Fishing Report Archives:  Print friendly version
Archive Date: 15/09/2004
Headlines
Winter just won't give up - with another big dump of snow on the weekend. Despite the rough weather there where still some good reports from those who braved the elements.The weather is looking a lot more stable this weekend - so let us know how you go on your way home, we'll even take a shot of your catch for the next report.For more details on the day, call into the store on your way through and we'll update things over a cuppa 
Flyfishing
Rivers - 2 weeks to go ! All general trout streams are now closed to all fishing until Saturday the 2nd of October 2004 ( Start of the October longweekend).However our lakes are open all year round with some of most consistent conventional fishing on Lake Eucumbene and Lake Jindabyne occuring over winter.
Eucumbene: There's still some really nice browns & rainbows being caught down around Buckenderra,Middlingbank and Yens bay. Fishing an intermediate line with streamers would get reults like woolly buggers and fuzzies etc. The Eucumbene dam wall is also a reliable area through winter, and well worth a look on a bright day. The winter polaroiding along the wall was quite good last winter on the rainbows .For those who are prepared to put in the time and dress accordingly, we'll still see some good fish caught from around the Eucumbene river mouth right through winter as well. You can still fish this area so long as your are outside of any visible flow - which is basically below the last set of rapids in the river all year round. So once the browns have gone, you'll see some BIG rainbows come in over the next month or so.
Jindabyne: Had some quite good reports back in from those who have been out polaroiding over the last few weeks, seeing as many as 20+ fish a session.Seeing them and catching them can be another story as any one who has had a go at polaroiding will tell you. We've had our local guide Paul Bourne tie us up some nice sand cased caddis flies - which have worked well this season - give one a try next trip.Other patterns worth a try include Midge pupa's, black & peacocks, wooly buggers and Horrors etc. Remember stay back from the edges and walk slowly.
Trolling
Had an awesome fish caught today :- Bernie Gray from Melbourne was fishing out from Buckenderra , flatline trolling with a yellow coachdog Flatfish when he landed a beautiful 4.38kg brown  Hopefully we'll have a photo for next weeks report as Bernie has a few digitals he said he'll send us when he get home.The trolling really has been fantastic on both lakes this winter and only looks set to get better as things warm up.Generally the best colours in the Tassie's have been Col S12,Y82,YFR ,89 & 55.Our own Alpine Cobras have also developed quite a following with the Alpine Attractor, Pink wings, black hole and midnight special all fishing well of late. Minnows are also always worth having in your spread with RMG Scorpions, baby merlins, Attacks and Rapala's all worth a swim. Best colours are rainbow and browns trout patterns, tigers and pink/violets. The rebel crick hoppers also continue to fish well with the black one being the pick along with the Smilin jack version in black/gold. Running 3 colours of leadline can also help pull a few fish through out the day, getting your lures down around the 3 metre mark.We've also added Stump Jumpers to our range this season with quite a few good reports coming in from those who troll with them on the trout.We also have some great new "Frenzy" lures in a range of great colours at ONLY $6.95 each - chech them out next trip !
NEW Duel Depth Tassie Colours:-We have just recieved the new "Yellow Wing" Duel depht Tasmanian devil range - Including the popular S12 sparkler.These are sure to become favourites in a few tackle boxes - Give some a run next trip.
NEW Sting Cobra Colours :- We also added another 6 new colours to our popular "Sting" cobra range with a total of 16 unique colours now in stock.
Jindabyne: Didn't get any reports from Jindabyne this week.Generally the best areas have been around the Islands in front of the main township, Rushes/Sid's bay at East Jindabyne, Creel bay and around Waste point and the Western side up around Kalkite.We should also start to see some of the BIG salmon turning up from now on in as they've got to be getting pretty hungry by now !
Soft Plastics and Trout
We've been slowly getting more anglers to use soft plastics on trout over the last season, with very encouraging results.Following is a report from a very keen "soft plastics",angler in Tassie Steven Steers :- If they work down there - They'll work here as well.Let us know if you would like to try some next trip and we'll take you through a few tricks on matching heads to tails and rigging etc .
"G'day Scotto"
Yeah good to talk to you too mate!
