January 2011 Fly Fishing Report.

As expected the Christmas and New Year period provided some excellent fly fishing opportunities in the Snowy Mountains. Generally typical summer conditions with fine weather punctuated with occasional afternoon storms have been the norm. This trend and perhaps a few heavy rain events should continue throughout February as summer rolls along.

Lower summer water levels, clear water and plenty of holiday makers about has meant the fishing hasn't always been easy, but a careful approach and the usual summer rule of " fine and far" have and will continue to get results.

The coming month will see good fly fishing continue and all the mountain rivers - the Thredbo, Eucumbene, Murrumbidgee etc. and smaller streams and creeks will continue to offer plenty of fun. Things usually quieten down some after the Australia day weekend and the fish will quickly settle down. There are still plenty of mayfly nymphs under the stones, so under the right conditions we'll still have good hatches for a while yet.

Terrestrial insects form a large part of the local trouts diet in summer and beetles, ants and in a few weeks grass hoppers will be important food sources. I'm seeing plenty of small grass hoppers about at the moment ( late January ) and think by mid February they'll be on the wing and some will end up as trout food! This is a bit late this season and it's a time most fly fishers look forward to as big trout love them. Meanwhile, a red tag in size 14 has been a great all rounder fly and hard to beat.

The large Hydro storages are generally fishing well in the mornings and evenings. With Mudeye patterns producing some good fish. There's also been some excellent midge hatches and associated fishing on calm afternoon/evenings as well. A midgeball with a pupae on the dropper rig works well when their on so be prepared. At present lake Eucumbene is about 54 % and lake Jindabyne is steady at 80 % while Tantangara - out from Adaminaby is at 24% and rising a little.

Paul Bourne.

December 2011 Fly Fishing Report

Well Christmas is fast approaching as I write. What a fantastic month December has been so far. Plenty of mixed weather - perfect for great fishing opportunities. It's so good to see regular rainfall through out the whole region. The mountains are looking fantastic for the summer holiday period. Wild flowers are blooming and every where is green.

Once again Christmas holiday makers will strike the jackpot with virtually every piece of water in the mountains likely to fish well. So far this month has seen all sorts of hatches. Beetles, Mayflies, Caddis, Ants and the like will continue to be on the menue for some time yet. There are plenty of large Kosciuszko Mayfly nymphs in most of the larger rivers and if your lucky enough to strike the right humid conditions you may well see one of these great hatches - and yes trout love 'em. They are big and a size 10 Kosi dun imitation or an Adams will do the trick.

I've noted plenty of small hoppers about so later in summer will be good for these. Meanwhile Red Tags, Wulffs, Para Duns etc. will all work well at the right time. Afternoon spinner falls are and will continue to be common so watch out for them. Spent Red and Black spinners in sze 14 or 16 can be handy.

When flows are a bit high the bead head on a dropper under a dry rig will be a great and productive option. I like size 14 or 16 Tungsten B/H Pheasant Tails for the dropper and either a large Wulff or Stimulator for the dry in this scenario.

Apart from all the fantastic river and stream options, the major hydro storages should fire as well. With continued rain they just keep on rising. Eucumbene is well over 50%, Jindabyne pretty much 80% and Tantangara was 35% last time I looked! Wow what change from a few short years ago. The pick to this point has definitely been Lake Eucumbene - although they'll all fish well for summer. Midge hatches, caddis, ants and beetles have been around on the right evening and Mudeyes are starting to really get the fish going. There have been some excellent Browns at times.

The weather should continue to dish up a mixed bag over the summer period and temperatures have been reasonably mild to this point. If your making your way down for the holidays come prepared as anything can happen in the Snowies. There will be plenty of people about so please show some consideration and we'll all have a great Christmas.

Paul Bourne.

November 2011 Fly Fishing Report

November has kept up the trend of great fly fishing with most waters providing some excellent spring fly fishing.

As is to be expected, now that drought is a fading memory, the weather has thrown up a bit of everything. There's been some wonderful sunny conditions and some cool rainy days as well - typical late spring conditions. We are getting a few thunderstorms as I write this! So I'm expecting water levels everywhere will be good for the rest of the season.

These changable conditions will likely continue into summer and that should mean great fishing most of the time. Most aquatic insects will hatch under humid conditions so keep an eye out for some good mayfly hatches. Kosciuszko maylies, Black Spinner mayflies - both large and small, will be common. Tiny Caenis mayflies may also be on the menue early morning in some slower waters. Caddis hatches are now common place and this will continue. Meanwhile, stonefly numbers will be decreasing.

Watch out for various terrestrial insects too. Beetles, ants and the like will find their way onto the water over the coming months especially around flowering bankside vegitation. I've noticed a few Tea Tree beetles at lower altitudes and we're due for a good hatching year - they seem to have peak years every now and then. Trout do love these little black with tan/orange wing cased morsels. I usually use them in size 14.

Red tags, Royal Wulffs, Adams and the like will all produce, but occasional hatches may be better fished with an imitative pattern. Flows will continue to rise and fall a bit so size 14 -18 bead head nymphs should regularly be handy on a dropper below a dry fly. A big Royal Wulff, Humpy or Stimulator is a good indicator dry fly in stronger flows.

The lakes just keep on rising. Eucumbene is at 50%, Jindabyne has hit 80% again and Tantagara is over 30%. Most lake fly fishers are rejoicing and the next month will see midge, caddis, beetle and ant hatches on the increase. Mudeyes (dragonfly lava) will be hatching in better numbers and fishing a fur fly, Craig's Nightime or "Simo" into the night will be popular for some.

Personally I love the rivers and streams and the lead up to Christmas will provde some splendid fly fishing. I'll be out there every chance I get!

Paul Bourne.

October 2011 Fly Fishing Report

The season's off to a great start and as is usually the case plenty of Rainbows ran the major mountain rivers to spawn. There will still be good numbers of these fish hanging about for some time yet.

Unlike early season when heavy Glo Bugs and larger tungsten bead head nymphs were needed to get down to fish, water levels have subsided a bit and into November a big dry and nymph on the dropper will generaly be the rig of favor in the larger rivers( the Eucumbene River out of Adaminaby and the Thredbo River at the Jindabyne end of the Mountains). The trusty Royal Wulff and Adams in size 10 or 12 or even an Orange or Olive Stimulator is a fair choice for the dry fly as we'll see some big mayfly duns and the odd big stonefly as spring progresses.

There are also a lot of the small "stonies" or needle flies about and they can tempt fish to the surface during their egglaying sorties in the afternoon as will spent mayflies as their hatching increases through out November.

The tableland Monaro region is also on the improve with a few fish showing - most are small and care should be taken - that means catch and realease, to nurture these streams back to their former glory.

It looks like a typical season at the moment with regular thunderstorms (makes me glad I fish Bamboo on some waters instead of lightning rods!) and both warm and some cooler weather in the mix. The region is looking great as we head into another year out of drought.

The big lakes are all still rising, or rising again for two of them. Jindabyne and Tantangara both fell for a while as environmental releases took place. It was especially heartening to see a flood down the mighty snowy again and hopefully we'll see a good trout fishery develope there over the coming years.

Lake Eucumbene is now above the portal and quietly growing. It will be interesting to see how far it comes up this season. Lake fishers have generally been having fun fishing some large wets - Mrs. Simpsons and the like into the night and there's even been a bit of dry fly action with termites and caddis hatches. This should continue through out November.

Spring is rolling along and the fly fishing opportunities over the coming months look great. So head out and wet a line.

Paul Bourne.

Outlook for 2011/2012 Fly Fishing Season

It's been a long winter, but at last there's only a few weeks till we can be out on the rivers and streams again. I managed to have a few fun days polarioding on Jindabyne through winter but the rivers are always where my heart is.

I'm alway's reminding clients about how fickle and unpredictable the weather is in this part of the world and this winter was a perfect example. We started out with the biggest snow storm for 20 years that left 1.65m of snow in the mountains and boy was it cold. Naturally and unfortunately for skiers that didn't last and it soon turned to milder conditions and rain - plenty of it. There's still quite a bit of snow in the mountains and it's holding a lot of water. Lowland areas also had some good rain - so it would be unlikely that water will be a problem this year. Of course, trying to predict the rainfall/weather for the coming months is best left to Houdini. I'd think we'll get our share of rain through out spring, but probably not the huge falls we recieved last spring - don't hold me to that though!

Personally I'd suggest it will be a great season as the region get's used to being " out of Drought". I'm expecting improvement everywhere if that's possible. Last season saw great fly fishing opportunities once the water settled down and that should continue this season.

As is always the case, the rainbow trout spawning runs from lake Eucumbene and Jindabyne into their respective rivers will be the the major attraction first up. I always take a look off the Thredbo river bridge in mid September and can confirm that there's plenty of nice rainbows in the stream at the moment and they'll be around for the opening month or two. Early season water is usually high and fast flowing and I doubt the opening weekend at the start of October will be any different this year. Weighted Glo Bug and Tungston bead head nymphs will be the flies of choice and weight will of course depend on the flow. You must try to have the flies at the fishes level and in strong flows early season, that means close to the bottom. Be prepared to lose a few flies. As is always the case - show restraint and remember these rivers are blue ribbon and have a two fish bag limit. Better to practice catch and release I'd reckon.

Depending on water levels and temperature, we may see some good early hatches on warmer days. Mayflies, Stoneflies and Caddis should be about. I'm always prepared for anything early season so be prepared, this also means bring a rain jacket and warm clothes - anything can happen in the Snowies. The lowland Monaro region had some good winter rainfall as well and this should see it continue to recover.

The large Hydro lakes are all holding more water at this time than for many, many years. Jindabyne is steady at around 82% - ready for some big Snowy river releases. Eucumbene is around 42% and rising. Tantangara is at 25% and falling at the moment.

There seems to be water in the ground everywhere again and the future is bright, so dust off your waders and start checking your gear - it's another great season ahead.

Paul Bourne.

May/June 2011 Fly Fishing Report

May and June have seen the expected slowing of any feeding activity by our local trout. Some fish especially Rainbow trout have continued to rise to the odd hatch of tiny midges and the like, but the Brown trout have been the major quarry.

As is always the case at the seasons end - the big Browns running the large rivers that flow to Hydro lakes are the major target. It has always been a difficult debate - the ethics behind chasing fish on spawning runs. My own opinion is fairly simple. It's been going on for a long time and appears not to have been detrimental to the fishing. Most fish spawn after the close and dig up the redds of many early spawners and the "1 fish over 50cms" limit also slows any would be slaughter. It should also be noted that it is illegal to walk/wade on redds (the gravel areas in which trout spawn) and it's also illegal to target fish "in the act of spawning".

