Centrepin

Well done on the Fly. Looks like it could be time to try Fly for trout. Drop me a PM if your interested. Congratulations, Geoff

Geoff

Rick, You are right. I see the height of the floods from my last vist, shake my head , and still the fish are there. Lets make the most of it while it lasts. I have seen the same rivers stop flowing and have no discerable fish population. Geoff

Fishing this year has been limited to the central western streams, weather in the Snowies has been extreme. The rivers are in great condition and the trout have come back in great strides from the Millennial drought. End of 19/20 season they were 6-8 inch. Then last year 12-14 inch and great condition, fat as footballs. This season they are 14-16 inch and while very healthy not as prime condition as last year. The amounts of floods have seen them not feeding as well but they have stayed in the rivers in much the same areas. Some rivers they just get washed away but the good news is the numbers are stable. Browns made up about 5% last year and this year about 30%. This is to be expected as the Browns will successfully spawn where as the rainbows will not. The browns are mostly smaller with the odd one bigger. The rainbows lay their eggs, and they get fertilised, but very few if any rainbows are naturally recruited. The acclimatisation societies are doing a wonderful job seeding the streams. Dry fly fishing has been very limited. They are just not looking up. Size 14 copper bead heads nymphs are the standout. Hatches are very limited. Let’s hope with some better weather and stable flows the dry fly fishing will pick up. Keen to make a start in the Snowies in a few weeks. The fishing should be superb. Tight Tippets, Geoff

Ash, I am so sorry to hear this news. I only met your Dad once, at South West Rocks, and could see immediately he was a lovely warm man. Please know our thoughts are with you and your family. Condolences, Geoff and Evi

Ash, We are at North Haven and you guys are doing much better than here this year. Give my regards to Bruce, If I have not already done so. Plenty of weed down here if you need some. I am impressed with the Jewies, I will have to give them a try. Well done, Geoff

Albert, Nice report, many thanks. The white stuff could be milt from male fish. The roe is yellow orange colour This is still spawning time for another month so most likely milt Regards , Geoff

I'm with Jenno

Well done on the introduction of the push bike to your adventures. You have not mentioned going to the dark side( e Bikes). We are fully integrated into the idulgent pursuit of pleasure and have found ebikes a most fitting inclusion. As well as that they are a lot of fun and take out the hard work, but you can work as hard as you like. Often the ride to and from fishing on a bush track is at least equal to the fun of fishing, well that is when the fishing is slow. A friend I fish with has added the obligatory milk crate to has rear rack and while it looks bogan it works very well. I agree the rocket launchers are a potential for low hanging vegitation. 3 piece or 4 piece rods are cute but it is better to be rigged and ready for action.

James, Great spot and well done on locating at this time. You are wise not to publish location. Lots of people, non fishraiders, troll the site for info. Any goggle search gives a way in. That does not mean not to share just to be judicious with sharing. I loved the video well done. Appreciated, Geoff

Well done lads. Good tp now they have come in, time to get fishing. Geoff

Well done and thanks for the info on Luderick. Good to know flatties are still about with the cooler water temp. Appreciated, Geoff

Neil, It is hard to say. When the water has some colour, like it does at the moment, I don't think so. I use fluorocarbon leader. I start with 6lb and when I get break offs I go to 8lb. There are some spots I only use 10lb and get smoked regularly, but it always has colour. Always 8lb off the rocks, then you can lift fish. You can't lift with 6lb. Thanks for your interest. Geoff

That is what makes them interesting. You are always learning, Thanks for the tip on hooks. So far no more straitening.

Send me a PM there is plenty.

The fishing is patchy but worthwhile. Some days you need to try a few spots and only 1 or 2 or 0 in each spot. Some days you can get 4 or 5 in some spots. Each day the fish are different. Some days they will bite readily and you get good downs. Yesterday they were again very picky. They would just hold the float and you were sure it was the bottom then you check and it is a fish. Some days they love strand weed and won't touch cabbage. Other days they demolish cabbage. No sign of the silver sea run fish. Locals tell me last year they were not spotted till August, then it was the best season ever. Then there are some huge fish. I often get busted on 8lb leader and just can’t stop them before the pylons. The best we have gotten out is 41cm and I suspect the hoodlums are much bigger. If only the weather would give us a break we could maybe develop a more consistent pattern. Tight Tippets, Geoff

Good to see. The estuary has been quiet. I will have another look next week. Geoff

Wow. What an adventure again. This is remote and so great the fishing is good. Lets hope it can stay that way. Thanks so much for the opportunity to dream and wonder Appreciated, Geoff

Great to see. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks all for your comments. I have taken the advice on the hooks and will give them a try. I am looking in this area so the Info on Wagstaff could come in handy. Still to much fresh for the Hawkesbury and they have ast the best time now. Big Neil. Let me know if you are down and we can see if we can get out. Bruce, I was up at South West Rocks Anzac week caught some blackfish in mid 30's in the creek, not a lot but they were ocean fish coming in nice light colour (almost white) and really fat. Great to know. We will be up north next month and hope for a good season. Regards, Geoff

Great story. Suspense is everything.

With all the rain I have found it difficult to find a spot that is not washed out with fresh. I thought about a few haunts near the rip bridge that should get a good amount of salt from Broken Bay. The areas I fish are around wharfs and it is quite a bit of a side eddy so in smaller high tides the flow is not strong. The first day was .2-.9 tide at rip bridge and there was a moderate flow. We started 1.5 hours before the top and we got 6 good fish 33-38., promising. The next day was .2-.8 and much less flow. The fish were so picky. Had to down size floats and baits to get fish but ended up with twelve 33-39. I was so hoping for a bigger tide to make the fishing easier. I got my wish a week later .2-1.0 and had a good run but not a bite till 30 minutes before the top. Had about 1 hour with bites and again super picky. Went down to size 12 hooks and they bent on bigger fish so not a good plan. This is still work in progress. I will look for stronger size 12 and 14 hooks. These fish look very dark so I suspect the winter run has not started yet. On the way home I met another Blackfisher man who had just started fishing and he said “there are lots of Flatties about” I threw Zman grubs for 20 minutes around the channel and caught 4 fish 40 -50. Now I have a plan B if the blackfish continue to be pesky. Thanks for reading, Geoff

Green Hornet, Very impressed with your improvised method of growing green weed. I am heading down your way, I'll send a PM. Thanks for the info, Geoff

Blackiee66 , Good question well asked. I have read the answer on Fishraider but I can't locate the post. If anyone could help us on this quest for the immortal green weed longevity post it would be appreciated. Geoff