Tottenham, Kanangra

[irongustavius]

Well raiders,

Nanook has given me the responsibility (and may I say privilege) of writing up the report for our recent three day trip to Kanangra Creek.

It is with trepidation that I step into the shoes of one of the most revered Lure and Fly Fishing Report writers on the forum. Please be gentle, I'll try my best.

I met Matt at 05:18 at Strathfield Station. Being a helpful lad, he had cut two stout bamboo walking poles to assist our descent of the heinous Mt Yellow Dog. We loaded up, and were soon enough underway up the mountains. Both full of good cheer, and me especially full having drunk about a litre and a half of coffee.

A quick arrival at the Scottish Restaurant in Blaxland gave us fifteen minutes before opening in which to distribute gear. Matt had bought a ton of food (we were to eat well) so we split what we had to. Matt carried more tucker than I, due to the fact that he head stashed his tent and all manner of gear down there while I was stuck carrying mine. But I was still carrying such staples as beef mince, shallots, tomato sauce, and bacon. Bring it on.

Scottish breakfast was followed by a quick jaunt to the Katoomba Cop Shop to pick up a PLB. Thus armed, we filled up water bottles and headed down the Megalong Valley.

The walk is as it usually is. Beautiful in parts, terrible in others. But the weather was perfect. Matt led the way.

We even found a bit of reception at Medlow Gap with which to let the missus know that we were travelling safe and sound.

Before too long (well, after exactly seven hours and three minutes to be precise), we had crossed several creeks and found our way to camp. Matt uncovered his gear, the ravens had got into some of the cookware but not too much damage. Camp was set up, and we walked down to the mouth of Kanangra Creek to fish the Coxs in the final hour or so of sunlight. We bumped into a pair of folks walking down from Mobbs to check out the "deserted hut" at Kanangra. We informed them that it was not deserted, and after managing to extricate ourselves from the conversation, we went and fished the Cox's.

Before too long, I had a pleasant encounter with a willing brown trout. Ha attacked a little Ecogear minnow with gusto.

Soon enough, night fell, and we walked back to camp to cook up a pad thai / burrito special meal. Matt had lugged in a heap of food, so we cooked it up and wolfed down a hearty meal. Complete with garlic bread entree.

Entertainment was a few episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm, and a quick game of Cut the Rope on Matt's iPod.

Morning broke, and lots of coffee was consumed after a restless street. Having dislocated my coccyx and bruised my ribs after being hit by a car (drivers fault by the way), it was hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. So I was a little beat in the morning. Luckily, Matt prepared bacon and egg rolls and that went a long way to easing my discomfort.

We headed upstream, but not too long before we had a few casts. Unlike last time, there were hardly any fish in the mouth at the Cox's - this led us to surmise that a few days of higher water levels had allowed the trout to get up into the creek. And we were right. We spooked some good sized fish in the spawning pool, before managing to sneak up on a couple and nail one with the little Ecogear minnow - later to be known as the Golden Destructor.

There followed a good few hours of tactical, stealthy trout fishing. Matt was exclusively using fly, I was ostensibly using both the long wand and the spinning gear - but the ease of fishing with the spin rod made me lean towards that.

Matt hooked his first fish on a hot glue egg - a fortuitous hookup indeed.

We moved further up, catching a few decent fish, before I latched on to a veritable denizen of the deep. We spotted it, and his mate, cruising next to a rock no more than five metres from our location. I moved the Golden Destructor past his position a few times before, on the sixth attempt, his frustration got the better of him and he engulfed the lure. No pictures of this one, but it gets better.

We moved further up, spooking some absolute monsters. Matt pulled a few nice fish out of one of the nicest pools in the creek:

While I fished the pool beneath. I did everything wrong - fished downstream, pulled lures against the current, dragged through rapids, etc. The first three casts yielded three small fish, then a bigger brown, then a spectacular aerobatics show from a feisty rainbow.

Continued in Part Two . . .

