Staying positive

[R E G I C Y C L E]

Tested positive to Covid for the first time during this week, with a very mild dose. The forecast for the weekend predicted severe boredom, but I decided to buck this and head up the mountains to a few of my favourite trout spots.

It's been a few weeks since I've been up this way, so it was nice to be back. I was planning to focus on using the fly rod, but strong winds put paid to that. Instead I settled on spinning with cranks and inline Spinners.

The first location yielded 2 rainbows between 20-30cm, one of which was missing a pectoral fin, looked like a birth defect. He didn't release well so kept him for a work colleague who has been asking for trout. Also got close to a dozen redfin, all around 10cm, and witnessed their aggressive pack hunting... trying to "steal" the lure from the fish that was hooked up. One of the redfin was caught while retrieving a fouled crank on the surface.

After a couple of hours it was time to move. I've fished the second location once before and knew there was extremely skinny water, but quality fish to be had. Had a follow from a decent trout first cast, but didn't hit the lure. A few minutes later I put a lure through a shallow, inauspicious looking section, and it got nailed. The fish took some good runs, and nearly wrapped me in structure before i turned its head. As I got it within net reach, it jumped and beached itself on the bank, before slithering back to the water and taking off again. Luckily the lure was well pinned, and I finally netted it. Came up with a beautiful brown, my pb at 51cm on the mat. Had me shaking for a few minutes! He swam off healthy, but somewhat subdued. Landed another mid 30s brown shortly after, before moving on to the third and final location.

The last stop of the day only produced 1 redfin, and a couple of hits, but also one of the most bizarre things I've ever experienced while fishing. I had snagged on a rock, and when I managed to clear the snag the lure flew over my left shoulder and onto a small footbridge about 1m away. There was a tangle in the line which I cleared, and I lifted my rod tip to reel in the approx 10m of line I had out. As I did this, a Rosella flew past low, and squarked... I felt a slight jerk and looked down, my lure was gone and I was missing about 3m of line. I don't know if the lure had lodged in the bird or if it had just snapped the line and the lure fell into the water. Had a look around and couldn't find the lure or the bird so decided to call it a day.

Very happy to finally get a brown over 50cm 🥳

[bessell1955]

Great fish, well done.

[Rebel]

Top haul & Super photos.

Get better.

Well done.

[R E G I C Y C L E]

Thanks guys, was an enjoyable outing.

[Bennyg78]

The spots look so incredible and the fish look massive well done

 

Edited February 16, 2023 by Bennyg78

[R E G I C Y C L E]

Cheers Benny, did you get a chance to try for some trout?

[Bennyg78]

1 hour ago, R E G I C Y C L E said:

Cheers Benny, did you get a chance to try for some trout?

not yet mate, currenlty layed up with an injured knee and surgery booked for early March

[R E G I C Y C L E]

Bugger, hope you recover well!

[Pickles]

A great report @R E G I C Y C L E, some really nice looking fish and a beautiful spot. Hope you’re recovering OK and the surgery goes t plan (had my knee done a few years ago and better than new now).

[R E G I C Y C L E]

Cheers @Pickles, covid was a breeze thankfully. @Bennyg78 is the one waiting on knee surgery, but as you say, hopefully it goes well.

I'll hopefully be heading back to one of these spots tomorrow 🤞