The opportunity to tussle with some large oversize Brown trout certainly attracts some keen anglers. The fish can be less cautious at this time, but on the other hand they aren't really feeding so can offer difficulties as well.

This season has of course seen some excellent fish caught on the run so far and there's only days to go as I write this. But that's been the story in general for the 2010/11 season - definitely one to remember. For starters the drought ended - yaaaaaaaaayyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. That in it' self was enough to get excited about. It was easy to forget that fish - trout especially :) love water.

We started with a lot of high water and some tricky conditions that called for thought and experience to gain results and then, when water levels lowered a bit, the fishing was truly fantastic with plenty of sizable fish about and a few very memorable ones amongst them. I'm definitely optimistic for the future of the regions trout fishery. Water is indeed the key ingredient and hopefully the lowland Monaro rivers will fire up in a season or two as well.

Meanwhile winter is here. There'll be a few fun polarioding days on the lakes, but seriously, next season's only four months away!

Paul Bourne.

April 2011 Fly Fishing Report

April provided excellent fly fishing with some of the most settled weather of the season. The seasons close is now only a month or so away. Brown trout will start to move into the major rivers with each rainfall event from here till the close on the June long weekend.

Some glorious autumn weather is still persisting as I write this and good dry fly fishing is still about, but will become less consistent now - especially for brown trout. They'll start to get more interested in spawning and are more likely to be chasing each other and pairing up rather than feeding. Still as I said there are still some good days left and some will continue to rise and feed in general for a while yet. Insect activity is on a rapid decline now as is typical late season, although some of the smaller mayflies are still about in numbers in some waters. Tiny midges will temp some fish to rise and the rainbows are definitely still keen to feed. Nymphs on a droper and sometimes deeper depending on the water depth may be needed to find a few at times.

The brown trout spawning run will gain plenty of attention with every minor rise in water levels in the large rivers flowing to the major hydro lakes. Don't forget that the Eucumbene river and Thredbo river are classed as spawning rivers from the end of April till the season's end - this means a 1 fish over 50cms. bag limit on these rivers. As always on rivers a catch ,photo and release policy is a better idea. Deep fished nymphs and, once spawning commences glo bugs will be the most productive methods for tackling a few of these big bruisers as they move up from the lakes.

The lakes themselves should fish well over the coming month as they're all reasonably stable at the moment. Eucumbene is about 35%, Jindabyne 78% and Tantangra is down to about 14%. Yabby and small fish patterns tend to fish well a this time of year and by all accounts the fish are in excellent condition.

The school holidays combined with the Easter/Anzac holiday saw record numbers visit the mountains and enjoy the fishing, now as it settles down a little the final burst of fishing for the season should be wonderful and cap off a fantastic season.

Paul Bourne.

March 2011 Fly Fishing Report

Autumn is now with us and the days are growing a little cooler and shorter. We keep getting a mixed bag of beautiful soft light autumn days and some rainy ones.

Notably the coastal ranges - headwaters of many Monaro rivers - have received plenty of water. Up to 500mm in some areas! The mountains haven't had it too bad either, with a few inches here and there. Consequently most rivers and streams have excellent water levels and have occasionally been a bit high. This scenario will most likely continue as "drought" becomes a fading memory.

Fish love water and that's been obvious this season as there has generally been excellent fly fishing for plenty of notable fish. Naturally it isn't always easy and we'd probably tire of it if it were. The softer light of autumn as I mentioned tends to make it a little easier for trout to spot anglers. Successful fly fishers take their time and exhibit plenty of caution at this time of season.

Hatches of aquatic insects are on the increase and I've noticed numerous mayflies, caddis, stoneflies and few dobson flies as well. So be prepared, as occassional fussy fish will need a bit more thought on fly selection as well as approach. It's a mixed bag at this time of year with both large and tiny insects being apparent. One minute it's tiny Baetis may flies and the next it's larger black spinners and the like. Fortunately many of the mountain fish are often not too fussy about what flies they take and large trout in particular will want a big mouthful if they can get it. Trout know that winter is fast approaching and now through to the end of April will be their last chance for a decent feed.

Cooler weather has naturally seen an improvement in fly fishing the larger impoundments. Shore based fly fishers are still getting good results with mudeye type flies fished into the night. Lake Jindabyne is remaining static. Lake Eucumbene continues to rise and is now visable from the portal. Naturally Tantangara continues to fall as the portal remains open and empties it's water into Lake Eucumbene. Maybe next season will see Eucumbene cover these flats, but I'm a river/stream fisher at heart and don't mind the extra few kilometres of river - we'll have to wait and see.

There's some great fly fishing still to be had and I'm certainly making the most of the seasons remaining couple of months and don't even want to think about the long 4 months of winter just yet!

Paul Bourne

February 2011 Fly Fishing Report

The 2010/11 season continues to provide some excellent fly fishing. We've had a relatively mild summer with a few hot days, but more mild and variably conditions now seem be the norm. Rain is continuing to fall with some regularity and all rivers in the region have the highest water levels seen for late summer for decades - the future is very bright! Mind you picking the right day and location has and will continue to be important as the good rainfall has also meant occasional high water levels in most rivers and streams.

It is still summer and terrestrial flies continue to be the most productive and many fish have been unable to refuse a well presented large fly. Grass hoppers, Bogong Moths and Cicada fly patterns have all produced well. This scenario should continue for at least another month, but hatches of mayflies and caddis will increase as we move into Autumn. Carrying some March brown and Adams dries in #12 - #16 will prove useful, especially on the more placid and smaller waters.

The occasional flooding of the larger rivers -the" Euc, Thredbo and Bidgee" should see a summer run of fish from the lakes. The cooler inflows tend to attract hungry trout a this time of year and many will push up these cool flows in search of a feed.

The big lakes have been a bit warm on the edges for good shore based fly fishing, but recent rain and cooler temps will see a definite improvement on the lake fishing front. At present Lake Jindabyne in hovering around 80% . (no the dam wall didn't burst!! - just a minor problem on Snowy Hydro's website which showed 79% one day and 40% the next.) Eucumbene continues to rise slowly, its a bit over 30% and Tantangara keeps falling as the portal remains wide open - it's about 28%. As usual with the large hydro lakes, Mudeye flies will give good results when fished into the evening.

Some of the smaller empoundments are also fishing well and Guthega lake and Three Mile Dam in the northern part of Kosciuszko National Park have had some memorable days.

All in all the fishing on the right day and location is excellent as the season continues to fly!

Paul Bourne.

January 2011 Fly Fishing Report

Well the Christmas and school holiday makers were certainly lucky. Virtually every piece of trout water has fished well this month and that's likely to continue. .Summer is finally showing itself and the fishing has indeed been excellent. There have of-course been a few thunder storms on some days, that's to be expected and welcomed at this time of year.

Summer is terrestrial time and beetles, grass hoppers, cicadas and the like are about and on the trouts menue. Good if not phenominal numbers of grass hoppers are around the place, so don't hit your favourite spot without them and of -course never head for the mountains without some red tags in size 14. There have also been sone mayflies about and some large Orange Spinners can bring suprising results - these are the adult form of the large Kosciuszko mayfly. Try a size 10 for them! There is still suprisingly good flows in most mountain rivers and streams, so when fish seem invisible it's not a bad idea to try a small bead head nymph a couple of feet below a dropper. In some deeper runs a heavier nymph fished deep can bring results, but it is summer and the dry fly rules! You might also happen upon fish taking tiny Caenid or small Baetid mayflies. Try the 20 -24's for them!.

The next month or two should continue to see fantastic conditions and personally I think we'll all enjoy some of the best late Summer and Autumn conditions seen for decades.

Naturally the large Hydro impoundments are still holding well. Jindabyne has fallen a little but is still around 82% while Lake Eucumbene has risen a little and is about 29%. Tantangra is falling and last reports had it at about 33%. They do continue to fish reasonably well, but warmer weather has seen most fish staying a bit deep and wide. I think as soon as we see some cooler conditions the lakes will fire and many long time lake fishers are predicting an outstanding Autumn. Mean-while Mudeye and Yabby style patters continue to produce good fish if you can avoid the easterly evenings!

Wading summer rivers and polarioding a few on the dry fly is as good as it gets. The mountains are still green and the countryside looks the best it's been for decades. The Snowy's had some heavy flooding through spring early summer and have fortunately so far avoided the devastation seen in other parts of the country - fingers crossed that will continue and we can enter a period of more plentiful times for fly fishers and those on the land throughout the region.

Paul Bourne.

December 2010 Fly Fishing Report

The rain keeps on falling in South Eastern Australia and it really does mean a bright future for fly fishing throughout the region in the coming years. Yes the drought is now a memory it seems -thank god for that! I guess you have to ask what's normal, but conditions do seem somewhat reminiscent of the way things used to be with often high conditions in the mountain rivers till summer. Many are only now begining to return to good levels for fly fishing. Most of the mountain rivers should fish well over the christmas /NewYear period.

There have and will continue to be some good rises to both aquatic and terrestrial insects. I've seen small grasshoppers about, but none on the wing as yet -this is when the fish tend to key in on them as more will then end up on the water. Apart from weighted nymphs, larger (size10 and 12) dry flies have been productive, but with all this water the best results have come from a bit of patience and observation. I've definitely had better results fishing to fish I've located rather than simply searching with the fly. Royal Wullfs and Adams have still produced some fish with duller more imitative patterns working best in the lower flowing waters - if you can find them! Certainly experience of the local conditions in the region has paid dividends.

With mixed weather the fishing isn't always easy and picking the right location for the conditions will continue to give the best results. The northern end of the mountains seems to have more to offer fly fishers at the moment but keep an eye on the weather and rainfall statistics.

The lakes are rising - well Jindabyne (84%) and Tantangara (46%) are and they're both fishing well with plenty of well conditioned fish about. As always they are the best option for those who want a feed. Eucumbene is fishing well but is a bit of a mystery as it remains at 27% . There's definately a bit of raging controversy as Snowy Hydro try and convince everyone that with the best rain and inflows for decades, it's simply" a big lake" - meanwhile sandbaging and floods continue as water pours from the mountains - perhaps N.S.W. and Victorian state governments (that represent the people and own Snowy Hydro) need to tighten the reins -that's all I'll say on the matter!

