Ok, So I Used A Tassie....

[Matt]

OK, lets get one thing clear before the report kicks off - Tassie Devils are still down the pecking order in my lure box but have jumped a place two...

Too perfect could have been used for the conditions in the Snowies over the past 4 days, barely a breath of wind for the most part and clear skies. I hate these conditions, mirror calm waters and comfortable temperatures might make fishing pleasurable but I find Trout in particular don't seme to feed as well. Yes, these lovely calm days work well on summer evenings where the insects come out to play but for the most part they seem to involve long hours of navel gazing and pondering the meaning of life.

Kalkite and the Eucumbene Arm looked lovely as Dad and myself trolled and spun our way right up to where the Eucumbene flows in (well, trickles in). Nothing, nought, zero, not a cracker was seen. No rises, no bumps trolling, no follows spinning. It was as if the Trout were all at the Station Resort having a beer enjoying the lovely afternoon?

We did locate some fish this session, with about 45 minutes of light left the Trout switched on. Dad boating 2 nice Rainbows with the biggest at 1.1kg and I got a 900g Brown spinning a clay bank. None of the fish were on a Tassie Devil as the box with the Devils was buried at the bottom of the bag and the discussion here had not yet taken place...

Creel Bay was the target the next morning and having opened a can of worms with my "No More Tassies" club I though I would experiment. Dad would run a collection of different minnows and I would run a Tassie Devil. Pink Panther was the colour of choice and as I fed it out on our first run I could hear Dad mumbling obscenities about Tassies behind me. Right, thats out at a good length shall I throw some plastics at those tree's as we troll past? Wooops hang on that was a tap, yep I'm on! We hadn't travelled more than 5m before a 45cm Atlantic Salmon decided the funny pink winged thing looked tasty, this could well be my first fish on a pink Tassie..... Unfortunately the next few hours passed with no action again. We hit the Thredbo Arm and the the Snowy Arm up to the pumping station for zip. Tassie Devil wins day 1.

Ice in the Thredbo Arm

Back to Kalkite the next day and the run we caught the fish on earlier and again it was sloooooow. Jindabyne can be a tough place and it was like that now. I spoke to a few other boaters out'n'about and the story was the same with lots of water and sun burn in between the odd speckly fish. I was with my Brother James today and he put his hand up to run minnows and go head to head with the Tassie Devil. It was his trolled Rapala F7 that got the first fish, a smallish Brown that went back to it's home. The he spun up a nice Rainbow on a Vibrax right up the back of the Eucumbene Arm. The Tassie had bumped off trees and caught weed, winner effort! Day 2 is a loss to the Tassie.

I had one more chance and Dad and I ditched Jindabyne and headed to Eucumbene which to be honest we should have done back on day two! We only had a few hours so we launched at Old Adaminiby and hit the clay banks that sit out from Yens Cove, all of 2 minutes from the ramp. Other boats retrieving (we were late) were reporting blanks. Oh dear, another slow day. Along the first run my Tassie got belted by a very good fish that unfortunately spat the single on the jump. Grrrrrr, I stared daggers at the poor gold wing Tassie - bottom of the box soon if you don't step up! Luckily I had a father who stuck to the minnows and 2 solid Rainbows took a liking to his spotted dog Rapala in quick succession. The Tassie had 45 minutes left to prove itself but again it was the Rapala, Dad boating a smallish Brown. I had stuck to the Tassie, I had given it every chance. Last 100 or so metres before I call it quits, BANG! Yes, you beauty the Tassie has a fish and a nice buck Rainbow of 950g glides into the net a very luck last minute goal! Day 3 is a loss to the Tassie.

Average Eucumbene Rainbow

One for the Tassie

Yens Cove, pray for more snow for it to come up again!

Final Scores:

Rapala F7 in Rainbow Trout - 1

Rapala F7 in Spotted Dog - 2

No Name Minnow (from Tassie of all places) in Spotted Dog - 3

Vibrax - 2

Pink Panther Tassie - 1

Yellow Wings Tassie - 1

So, the Tassie all though losing still put up a fight. Maybe it's not as bad as I originally thought

Apologies for the long post.

Matt

Edited August 10, 2010 by Matt

[arpie]

Another terrific post there Matt!! I love reading of your family trouting trips!! Seems a while since I read of your last one tho!

Well, between the 3 of you, you certainly threw all sorts of lures at the wily trout!! I've seen lots of people land lots of trout there, but never me!! One day I'll get better at it! Maybe I should chuck the fly & try the Tassie (GOd knows I have heaps in my Tassie Box!!) And yes, pink & gold wings have done the trick every time!! Have you ever tried tying them on back to front? It gives a much more sloppy wobble that seems to drive the trout wild every now & then!! From memory, you can even go a little faster, too & it makes a more pronounced wobble!! Let me know if you have success with it next time!

Well done on another terrific trouting trip!!! Bet it was C-C-C-Cold down there!!!

Cheerio

Roberta

[Matt]

Heya Roberta, unfortunately the family trips have been a bit slow this year and most of my fishing has been solo Fly trips to Pejar, TCD or Lyell. Glad you enjoy them, should be some more from here on in.

I have tried the Tassie backwards many years ago but to be honest I can't remember how it went! Next trip, Tassie V Minnows II, The Revenge

It wasn't that cold on the water, was very nice actually. A bit of mid-winter calm, it is snowing again today apparently though!

Snow in the hills at Eucumbene

Cheers

Windy

[taloyoak]

Thanks for the great report and good photos. Some nice fish there.

oh and Roberta "Maybe I should chuck the fly & try the Tassie"- I just cannot believe you said that!.

Thanks Matt and keep the good reports coming- it is always great to read long and in-depth reports.

Cheers,

Nanook

[Matt]

I feel the same about your reports Nanook, setting the atmosphere with good photo's make for a great report.

Would love to have a look at those rivers one of these days, I love the big lakes but there is something special about a river. My last river sojourn was the upper Thredbo earlier in the year.

Cheers

Windy

[arpie]

he he if either of you ever come up to Forster .......... I am i dire need of instruction!! I have all the gear ...... I don't get Heaps of distance, (not that you need distance in the smlaler streams) but just don't seem to land them softly enough or accurately enough!

When in Jindy with Kim (an expert fly fisho) I tend to watch her more than fishing myself! It really is poetry in motion when you are watching someone with top skills fly fishing. They just make it look SOOOOO easy!!

I want to try Salt Water Fly for bream, too, up here - will try floating/top water flies first, over the flats & only get to the snaggy bits when I become a bit more confident at it!!

Can't wait to go to Jindy again with Kim - not sure when it will be tho. Can't wait. Lovely pic of the fly caster - nice loop in the line..... grrrr

In the mean time, I get my 'fix' reading your reports, Matt & Matt!

Cheerio

Roberta