Fishing the fish

[Jew Stalker]

It was 4am, I was peacefully enjoying my sleep which was achieved merely 3 hours earlier when Tomahawk started screaming at me via my telephone ring tone. I sprang instantly awake, grabbing it at the speed of light, and answered it before my and 9 month old baby woke up from it also. I was surprisingly in a good mood because it meant only one thing... I'm going fishing!!! On the other end of the line was Luderick angler telling me he was in Glenbrook on his way up the mountain and to meet him at a roadhouse up in Lithgow for brekky. I sprang up, grabbed my gear and was straight out of the house before you could say antidisestablishmentarianism.

I got to the roadhouse about two minutes after the guys only to find that it was closed... No brekky for us. So we grab a few drinks from the servo and make our way to the river a little disgruntled about the lack of food but keen to get onto the fish. We took a wrong turn on the way out and had to jump on the anchors for a suicidal wombat who wanted to make an early escape from existence when correcting said mistake but thanks to an alert Hawkesbass with the vision of his namesake, we foiled his plans. We stopped at a bridge not too far from our destination the see if there was any action in the water below and as soon as we stepped into view of the fish below in the water one made a massive cloud puff in the shallows as it took of for deeper water. We looked over the other side and saw fish finning in the pool without a care in the world and decided today was going to be a good day.

We reached the river at about 6am, the sun was just below the horizon where we stopped in the valley and the temperature was about lets say 1 inch frozen nipple but we were keen to get under way and I was keen to start walking to get some blood circulating to my semi frozen extremities. Luderick angler tells me what features to look for in a stream where fish hold and I soak it up like a sponge as trout fishing has recently become a favourite pastime for me. Lderick Angler was on the long pole and Hawkesbass and I were on the spinners. Every fishy place we came across on our way down river we hit relentlessly but to no avail, the fish at our destination didn't seem very interested at all with what any of us were throwing at them. There were insects on the water, gudgeons in the shallows but no action from fish trying to get them. We knew there were fish around but they just weren't interested.

Meanwhile I came to an electric fence with Hawkesbass blocking our path from going further downriver and connected to it was a steel post firmly embedded into the ground which was seperated from the electric current so me being me I decided to jump over said pole and continue my journey downstream. I climb up it avoiding the electrified fence thinking to myself "no problem". I get to the top of the pole and make the final leap to greener grass when my right foot clips the top electrified wire... Next thing I know I think I am Superman but without his thrust I find myself looking at the ground rushing toward my face as I spear into the ground at Mach 10. To add insult to injury the fence managed to shock me whilst my foot was caught in it giving me a nice little blast to get my heart rate going for the impact to come. So there I am in the dirt after stopping myself going down the 45 degree embankment head first which is well trodden by cattle, rod pummeled into the ground from being in my fist upon collision, dirt all over and in my reel, and scunned up shin and knees from colliding with something hard on impact and I start giggling to myself. I get up check out my equipment see the filth all over my reel... I let out a silent " " and gave it a dunk a and shake in the river (I know, I know) for a quick clean up and off we go. Meanwhile Hawesbass was still on the other side of the fence giggling and wishing he had his phone in video mode to capture the moment and share with you all hehehe.

We get as far downriver as we could and Luderick Angler said that the fish should be rising because of the bug action going on around us. So Hawkesbass and I headed back upstream whist Luderick angler worked the last pool. We got up to the next pool when we hear him call out to us. We get to him and he has a nice rainbow on the end of his line which came out of a nice stretch of fast water. Our spirits are instantly lifted and confidence boosted that the fish are finally starting to come on. Luderick angler has another go after we take a couple of photos and release it back into the water and another fish comes out, this time a beautiful unexpected brown comes out of the fast water. At this point I think that the flies are doing the job so on goes a wooly bugger to trail behind my hardbody. I head back to a log where I got a nice follow earlier with no take and determined to find it again and catch it I went it armed with my new combination. 1st cast, no good, 2nd, no good, 3rd, nothing. I figure he is hiding in a different place in the pool and start hitting the middle. I get slow sinking luckycraft under the water, give it a little bit more of a retrieve then let it sink for about 5 seconds. No twitch, no strike, I give it a twitch and next thing I know I feel resistance then pull. Happy as can be I yell out to Hawkes "I've got him" as he saw me persisting with him earlier. Both he and Luderick angler come over to see the last of the fight and me bring a nice 33cm rainbow out of the water. Stoked at my first stream trout and it being the biggest I have caught thus far I have a smile which spreads across my face in an instant. Content that I caught the one I was after I moved on to a new pool.

We all seperated and started fishing different areas and Luderick angler had the most luck scoring a further 5 fish whereas Hawkes was having a bit of a rough trot still trying to get off the mark. After going at it for a while by ourselves I come up to hawkes to ask him for his lighter and he tells me that there is a fish just behind a couple of rocks just a bit out from us that he has been trying to tag for 30 minutes but it wouldn't touch anything he threw at it. He tells me to have a go at it. Wouldn't you guess it, 2nd cast and it absolutely rapes my luckycraft choice. Hawkes just shook his head and said it figures hehehe. I felt a bit bad taking the fish he had primed for me and I wouldn't have had a go at it if he didn't tell me to but I guess that is life. In the end after a little fight a 39cm brown comes to the surface and out of the water. It hit my lure so hard though that both trebles got taken in its mouth and it was an absolute mission trying to get them out. By the time we did it was too late for the fish, it had been out of the water for several minutes by the time it came out and was no good for re entry and it is a shame as it was a late spawner which still had her eggs inside . There is only so much you can do though I guess. I have decided though to drop the trebles on my trout hardbodys and replace them with singles for an easier release upon capture and perhaps even a better hook up rate.

