Headlines Fishing options are vast at present with some fantastic lake and river flyfishing, some good trolling and also excellent bait fishing with mudeyes.
Flyfishing
Rivers:- While some areas have been in flood the mountain streams have still been fishing well over the past week. Though the recent rain has kept levels higher the water clarity has been fine and some good mayfly hatches along with a few caddis have occurred in some of the larger rivers. Warm weather has also had a few more beetles starting to show.
Weighted nymphs fished deep have been very successful but dries have also tempted a few rainbows when conditions allow.
Best dries have been Elk hair caddis, foam black and green beetles, stimulators, humpy, Wulffs, klinkhamer, adams parachute, red tag and deer hair beetles. Nymphs that are working have been pheasant tails, gold ribbed hares ear, black and brown beadheads and blue copper johns.
*Below is Andrew Stonehouse from Canberra with a pretty Thredbo River rainbow. Fish was taken using a dry with a beadhead nymph on a dropper and was one of seven fish taken by Andrew and Kieran O'Shannassy.
Lake Eucumbene:- Actually lifted a whole .1% on last week but is not expected to hold or rise from what we can gather.
The good news is the fishing has been sensational. While sizes have not been as fantastic the sheer numbers of fish moving and being caught have made up for it.
Fast stripped or slowly worked beadhead nymphs are working well during the day on rainbows, with stick caddis, midge pupa or unweighted nymphs working well during the evenings. Balling midge have not really started regularly yet but it would be well advised to have a few in the box in case they do.
Browns have been a little more scarce but larger flies like wooly buggers fished in creek arms or soaks early in the day will put you in with a chance at these generally larger quality fish. Polaroiding with a nymph or beetle during the day may be an option if you can jag the right conditions.
*Three anglers from the Central Coast had a three day trip to the lake landing 73 fish between them. One of the anglers was chasing trout on fly for the first time and had a ball landing not only his first rainbow but also a 1.5kg brown.
Fishing is excellent in the Middilingbank and Seven Gates areas.
Lake Jindabyne:- Jindabyne reports have been stories of plenty of midge balling and on the wing around the edges but very hit or miss on fish feeding off the top. One day may fire and the next at the same spot is dead. And these reports remain unchanged again this week.
To give an example a Jindabyne local had a fifteen fish session on Saturday night with fish taking midge ball patterns with gusto. The following night at the same location not a fish moving and none caught by three acomplished anglers. Did someone say Jonah?
Conditions are the key. Fish as often as possible is perhaps the only way to get the best out of Jindabyne at present.
Lake Tantangara :- Has risen again this week and the fishing on the weekend was good with some nice numbers of smaller rainbows along with a few better browns spotted or caught.
Good numbers of midge feeders make this dam another option for some fun.
Best flies will be small nymphs both beadhead and unweighed, stick caddis, caddis pupa, midge pupa, black and peacock spiders and woolly worms and buggers.
Trolling and Spinning
Eucumbene:- Eucumbene trolling reports have still been a little quiet with the best report coming from those using bells and crickhoppers.
Would love to get some more reports!
Jindabyne:- Trolling reports have been quiet also, but the downrigging will be fantastic at present.
Best areas to try would be kalkite and waste point area and also off sid's bay.
Bait Fishing
Mudeye fishing has improved dramatically with both rainbows and browns being caught on them. A 3kg plus brown was taken on one on the weekend along with a few others.
We have a large range of Powerbait and Gulp instock with many rainbows still being caught on a range of colours. Chunky Cheese, Sherbert Burst and Lime twist are still the standouts.
The new Gulp Crickets are now in stock and will make a great substitute for a mudeye under a bubble. They look just like a mudeye so with a few colour choices and built in scent it would be amazing if they don't account for a few feisty rainbows and browns in the lakes.
Seven Gates, Middilingbank and Braemar have fished well.
Jindabyne has also fished well with plenty of good fishing to be had. Deeper water with Powerbait has been turning up some fat rainbows while those drifting mudeyes have also done well. Some chunky brook trout and browns have been getting into the mudeyes too.
Curiosity rocks Creel bay and Kalkite have been good areas.