Summer and the Christmas period is generally a time for excellent evening mudeye fishing in the big lakes. Midge hatches will also continue so come prepared.

As always Christmas is a busy time in the region and should see some excellent fly fishing opportunities. There will be plenty of people about so remember to enjoy yourself and if there's someone where you'd like to fish -simply go somewhere else as there's room for all.

Merry Christmas.

Paul Bourne.

November 2010 Fly Fishing Report

November started off very wet with plenty of rain falling throughout the region. It certainly seems to be reminiscent of pre-drought conditions not seen for more than a decade. Most of the major mountain rivers have been in flood and still remain high. These mountain rivers should fish very well over summer. It's hard to complain about rain when the the whole of south eastern Australia has been dry for so long and sheep and cattle aren't the only ones looking confused as they stand in waist high pastures.

A bit of local knowledge and experience has been invaluable when looking for good water to fish. Those rivers and streams that have remained fishable have provided excellent fishing on the right day. Some good hatches of mayflies, caddis and stoneflies have been common. Most recently tiny black ants have been getting on the wing prior to a thundery afternoon and both lake and river fish have occassionally keyed in on these. Unfortunately they are tiny, about a size 20 or 24!

Along with continued hatches I'd expect to see some more terrestrial activity in the pre-Christmas period. Beetles are starting to be more common so keep a few trusty red tags handy. I generally use them in size 14 but ocassionally an 18 doesn't go astray. Royal Wulff and larger Adams dry flies will continue to produce and a Tungsten bead head nymph rigged on a dropper will of-course still be useful when the water is higher and the fish are not rising.

The major storages are all fishing pretty well, with Jindabyne nearly full (79-80%) and looking great. Lake Eucumbene is the only storage in the system that isn't high (approx. 28% and steady), but from all reports is fishing quite well. Tantangara remains around 35% capacity -which is high for this storage and the portal is wide open as it has been for months. Midge fishing will be a feature in the lakes from now until Christmas and beyond. A midge ball with a small pupae pattern on a dropper is a good rig for the afternoon and evening hatches.

Mudeye (dragon fly lava) hatches will steadily improve from here on in and fishing a mudeye patten fly into the dark should see some action on most evenings.

The weather continues to thow up a mixed bag of thundery afternoons, some rainy days and of-course some bluebird 5 star days in the mix. Farmers are smiling and fly fishers should be too as these conditions set up great fly fishing for the future.

October 2010 Fly Fishing Report

The seasons away and and it's been a great start. Opening weekend saw good conditions generally and plenty of fish were caught in the major rivers - thanks to an excellent Rainbow trout spawning run. It has'nt all been easy as plenty of rain and even a bit of snow has fallen at times in the mountains. Thredbo was awash a week or so ago and it's great to see so much water about.

With the heavy flows in these larger rivers remember it is critical to have the fly get down near the bottom of the river - that's where the fish will be. A weighted globug in tandem with a tungsten bead head nymph may be required to achieve this. That's not easy or much fun to cast . Using a large open loop when casting helps and avoids wacking that heavy combo into your graphite rod! The Rainbow run will continue for some time yet so enjoy yourself and don't forget to limit your kill -not kill your limit.

The weather has been very typical for spring with a bit of everything. There has been some good dry fly fishing in some waters, with Termites getting the trout very excited at times. Trout just can't resist them, although they're not always easy to fool. Dry fly action should increase over the coming weeks, depending on conditions on the day of course. We tend to get some thundery weather in November so this should see some good hatches. The large Kosciuszko mayflies should begin to make an appearance. A large size 10 Adams can work well when the fish key in on the Kosi's so be prepared and keep an eye open. Observing what's going on around you is an important attribute of successful fly fishers.

Ants, beetles, caddis, stoneflies and mayflies will all feature over the coming month, so be prepared. A good selection of dry flies and nymphs are needed to make the most of the hatches and conditions.

The big Hydro lakes - Eucumbene and Jindabyne are rising. Lake Eucumbene is a bit below 30% and Lake Jindabyne is almost 80% as I write this, so both should fish well in the coming weeks. Polarioding the edge, looking for hatches and early morning/evening fishing should all be productive. A caddis nymph and a mudeye fly pattern will be invaluable for an evening session in either lake. Tantangara dam is also rising and is around 35% at the moment. That's much higher than it's been for years, so it wil lalso be worth a look.

Much like all of eastrn Australia, the Snowy's and Monaro are green and looking fantastic at the moment and the fishing over the coming months should be memorable.

Paul Bourne.

Season 2010/11 Outlook

There's a liitle over two weeks to go till the begining of another trout season and all indications point to it be another good season. You'd have had to have your head in the sand to not know that most of south eastern Australia has had some good rainfall over the last 4-6 months. Is the drought over? Only time will tell, but at the moment all is looking good for the Snowy Mountains and not too bad for the Monaro either.

The Mountains have seen a slow but above average snow season with record August falls the likes of which have not been seen for decades. Mind you the other months were slow. It looks like the snow pack will have peaked at 1.92 metres - thats above average and there's been some good rainfall over the last few weeks also. I'd expect water levels to be most likely on the high side for the opening weekend and beyond. There's still plenty of snow up there and the warmer spring temperatures should see some good storms and associated rainfall. We all like fishing in beautiful weather, but fly fishing is an outdoor persuit and it's hard to be disappointed if the stuff the trout live in starts falling from the sky! Anyway after a long cold winter I can't wait to be out on the rivers and streams again.

The lower altitude areas of the Monaro recieved good rain prior to winter and have had a few lesser falls since. Most streams on the Monaro are flowing, but I'd expect it will take some time for fish numbers to increase. If you do look at these waters and manage to find a fish or two, please show some commonsense and return them unharmed. That way these waters may return to their brillant best in a season or two.

So what can we look forward to for the first few weeks? Bead heads and glow bugs will be the norm for the major rivers that flow into the hydro lakes and as I mentioned earlier - come prepared for some high water and associated heavy flies. I stopped in on the Koscuisko Road Bridge over the Thredbo river a couple of days ago and there were plenty of nice fish in there to tease me! The Eucumbene will of course be much the same. These Rainbows are a lot of fun and tend to fight well in the faster currents. Again, show restraint and remember both the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers are classified "Blue Ribbon" and therefore have a two fish bag limit. A good photo sounds like a better option as these spawn run fish are poor eating.

If it's a feed your after then the big lakes are the go and they are a bit bigger this year with all that water! The fish you'll find there will be well conditioned and silvery. Lake Jindabyne has risen substantially and was around 70% last time I looked. The big question this season is - will Lake Eucumbene get up onto Providence flats? Time will tell, but lets hope so. Anyone who knows me knows I have a definite preference for river/stream fly fishing - but if the flats get covered the fishing WILL be fantastic and I won't be missing out.

All in all it should be the best season for years - and that's saying something as the last couple were pretty good, so get out there and enjoy. I'm expecting to have a busy season so if your planning to seek some guiding - book early.

Paul Bourne.

May/June 2010 fly Fishing Report

As I wright this there are only a few weeks left in season 09/10. By all accounts it was another excellent season. It's early days yet, but with some luck, the big dry in south eastern Australia may be over. I sure hope so. March and April were quite dry, but in only the last week or so excellent rain has again fallen across the region and there's definately more coming. Now a big snow year and we'll all be jumping about and dancing - it's been over a decade since this part of the world has had consistent rain.

Anyway, to matters at hand. Rain in the mountains at this time of season bring some good fish into the larger rivers - notably the Thredbo and Eucumbene. The high mountains at the Jindabyne end of the Snowys tend to get a little more water than the Adaminaby (northern end), but all waters now have a sufficient flow for the major fish runs to start. Again I'll remind fly fishers of the need for some constraint and the fact that the bag limit for both the Thredbo river and Eucumbene river is only 1 fish and it must be over 50 cms long. I think a nice photo is a better idea as the fish are far more valuable if they're left in the water.Glow gugs will come into thier own now that some fish will be spawning and wether to fish it weighted or in combination with a weighted nymph will depend on the flow. As always you need the fly to be at the fishes level with this sort of fishing.

These autumn run Browns can be qute a bit spookier than there springtime rainbow bretheren, so try not to be seen. It can be great fun latching on to a few of these hefty Browns - it's the last real opertunity for the season so enjoy it.

There will of-course be some polaroid fly fishing on sunny days in Jindabyne in winter and I'll be out ther a few times - even if it's just to enjoy the walk.

Have a good winter.

Paul Bourne.

April 2010 Fly Fishing Report

Late autumn is now with us and winter isn't to far away. Easter has come and gone and the fishing has been quite good on the right day. Earlier this month saw some warm and clear weather with some exceptional days. As is is always the case, too much of a good thing tends to see the fish's feeding activity slow a little.We're now seeing some variable weather and the fishing should be good through till the seasons end on the June long weekend.

Some good rain has fallen in the region and most rivers and streams have seen a rise in water levels. This will trigger some big browns to start running the major rivers that run into the big hydro lakes. The Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers will now attract anglers looking for "the big one". Don't forget that both these streams have a change in bag limit from the 1st of May through to the end of the season. Only 1 fish over 50 cms. can be kept from these two rivers at this time. Ofcourse these fish are running these rivers to spawn and it's far wiser to return them unharmed so they can guarantee fly fishing in the future. Each succesive rainfall event from here on in will see more and more fish entering these rivers. Also remember, it is illegal to fish for fish that are engaged in spawning and it is also illegal to walk/wade on spawning redds. These are the gravel areas at the back of pools and in some shallower runs and glides.

It can be fun catching these big trout and there are a number os successful methods. When the run first starts many fish will be resting over in larger pools as they travel up and at first few will be spawning. These early fish can be best chased with a nymph under a big dry if they're not too deep or on a warmer day. Once a number of fish have begun to spawn, eggs will start to roll down the river as more and more fish compete for the available spawning gravel. It's now time to give the Glo Bug and nymph combo a try. Some fly fishers will also fish the river mouth areas of the lakes on into the night in the hope of a monster! Big and black can be a good recipe for flies with this in mind. The big ones tend to run the rivers in the dead of night - I'm usually in bed then, but some fly fishers have the bug! Don't forget that when fishing any deeper or faster water it is always critical to be near the bottom - that's where the fish will be.

Theer will still be some dry fly fishing available under the right conditions and small mayflies and midges will continue to entice some fish into feeding. Rainbows will certainly continue to feed when given the chance and if in doubt try to target these. Small flies will work well but don't forget that bigger fish will still sometimes take a big fly given the chance. autumn days can be very pleasant, but the soft light helps fish see clumsy fly fishers - so be careful!