We kept fishing all the way back up the rivers runs but for no more luck. After a solid 10 hours on the water Luderick angler ended up getting 5 or 6 fish back to the shore and had one on that he couldn't stop with his 5wt long pole, I got 2 and Hawkesbass came back with an unfortunate doh-nut but had an awesome day on the river none the less enjoying some good scenery and company.

It was a fantastic day and I can't wait to do it again. Thank you so much to two fantastic blokes for an awesome day out and sharing their knowledge with me, you guys honestly don't realise how much I appreciate it.

There will be photos to come I just have to wait for Luderick angler and Hawkesbass to send them to me.

[Guest hawkesbass]

Thanks for a top day out luke and royce even though i finnished on a doughnut i still managed the biggest hookup off the day with a treble in the thumb past the barb.your email address didnt come through so here is the photos i took on the day look forward too the next adventure

Cheers trevor

[luderick -angler]

Awesome day thanks lads was really enjoyable oh and Luc is now known as Danger Mouse! Very interesting the browns are still coloured up to spawn though. And yes the itch to wave the long wand calls..........it can't be too soon! Oh and Trev's burger at the pitstop! Never seen one like it........it was an awesome day full of adventure and fun and many hook ups that included our selves and numerous trees for me!!!!

[Jew Stalker]

I forgot about the hook incident when we were trying to unhook the brown... To cut a short story shorter the lure was taken so well that both trebles were inhaled and were in such a position that they were pulling against each other and was extremely hard to get out. As we were trying the fish had a bit of a kick and sent a hook into Trevors thumb past the barb. He ended up getting it out after pushing it in a bit further and down on the thumb then out nice and easily. I must say he took it quite well, I know how it hurts.

Danger mouse!!! Hehehe I forgot about that too. After my tumble over the fence I must have hooked myself about four or five times whilst I was walking along. As the day heated up I began to open clothes and it got a little flappy resulting in multiple hookups of my shirt hehehe. I ended up carrying a pair of scissors in my pocket to snip myself free instead of wasting half the day unhooking myself hehehe. Such is life.

The burgers there are awesome, expensive but worth every penny! They live up to the best burgers in town claim (even though they are the only burger place in town hehehe).

[foolforjesus]

Would that burger place be "Full Throttle Diner"?

You should try the Chilli fries lol...

Stop in there most weekends after fishing, great food!

[Jew Stalker]

Would that burger place be "Full Throttle Diner"?

You should try the Chilli fries lol...

Stop in there most weekends after fishing, great food!

That's the one. After not eating all day I was starving come 4ish and was desperate for a feed. I grabbed 2 burgers and loved every bite. I had eaten there before and told Trevor how good their burgers are so he stopped for one too. We parted ways at that point so I wasn't sure if he liked it but I am confident he did.

I haven't tried the chilli fries but I will be sure to give them a go on your recommendation. I'm sure I wont be let down.

[irongustavius]

Nice report, thanks for taking the time to write it up.

Royce I'm a little bit jealous. Haven't busted the fly cherry yet this year. Looks like you guys had a great day, I'm glad you got onto those fish on the fish.

[Guest hawkesbass]

the burger was worth the wait all day defineately a mission too get through.

[Jew Stalker]

Nice report, thanks for taking the time to write it up.

Royce I'm a little bit jealous. Haven't busted the fly cherry yet this year. Looks like you guys had a great day, I'm glad you got onto those fish on the fish.

'Twas a pleasure, I was re-living it as I was typing and I like to share the experience. It was a great day, one I wont soon forget. Royce and Trevor are top blokes who are a pleasure to fish with and very forthcoming on their experience and knowledge.

the burger was worth the wait all day defineately a mission too get through.

I knew you would like it.

Here are a few more photos of the day from Royce's camera.

[kyuss]

Nice work - glad you're getting amongst it. Are there any camping options on the Fish or does it just run through private properties? I dont mind if a walk is involved.

[luderick -angler]

Kyuss,

PM sent mate!

Royce

[dan1000]

you can camp at Flat Rock reserve on Mutton Falls Rd. It's one of the favourite spots on the fish mainly due to ease of access downstream. but I believe there are also a few other places further upstream you can hitch a tent.

[luderick -angler]

Fishing access on the Fish River is a touchy thing some landowners will outright refuse permission others a very nice if approached beforehand there has been this year a lot of early illegal activity on this water and many farmers have had fences cut and people camping on private land. Only reason I mention this and I did le Kyuss know of Flat Rock is downstream you can only go so far before you hit private land. Upstream there is a little more access.

Regards

[paul.kenny]

Thanks for sharing your story fellas....I felt like I was there right beside you all. Sounds like a great day despite the challenges .

[kyuss]

Fishing access on the Fish River is a touchy thing some landowners will outright refuse permission others a very nice if approached beforehand there has been this year a lot of early illegal activity on this water and many farmers have had fences cut and people camping on private land. Only reason I mention this and I did le Kyuss know of Flat Rock is downstream you can only go so far before you hit private land. Upstream there is a little more access.

Regards

Thanks all.

[bombora]

Great report and fantastic picture gallery guys. We need some Spring rain!!