foolforjesus

Sounds like you Guy's had an awesome day, Congrats. How many fish did you guys get between you for the day? Im a regular up at Thommo's, please please please please tell me the new secret spangled lure/technique you've been using!!! Much appreciate your intel, Chris

Not sure about the way the water is pumped between the lakes Aquaman, its just what I've heard. Thanks Caddis, be good to know the name of that fly if you remember lol. Do you kow the name of a good smelt imitaton? They were going crazy for the smelt the last couple of weeks. They wouldn't touch anything else.

Thanks aquaman! I left at around 1pm, there was a couple of gents arriving as i was packing up at the carpark. Was that you??? I was going to fish the western bank in the early afternoon, but headed off instead. I fished last week, and didn't get a touch nor see any fish moving. The air pressure yesterday was around 998, which going off what my fishing berometer says, is poor conditions. To be honest, I'm not sure if it makes any difference. I'm not sure if there is any truth to the barometric air pressure with Trout's swim bladder??? Anyway, It said poor conditions yesterday, and i caught so???

Thanks Greg. Yes, I noticed it was another metre or so down from last week, so they must be pumping out the water to fill Lake Lyell pretty regularly these days. Yeah the fog was the worst I've seen it up there, kindy scary driving!

I set off early around 2:30am, yesterday morning to make the trip to Thompsons Creek dam. As I made my way up the mountains, the fog was ultra thick, like nothing I have seen before. I made it to the dam just before 6am, after making a stop at Macca's for some breakfast. I reached the dam wall on the eastern side, and could not see the water due to the fog. Day break had been and gone, but the fog was so think. It was a struggle seeing 2 metres out when stood by the waters edge! I could see a few fish rising taking some flies off the top, so I put on a dry fly, and got a take within minutes, my first take off the top at TCD I might add However I missed it, and had no more joy off the top. I walked on round the bank, to the now more accessable prominent bays, due to the water level dropping I would say 4 metres in the last 2 months. I changed to a cracking looking green nymph, cast out my line, and put the rod down to prepare my spin/lure rod. Within seconds, I could hear and see the line shooting off my fly reel! I picked up the rod, tightened up on the line, sure enough I was on. A hen rainbow, around 2 & 1/2LB put up an awesome fight, my first on the fly rod for quite some time. Oh how I've missed you Returned safely to fight another day. I continued fishing with the nymph, but had no more takes, so I walked further up the eastern bank round to the next bay. I fished for an hour or so with no action. I decided to pack up and head round to the western bank. I started to reel in my line on my fly rod, when bang! The line tightened up! I was on again! It must have chased after the nymph as I reeled it in. Another cracking hen rainbow around 2LB. Returned safely to fight another day. That was all the action I had on the fly rod, I had a couple of missed takes on a celta lure & a squidgy fished deep. All in all it was a great day at TCD, all the more better for christining my new fly rod with two cracking looking rainbows!

Hey thanks Guy's! Its my longest trout to date (65cm), but not my heaviest. I had another Brown trout around 4 months ago that weighed 7.5LB, and measured 60cm. Here's hoping to some bigger in the coming months

Day One/Saturday. I almost landed my first Trout on my new fly rod & reel! I say almost....... I arrived at the dam relatively early, at around 7:30am, and headed towards the west bank. Upon reaching there, I could see that the wind was blowing fairly strongly across the dam, but knew that this would be a great spot to target some fish. Not long after starting to fish with the new fly rod, I had a great follow, and was encouraged that this was going to be a good day's fishing! This however, seemed to be the flavour of the day for me, as I proceeded to get follow after follow. I tried several fly patterns, but just couldn't connect. I switched to the lure rod, and again had follow after follow, but just couldn't connect. I Recently purchased some strike indicators to use with a floating fly line, whilst fishing with a submerged nymph. I've never used them before, but thought I would give them a go. I cast out my line with a small gold bead head green nymph, and sat down for a quick rest, placing my rod on the bank. I glanced away for a few seconds...When I looked back, I could see that the indicator had disappeared under the water! I picked up the rod, tightened up he slack line and sure enough I was on! It felt solid...Bang! Right in front of me, a hefty female rainbow lept out of the water like a rocket fuelled torpedo! I got a good look at her, and I estimate she was between 6-8LB if not bigger. She proceeded to go on a big run to my left, straight towards a submerged bush. I applied as much side strain as I could, but could not stop her! With that, it was all over, she had got the leader tangled up in the bush. I went over and could see her, around 3 metres down a steep drop off, caught up in the bush. I tried for several minutes to get the line untangled, but soon realized that it was hopeless. I snapped the line, thinking to myself, oh well, you don't always land them all. Not long afterwards, I actually saw the fish swimming near the surface for a brief moment, so I think she got out of that bush, thankfully. In hindsight, I thought I should have just held the line, and let fate decide what happens, but its all too easy looking back to say such things. I was using 6LB tippet, so I guess it could have gone either way. That was the only fish I had on all day. I have several more follows, and one more take on the lure rod. By this time, it was very late in the day, around 6pm. I moved down towards the east end of the dam. There was a lot of fish movement near the surface, which was great as I have never seen so many fish rise at TCD, or been around late in the day for the evening rise. It soon became apparent that the fish were not in fact rising to take food off the top, but sub surface. A bit later on I saw what they were feeding on....Smelt, or as I had known them, Gudgeon Fry! There were lots of fly fisherman making there way up to fish, more than I have ever seen before, in all around 15 fisherman rocked up, to fish the evening rise! It was like a gauntlet for the fish, fly fisherman after fly fisherman trying to hook one of the many good sized trout that were in a feeding frenzy with the fry. From what I could tell, till I left at around 8pm, no one got a take, let alone hooked one. If anyone knows of a good fry imitation, please let me know, I would really appreciate it lol! Day Two/Sunday. I arrived at the dam quite late, around 11am. I headed out towards the east bank, to try there for the mighty trout. I saw a few fish moving about, and even had a follow, but things seemed very different to the day before. There were still several fish attacking the fry, but I knew it was hopeless without a good fly imitation. I fished on up the bank for a few hours, even cracking out a tassie devil (Which I rarely do, and have never caught on) To my surprise, I got a take on the tassie devil, but didn't connect. I was kinda getting tired, two days back to back around TCD can surely take it out of you! At around 3pm, I changed back to the lure rod, and put on a trusty rainbow pattern "Wobbler", which seems to be one of my favourite lures, which often catches. I fished for 15 minutes or so, when on a big cast, I let it sink till the line stopped, then began a fairy slow retrieve. After 2 or 3 winds of the reel handle, bang I was on... Not long after, I managed to land a cracking 65cm / 5 & 3/4LB Brown Trout. It can seem to be a tough water at Thompsons Creek dam, but if you stick at it, she will come good with the mighty Trout!

