Finally Cracked a pattern at Lake Eucumbene!

[arpie]

Hi guys

Keith & I headed down to Canberra late last week - Keith to compete with his twin brother in the Olympic Distance Qualifying race for the 2012 Triathlon World Champs in NZ late next year ......... and me to join my buddy Kim down at Jindy & Eucumbene, trying to break my trout fishing hoodoo!!! In the last 4 outings to the Snowys, I've only ever landed the 1 trout on fly (nice tho it was!) but was more often losing fish due to an over aggressive 'strike' that was similar to my salt water 'strike'! SO, I needed to change things ...... and I did!!

Kim fished the river & landed some small trout - a couple of months back she was regularly getting 2kg trout on dry fly (which she pretty well always uses, year round!) It is always a pleasure to watch her fishing, as she is poetry in motion! (Specially compared to my water smacking efforts!)

I wasn't having any luck on the river (tho was getting lots of casting practise!) so Kim suggested we go to Eucumbene as she'd heard there were good fish to be had - on fuzzy wuzzys! Later that afternoon, we headed from Jindy to Eucumbene & chose our spot - a shallow bay that had been full of grass & thistles prior to the recent rise in lake levels, which resulted in plenty of trout feeding in the newly covered ground! On one of Kim's early casts, she was retrieving her line quicker as it was fairly close in & missed a terrific strike, so I took her word for it that they were chasing 'fast' retrieve & tried that.

I was wearing my waterproof breathable kayak pants with booties & found that they were perfect for wading the shoreline & shallows. They are a Canadian brand called Kokatat Tempest pants with socks - they have a strong adjustable rubber midriff section for 'snuggness' and prevent any water getting in, in case of a fall. They were perfect to wear on the yak over winter (not that I fished much, as my hand was too sore!) So I can recommend them to anyone looking for waterproof pants, be it or fishing, yakking or wading!

After a few casts, I had my first 'hit' and wouldn't you know it - I missed it! Damn! I was doing a fairly fast retrieve, stripping the line with the left hand whilst holding the rod & line with the right hand. Another hit - bugger! Missed it again! I thought to speed up the retrieve a bit more & the only way I could do that, was to put the rod/reel under my armpit & strip it in, as many saltwater fly fishos do, two handed! Kim called it 'rolly pollie'! Blow me down, I tightened up to a nice little rainbow, about 35cm!!

Then, casting out again, almost immediately, using the same technique, I landed another similar sized one! I was ecstatic!! Kim at this point hadn't landed any & only had that one hit that she'd missed & was getting all sorts of casting knots & bird nests - whilst I was yelling out - another one! Damn! Missed! Another one. he, he, I was soaking up these moments - it is not often that the apprentice outfishes the master!

As you can see in that last pic, I was even cheating, using a small 'no knot' clip so that I could change the fly if required, without doing knots ....... yeah, lazy, I know! The trout didn't seem to mind!

I'd gone back to the one handed retrieve & missed a few hits, so reverted to the Rolly Pollie retrieve & once again, hooked up as the sun slowly disappeared ......

I kept the last fish & we continued casting til after 10pm - my casting seemed to improve once it was dark, with straighter, longer casts, even tho I didn't land any more fish! I was SOOOOO HAPPY that I'd broken the drought as far as lake fish were concerned, anyway!! Would I be able to duplicate it the next night, to prove that it wasn't a one off event??

The next morning, Kim changed her leaders & went out to check her casting to see why she'd had problems the night before - and all seemed well on the river again! We headed back to the same spot, with Kim fishing the opposite shore with the wind on her back whilst I fished the original spots, with the wind in my face! I quickly had my first couple of hits on the fuzzy wuzzy & was confident of more to come!! I'm ON!! YAY!! First fish to me, again! I was holding it to get a pic & the slippery little bugger jumped out of my hands!! GORN! Oh well - good to have one on the board! Kim still had NONE!

There were hits galore, a few hooked & dropped - and I nearly fell in as I slipped on a mud patch (I'd been inching my way along the shore towards some very nice rises) and blow me down - before I'd regained my balance, a fish had jumped onto the fly!! I brought it in & let it go - it was about 35-40cm - and continued casting. Further along the bank, I slipped again & ANOTHER fish jumped on - a much better fish this time - it felt much heavier & jumped a few times - I figure it was about 1kg in weight - much better condition than the previous ones ...... and as I gently coaxed it into the shallow water & onto the bank ....... it dropped the hook! Bugger!! That was the one I REALLY wanted to keep! Fish were rising all around us & Kim was catching 'sighted' fish, so she was happy again! Most were about the 40cm mark - and when I had the biggie on, she also had a good strike that got off!

Once again, we fished into the dark & as Kim was casting she felt a whack on her rod - a tiny bat had collided with her rod & been knocked out, falling into the water. She retrieved the bat but could see that the wing was badly damaged & blood up where the wing attached to the body, so we decided it would be kinder to do the 'coup de grace' than allow it to die a slow painful death. I found a heavy branch & despatched the poor wee thing, committing his body to the water. We packed up & headed back to Jindy & a late evening meal!

Back at the lodge, some of Kim's buddies had been trolling the lake & one had caught a magnificent 2kg+ brown trout! One day, I'll get one like this too!!

I was really stoked to have finally had a terrific day on the water in the Snowys - and Kim was just as pleased for me! I am looking forward to trying that same retrieve on the lake here, now that I am back home again! I was even MORE pleased that my arthritic hand had stood up to the beating - tho i know I must get it seen to this year. Kim is having surgery on hers in mid Jan!