Edited September 9, 2011 by irongustavius

[irongustavius]

Part Two

Pushing on up the river, we came across a spawning frenzy - one poor female being molested in the shallow water. There were a heap of other fish downstream of the "fish group love ball", picking off the eggs. But further below was a snag with a very healthy rainbow just next door. Matt gave me permission to have the first go at it, so I swung the Golden Destructor into gear and started carefully pinging casts. After seven or eight casts were slowly worked past the fish, Matt said "alright last cast".

This was the result:

After a ten minute fight, he needed revival for at least as long. This gave us the chance for some funky underwater shots.

Best rainbow of my life. Everything else pales in comparison.

Matt then had a go with the hot glue eggs at the spawning ball. Four hookups to big fish (one that I actually called for a Japanese midget submarine - the nautical nonagenarian obviously didn't know the war was over) all ended in pulled hooks - not too happy with the flies there Matt.

That was pretty much the end of the fishing for the day. A crack at the monsters in the Twin Peaks pool was fruitless (biiiiiiiiiiig fish in there - double figures for sure). Back at the campsite, we noticed a bit of a mess - we'd been ransacked!

The offender had also ripped my brand new tent!

Luckily most of the food was okay. The rum was not, there must have been a raven flying into a few tree trunks that night because that stuff was rough.

Chili con Carne con Extra Chili was on the menu for dinner. Matt amped up the chili, so much so that it was actually a bit hard to eat.

More bacon and egg rolls for breakfast, then pack up for the walk out. Matt mentioned that we hadn't fished the pool near the camp, I suggested that we spend five minutes, in the name of science, seeing what we could extract from the water. First cast:

Even Matt (the non-spinner) got in on the action:

The little browns were going nuts over the Golden Destructor:

That was it for the fishing.

Then the walk out. You've read the reports, you know how it is. Best to keep a happy spirit and remember where you stashed your food and water along the way (good idea that - Mt Yellow Dog takes a lot out of you).

Seven hours and four minutes later (little slower than the walk in), we were at my car, reflecting on another successful trip.

It's an awesome trip. Hard work, but I'm getting better at packing lighter. Summer means night walking is the preferred option - which also means the trip is doable over a standard weekend (and you'll be able to fish a bit too). It's a great place and the solitude is amazing. The odd fish is just a bonus.

Edited September 9, 2011 by irongustavius

[Guest]

You guys are true adventurers and I take my hat off to both of you.Well done on another fantastic trip and some great shots.

Cheers Stewy

[tentonner]

these trips just look like too much fun, i reckon the hard work getting in and out would make the times u spend fishing that much more worthwhile

[paul.kenny]

Some excellent fish there and the long walk is obviously worth the effort.

PS You have done Nanook proud.....great read and thanks for sharing.

[irongustavius]

Thanks for the kind words folks.

The walk in is absolutely worthwhile. The first time I did it, thoughts of "this is madness" were going through my mind. Well, this isn't madness, this is Kanangra - it took a week at home for me to realise I was itching to do it again.

[pmak]

Another great report from spectacular wild country. Big fish caught too. Like the new underwater shots. Was all the damage to the campsite done by birds?

[irongustavius]

I believe the damage was done by birds. If a pig had tried to get into my tent, it probably wouldn't have been so delicate.

We also saw a few ravens perched on branches around the camp, eyeing us off as we cooked breakfast. Gee they're powerful birds, and persistent - they ripped into the garbage, the stove, the water bladders, the rum - crazy stuff. It actually felt a little scary coming back to a ransacked camp, makes you realise how vulnerable you could be out there.

[kyuss]

I believe the damage was done by birds. If a pig had tried to get into my tent, it probably wouldn't have been so delicate.

We also saw a few ravens perched on branches around the camp, eyeing us off as we cooked breakfast. Gee they're powerful birds, and persistent - they ripped into the garbage, the stove, the water bladders, the rum - crazy stuff. It actually felt a little scary coming back to a ransacked camp, makes you realise how vulnerable you could be out there.

Sounds like ravens although I wouldnt rule out a lace monitor. I've had my camp ransacked most times down there and caught the lizard in the act on one occasion. Their sense of smell is amazing and they arent shy - once we were settled back in camp the big guy just wandered around us, picking at scraps and trying to get into our packs (respectfully gently I thought). Isnt it great that it could have been pigs, wild dogs, a prehistoric looking lizard or wild birds and they arent even the things to be worried about out there! Got to love the Australian bush.