SP's on Tas trout report as follows:-
Prior to the trout season closure earlier this year and since the season opened down this way on the 07th of August I have been targeting and consistently catching some nice bags of trout on soft plastics in the highland lakes of Tasmania. The main waters I have been targeting have been Arthur's and Great Lake and both have been providing some excellent action for this time of the year considering that the water temp is still very cold (around 6 degrees at Arthurs last weekend). All fish caught have been Browns with the majority of fish in the 2.5 , 4.5lb range with the measure to the fork of the tail typically ranging between 40 and 60cm with the average being 49cm at Arthur's and to 52cm at Great Lake.
At the end of the season earlier in the year I was getting bags of up to 15 nice fish in 3 hours. Since the start of this season I have consistently been landing up to 7 nice fish in the same time period so it would seem that the action is only going to better as the water temp rises a little.
The stand out soft plastics have been the 3" Berkley bass minnows with the most productive colors down this way being Pearl/Olive shad, Ginger Beer and Pumpkinseed.When the fish are not hitting the Bass minnows as often as you would like I have found that downsizing to a trimmed down 2" Berkley Bulky Hawge works extremely well with the same smooth retrieve rigged on a 1/24th Nitro head (represents a mudeye / damselfly nymph quite well).
I am rigging my Bass Minnows and on 1/16th size 1 and size 2 Nitro jig heads and it is important to get them dead straight on the hook so that on the drop they glide through the water nice and straight, it pays to jig them beside the boat or at you feet to make sure this is the case (can't emphasize this enough). The retrieve that has been working a treat is a subtle slow/smooth one/two lift and drop style retrieve similar to what is popular with bream but only a lot smoother (emphasis on a smooth very subtle rod twitch/pause on the lift stoke). If you think smooth and subtle you can't go that wrong.
Last weekend we had our first Sports Fish Tasmania website get together and friendly fishing comp at Arthurs lake and 7 anglers ended 9 hours of fishing with a total of 52 nice fish landed by only 6 of the anglers. I ended the weekend with 20 fish at 963cm total length (to the fork) and all bar one angler caught some nice fish after a little tuition on the technique. (http://www.sportsfishtasmania.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=182&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0)
Fish are coming out of 2-5meters of water in around submerged trees and weedbeds while working the area on the electric or drifting with the wind.Hope you get into them up your way, let me know how you go or if you require any further information. I am sure that this method will pull some fish from the lakes up your way as I use to fish lake Jindabyne a lot and know how good a mudeye system it is.
Cheers
Steersy
Cheers Steve for the report & photo's 
Baitfishing
The baitfishing has been fantastic this winter with some real quality in the fish being caught as well.The best reports have been from anglers fishing with bardie grubs, using a Power bait dropper (pictured below). This rig has really proven itself over the last few seasons; with both options you really have it covered. Power bait naturally floats, so the distance you make your dropper is the distance you can expect your Power bait to be above the bottom. This means that fish will find your bait a lot quicker even if you have cast into weeds. If they don't eat the Power bait they have found your main bait a lot quicker. Scrub worms can also be fished instead of the Bardie grub, being a cheaper alternative. Best colours in the Power bait have been Orange, Sherbet, Lime twist and rainbow. The hook is important when fishing with Power bait and we get a special "single egg" pattern in from Gamakatsu just for the job - which has a short shank and ultra wide gape. Feel free to ask us to go over the rig next time your in if still unsure.
Powerbait dropper-rig
Best areas' on Eucumbene include: Middling bank, Rushes bay at Frying pan, 7 gates, yens bay, Breamar bay and along the dam wall.
Best area's on Jindabyne include: The clay pits in front of town, Hatchery bay, creel bay and Kalkite.
Jindabyne Dam Wall project Up-dates :- For detailed information regarding the work being caried out on the Lake Jindabyne Dam wall, including road delays etc go to :-
http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/LevelThree.asp?pageID=56&parentID=254&grandParentID=3
Lake Levels
Eucumbene 54 % and Rising
Jindabyne 52 % and Rising
Tantangarra 16 % Rising fast !
That's all till next week!
Regards Scotto  |
