Blue Mountains Fly Fishing Trip 2

[taloyoak]

So continues my next installment of Blue Mountains Fly Fishing. After returning back from my last trip up to the Kowmung River, I spent 2 days cleaning and re-packing gear, a quick trip to Drummoyne to pick up some flies, and also to get more food et al. I am one of those people that can live with absolutely no possessions, but.... also loves to have some modern conveniences if I believe I "deserve" them. I say this because I managed to track down an extended life iPod battery so at night I could watch movies in the tent.

Left on Tuesday at 7am on the train to Katoomba then the looooong (sigh) walk in, which starts at Glenraphael Dve, and follows the Narrow Neck road all the way to the end. I cached 3 litres of Gatorade along the way as there is no water on this stretch. Then down the cliff using a long ladder and then about 8 meters down climbing on the Taros Ladder spikes, and then a little way to Little Cedar Gap. At the Ladders I met a group of about 30 stinky, unkempt teenagers who were just on the last few km's of their Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award, and had hiked from Mittagong to Katoomba. From Little Cedar Gap it is a 30 minute walk up and then down Mt Debert to Medlow Gap, which is a focus point and gateway to the greater Kanangra-Boyd wilderness.

On the walk in from Katoomba to here I kept asking myself "where should I go?". Sensible Matt suggested going back to Kowmung River, as I knew what to expect and could cover the best fishing parts of the river quickly as I knew where and where not to fish, however.... Adventure Matt wanted to explore and so he won and I decided to head towards Kanangra Creek area. I said to myself, that if the fishing was uneventful there, I could either follow the Cox's River downstream to the Kowmung, or walk back to Meadlow Gap and then down that way. Now, for those of you that know this area, unfortunately this was a typical crazy Matt notion in that there are no "easy" hikes around these regions. Even though on the map, the distance from Kanangra Ck to Kowmung following Cox's is about 7km's, it is 7km's of difficult terrain in that no tracks exist on the banks, there is really heavy growth and vines and tough going. The walk back up to Meadlow Gap is brutal with a heavy pack.

By the time I reached a camping spot called Mobbs Swamp/Soak it was around 4pm, so I thought I'd camp here, and have a relaxing evening, which gave me time to tie up a bunch of different leaders. The water here is from a fetid little swamp which stinks. Either boil for 3+ mins or use a purifier. A coolish night ensued; I feasted on some chicken korma and rice, and watched 3 episodes of The Pacific.

Wednesday morning, I was up and packed by 7am. I was also "treated" to a pack of Dingoes howling off in the distance, which I have never heard before, and funny enough the cliffs surrounding this campsite are aptly named the Howling Dog Mountains and also Mt Dingo. I gingerly made my way down the long and winding trail to the Cox's river.

The river was only knee deep at the crossing, so I then made my way up to Kanangra Ck, walking up the stream rather than on the side. One cannot help but notice how clean, healthy and beautiful Kanangra Ck is. I spotted a nice sized blue Yabby meandering its way across some sand gravel, and small trout were constantly being spooked and scurrying upstream from my noisy splashing feet. I walked upstream for a while then saw the horse riding place called Konangaroo Clearing, and moved upstream from there to find a suitable camping spot. I found a beautiful spot right on a pebbly sandy point overlooking a big deep pool with a nice tree/log in it.

I hurriedly erected the tent, then rigged up my rod and got a quick 2 hours of reconnoiting a stretch of the creek. Managed a few small rainbows all caught on dries, but no leviathans. I did however see about 5 large fish of around 2-3 pounds scooting away after I spooked them from their dwellings. Kanangra Creek would be best described as long stretches of open knee-deep water interspersed with deep pools. Lots of natural cover in the form of felled trees, undercut banks, logs and boulders. Casting is hampered by lots of growth surrounding the creek, and efficient roll casts are mandatory rather than the exception.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Nanook

[taloyoak]