Back in Canberra, Keith had a brilliant race, winning his age group, with his twin brother Fran, coming in 2nd! So good results for everyone on the weekend!! So both have qualified for the WOrld Champs next year!

Thanks for reading - and I hope you all have a terrific Festive Season - stay safe & all the best for a propserous 2012

cheers

Roberta

[james7]

Great report Roberta.

Well done on breaking the drought!

It seems like congratulations all round. Keith did well again!

It looks like a beautiful place to fish too.

Cheers

Peter

[arpie]

...look out now MR BROWN TROUT....... I wish, Stewy!! I was just happy pulling in some average trout - I hadn't felt 'weight on the end of my fly line' much in the last 3-4 years of trying to catch at the Snowys! Shame my nice one got off - I would have loved to have seen that one (apart from in the air!) Kim gave me 2 of hers as well, so we'll be having smoked trout when my sister & partner arrives after Xmas! I am looking forward to trying for bream tho, with my new retrieve!

,,,,It seems like congratulations all round. Keith did well again!.... Thanks Peter - it was the first race in Canberra where it hadn't poured with rain, so Keith & Fran enjoyed the fine weather! And I DEFINITELY enjoyed landing some fish! Landed about 6-7 all up, dropped about 5 & missed 10 or more!

Oh yes - I had a peculiar happening on one fish - the actual flyline broke, about 2ft up from the tippet, so it wasn't the superglue on that white 'grippy stuff' that formed the loop ....... I was pulling the trout in (probably a tad too much pressure, considering how the line broke .....) so was only playing it on the line, not the reel ...... and it busted! It was a sinking tip that was the end part of a floating line - but I hadn't noticed a nick or anything in the fly line! I thought fly line was normally quite difficult to break! Ah well ........ it still worked the 2nd night after I'd put a new tippet on!

Cheerio

Roberta

[Tip Tip]

Hey Roberta

Me and the "The Alby" are heading to Eucombene just before new years for a few days and was wondering where on the lake you and Kim fished. We were down there last year and two years before with the dam at only 35% so with it being over 50% it is going to look a fair bit different.

Favourite go to spots were yens bay and Old Adaminaby banks with only a short trip to seven gates.

Tip Tip

[arpie]

PM sent, Tip Tip. Good luck. I heard that most of Eucumbene was fishing better than Jindy - but I wouldn't know WHO to believe!!

cheerio

Roberta

[luderick -angler]

Roberta,

Top effort there nice little fat bows too on the fly I shall be down there February to hit the streams theres a 5 weight that needs a good workout! I love lake fishing especially when thye are in ambush mode makes for explosive hard takes! Congratrs and well done. The luderick are on the fly in the bay at the moment so thats how I'm getting my fix!!!!!

[arpie]

Thanks Royce - I'd forgotten about the luderick on fly!! I still have a bunch of green weed flies & Tiewell stuff to tie some more! I read that someone had caught heaps just casting the line along the edge of boats in a mooring some time back. Must try again - tho with MY casting skills ....... I'd more likely catch the boat & lose my tackle!

Good luck when you are down - not that you would need it! . Have a great Xmas/New Year

Roberta

[cc118]

Great report Roberta and well done

[luderick -angler]

Thanks Royce - I'd forgotten about the luderick on fly!! I still have a bunch of green weed flies & Tiewell stuff to tie some more! I read that someone had caught heaps just casting the line along the edge of boats in a mooring some time back. Must try again - tho with MY casting skills ....... I'd more likely catch the boat & lose my tackle!

Good luck when you are down - not that you would need it! . Have a great Xmas/New Year

Roberta

Practice your short roll cast!!!!!

[arpie]

Kim is down there again tonight, but in a different spot - landed 14 fish!! There is NO STOPPING that woman!!!

I am jealous! Exceedingly jealous that she is down there & I am up here!!! I don't envy the drive tho!

Thanks Royce! Next trip on the water will be fly only!

Roberta

[luderick -angler]

Roberta,

the best way to avoid hitting unwanted targets flyfishing is to estimate the distance you are casting and strip that amount of line of the reel including the leader then start casting, you should in theory avoid hitting things, theres also casts like the pile cast which is effective on rivers like the 'tonariro to get your fly down quick before the current creates drag and lifts your fly from the strike zone!

I'll try to post some video if I suced on the fly tomorrow weather permitting but the tides look awesome for my spot tomorrow!

[arpie]

Cool, thanks mate!! Have a good one!

Roberta

[Matt]

YAY! Great work Roberta You have been trying for that Snowies Fly caught Trout for while, great effort.

Windy

[tentonner]

nice report roberta, I love eucumbene, its been fishing so well with the constant rising water,

[jenno64]

Great post Roberta and well done on some fine looking trout!

[arpie]

Thanks guys

....You have been trying for that Snowies Fly caught Trout for while... THAT's an understatement, Windy!! I was quite ashamed to admit that I could catch in NZ & not here!! Very Embarrassing!!! I've always enjoyed reading YOUR reports!!

... its been fishing so well with the constant rising water,.... It has instantly become MY favourite bit of water now too!! We may stay at Buckenderra next year instead of Jindy! A long drive all round otherwise, late at night.

THank God Kim stuck with me!! SHe always reckoned there was nothing wrong with my casting style .... just no fish!!

The only downside is that when I slipped whilst wading the lake edge a couple of times (and fish jumped on both times!), I have damaged a muscle in my groin area & it is VERY painful! I can't take a full stride & it keeps me awake at night - as I can't turn over. If it stays like this, it will mean a trip to the Dr! I've been putting Voltaren gel on it & taking some as well - deep heat too (being careful it doesn't get near more tender areas! Any other tips??

cheers

Roberta