adkel53 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Just back from 5 days at lake Jindabyne over Easter. The water is high at around 84% and the lake looks very "fishy" after the recent rains up there. Look can be deceptive though! I had spent three rainy days up there early in April when the rain kept us off the water (i'm not that keen!) and the fish were non existent when we did get out. I was hoping that the rain may have stirred the fish into action and set off with expectations high. It took until my 4th trolling session, covering many parts of the lake and a variety of previously successful techniques, until I landed a lovely 52 cm brown early on Easter Saturday. It took a Savage shrimp patterned hardbody in an olive colour and had a fresh yabby and some digested others in its gut. That was it until Tuesday morning. I contemplating just rolling over and going back to sleep when the iphone alarm sang its song at 5.00 am. However, I struggled out and was on the water by 5.40 just as the faintest glimmer of light touched the eastern hilltops. Trips to Jindabyne are not a common thing for me so I try to take advantage of every opportunity to fish this wonderful lake with its stunning scenery. A quick troll around the bay in front of Discovery Park and the sailing club drew a blank so in came the lures on off to the east Jindabyne area I went. After about 20 fruitless minutes my thoughts were of that warm bed! Just then I was awakened from my day (morning?) dreams by not one but two screaming reels! Thinking the fish had tangled the other line I set about retrieving it only to see a second fish bouncing out the back. Double hookup - you little ripper. Both fish were eventually landed and they were almost identical twins, being rainbows of 42 cm. Over the next half an hour I landed two more - one at 43 cm and the second at 35 cm. No more action over the next hour so off the water by 9 am and off for home by 11. It seems that the fishing in Jindabyne has been pretty tough recently and even the locals are struggling. I met an older local (while "scrumping" crab apples from trees outside his house from which to make crab apple jelly) who was most excited by my catch. It turned out to be an emotional meeting as he had just returned from the shops clutching two copies The Snowy Times. With trembling fingers he opened one up and showed my wife and I an article titled The Anthony Pringle Memorial Fishing Competition which featured a photo of a youngish looking man. Then he said "that's my son". He volunteered the details of his untimely death at just 45 last September from a heart attack as tears streamed down his face. My wife asked him was he a good fisherman and the reply was "he said he was" !! We chatted a little more and bade him farewell as he turned and slowly walked back inside obviously still wracked with grief. Next time I go to Jindabyne I'll be taking him a jar of my crab apple jelly. Life is precious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Stalker Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 They are great looking fish! Very healthy specimens. I am looking forward to getting up there soon to Jindabyne or Eucumbene to have a crack at them myself on the streams before seasons end. Thanks for the report. Luc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Knot Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Great post Kel (in lots of ways) Blood Knot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefisherman6784 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Great fish They must of put up a good fight and some great eating Cheers thefisherman6784 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidboy Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I have been here the same week and been on two fish a session on sunrise. It has been tough. Some fish were between 45 and 50cm. But you are spot in tough tough tough week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delraiser Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Nice fish. Just spent 3 days spinning the banks of Eucumbene for one half-baked strike and a bunch of follows from 6 inch fingerlings.. The water looked good, but for whatever reason, the fish weren't playing nice. A couple of boaters we bumped into had caught the odd fish but even they reckoned it was bloody tough. Even the bait fishers were struggling! I think this has just been one of those years in the Snowys. My fingers are crossed that things will pick up post spawn around August Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tag117 Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Great job on the trout! I spent 3 days in Oberon and didnt manage any good trout... Hopefully we get a couple of good weekends before season closes. Tag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Croydon Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Hi Kel, Great post and well done on the fish. Jindabyne has been tough for a couple of years now. Do you remember the details of the comp? I knew Anthony when I worked in the area back some years ago and would love to get involved. Thanks.... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Been a tough year or so up there, in fact one of the worst I can remember in long time. All the major lakes have been tough and there was a major scare in Eucumbene regarding the Rainbows as they had all disappeared. I have heard the the Eucumbene Browns are starting to move into spawning, might be a good time to target the river ends of all the major lakes. Those Jindy 'bows you got look in tip-top condition, well done. Windy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now