I knew I would have to produce some good casts, and I would have to say maybe 70% of the places I knew would harbour good fish were very difficult to make accurate casts to. It was those times where I had wished I had gone to the shops and bought some hula-hoops to practice casting to. Typical casts of 30ft were required, and there was one spot where a big tree had fallen into the water and as I was approaching that area I was on the bank, slowly scouting ahead of me and saw 4-5 small rainbows feeding on the surface so I crawled as close as I could, managed a couple of casts, 2 of which were into the trees above and behind me ( of course!), and then I saw a huge Rainbow move out from under the tree and head out towards the smaller fish, but it took all of 10 seconds for him to see me and he beat a hasty retreat back to his cover. I crawled on hands and knees as close to the tree as I could, and could see him there. I started to take out my camera from my waders and again he saw me and moved further into the cover. Even if I was Lefty Kreh I would never be able to get a fly anywhere near him. Frustrated I moved forward and further upstream. I managed maybe 5 more good rises to my dries, with 1 small Rainbow of about a pound. The water was gin-clear, but having said that, I was having trouble polaroiding because my Oakley's are a very dark tint, and many places along the creek were in the shade so I had to forsake them and blind cast. I had set up my line with a 12 ft leader, and dry with a nymph suspended most of the day, and switched to nymph only but no takes at all. I covered a distance of about 3-4 km's in a 6 hour session.

[taloyoak]

I returned to my tent just on dark, and found that the inside of my tent, where the inner and fly gap are, there were dozens of small Stonefly nymphs. I didn’t see any on the water, and unfortunately I didn’t have any flies to match them. A cold but clear nite, and a productive but somewhat frustrating days fishing.

[taloyoak]

A new day and a renewed vigour. A couple of cups of coffee, some oats and a packed lunch of crackers, salami and cheese and I was again headed upstream for another days fishing. Déjà vu. I sidled up to the spot where the big tree dweller was the previous day, and once again he was in the exact same spot, and I don’t know why I even bothered to look, because it was just torturing myself as there was no way I was going to be able to cast to him. I ended up leapfrogging my way upstream to only fish the places I knew had fish in them. I was wading towards a nice small deep pool at the lower end of a rapid section, the pool was maybe waist deep and I cast about 30ft at the pool. I immediately got a good rise, but no take. I shot again and this time the same, so I started pulling line in to make another cast and felt a solid pull. This time I was onto something good. The distance between me and the fish was pretty fee of snags and around a 7 minute battle took place. I was using 4 pound tippet, and I also didn’t have a landing net, so I had to tire this one out before attempting to land.

Finally she gave in and a quick photo, a kiss and about half a minute of reviving oxygen to her gills, she pulled away and went back home to fight another day. I figured about 3 pounds. It is good to see that the creek has healthy trout. 2 more hours of wading upstream, lost flies and 2 more little fish and the day was a wrap. A nice way to end the day. On my way back I spotted a huge mudeye and went to grab it to take a photo and it was as spiky as a cactus. Needless to say I didn’t manage a snap. Got back to the tent, took a quick swim ( cold!!) and hunkered down for another clear but cold evening.

Saturday dawned with a 6am alarm, and it was overcast. I decided to call it a trip, as I didn’t want to push my luck and have to spend a very long day hiking back to Katoomba in the cold rain. So I hit the road by 7am, and started the long and painful uphill battle to Katoomba. I really don’t like Newton’s law of gravity ( well I guess what I mean is a layman’s version) in that for all those long downhill sections there is also long uphill sections!. I took 3.5 litres of water for the Kanangra Ck to Narrow Neck section, as the water in Mobbs soak/swamp needs to be boiled and I couldn’t be bothered doing that and then waiting for it to cool down, so I managed with what I had.

At the Cox’s crossing I passed 3 guys who were on their way to Kanangra Walls, and then nearing Mobbs Swamp, I passed about 40 people!. Holy mackerel, I had never seen so many people along this track. I stopped and chatted to an old guy and he explained to me that near Mobbs Swamp there is a place on top of the mountain in the backdrop called Splendour Rock, and all these people ( and more!) were coming there for the dawn service on Sunday ( today). He even went on to tell me that people were bringing in bagpipes, drums etc.....Wow!. I was glad I wasn’t camping there because it would have been noisy and crowded. Between there and Katoomba I passed around another20 people, most of whom were not dressed or outfitted for a night in the mountains, and I wondered how many of them would drink the water out of the creek there without purifying it, and how many would spend the night freezing because they didn’t have the warm clothing etc. The last 2 hours towards Katoomba, the weather rapidly changed, with high winds, on and off rain and cooler temperatures. I wouldn’t have been surprised if it would have sleeted.

