Last Trout Of The Year

[Matt]

Hot, very hot. Hours had passed with one small bump on the Olive Woolly Worm that I had been casting relentlessly. False cast, false cast and shoot, another cast went out towards the slightly deeper water that ran into the shallow bay we were working. Dad had put his Fly Rod down and picked up the spin rod to work the old creek bed channel that once defined Arthella Inlet or Middlingbank as its more commonly known.

This was tough, three weeks ago this area was alive with feeding fish. Spectacular described the fishing, I hadn't seen the water that alive with rising and bulging Trout since I left Cooma some 12 years ago. But what had changed? The previous evening was similar to now, a few light bumps and I busted off a Trout early. Dad did keep the dreaded doughnut at bay with his first on a fly right on dark, a lovely Brown of 700g that inhaled a Bills Yabby right at his feet. Dad was over the moon, he hadn't fly fished in years and had never managed one on a fly when he did try it.

I needed a cold drink, back to the small base camp with a chair and some cold drinks for a short respite from the endless casting. Despite it being hot it was a beautiful day, the calm lake reflected the nearby hills like a mirror and the drowned timber that had not seen sunlight for near on 50 years before the drought took its toll added a mystical quality to the spot. Closing my eyes and listening to the Sky Larks singing I could have drifted off but there were Trout to be caught so back to the start of my beat I went. False cast, false cast and shoot. Strip strip strip, damn its hot.

Our sore arms greeted dusk gladly and the promise of rising fish, despite the previous evenings lack of action a new day (or evening!) brings renewed hope that the fish will move in. Frogs started to croak and countless millions of midges started their short lifes dance on the water. Dragonflies had been active earlier, could there be a Mudeye migration tonight? Would there be big Browns glutting themselves on the nymphs as they struggled out of the water? Would the Midges start balling? False cast, false cast and shoot. Strip, strip, strip, at least it wasn't hot now.

Back to the start of my beat, Dad had taken up station close by with his Fly Rod back in hand. I had not chnaged the Olive Woolly Worm for hours and did not see the need to. Being a general pattern it could imitate any number of food items to a hungry Trout and to be honest I couldn't be bothered changing it in the half light of the evening.

When the fishing is slow you tend to move into an automatic rythm and your thoughts drift. Mine were thinking of a cold beer back in Cooma and the nasty after dark drive home on the Kangaroo infested roads. A price you pay for late nights at Eucumbene. False cast, false cast and shoot. Strip, strip, bump, what the.... YEP, Dad got one.... 5wt line zinging through my fingers and a nice Rainbow burst out of the water eye balling the full moon. Wooops, stay away from that old fence line and remember that heavy weed bank off to your left and finally a Trout in the net. A male, same size as the Brown the previous night with a nice hook on his jaw and the Olive Woolly Worm that had been cast for hours firmly caught in the corner of that hooked jaw.

"I think thats enough states Dad", no rising fish any where despite the abundance off food. "Last day of the year tomorrow, one more chance."

We did get up early the following morning, 31st December 2009 and opted to have a look at Wollondibby Inlet at Jindabyne. But early is a bit mis-leading, it gets light at 5am and by the time we got down to the water and fishing the sun had been up for an hour and a half and I suspect we missed the best times. My arm was sore by the repeated casting from the two sessions prior but a boil in the shallows and the stiffness magically vanished. False cast, false cast and shoot. Strip, strip, strip Going to be hot soon.....

Driving back to Sydney to join my wife for New Years celebrations the hours spent casting had all ready slipped out of my mind. Only two fish were accounted for, the look of joy on Dads face as he held his first fly caught fish, the Rainbow that christened my new 5wt outfit and the sound of the Sky Larks singing had pushed the casting in the relentless heat into a small corner of my mind.

Something a bit different than a straight out report No photo's, I did get some video on my new Flip though

Cheers

Windy

[arpie]

Great Post Windy - I feel for you!! Sounds like my week at Jindy in Nov! Glad your Dad hooked the 2 tho!

Cheers & have a great year

Roberta

[slinkymalinky]

Fantastic report Matt. Really enjoyed reading it... could almost hear the frogs singing.

Cheers, Slinky

[Day's Fishin]

Top read Matt. I've always wanted to try fly fishing, I've had 2 fly rods & reels in the shed for about 15years & never even spooled them. Ar-well maybe sometime in the next 15years I'll get around to it.

Regareds Jeff

[luderick -angler]

Right there with you Matt, awesome report my new years was similar on the Opawa hot hot hot strip strip strip small Mrs simpsons with browns coming right to the rod tip only to dart off at the critical moment! I blanked!