The big lakes are falling a bit but continue to povide some good fishing in the morning and evenings. As I said earlier, try the river mouth areas as fish will begin to congregate there waiting for the right time to run the rivers. Lumo flies and wooly buggers continue to work well and as is the case generally at this time of seson, the rainbows should continue to feed well.

There's less than two months left in the season - it's definately been a good one, so make the most of it.

Paul Bourne.

February/March 2010 Fly Fishing Report

Well what can I say. Water, water everywhere. As I'm sure most people realise the Snowy Monaro region, much like many other parts of the country is experiencing the best rainfall for many, many years. Even better, it's forecast to continue as many pundits, including the C.S.I.R.O. are predicting an end to Australia's long and protracted Big Dry. I sure hope they're right. Time will of course tell and I'm certainly hoping to be out fishing the Monaro in a season or two!

Anyway back to the fishing at hand - the Snowies. The Mountains have of course also been getting rain, with the southern ( Jindabyne ) end receiving most. It's been a long time since I've seen levels in the Thredbo River hold up so well through out a summer. The Northern ( Adaminaby ) end has received less water, but now that high summer is over the rivers and streams here are flowing and fishing well. At least a few inches of rain are forecast for the next four or five days as I'm wrighting this! Keep it coming Huey!

With a fair amount of variety in the weather, the fishing has also been variable. Grass hoppers are and should continue to work well in the northern parts of the mountains and lower regions. The end of the hottest part of the season will see some fair mayfly hatches over the coming weeks. Small Rusty or Black spinner mayflies are common at the moment. These should be tied on a #16 or #18 hook. A normal pattern that's been clipped underneath will work well if fish are fussy when they're taking spent spinners. These tend to be falling on the water mid to late afternoon and you might also find fish "cleaning them up" in the morning. The small Baetis mayflies also start to appear from now till late in the season. These are the Blue Winged Olives and there are plenty of commercial fly patterns around to imitate them. Again, keep them small - #16 to #20will do the trick. There are many other usefull flies for the coming weeks and all will depend on the conditions. Red tags, Royal Wullfs and Adams are dry flies I'm never without, as are Pheasant tail and Hares ear nymphs.

Cooler weather and rain will also see the large hydro lakes ( Eucumbene and Jindabyne ) continue to be productive. The usual Mudeye and Yabby flies will do well on or after dark and an Olive nymph or shrimp pattern is useful at this time of season. Both lakes have fallen a few percent but are at reasonable levels. If we have reasonable snow season we should see the "flats" at Providence on lake Eucumbene covered next season. As most keen lake anglers know, these have been dry for a number of years and when they do go under - look out!. Even a die hard stream fisher like myself will be out there.

The season continues to fly and I'll be enjoying the coming weeks and enjoying the weather!

Paul Bourne.

January 2010 Fly Fishing Report

The new-year started out with some excellent dry fly fishing in the various rivers and streams through out the region. Although mid month saw some very hot conditions affecting the fishing in some waters.

Thankfully those conditions have abated and cooler weather has seen the fishing improving. I'd expect that to remain for the latter part of the month. It's even forecast to snow a little as I'm writing this report!

As is to be expected in summer, it's terrestrial time. Beetles and grasshopper flies have been very successful and this will continue to be the case for another month or so. As will deep-fished nymphs for times when the fish are playing hard to get.

Most streams and rivers have reasonable water levels for summer, with the southern parts of the Snowy Mountains having the most flows. The Thredbo River has fished very well and with plenty of holiday makers about the fish are not easy. Fine and far has always been the rule for summer and when fishing pressure is at it's highest. Also remember that rain storms are common this time of year so bring a jacket.

The big hydro lakes have remained reasonably stable and have fished well when it hasn't been too hot. If the lake shallows become warm then the fish will simply avoid the edges and stay out deep, so it pays to keep an eye on what's been happening. Again, condition should be much milder over coming weeks and shore based lake fishing will improve.

Summer is also terrestrial time on the lakes and windy days fished on the right piece of shoreline can produce some excellent fish. Pick an area with the wind blowing off grass that's not too far from the edge and also with a little depth. These places can be favourite cruising areas for big browns on the look out for grasshoppers. Try to chase a few of the real thing out first and wait for some action!

Evening fishing on the lakes has been good on the right day - usually yesterday! Seriously, it's not always easy to pick the right evening for mudeye hatches, so you'll need to persist. Craig's Nightimes, Fur flies all work well during summer evenings.

The coming months are expected continue to provide some rainfall in the region. So when the crowds abate and guiding slows down, I know where I'll be.

Paul Bourne.

December 2009 Fly Fishing Report

This month started out a bit dry but good rain in the holiday lead up has seen all waters looking good for the Christmas break.

I've always enjoyed fly fishing in December as there usually aren't too many people about and the regions rivers and streams tend to fish very well on dry flies. That always depends on the weather of course and as every one who has ever visited the mountains will know, anything can happen - so come prepared.

Good mayfly hatches have continued this month, but as summer takes a grip these will slow in favour of terrestrial insects. I've noted some tea tree beetles about, but after the large hatches of these last season, I'm not expecting to see the same again. They tend to peak about every three or four years. Still any beetle pattern works well at this time of year.

There are a large number of small grasshoppers about and when these get on the wing some time in January the fishing should be great. Hopper time can be spectacular and if we have some good summer rain trout from the lakes can run the bigger rivers to feed on them. So fingers crossed!

The lakes have managed to keep their levels quite well and have only dropped a percent or two in the past month. This should also mean some good hopper fishing, as grassy are that harbour the grasshoppers will remain relatively close to the water an the trout in those areas should key in on them. So long as water temps don't get too high, the fish will patrol areas that hoppers will blow in to the water on warm windy days. It's not a bad idea to walk around in the grass in these spots and try to get a few grasshoppers on the wing and blown in the water. The kicking of their legs should definitely bring some fish on!

Grasshoppers won't be the only attraction for the lakes. Midge hatches have been productive and will continue to attract some trout activity. A small buzzer pattern about 50cm. behind a midge ball isn't a bad way to approach midging fish, but they can be tough at times.

Most higher altitude lakes and streams fish well over summer and generic dry flies such as Red Tags, Parachute Adams etc. will always catch their share of fish.

Do remember that summer sees an increase in visiting fly fishers in the mountains and try to look to the future when you have some success. A released trout can fight another day and also will have the opportunity to breed and ensure fishing for the future. I always advise anyone looking for a feed to fish the big lakes, as they are well stocked and managed for this.

Paul Bourne.

November 2009 Fly Fishing Report

November, as I'm sure most of you know has been fairly warm throughout the whole country. The Snowys certainly have also been experiencing weeks of warm sunny weather. The fishing has been pretty good in the streams as a result, but enough is enough. Fortunately it seems the hot stuff is over and we are having some changable weather again ,with a few storms and rain thrown in. As I said the fishing has generally been good in the rivers and streams, but I've always found that weeks on end of sunny days tends to see the fishing slow down a bit.

Anyway, there's still plenty of water about and some rivers could even still be called "a bit high" - the Thredbo River received a some rain a few days ago and it is still getting snow melt so has been higher than it has been at this time of year for a long time. The rivers in the northern end of the mountains are generally a bit lower than those that are getting snowmelt/run-off from the higher main range area.

It is and will continue to be a great time of season for dry fly fishing. If you strike things right you may enjoy some good hatches of some of our larger mayflies. These are of course the Kosciuszko mayfly commonly refered to as the Kossie Dun and the common Black Spinner mayfly. On large still pools in some streams you may also find some Red Spinner mayflies - these fly close to the water and when spent the trout love them! You'll need flies in #10 for the Kossies and #12-14 for the Red and Black Spinners. You might also come across some of the much smaller Caenis mayflies on overcast or foggy mornings. They're tiny but the fish can really get into them at times - #20 or 22 for these!

I'm still seeing plenty of Stoneflies and Caddis about in the flowing freestone rivers ansd streams, so always keep a few Elk Hair Caddis on hand and if you don't have anything specific an Adams will cover for both Stonies and Caddis in #14 -16. Between now and mid autumn there will always be a few beetles about, so keep carrying those trusty Redtags and some time in December should see some Tea Tree beetles begin to emerge.

As I said earlier there is still plenty of water about and you may need to fish a nymph with a little weight occasionally to get the fly to the fish. Unless flows are very high - in which case a heavier Bead Head nymph is needed, I've always fancied the Pheasant tail nymph. It cuts a thinner profile and tends to get down in the water quite well and of course the trout love them too!

The earlier warm weather saw the Snowy Hydro begin to draw water for electicity (air conditioners in the city). So naturally the big empoundments have begun to fall a bit. They're still fishing quite well and good midge hatches have been a feature at times especially at lake Eucumbene. The closer we get to Christmas the more regular mudeye (Dragon fly lava) hatches will become. I'd guess, with the increased water levels in the big lakes, we'll see an excellent mudeye year. Fur Flys, Craigs Nightimes and Cordiloid patterns are some of the best for imitating mudeyes and any weedy bay area can turn it on.

With some rain on the way the season continues to shape up well and the following weeks will be excellent. Guiding tends to slow a bit on the run into Chritmas, so I'll certainly be out and bending the bamboo on a few!

Paul Bourne.

October 2009 Fly Fishing Report

Well what a great way to start the season. Rain and snow with some more rain and snow just for good measure! I think approximately 1metre of snow fell from the last days of September through to the first couple of weeks of October. I even woke to heavy snow falling in Cooma one morning. This is of course why they're called the Snowy Mountains and should remind everyone that the weather in this region can do anything at any time of year - so when visiting, come prepared.

Naturally this has meant some very high and in some cases occasionally coloured water. As was to be expected, plenty of nice Rainbows have been caught during the first couple of weeks. The numbers seem to have fallen back a bit now, but I'd say we'll have some later run fish as the waters drop. These trout have'nt always been easy due to the high flows - that are only starting to drop a little now. Fly fishers have needed to fish very heavy. This has generally meant two well weighted flies - not much fun to throw around. The Muppet (dumbell eyed globug) and heavy tungsten bead head nymph rig will probably still be useful in the larger spawning rivers (Eucumbene and Thredbo) for a few weeks yet.

