upper turon rainbow rockets (now with a few pics!)

[bombora]

Did three shortish sessions on the upper Turon and just got home. It's a beautiful river. I've read that Turon rainbows have a reputation as athletic fish. My first rainbow, a 46cm jack, was a stunning looking fish. Thick shouldered and hook jawed and crimson cheeked. Fat! But it just barrel-rolled and twisted and lugged against the line a bit. He bit on my third cast. The next, a 43cm jack, and every other fish afterwards, went ballistic. This one actually rooster tailed the line across cobble stoned shallows and leapt high, then reversed the run and jumped again and fought all the way to my hand.

Ended up with these two, a 39cm male, a nuclear-powered 41cm hen which also did drag screeming runs and twisting, shaking jumps, and a 35cm hen. They were all barrel chested, brightly coloured and fat as pigs. This river must really carry a lot of trout tucker. Also had about ten trillion follows. Every pool nd good run had fish follow the lure. So frustrating but makes you want to crack the code.

The first two fish came on a 1/16th black wascally wabbit tailed jig, the rest on a 1/32nd darter head rabbit tailed jig in perch colours. Both are about an inch long but three pound braid and a 7'6" ultra light rod casts them far enough. Also got a 25cm redfin and one pool was home to two 3kg carp. Met two blokes using two inch stickbait plastics and celta style spinners who had no luck that arvo. For the fly boys: mid arvo saw heaps of rises by smaller 30cm fish, from gentle sips to big splashy half jumps.

Photos you ask> new camera, keen to see how pics came out, touch wrong button, panic, hit another button, delete all images. Argh. Had really wanted a profle pic of a hook jawed male rainbow and got one. Ah well. Have to stay with the memories. Was magic, clambering up a river which splits huge rock peaks and tempting turbo charged trout. Could not have asked for more for my second ever stream trout trip. And only saw one snake; a one metre red bellied black.

Edited November 20, 2011 by bombora

[irongustavius]

That's the sort of fishing I'm interested in! Thanks for the report, pity about the photos.

When you say upper Turon, how upper do you mean? Further up than Sofala I guess?

[bombora]

Hiya, around Turon Gates. Still buzzing (as long as I don't think about the pics) and man my legs are totally knackered. Not match fit. I've only fished the Fish and Duckmaloi and it's a very different river to the small bits of those two rivers I briefly fished. No easy cow paddock walking beside the water, it's all clambering over fallen giant gums, following wombat tracks and wobbling over lots of cobble stones (ankles are asking for a hot bath!). But heaps and heaps of space to cast in most pools and runs and lots of jungle-stuff in little shoots running through tunnels of fallen trees, if that's appealing.

Still can't get over how many fish I saw, and all so plump, is that normal? And they made runs a bonnie would be proud of. Ha I know bugger all about trout, just googled what a mayfly looks like and i think one landed on my arm when it warmed up mid arvo. Lots of midge-things (sorry, no idea again!) buzzing in groups on the surface in quiet corners, lots of butterflies, stacks of dragonflies, quite a few blowies. No rises in the morning, and went very quiet as late arvo and dusk approached. Different weather to Sydney, 24C and blue skies and a few puffy white clouds. Think I got a bit lucky. Did I say I'm still buzzing.

Edited November 4, 2011 by bombora

[irongustavius]

I'm buzzing just reading about it, can only imagine how you feel.

Good thing you don't have photos, otherwise I'd be out of work and driving West as we speak.

They sound like great, well conditioned fish. I'd love to get onto one on fly. That would make my day.

[bombora]

Mate's gonna come round on weekend and see if anything can be retrieved from the devil's camera. I'd love to hear how a fly went and they'd go mental on a 5 weight, ballistic on a three weight (I guess, ha instant expert)It was all I'd hoped an Aussie bush trout stream to be with crystal water and giant trees. I kept mistaking big fish laying deep for small fish higher in the water beacause it was that clear. Ha, more things to learn.