A 3 hour ride on the train back home, a good bowl of chicken Pad Thai take away and a glass or 3 of red, a warm shower and all in all another good trip to the mountains. Sorry about the quality of the photos- I left my D700 at home and took the little 10MP point and shoot instead to keep weight down. I’m now planning my next trip back in another 2 weeks I think, depending on my motivation and itinerary left in Sydney before heading back home to Alaska.

[mrsswordfisherman]

That is an captivating read Nanook

No wonder you can survive in your remote medical clinic in Alaska . BTW did you finish your studies (mid)?

Cheers

Donna

[mark1]

awesome trip,

glad to see that kanagra creek is still looking so good, that is a very nice sized rainbow,

What dries were you using?

mark.

[Big-Pete]

Nanook,

excellent post and photo's, looks like a good spot to fish and judging by the effort to get there,the chances of people wrecking the area is minimal.

Thank you for sharing.

Big-Pete

[taloyoak]

That is an captivating read Nanook

No wonder you can survive in your remote medical clinic in Alaska . BTW did you finish your studies (mid)?

Cheers

Donna

Hey Mrs return to life!,

nope still slogging away, but taking the semester off due to family issues and other reasons.

Glad to see you are well- please don't do that again, and maybe enroll Stew in ACLS.

M xxx

awesome trip,

glad to see that kanagra creek is still looking so good, that is a very nice sized rainbow,

What dries were you using?

mark.

Hey Mark,

I used the following patterns: Dun blue ,March brown, Adams mayfly, Adams wullf ,Parachute coachman, White moth, Iron blue dun, Twilight beauty

Best success with white moth and March Brown.

[mako1]

Top report Nanook.

Great photos and some nice fish.

Looks like a beautiful place to spend a few

days and have a fish.

[Basil D]

they are just gourges photos, and lasing around after fishing with all that nature around is just the best shut eye anyone could get.(after fishing ofcourse)

[jewgaffer]

Awesome stuff Nanook no fear of boogieman's either I reckon you'd be just the bloke to send down into Flint and Steel and see what's going on down there

Cheers

jewgaffer

[arpie]

Well done, Nanook - that 3lber is a beautie!! So pleased you were able to tease it into a take!! Talk about a monster to a minnow!

How amazing that virtually a full pipe band would be in the valley for the dawn service!! Now that would be worth a video!!

Cheerio

Roberta

It must have been a bit cool down there at night!!! I've just put the doona on up here, let alone down there!!

[Hodgey]

Another amazing report Matt. Congrats on producing a few fish this time. Your frustration level must have been through the roof with the 'tree dweller' Keep these rports coming mate. They are very entertaining!

Cheers

Ian

[Guest rzep]

That is one of the better reports that I have read.

Well done on your commitment to get out there.

What a beautiful place you visited.

[andrew399]

Mate, that is an AWESOME report! very adventurous to, must be awesome having the whole place to yourself and not seeing anyone for a few days! good work, are you going again any time soon?

[jim bream]

IT looks so peace full up there some very nice pictures just wandering do you catch any bream up there lol

[nemu]

Nanook I to have fished this area between 1990-97 I've also done the narrow kneck track but have also used the 6 foot track and the track through the megalong I'd go a bit later though about june through to september when the fish are a bit more prominent but you did have to be prepared for extreme weather that can happen snow high winds ans so on probably the best trips was the one's when I crossed the cox's at the kowmung junction and walked up Mt cookem and south along the ridge of the Scotts main range from here along the ridge I'd venture along the kowmung gorges that can be deep in places but also quite wide in others I think one place I'd stayed was the new yards and another was bran jans hill a site of an old coach exchange from here you could go down to a gauging station on the Kowmung its been 13years since last I visited this wilderness but I dare so much would not have changed in that time but a bit more rainfall would be an incentive to get back down there may be I will after boot camp at the local gym!! well done on your effort as I know how epic it can be..