I'm sure we'll continue to get some rain, but it does all seem to be easing off and things should return to more normal conditions. By this I mean the rivers should see falling levels and with some warmer weather we will start to see some dry fly fishing. Late October and early November will see mayfly hatches increase. Caddis and some stone flies are also usually present. Some of the largest mayfly species in the region tend to hatch well over the next month or so, so come prepared with a few #10, 12 &14 dun patterns. Both the Adams and March Brown are good all round mayfly dun imitations and there are of course some species specific patterns.

Beetles also are starting to appear with the warmer conditions. As always, don't leave home without some trusty Red Tags in # 14. Of course flowing mountain rivers and spring go hand in hand with other useful generic flies. The Royal Wulff should be at the top of any ones list as should the Elk Hair Caddis. Spring can often mean thunder storms so keep and eye out for termites and other ant species. Trout seem to love them! There are also plenty of other productive patterns for the following month or so, that's why your fly vest has so many pockets and some fly fishers will try to carry them all!

Various bead head nymphs in different sizes and weights can be useful for fish lying deep. Chocolate brown and Hares Ear colours are favourites, as is the ever reliable Pheasant Tail nymph.

With all this water about the big hydro lakes are rising and at times are fishing very well. Lake Eucumbene is over 30% and Lake Jindabyne is above 60%. They should both continue to rise for some time yet. Shore based fly fishers have done well with Mrs Simpsons and other yabbie based patterns. Stick caddis also produce well at this time of season.

All in all it is shaping up to be an excellent season.

Paul Bourne.

Outlook for 09/10 fly fishing season

As I write this there's a little over a month to go until once again we get to wet a line and chase some trout with the fly - I did manage to try my hand with the polaroiding on lake Jindabyne a few times throughout winter. I even caught a couple of nice fish! Which I can assure you isn't always the case with this type of fly fishing. Personally I'm just itching to be out wandering the beautiful streams and rivers of the Snowy Monaro again.

So how is it shaping up? Well we won't be breaking any records for snowfall this winter, but I don't think that will pose a problem for the mountain rivers and streams. As the snowfalls have slowed the rainfall has increased - not so good for skiers, but fine for those who love to wave the long wand! Certainly at this stage it looks like we'll have plenty of water about the place - so I'm predicting a pretty normal season.

The Monaro region still remains in drought. Surely one day the dry conditions that have prevailed here will turn around. It's been more than a decade since the legendary Monaro rivers have been productive. "Oh well", fingers crossed, maybe next year.

The mountain rivers have fished pretty well the last few seasons and I have no doubt this will continue. I work up in the snow in winter and when the sun's out and I'm heading home I often have a tantalizing look at the fish running the Thredbo River. As is usually the case at this time of year there are plenty of fish in the river and there's a few nice ones amongst them. The story's the same at the northern end of the Snowys in the Eucumbene River.

Tungsten Bead Head nymphs and Glo Bugs are the usual fare for the early season spawn run Rainbow trout. The weight required depends on the flow. At the moment I'd say there will be a fair amount of water in the rivers - but keeping an eye on the rainfall in the area a week or two before the season opens will give fly fishers a better idea of what to expect. The season does appear to be a bit early this year so "who knows" there may even be a few caddis, stoneflies and mayflies about.

So if you've not yet dusted off year gear, I'd suggest you do so. Check your rod. Clean your fly line. How's your tippet material - remember, most tippet will begin to break down once it's a season or two old. Do you have spare leaders? How's the fly selection. Grimy, matted flies can be rejuvenated by holding them over steam - the forceps you may carry are good for this. It's also a good time to check the waders for any leaks. Remember the water is pretty cold early season! Fill them with water and mark the spots and then when they dry you can apply some Aqua Seal - it's definitely the best wader repair gear out there.

So we're all ready to go. Have a good season.

Paul Bourne.

April 2009 Fly Fishing Report

Summer has ended and we are now into much cooler weather. Some much-needed rain has fallen and hopefully this trend will continue. Around 70mm. of rain fell in most parts of the district.

There's only a month or so till the season closes on the June long weekend and the fishing has, as is usually the case this time of year, slowed down a little. There are still a few mayflies and caddis about on the warmer days and a size 12 Adams has worked well for me. The fish are a bit spooky and shell shot, due to the pressure of Easter - but a well presented fly coupled with good stalking skills will still tempt them.
Tiny black midges are also common at this time If you come across fish rising to these tiny insects you'll need the smallest fly in your box. A size 28 can be too big for these! Small nymphs and midge pupa patterns are also a good choice at the moment and can be fished on a dropper a couple of feet (2/3 of a meter) under a dry fly.

As I mentioned the fish can be easily spooked at his time in the season. Until we receive some heavy rain the streams and rivers will generally remain low and clear. The sun is now lower in the sky than a month or two ago and the softer light makes polarioding (spotting fish with polarized glasses) more difficult. The odds are now more in favor of the fish spotting us first if we're not careful. Move slowly and be sure to wear dull clothing.

The large lakes are fishing well in the cooler conditions and some very well conditioned rainbows are about. Lake Eucumbene is at around 18% and Jindabyne is at 48% of capacity. Both are still slowly dropping. Mudeye flies are still working well, as are yabby patterns. As with the streams a small midge pupa on a dropper behind the larger fly can make the difference. Some large browns are also reportedly starting to school at the mouth of the larger rivers flowing into the lakes and if we manage to get a significant rainfall event these fish will begin to run the rivers. So start to tie a few glow bugs for the coming weeks!
Night fishing at these river mouths will also become more popular and many fly fishers will begin to fish throughout the night in the hope of landing that once in a lifetime fish. Big black Woolly Buggers are often the fly of choice for these brave fishers' I gave up fishing through sub zero nights many years ago!

The forecast does tend toward more rain over the coming weeks' I hope so. I learnt along time ago to never begrudge rain. Late autumn/early winter rain has been very poor over the past decade so it would be great to se some good spawning flows throughout the region.

Paul Bourne.

February/March 2009 Fly Fishing Report.

A short heatwave in early February was soon followed by cooler weather. Subsequently most waters have fished well over the last month or so. Some welcome rain has fallen in the region over the last few days. This has been the first significant rain for a couple of months. The rivers and streams have maintained excellent water levels this summer - no doubt this is thanks to the heavy snowfall back in late November. Autumn is now officially with us. The cool temperatures and pleasant days should see continued excellent fly fishing.

The larger rivers - the Thredbo and Eucumbene - have fished well on the right day. Grass hopper and beetle flies have fooled plenty of fish. There have also been some good may fly hatches during the past month and these can bring out the best fish in the river. These rivers can be difficult when the fish don't want to play ball. Good fly fishing always revolves around cooperative trout and if there isn't food on offer sometimes the fish will simply hide and lie low until it's worth while exposing themselves.

Gentle flows, clear water - this definitely spells spooky trout. So long leaders and a careful approach are usually required. I'd expect grasshopper flies to still bring results until early April, although the size of these should now be a bit smaller. Beetles as always will remain a good option and as April approaches we will see a few good hatches. The small Baetis may flies always continue through until late in the season - so have some size 16/18 Blue Wing Olives on hand. Small brown Seals Fur and Pheasant tail nymphs can also be handy when it seams a bit quiet.

The large waters of Lake Eucumbene and Jindabyne have continued to fish reasonably well, especially late afternoon and on/after dark. Reports of good mudeye (dragon fly lava) hatches continue. There are plenty of good mudeye flies around and an old favourite of mine is the Craigs NightTime fly. The lake fish are in good condition, even though these lakes continue to drop. Falling water levels are the norm in autumn and usually this persists through to winter.

The small alpine lakes, such as Three Mile Dam have also been fishing well and the pleasant weather should see this continue to be the case.

Autumn is a beautiful time in the mountains. Softer light and mild days can also be good for the fish and they tend to take advantage of any feeding opportunity. I'll certainly be wetting a line every chance I get!

Paul Bourne.

January 2009 Fly Fishing Report.

Summer is well and truly under way and the fly fishing has been very good. It's difficult to think of any water that hasn't fished well on the right day.

All the mountain rivers and streams are flowing well and the odd summer storm should see these levels hold well over the next month or so. Beetles have been on the menu on most streams. Every few years we see an exceptionally large Tea Tree Beetle hatch and this has certainly been one of those years The small (size 14 - 16) black beetles with and orange/tan wing case were everywhere in late December and there are still some about. The fish should take an imitation for a while yet. Although I do remember a few days when I think they'd had enough - a bit like a cat in a mouse plague!

There have also been a number of good Mayfly hatches and this will continue. The small (size 16) Red Spinner Mayflies have been common and there seems to be plenty of mature nymphs of this species under the rocks in most streams.

There have been plenty of small grass hoppers about and a few are starting to develop wings, so I'd suggest the hopper fishing is only a week or two away on most streams - it's already under way on the lakes and some slightly lower altitude rivers.

The big Hydro lakes - Eucumbene and Jindabyne have been rising and fished well. Eucumbene especially so. They are both levelling off now but are continuing to produce some good fish. Apart from the usual summer evening Mudeye fishing, some fly fishers have had some excellent grasshopper fishing and polarioding on the right day. The key to this fishing is finding a hopper laden grassy bank with a stiff breeze to blow the hoppers out on the water - and of course your favourite grasshopper fly.

The smaller high altitude alpine lakes have also fished well. Beetles, caddis and midges are most often encountered on these waters and warm sunny days will see the fish on the lookout for some surface food.

Summer is a great time in the mountains and when I'm not guiding or teaching I'll be out wandering a beautiful high country stream.

Paul Bourne.

November/December 2008 Fly Fishing Report

Rain and snow have been the news for late November. The fishing was good up to this point, but the water was definitely needed. The whole Main Range received around 50cms.of snow in one dump - the highest November falls for 20 years. Add to this 50mm.+ falls of rain a few times throughout the region and it's not hard to see why the rivers and streams have been high during the last week of November and the first week of December.

Some further, lighter falls are expected in the lead up to the New-year. This will mean the rivers will remain in top condition through out the coming months. Most waters are now dropping and clearing and should fish very well in the few weeks prior to Christmas.

Mayfly, Caddis, Stonefly and other aquatic insects will be on the menu. Early summer also sees an increase in terrestrial insect activity - so don't leave home without some trusty Red Tags # 14 and any other favourite beetle pattern flies. I've also noted plenty of nymphal grasshoppers about and I'm sure there will be a few on the wing and therefore on the trouts diet by Christmas.

As always the mountains can experience a variety of weather - some times all in one day, so be prepared to fish deep with a bead head nymph if the surface fishing is quiet.