[luderick -angler]

Bombora,

awesome it looks as thought the stocking they did has worked! A 5 weight would be perfect up there just he right blend of power and delicacy on a 3 well depends on the blank! Some 3 weights are very powerful others soft and forgiving for snmaller fish and streams! Put it this way I have seen a 2 pound bows out a 8 weightto the trst in very fast big heavy water yet the same bow in slow small water can be handled on a 3 weight the line weight is more about the distance and water your covering in trout fishing when it comes to Salt Water its different I'm sure you can hook a marlin on a 3 weight (it would be fun and short lived) its just a 3 weight is not going to turn over the leader and that dirty big streamer required hence again rod and line weights come in to factor. If your looking to get into fly fishing theres a few here who can help you out Caddis, Windy, Centrepin, Irongustavius and myself to name a couple.

PS Gus camping trip me thinks and soonish!!!!!!! Before itgets too wam and the Joe Blakes really come out!!!! Plus some Mudgee reds are in order!!!!

[Centrepin]

Bombora,

This is fantastic news. Turon gates fished very well years ago but was decimated in the drought.

I'm heading to Snowies on Monday.I will return back the following week depending on the fishing conditions.

Only to happy to help with geting you along the Fly path.

It is tough to get started on streams but be warned totaly addictive

I know the river there is very dependant on flows so need to strike while it is going well.

I'll PM you when I'm heading back from the snowies and perhaps we can catch up for a fish.

Thanks for the news. Much appreciated.

Geoff

[irongustavius]

Mate's gonna come round on weekend and see if anything can be retrieved from the devil's camera. I'd love to hear how a fly went and they'd go mental on a 5 weight, ballistic on a three weight (I guess, ha instant expert)It was all I'd hoped an Aussie bush trout stream to be with crystal water and giant trees. I kept mistaking big fish laying deep for small fish higher in the water beacause it was that clear. Ha, more things to learn.

I know what you mean about the size of fish and depth of the river - I've had a few dunkings lately because I think the river is shallower than it is due to the clarity of the water. And for some reason the fish always look smaller in the water than they do once you get them to hand - the monster I landed at Kanangra didn't look to be over a foot long but once landed went closer to two.

[bombora]

Thanks for the fly lesson offers guys, but I have had a bit of a modest ambition to get a 40cm plus male rainbow and brown on my little jigs before trying the fly. Don't know if the rainbow bit's been achieved because no photo momento (ha) but still gotta get an OK brown. To me a long ultralight rod, fine line and leader and tiny jig you've tied yourself and have to bring life while reading water flow has a lot of the same appeal as stream fly fishing. Was a challenge in see-thru water. The pools where I was were very very slow moving. Even a slight breeze had the leaves floating on the surface being blown aganist the flow, it was that slow. Know bugger all about the river but I can imagine a litle bit more water being good. Might have to finally get off bum and visit TCD to try for the brown.

[covanova]

mate there's plenty of software packages that recover pics from SD cards. Just DON'T TAKE ANY MORE PICS with that chip. They'll all still be there.

[bombora]

Hiya yes, tried a free download one which didn't work, hoping to duck out from work today as Paxtons said they might be able to help. Fingers crossed.

[bassboy888]

Thats really unfortunate about the photos! At least you have the memories pf such awesome fish!!

[bombora]

Managed to retrieve some pics. The pics of the bigger males have gone to digital heaven (ah well) but got back pics from second and third sessions. Happy fella. These are the smaller females and smallest male (I think) which liked the little perch colour jig, but boy they were fat too!!! And one of the magical pools on the river.

Edited November 20, 2011 by bombora

[irongustavius]

Result!

[bombora]

Some more scenery. I spend my fishing time under harsh blue skies in open landscapes like sandflats and on the harbour or outside and to be among the shadows and light of tall trees in a river gorge was addictive. For the fly boys check the casting room on the bigger pools!

[bombora]

I now know where the macro and sport buttons are on the new camera (Ha). Just wanted to put up a blurry shot in the water shot and a shocking camera shadow shot only to show how chunky the fish were! Reckon the camera shaow pic fish looks as fat as a salmonfarm occupant. And a pic of a reptile I didn't mind meeting on the river (check out how clear the water is behind the water dragon (is it??? I'm a river wildlife gumby!)

Gotta go back to try for a bigger bloke 'bow.

Hey Iron yes very happy to get something back!!

[Centrepin]

Hey Bombora,

Those are great photo's and fish.

