the spawn run rainbow trout to-a-T and new fish have pushed up into the River while others have already dropped back. The other main spawning river in the region, the Thredbo River has also been flowing better than in previous years.

Low slow flows in previous seasons meant less spawn run trout and they became spooky and hard to catch soon after fishing started.

The stronger currents this season has spread some schools out along the river and might make it easier for more people to catch a trout.

The faster flows will suit spin fishos using the popular glo bug and nymph techniques. Fly fishos will, in many instances, need to use extra heavy flies to reach the gravel beds where the trout lay.

Spinners can also use Celtas to get down deep to the trout. There is some fancy orange bladed ones that represent a trout egg, and are a good bet, but for best results take a good range of colours and sizes to experiment with.

At Eucumbene the mouth of the river is currently about 700 meters below Providence Portal. Any where from here up is good for spawn run trout, even right up through Kiandra where some feeder creeks and streams have trout in residence at the moment.

Over at the Thredbo River some rainbow trout have pushed up out of the lake and into the lower and middle stretches of the river. In the upper reaches of the river a few fish have swum out of the deeper holes and into the runs to spawn and feed while conditions are perfect.

The main car park area at Paddys corner on the Thredbo is a good example an area that usually has lots of rainbows in the upper sections of the faster runs.

Like the popular spots on the Eucumbene, Paddys always has lots of people fishing it at opening, and is a good place for new comers to sit back and watch how the more experienced anglers catch fish.

If you approach anglers in the right way they are usually more than happy to help show you a few tricks of the trade, trout are in numbers at this time and place and sharing is the best approach.

Obviously you need to have some etiquette and be polite about asking questions like waiting until anglers have waded back out of the water.

Please don’t interrupt someone while they are fishing, unless they invite you over for a chat. Most of all don’t pop in beside anyone and start fishing, unless again you are invited.

Another much more attractive option is to put the hiking boots on and go looking for a patch of your own fish; there is good fishing throughout both rivers, and indeed there is many other rivers in NSW and the ACT have excellent fishing.

The spawn run schools can move a lot so covering a lot of water will help you local a few fish; but keep your eyes peeled along the way so you don’t walk straight past them.

It isn’t just spawn run fishing either, some rivers have past this stage and are offering great sport more typical of non spawning trout scenarios.

If you are after a fish for the table the lakes typically have much fatter tastier fish, especially while the levels are rising over fresh ground during the snow melt.

Lakes Eucumbene and Jindabyne are both fishing as good as ever on all the usual bait and lure techniques, fly fishing will improve as during warmer weather.

You need a license to fish in all New South Wales waters and rules apply, drop into your local tackle shop for details.

Please also dress appropriately and take care; more snow is always a strong possibility at this time of year, and wind chill can be extreme. Conditions are also slippery and wet so think 4WD and chains if heading up the hills and watch for the deadly black ice on the tarmac.

SOUTH COAST

The cold spell earlier this week put estuary fish off the chew a little, but this was only a temporary set back; flathead and bream have already come back on the chew.

Blackfish are also in numbers at many of the regular haunts and those who know the specialized art of catching these fish are doing well.

Albacore and a small number of yellowfin continue to be the mainstay for game fishos, but a few mako sharks have been in the mix.

See you on the water.

Rob Paxevanos