The big lakes Eucumbene and Jindabyne have improved with rising levels due to the rain and snow. Lake Jindabyne is approx. 54% and Lake Eucumbene has risen to around 24%. Both can provide some excellent midge fishing at this time of year so carry a few Midge balls and Buzzer flies. Mudeye hatches should start to increase on the right evening as summer takes hold. Fur Mudeyes, Cordiloid and some traditional patterns such as Craig's Nightime will all work well fished slowly in the surface film.

All in all it looks like continuing to be a good season for fly fishers. The only blimp at the moment is The N.S.W. Governments decision/attempt to close Gaden Trout Hatchery. This has been seen and taken as a direct attack on the states trout fishery. Ten years ago the Snowy trout fishery was estimated to generate $70 million for the state economy and provide upwards of 700 hundred jobs. The cost of running the Gaden Hatchery is less than a 1/2 million Dollars. With economists like the State Government in control no wonder they're broke! It's pointless for me to harp on about their obvious stupidity - so if you'd like to let the N.S.W. Labor Government know how you feel about this issue - write to the Premier and the Minister for DPI. and let them know that the 100 year old trout fishery WILL still be here long after they are gone and forgotten.

October 2008 Fly Fishing Report.

The season is under way and as expected it looks like being a good one. So far the fishing has been excellent and given a little regular rainfall this should continue.

The Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers saw plenty of action during the opening weekend and the following weeks. Most fly fishers weren't disappointed, as there were plenty of nice rainbows about. The Thredbo R. in particular showed some nice fish averaging 1-2Kkg. The Eucumbene fish were smaller - as they were last season. Some of these Rainbows will hold in the river for a month or two yet. Hopefully most fishers will show some restraint and return fish to the water for their own and others future enjoyment.

Most mountain rivers and streams are still carrying plenty of water and more rain is forecast for the coming weekend. Many fish are lying deep and fly fishers will still need weighted flies to reach them. Bead head nymphs and glo bugs will still tempt some of the Rainbows.

November signals the start of some dry fly fishing, so keep an eye out for hatches and rising fish! This is my favourite time in the mountains. The brown trout will really start to show from here on in. Flies such as Royal Wulffs, Adams and elk hair caddis work well in the stronger flowing rivers, but watch out for stone flies and some smaller may flies, as fish concentrating on these may need a closer imitation. Also remember that most of these waters are running clear and even though they have good flows, you'll still need to avoid being seen - especially by any larger wily Brown trout!

The major Hydro lakes fished well and were rising for most of October. Lake Jindabyne has begun to fall and will be a tougher shore based fishery as a result. Still, persistent evening fly fishers will get some results using the usual mudeye and deep fished yabby flies. Lake Eucumbene continues to rise for now and shore based fly fishers will fare well while this situation continues. Late afternoon midge hatches will also be a possibility during November, so if you venture out to either Lake Eucumbene or Lake Jindabyne make sure to carry some buzzers and midge ball flies. Unsettled weather will also trigger some ant activity. Termites and small black or cinnamon flying ants are common during spring and early summer and should they hatch the fish will usually feed well. These may be quite small and the fish can also prove to be difficult so carry some good imitations.

While the mountains are fishing well, the Monaro district continues to be in need of good rainfall and is subsequently fishing poorly. I'd simply not recommend it this season.

 

Fly Fishing Season 2008/09 Outlook.

There’s a week to go till the start of another fly fishing season in the Snowy Mountains/Monaro region - At Last! There’s something special about whiling winter away in anticipation of what’s to come, but by the time it comes around were all just itching to go.

This season looks like being a good one. Autumn rains were definitely a bit wanting in the region, but after a slow start the 2008 snow season proved to be excellent. September has also seen some good rainfall and we’ve seen falls of 50-100mm or so once a week for three weeks running. As you can imagine this kind of rainfall on top of snow sees all the mountain rivers streams regularly running a banker. As I write this, the rivers are high and I’m sure we’ll see more rain before the opening on October 4th.

Just prior to the last falls - when river levels were a bit lower, I stoped for a look at the Thredbo River Bridge on the Kosciuszko Road. There were plenty of nice rainbow trout up on their spawning run and I expect they’ll still be around for at least the first month of the season. I’m also sure the story will be much the same for the Eucumbene River. Don’t forget that both these waterways are classified as Blue Ribbon and therefore have a two fish bag limit. But catch and release is a far better idea for these spawning fish - they are the future and fish at this time taste lousy anyway!

If it’s a feed your after try the big lakes -Eucumbene and Jindabyne. They’re managed for this and should fish well at the start of the season as both are rising. Lake Eucumbene is approx. 18% and Lake Jindabyne 47%. Lake Eucumbene will most likely continue to rise well for a while yet and Lake Jindabyne may drop a little - as work is planned for the dam wall area.

The Monaro district is still suffering from a lack of rain, especially last autumn and early winter. So I’d expect fish numbers to still be very, very low. Like last season the odd fish still remains and should you tangle with one, please return it to the water unharmed. When a few good seasons finally arrive in this area its important that any remaining fish have a chance to spawn - stocking alone can’t compete with the survival and tenacity of the wild fish. Also please leave these waters alone over summer. Any fish caught and released in water temps more than about 23 Deg. C will be very stressed and more than likely die - even if they do appear to swim away.

Still, the mountains once again should fish very well and glo bugs and heavy nymphs will, as is usually the case, be the go for the higher water. Make sure your using enough weight to get near the bottom. Few fish will move up in the flow for flies at this time, so be prepared to loose a few flies - if your not hitting bottom every now and then your less likely to catch as many.

The lakes will still provide some polarioding opportunities on sunny days and olive nymphs, midge pupa and the odd larger fly should get results. Morning and evening fishing with various yabby, mudeye and smaller caddis nymph patterns should be productive while the lakes are on the rise.

All in all I’m expecting this season to be even better than last year as the mountains have soaked up some water for a couple of seasons now. As long as some rain keeps on coming the rivers and streams will fish well. You’ll have to ask me how things ended up next June (I’m sure you all know that forecasting is a tricky business), but I ‘d say we’re in for a good one.

April/May 2008 Fly fishing Report.

Winter isn't far away and the Browns are starting to run the major rivers. As has been the case in the last few years - autumn rain has been a bit wanting. Still April provided some excellent fly fishing opportunities. The highlight was certainly the excellent hopper fishing which kept on going right into May. Usually the hoppers exit with a few frosts and rain. Probably the lack of good rain over the last couple of months accounted for the grasshoppers surviving so long.

Some rain and snow has been falling, but still more is needed to really get fish moving from the lakes into the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers.
Some fish have already run though and a few have been caught on glow bugs and tungsten bead head nymphs. The rig to use depends on where the fish are lying. Many fish will lay up in the deeper holes during the day only moving upstream at night or during good rain as they search for suitable spawning gravel.

Fish holding in deep water obviously need to be fished for with a fairly heavy rig. The most common set up used is a Glow bug trailing a heavy tungsten bead head nymph. At times, when you feel your still not getting deep enough, a Muppet - which is a lead dumbbell eyed Glow bug is the way to go. You need to get down to these fish - so if you're not occasionally hitting the bottom, you're probably not getting down to the trout. The trailing fly is best tied to the nymph at the bend in the hook. About 2/3rds to a metre will do. Many people use an indicator and if your trying to go deep it should be located well up the leader close to the join with the flyline.

Not all the fish will be in deep water - especially once the spawning run is well under way. Look at any gravel areas near the run out of pools or shallower gravel runs. This is where the fish will spawn. Once fish are spawning fly anglers must not wade/walk on these areas as the trouts eggs can be damaged by doing so - and it's illegal! You may be more successful using just one lighter Glow bug for these trout. A bright Glow bug can usually be seen by the fly fisher and if it disappears - Strike!

It should be remembered that both the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers are classified as Spawning Rivers from the 30th of April until the seasons close on the June long-weekend. This means they now both have a 1 fish bag limit and that fish must be over 50cm. If you enjoy fly fishing it's a better idea to leave these fish in the system - so they can spawn and guarantee fishing in the future.
In past years the section of the Eucumbene River upstream of the flying fox closed at the end of April. This caused confusion with some anglers and has resulted in Fisheries simplifying the regulations.

The whole of the Eucumbene River is now open until the end of the season.

The big Hydro lakes have been fishing reasonably well and some nice condition Rainbows have been caught - especially in Lake Eucumbene (Approx. 19%). Surface fished mudeye patterns are still working on some fish, as are deep-fished larger yabby type patterns. A gold fish pattern is also handy in Lake Jindabyne (Approx. 59%) at this time of year.

There's only 3 weeks to go in what has been a good season. With a bit of luck in the rainfall and snow department, next season will be even better.

March 2008 Fly Fishing Report.

Well, last report I said it looks like summer may be over - wrong! March started out with a few dry weeks and some pretty warm temperatures. For fly fishers this meant lower water and some difficult fishing in the rivers and streams. The fish were still there but needed a careful approach and good presentation for success. Due to the summer like conditions, mayfly hatches were sporadic and most successful anglers found grasshopper and beetle patterns the most productive.

Fortunately the weather has returned to normal and in the days following Easter most parts of the region have received a welcome inch or two of rain. That's the way it goes in the mountains - as some snowfall is also forecast!

The outlook for river and stream fly fishing over the coming weeks is good. The influx of some water and cooler temperatures should see an increase in mayfly hatches. Most common of these at this time are the large Black Spinners and smaller Blue Wing Olive mayflies. If you are really lucky you might also come across a hatch of Kosciusko mayflies - especially in rivers on the western slopes of the Snowy Mountains.
So be sure to carry some a few fly patterns to cover these hatches as trout feeding well in a hatch can ignore flies that don't in some way come close to what their feeding on.

A size 14 Black Spinner and a 12 or 14 size March Brown, Adams or Highland Dun, as well as size 16 BWO (blue winged olive) should be in the fly box. The usual fare of Royal Wullfs, Red tags and Parachute Adams will also be useful and a hopper pattern may still bring results for a week or two yet. When all's quiet on the surface fly fishers should try a nymph below an indicator or a dry fly (in shallower runs). A bead head is a good choice for faster deeper water, while lighter weight nymphs are the go for the shallow stuff - or in the case of trout that simply refuse to look up. Brown, tan or greyish (hare's ear) coloured nymphs in size 14 or smaller should do the job.

Autumn is the trout's last chance to gain some condition before the winter spawning - so fish do want to feed when the opportunity arises, but the generally clear and lower water levels - compared to spring, can still make them tricky. It's also worth noting that the sun is lower in the sky at this time and combined with "softer" light, fish will see the fisher more easily than we would like!