[irongustavius]

Sounds like ravens although I wouldnt rule out a lace monitor. I've had my camp ransacked most times down there and caught the lizard in the act on one occasion. Their sense of smell is amazing and they arent shy - once we were settled back in camp the big guy just wandered around us, picking at scraps and trying to get into our packs (respectfully gently I thought). Isnt it great that it could have been pigs, wild dogs, a prehistoric looking lizard or wild birds and they arent even the things to be worried about out there! Got to love the Australian bush.

Well we did see a big lace monitor on the way out, had to be over a metre and a half long, casually walking up a tree as we struggled past.

Not so happy that it could have been pigs, but yeah I agree that the wildness down there is pretty amazing. The Blue Mountains are an amazing place, you'd have to think that there are still some pretty remote and unexplored places around there. The Aussie bush is awesome, and the big winner is that whatever is trying to get your food, it isn't a bear (drop bears notwithstanding). Summer will be interesting, be a pretty snaky place to stay. Pack some compression bandages I think.

[Centrepin]

Looks like a great trip. Thanks for the read.

Geoff

[GregL]

Awesome read and shots there guys, love ya work in such beautiful country!

Greg

[bassboy888]

You fella's are getting me itchy to get out there. will have to wait till uni holidays unfortunately.

Once again a brilliant read with some fantastic photos!

[irongustavius]

Geoff, any chance of a Kowmung trip report in the near future?

Of course, that would require a Kowmung trip.

[taloyoak]

Thanks Gus,

Great read and your company is always great seeing as you are as nuts as me!.

Just got home an hour ago from Kanangra with Dean (DWAG90) Friday nite walk in 2 days on stream and out today......

Let's just say we stopped counting after 60 fish:1yikes:!.....report AND PHOTOS to come next few days

[mako1]

Another awesome report.

Top pics and some beautiful fish caught.

Well done

[Marlin repellent]

Awesome report. Loved the underwater shots they turned out brilliant. Thats one hell of a walk in. I normally fish the snowy's and thought some of my walks were extreme but they pale in comparison.

PS - the ransacked camp site, Lithgow Panther??????? Ha ha

[luderick -angler]

Angus, Matt,

How you doing?

Foot is well on the mend should be all go Novmeber hoping! In the meantime tying some mean flies! Oh and the ystocked the Turon with 20000 bows 10000 browns to follow! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!! Turon Gates here we come!

[Converted 2]

Fellas, What a great adventure. Good fishing had and obviously company.

[royts]

Foot is well on the mend should be all go Novmeber hoping! In the meantime tying some mean flies! Oh and the ystocked the Turon with 20000 bows 10000 browns to follow! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!! Turon Gates here we come!

Luderick, when did they stock the turon? I was under the impression they weren't stocking it due to the trout eating some species of frog. Was it a private stocking?

[luderick -angler]

They stocked it around Sofala in September 2011 check your PM mate if your heading that way let us al know theres a fe lads keen to have a fish!

[irongustavius]

Awesome report. Loved the underwater shots they turned out brilliant. Thats one hell of a walk in. I normally fish the snowy's and thought some of my walks were extreme but they pale in comparison.

PS - the ransacked camp site, Lithgow Panther??????? Ha ha

Lithgow Panther it could have been, but surely it would have waited around for the two juicy main courses to arrive.

Underwater shots (most shots actually) were taken on my little ruggedised Casio compact camera. A great unit.

Not that epic a walk, but enough that you really want a few days fishing to make the walk worthwhile

[irongustavius]

Angus, Matt,

How you doing?

Foot is well on the mend should be all go Novmeber hoping! In the meantime tying some mean flies! Oh and the ystocked the Turon with 20000 bows 10000 browns to follow! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!! Turon Gates here we come!

That's really good news Royce. Hopefully your foot will have healed by the time the browns have settled in the Turon . . . we can go and stir them up a little bit!

[jenno64]

What an adventure!!! Great post and fantastic pics too!