So my alarm clock didn't wake me up at the intended hour of 3am...I managed to get on the road by 5:45am. I eventually made it up to the dam at around 8:30am, a little later than anticipated, I even gave my ritual macca's breakfast a miss to save time. I also had to be heading off at 1:30pm to be back in time for my Brother in law's birthday party, so I had a little under 5 hours of fishing time. I headed for the west bank of the dam, and quickly realized that fly fishing would be tough due to the pretty strong easterly wind blowing across the dam. I set up a sinking line, and as the water was pretty murky looking, especially towards the bank, I put on a fairly bright fly. I had one follow fairly quickly, a good fish too, but didn't connect. I carried on for an hour or so with the fly rod, tried a few different fly variations with only the one follow earlier. I switched to my spin rod, and soon had a follow from another good sized fish, which I estimated to be around 6LB. I read in a post somewhere online, that you really need to vary your retrieve speeds when fishing lures from the bank, as Trout soon pick up a lure that doesn't imitate a real fish. I must admit, I have become quite used to a steady slow retrieve up at TCD, which seems to work well, but I've noticed I get quite a lot of follows, right up to the bank. I started to vary my retrieve, with 2 or 3 fast bursts of winds, then back to a slow steady retrieve. Within minutes, on a fast burst I might add, a rainbow took my lure. I continued on fishing, both the fly & lure rods for a couple more hours, with another 2 follows, but no more fish in the net. Its safe to say, I will be varying my retrieve speeds in future when using the lure rod. Its funny how you can get set in your ways when fishing. I am still to christen my new fly rod with a fish, but feel confident that next time will be different

Thanks Luderick - Angler Yes your right, there is so much food on offer at TCD, I think unless you present your fly / lure in such a way, they won't bat an eyelid so to speak lol. The fish that had a slight crack at my lure last week, but didn't connect, was huge, so yes, there are certainly some thumpers in there. I think i'm going to give the fly rod a good go next trip, maybe get deep down with a sinking line. Take care, Chris

Thanks Caddis, Thanks Geoff You know, as much as I love catching Trout on a lure rod, nothing really compares to how connected you feel when striking into and playing a trout on a fly rod! Man, I hope I catch my first Trout on the new fly rod next trip! The first rainbow I ever caught at Thommo's!

Thanks Mate, yeah its a pretty special place

Hello Fellow Raiders, In some 25 plus years of Trout fishing, In the UK & Australia, I can honestly say that the quality of fish that I have experienced at TCD is no1 on my list. I have been fishing TCD for a little over three years now, week in week out, and if you've fished there, you'll understand why I make the 5 hour round trip every week. It has taken plenty of hours on the dam, trying to catch the mighty Trout to realize, that as with all waters, TCD can seem very hit & miss, tempremental if you will. In reality, it has been just a case of learning what works, and sticking with it. I looooove fly fishing, it is what got me hooked on trout in the first place. Thinking back to last year, when I hooked a 5.5LB Hen Rainbow at TCD on a submerged nymph, it was the most impressive fight I have ever had from a Trout. It was the first and only fish to date, in some 25 years I might add, that has taken me to the backing line, three times!!! 5.5LB Beauty safely returned to fight another day. My Dad, whom was fishing for wild trout as a boy back in the UK, said to me about a year ago now, "why not take a spinning/lure rod with you next time"...So I did. To be honest, I take the fly rod every time, I even carry it around with me on my back, but very rarely take it out these days. Spinning lures, suidgys, wobbler spoons and the like, if fished properly seem to stir the Trout at TCD into a frenzy. I have a new fly rod & reel that I am yet to catch on lol...Maybe next time it will come through for me. On reflection, I looooovvvveeeee catching trout on a fly rod, it has been my passion for a long long time, but I am becoming to looooovvveeeee lure fishing these days too! Here is my first Brownie of the new year, a beauty weighing in at 3.5KG. Returned safely to the water. It has been in my thoughts for some time now, that TCD holds some HUGE Trout, possibly bigger than you could imagine. I'm talking 20LB plus. Until my trip last week, I had no proof. I was fishing with a lure, working it back to the bank, when I had the slightest of takes, I even thought it was weed. I looked into the crystal clear water to see my lure coming in, when at around 2 metres out I saw a monster dark Trout following my lure. It looked BIG, and I've come to realize that if it looks big in the water, then its gonna be huge out of the water. At around a little over a metre of water left to retrieve in, the Trout turned, and swam back out into the depths. It looked like a really dark, gnarly Brown Trout! Woooh! I'am a believer, TCD holds a possible NSW record Trout!