The lakes fished quite well over Easter and this should continue next month. Fly fishers using Mudeye patterns have done well in the late afternoon and into the evening. Lake Eucumbene (19%) has been more productive than Jindabyne (53%) and the condition and growth of the Rainbows has been good - this should also mean a generally larger average size fish in the Eucumbene River at the start of next season. The smaller lakes will also continue to provide some fishing, especially on nice days. Most of these waters always fish well with caddis and beetle type flies. All in all the following weeks should provide some good fly fishing opportunities in what to this point has been a very good season.

January/February 2008 Fly fishing Report

Fly fishing throughout the region was generally very good in January, although the hot weather meant fairly high water temperatures in most waters at times. Many streams became too warm (temps over 20 deg.) to fish well on many afternoons. The big hydro lakes were also quite warm and shore fishing was very quiet as most fish stayed in deeper cooler water. Still there were some good times had on the right day.

Rainfall throughout January was again above average and February is also proving to be a wet one - keep it coming! The rain and some cooler conditions have seen all rivers and lakes cool down and begin to fish very well - so long as your not out in a storm of course! As you can imagine water levels are good to occasionally high in most rivers and streams. The Eucumbene and Thredbo continue to fish well although the better fish are not easy. They all received a lot of pressure as always over the Christmas /school holiday break. Long leaders and a careful approach should bring results. Both rivers are carrying a good head of 1/2 to 1 ½ lb. Browns this season and the future looks bright. Occasional larger fish are also present. Don't forget that catch and release will always ensure fishing for the future.

Terrestrial insects are still a major part of the trout's diet. Grasshoppers and beetles are common and imitations of these are working well especially on warmer days. Yellow Stimulators, redtags and the like are the flies of choice at the moment, with Caddis and Mayflys also about some afternoon and evenings. The Mayfly numbers will increase later in February and continue into March and April. There's definitely the feeling of an early autumn this season and summer appears to be almost over - but don't quote me on that!

The large lakes have cooled and are fishing much better from the shore than a few weeks ago. Both have risen a bit with the good rainfalls. Eucumbene is around 22% and Jindabyne is around 58%. Tantangara has also come up a little and is approx. 10% and fishing well, but it can fall rapidly. Mudeyes or yabby fly patterns are working and there are still some midge hatches on the right day. The rain just keeps on coming and for all intensive purposes the big dry is over and the fishery should just keep on improving over coming seasons. Who knows, even the legendary Monaro rivers will return to their former glory in a year or two?

2007 Dec. Fly fishing report

This season continues to build to be the best for many years. With less than a week until Christmas rain continues to fall on a regular basis. Great news for those fly fishers heading up to the Snowy's for the Christmas and Now-year period

All mountain rivers and streams are fishing well, although you do need to be out on the right day with all this weather about - some waters have been a little coloured a times.

Dry fly fishing has been particularly good with some excellent hatches of larger mayflies. The most useful patterns have been larger dun and emerger patterns such as Adams and March browns in sizes 12 & 16. Naturally there have also been some good afternoon spinner falls. I favor a spent spinner pattern in these instances as fish can be finicky especially in smoother water. If your only carrying standard patterns you can simply clip the hackle level underneath to get the desired low riding affect. As always with good flows in the rivers the old standby patterns such as Royal Wullf etc. continue to bring results.

When the conditions aren't right for the dry fly, it is worthwhile trying a nymph. A size 14 pheasant tail nymph or tan seals fur nymph with or without a bead head ( this will depend on how deep you wish the fly to go) will do nicely and you can fish this under a dry as an indicator. Personally I've always preferred to use just one fly and a dedicated indicator if I feel the need. Weighted nymphs especially will cause the dry to drag unless the flow is quite hard and therefore tends to defeat the purpose.
Terrestrial time is almost here and I've already noted numerous small hoppers about.

The Christmas period also signals an in crease in beetle numbers - so make sure you at least have some Redtags or Tea Tree beetles in the fly box.. With all this rain the mountains are looking magnificent as most of the trees and shrubs etc. are flowering with more vigor than I've seen for many, many years.

The mountain lakes continue to have a few midge hatches and caddis, ants and beetles are about on many evenings. The lakes are remaining reasonably stable as the rivers continue to flow well. Christmas has always been noted for some good mudeye hatches and I'd expect this season to be a good one.

Tight lines, merry Christmas and happy New-year to all.

November 07 Fly Fishing Report.

Well what a month November has been. The best rain for many, many years in late spring. Virtually all areas of the Snowy Mountains and Monaro have received at least 150 mm. - with some parts getting much more. This looks great for at least the next few months and most forecasters are predicting continued falls.

So hows the fly fishing been? Most of the mountain rivers and streams have been fluctuating between high and sometimes coloured conditions and fantastic spring levels. This means those lucky enough to be out on the right day have had some of the best fishing for some years. Just a few days ago I managed to get out on one of the larger mountain rivers and had fantastic dry fly fishing to Browns and Rainbows ranging from 1 ½ lb. to 3 ½ lb. or so - truly great fun and did they go in the heavy and well oxygenated water conditions! There were a variety of mayflys hatching and dry flies worked well.

Good patterns for these late spring conditions are - Roal Wullfs, Red tags, Elk hair Caddis and Parachute Adams/March Browns in sizes 12 &14. Nymph fishing has also been very productive. Pheasant tail and bead head nymphs are working well when fish are not showing themselves. I'm expecting virtually all mountain rivers and streams will fish well between now and well into the newyear.

The larger mountain lakes are still quietly rising. Jindabyne is at 59% capacity and Eucumbene at 19%. They are both fishing well at times with some very good midge hatches in some shallow bays in Lake Eucumbene especially. A small midge pupa pattern suspended 30cm. bellow a midge ball dry fly works well when fish can be seen bulging for the hatching midges. If the rain and storms continue they will continue to slowly rise and fish well for now.

Many of the smaller mountain impoundments are also worth a look. Island Bend and Threemile Dam have been the best of these, with polaroiding and some beetle hatches being a feature.

With rain and storms expected to continue until at least Christmas the fly fishing should be excellent over the following months.

October 07 Fly Fishing Report.

The first month of the season has past and the outlook for the next couple of months at least is good Although rainfall was light in the first two weeks things picked up well towards the end of the month. I remember driving down from Thredbo in blizzard conditions which kept up to nearly Berridale. Since that time some rain and storms have boosted the waterways and as I write, the forecast for the next few days is for 50-100mm of rainfall throughout the region.

The rainbow trout spawning run saw many good fish caught. A few of these were quite large - up to 6lb. in the Thredbo river. Fish on the Eucumbene side were smaller than usual, with most averaging 1lb. or so. Both rivers carried more fish in their lower reaches. I'd expect many to move up with the recent and expected higher flows. We've had a lot of windy conditions, but if you found yourself out on the right afternoon some good dry fly fishing could be found on most waters. Still, thundery weather means termite hatches and these small insects seem to be irresistible to trout. A good imitation is sometimes needed and remember they are quite small - about #18 or#20. I use a pattern with a natural CDC feather as a wing.

The usual patterns for spring and higher water levels are working well in the rivers and streams. Royal Wullfs and other well-hackled nondescript patterns suffice. You may find fish a little fussier on less boisterous waters where trout have more time to inspect the fly. Various Mayfly, Stonefly and Caddis patterns can make a difference. Bead head nymphs that are weighted to suit the flow are always a good bet if dry fly fishing seems out of the question, but remember in the deeper heavy water you need to be close to the bottom to entice a few fish.

The big lakes - Eucumbene (18%) and Jindabyne (55%) are fishing well for shore based fly anglers. Naturally morning and evening are the best times as can be darker thundery afternoons. As the lakes continue to rise I'd expect to see fish moving into shallow water seeking drowned grubs etc. Midge patterns, Termites, Caddis and beetle patterns are working well for surface feeding fish, while the better wetfly/nymph patterns have been the usual Yabby, Mudeye, midge and Caddis patterns.

The next month should provide some excellent fly fishing for those lucky enough to be in the mountains. Late spring/early summer has always been my favourite time of season. If you manage to be on the water at the right time you can come across some excellent hatches and associated fishing. It's not always easy of course, but visible, feeding trout offer the most exciting and challenging moments in fly fishing.

September 07 Fly Fishing Report & New Season Outlook.

Well with less than a week till the begining of the 07/08 trout season things are looking good.

I’m expecting a far better season than we had last time. Good late autumn/early winter rain followed by some great early snowfalls will mean far better water conditions this season. Most of the mountain rivers will start out at a much higher level than last season and heavier flies will be needed for the spawning run rainbows. These fish are usually the main target for early season fly fishers and should also stay in the rivers much longer than last year. Some rain is forecast a few days before the opening on Saturday September 29th.

Fortunately the Snowy Mountains and Monaro are part of the 20% of N.S.W. not drought declared and with a bit of luck will remain that way. August rain and snowfalls were not good but September weather has been closer to average. The lower lying Monaro waters will still need another season before they are seriously worth looking at - fish numbers will still be very low. A bit of pressure from fly fishers and local angling groups may be needed before N.S.W. fisheries see the light and resume stocking these legendary waters. Meanwhile if you do manage to find a fish on the Monaro please think of the future and return it to the water.

The large hydro lakes are rising but will take years to get back to pre drought (and perhaps pre cotton/rice) levels. Lets also hope all relevant Govt. bodies soon sort out the mess/fiasco of the Murray darling Basin. Sorry if I sound less than impressed, but when you live in the region and listen to the misinformed Politicians all fighting and suggesting the problem is simply one of better utilisation you can’t help but be cynical. It’s also regularly suggested that Sydney and Canberra’s water supplies can be augmented by taking more water from the snowy lakes - truly strange listening to them divide a pie that is simply not there! Anyway, back to the fishing.

As stated the mountain lakes are rising and will continue to provide some good polaroiding and shore based fly fishing till at least some time in December. Eucumbene is approx. 16%, Jindabyne 50% and most other waters are also on the rise.

As this season progresses I expect things to be quite normal - a far different scenario to last season which deteriorated badly in many ways before Christmas. What a difference some water makes.

August 2007 Fly Fishing Report.

Since last season closed back in early June fly fishers in the region have had a quiet time. This is fairly typical for early winter as all rivers are closed until the start of the new season in early October.

Weather wise some good rain and a great start to this years Ski Season should mean more water about next season - more on that next time.