Water that clear and still makes for very challenging fly fishing.

Currently planning a weekend up that way on the weekend of 3 4 December. See how we go.

Thanks so much,

Geoff

[bombora]

Hey Geoff if a gumby stream spin fisho like me can get a few the fly should go off. Some of the rises were violent! The pix don't really show the floating leaf litter which could disguise lines. Was using 2kg flouro leader but did wish I had some 3 pound on me as well.

I've only seen fishing videos of rising trout and sorta thought they always just left dimples in delicate sips. They did that too but also barrel roll-jumped and just did plain big splashy splats! If the little jigs worked some small streamers deep could be good if no surface action. I saw some very slender olive backed minnows about an inch and a half to two inches long very nervous in the ultra shallows.

Edited November 20, 2011 by bombora

[luderick -angler]

Nice Bombora the river looks healthy nicely marked fish too, Deoff a mate and I are thinking of heading up want some extra company?

[bombora]

Some decent rain, then showers and cooler weather forecast for next four or five days in the area I think, so looking good. Mega keen to get back there and explore further!!

[luderick -angler]

Yes a bit of rain is needed to give the rivers a good flush out they seem to be becoming stagnant at the moment so lets hope its a decent but not too big flush!

[bombora]

I think it's getting that flush. BOM river height has it rising from 2m to almost 4m at Sofala in just a few hours overnight!

[greenfisha]

Did three shortish sessions on the upper Turon and just got home. It's a beautiful river. I've read that Turon rainbows have a reputation as athletic fish. My first rainbow, a 46cm jack, was a stunning looking fish. Thick shouldered and hook jawed and crimson cheeked. Fat! But it just barrel-rolled and twisted and lugged against the line a bit. He bit on my third cast. The next, a 43cm jack, and every other fish afterwards, went ballistic. This one actually rooster tailed the line across cobble stoned shallows and leapt high, then reversed the run and jumped again and fought all the way to my hand.

Ended up with these two, a 39cm male, a nuclear-powered 41cm hen which also did drag screeming runs and twisting, shaking jumps, and a 35cm hen. They were all barrel chested, brightly coloured and fat as pigs. This river must really carry a lot of trout tucker. Also had about ten trillion follows. Every pool nd good run had fish follow the lure. So frustrating but makes you want to crack the code.

The first two fish came on a 1/16th black wascally wabbit tailed jig, the rest on a 1/32nd darter head rabbit tailed jig in perch colours. Both are about an inch long but three pound braid and a 7'6" ultra light rod casts them far enough. Also got a 25cm redfin and one pool was home to two 3kg carp. Met two blokes using two inch stickbait plastics and celta style spinners who had no luck that arvo. For the fly boys: mid arvo saw heaps of rises by smaller 30cm fish, from gentle sips to big splashy half jumps.

Photos you ask> new camera, keen to see how pics came out, touch wrong button, panic, hit another button, delete all images. Argh. Had really wanted a profle pic of a hook jawed male rainbow and got one. Ah well. Have to stay with the memories. Was magic, clambering up a river which splits huge rock peaks and tempting turbo charged trout. Could not have asked for more for my second ever stream trout trip. And only saw one snake; a one metre red bellied black.

Mate well done , to date there has been 62,000 Brown Trout and 60,000 Rainbow Trout released into the Turon and Crudine Rivers since Nov 09 , it truly has been a remarkable success with Trout thick from Sofala up , we are hoping the good seasons continue for a few more years .

Ken Smith

Secretary Sofala Branch Central Acclimatisation Society

[bombora]

Actually Ken well done to you guys. Hard work rewarded.

Just thought I'd show the two little jigs which worked.

Black round head thread body and rabbit tail is a 1/16th. Simple jig, gets bites and isn't too painfull to lose.

The darter head is 1/32nd with brown olive and white rabbit tail and red thread body, gold eye, meant to be a bit baby perch-ish. Both are about 3cm long and painted with two dollar shop nail polish and hard as nails coated. Low flash for clear water.

They are the actual jigs as I managed to miraculously miss snags all trip. Unheard of.

Edited December 11, 2011 by bombora

[luderick -angler]

They are the buisness! Very nice jigs!