Meanwhile fly fishers in the region are still able to fish the lakes. Jindabyne is the most popular during winter and polarioding for Brown trout that have returned from their spawning run in the Thredbo river are the main target. Fish can also be found in lake Eucumbene, but these are harder to see over the predominatly darker bottom. The shoreline around Eucumbene is also still muddy and difficult to walk in many areas. Eucumbene is presently at about 10% of capacity while Jindabyne is hovering around 50%.

Polaroiding in Jindabyne is a fairly hit and miss affair. Some days you can walk 5-10 kms. and see 15 fish or so (a good day!), while another day you can cover a similar amount of territory and see none.So you’ll take my meaning when I describe it as fickle. Then of course we have to tempt them!

Generally speaking flies for this fishing range from larger lure type flies such as Bushy’s Horror which no doubt is taken for a yabby, to smaller caddis nymphs and midge pupa patterns. The old standard Olive nymph in size 14 works well. Just as in finding the fish can pose problems, so can getting them to take our offering. Again some days it seems they are relatively easy and other days near on impossible.

Usually if the lake has risen a little the Browns seem a bit more active and responsive. Naturally plenty of sunshine is the go as low light will make polarioding at this time of year (with the sun lower in the sky) difficult. As in all fly fishing the angler should try not to be seen and wear suitable dull clothing.

Presenting the fly without spooking fish isn't easy on glassy calm days. A little wind ripple will as always help disguise the arrival of the fly. The best approach for cruising trout is an ambush tactic - leading the fish and trying to place the fly in its path. Just how far to lead them depends on how fast they’re moving and how spooky they seem on the day, Many fish will hang about in the same area for days or even weeks. With the increased popularity of the winter polarioding they can become educated, spooky and downright impossible. No doubt the fact that frustrated fly fishers have very few options at this time of year has a lot to do with this. Still this doesn’t mean its not good fun and a great way to keep your eye in while waiting for the start of the season proper in early October.

Some fish have already been seen and caught by those who have given it a go and things should improve over the coming weeks.

May 2007 Fly Fishing Report.

After a dryish April that provided fairly average fly fishing conditions we are again receiving some welcome rain. As I write this report it's also snowing fairly well in the mountains -winter isn't far away.

There are only a few weeks until the June long weekend and closure of all rivers and streams for fishing and the fly fishing has been typically inconsistent. Cooler condition and simply the time of year offer the trout less feeding opportunity.

Besides, with the present rainfall the Brown trout have other things on their minds. It's time for their spawning run. There have already been some fair runs of fish up both the Eucumbene River and Thredbo River. Each rainfall incident from now until the season closure will see more and more fish coming up from the lakes. Some of these can certainly be large. Every year at this time a few 10 plus pound fish are caught. This attracts fly fishers from around the country, all trying for that elusive trophy Brown.

The fishing options will be a little different this year. For starters the Eucumbene River mouth is no where near Providence Portal. It's now much further down the lake. This might make things a little tricky for the die hards who fish through out the night during the last weeks.
On the plus side, Fisheries have made some late changes regarding this river. The Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers change to spawning regulations from the 1st.of May. This means a change in size and bag limit to 1 fish over 50 cms. As Fisheries always seem to argue for a simplification or regulations I personally would like to see this enforced for the whole of the season. Imagine the improvement to these fisheries - they'd be truly word class. As for late changes, the Eucumbene River is no longer closed from the flying fox (near Providence). Now the whole river is open to fishing till the closing of the season on the June long weekend.

Depending on flows the typical way to approach these spawning Brown trout is with the glow bug/tungsten bead head and indicator rig. Just how much weight is required always depends on the volume of flow and what the fish are up to. If fish are seen in shallower waters a single lighter glow bug usually gets a response. The Brown trout tend to be far more difficult to deceive than Rainbow trout. As I mentioned earlier the river mouth areas of both the Eucumbene and Thredbo can produce large fish - especially at night time, A large dark coloured wooly bugger type fly that is easily noticed at night is usually the go.

This run of Browns is really the last hurrah for the season as most stream and lake fishing quietens down, although some nice rainbows may still show up in the lakes. You can be lucky and find a bit of dry fly fishing still, but it is naturally limited and is usually restricted to the warmest couple of hours of the day.

Hopefully the rain and snowfalls continue and the regions trout enjoy a good spawning.

April 2007 Fly Fishing Report - Snowy/Monaro.

Summer is certainly over in the mountains and pleasant cool conditions are now the norm After more much needed rain in the region April has been much drier so far. Again I'm hoping for some good falls later during this and the coming months.

All the streams and lakes have seen a big drop in water temperatures and on the right day and in the right conditions are fishing reasonably well. Most rivers and streams are not carrying large numbers of fish at the moment, but for those flowing into the Hydro Lakes (eg. Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers) this can change at any time with rises in water levels should we receive more rain.

A few more fish seem to be in the Thredbo River at the moment, bit it is still a little low and clear and accordingly the better fish are not easy. As always under such conditions a long leader and cautious approach is required. There have been some Mayfly, Caddis and even a few Stoneflies about and more specific flies have given better results than general-purpose patterns. Smaller patterns such as a 16 or 18 Blue wing Olive can work well at the moment but the do need to be cast at a fish - as they are really to small to be used as a searching fly. If you do search the water with a larger dry then try a small nymph on a dropper. There do seem to be a lot of small fish about at the moment and if you are getting into a few of them try not to harm them during release, as these are our future. Pinching down the hook barb will certainly make for a quicker release.

A few cooler evenings and frosts have seen a sharp drop in grasshopper numbers, but a good hopper imitation and as always beetle patterns are still tempting a few nice fish - especially in lower locations.

The smaller mountain lakes are still fishing well and can provide some nice dry fly fishing while the larger hydro lakes are dropping still. Tantangara and Jindabyne lakes are providing some nice trout in the morning and evening with mudeye, yabby and some times midge patterns producing well.

I'd expect levels to continue to fall until the spring snow melt. Shore based fishing at Lake Eucumbene is fairly difficult at the moment and it's expected that this lake will soon divide into three separate lakes soon, as it is at the lowest level seen since the initial filling 40 odd years ago. Certainly worthwhile for sightseers as old properties and towns drowned then are now becoming visable.

There are plenty holidaymakers about at the moment and the mountains are certainly a great place to be during autumn, but the fishing should improve when things quieten down in a week or so.

March 2007 Fly Fishing Report

We've just had one of the wetter months the region has seen for many years. Could this finally mean the end of the drought that's plagued the Snowy Mountains and Monaro for many years? Lest hope so, but it's still early days yet. What a month February has been. Some parts of the region have received up to 200mm.of rain; with at least twice average every where. The best falls have been on the Monaro and all the streams are now flowing well. Unfortunately these waters have extremely low fish numbers but continued rainfall - as is forecast should mean good fishing in a season or two

All the mountain rivers have also benefited from the rain. Most are flowing well and have cooled down considerably due to the rain and lower overnight temperatures.

Both the Thredbo and Eucumbene are now showing some fish and hopefully more will journey up from the lakes in coming weeks. This is common at this time of year if as has happened these rivers receive rain. Terrestrial patterns are still working well with hoppers, and beetle patterns working well The old favourites such as a Nobby Hooper, Red Tag and Stimulator are a good choice and a bead head nymph on a dropper will help get results in larger deeper waters.

As mentioned the rain, which has often come in the way of thunderstorms, has also triggered some Mayfly hatches - so carry a few good imitative patterns. Some of these are quite small, with tiny blue wing olive mayfly being common. A size 18 imitation should see the undoing of any tough fish you come across feeding on them. Good powers of observation have always been important for successful fly fishers and never more so than when you find a fish that is feeding well. Take time and look closely at the water so as to identify what the trout are taking, as these times are when fish can be selective.
The smaller waters such as the Moonbah R. and Gungahlin R. have now also cooled sufficiently to show some fish - mostly in the larger lower reaches as many fish vacated the higher shallow areas during January's hot, dry conditions.

The higher smaller Snowy Scheme lakes are still fishing well and should fish even better this month.
Lake Eucumbene is still providing some fish for fly fisher with midge, mudeye and yabby fly patterns producing some fish in the evenings or at dawn, as is Lake Jindayne. Eucumbene is now at about 19% capacity and should not fall any further. Lake Jindabyne is about 48% and will probably continue to fall .as water is sent west for irrigation commitments by Snowy Hydro.

The unsettled weather is expected to continue - I hope there right! Nobody can begrudge the region rain. So if you venture up be prepared for all conditions and if thunder and lightning are present be careful with that graphite rod.

January 2007 Fly Fishing Report

Well the Christmas/New Year period saw the region receive some much needed rain and snow. It actually snowed in many places on Christmas day. Lets hope there's more to come as the Bureau of Meteorology has stated that the El Nino in the Pacific appears to have ended and we should receive better falls of rain in the coming months. I hope they're right! At the moment we are having some very hot weather and as always anything can happen in the mountains.

The mountain rivers are in fair condition for this time of year with most providing worthwhile dry fly fishing, although some (eg. Gungahlin R.) are very warm and not fishing to well in the hot weather.

Summer is typically terrestrial time and grass hopper and beetle flies are the norm.
Some waters have more hoppers than I've seen for many years - this should continue for some months.
There can still be an occasional hatch or aquatic insects if conditions are right. This usually happens in humid conditions before or after some rain, so be observant as fish concentrating on spent mayflies.may refuse all but an imitative pattern.
On the positive side grasshoppers can be the undoing of some better resident fish as the some times they throw caution to the wind for the sake of a good mouthful. Still, the wise fly fisher will stay out of sight and be careful as summer stream (low water) conditions normally dictate a fine and far style of approach.

Some favourite flies for summer dry fly fishing are Redtags, Royal Wulfs, and Nobby Hoppers and the like. Asmall brown or black nymph can also be useful when fish don't respond to the dry or a bead head nymph in deeper flows. On sunny days polarioding (spotting) trout before you cast is as always a great way to fish especially on popular waters. I've always found that by seeing the quarry first I'm far more successful. Summer conditions on waters with above average fish require careful stalking as one poor cast or bad approach will see a fast departing bow wave.

The big lakes are also producing some nice fish on hoppers. They are a bit quiet in the middle of hot days though. Morning and evenings have been productive. Mudeyes hatch in the evening at this time of year and Lake Jindabyne with it's more established weed beds has seen some excellent fishing on the right night. Craigs Nightime, Fur mudeyes and Poodles are all fly patterns that are worth a try.
If nothing happens near the surface try fishing a large wet fly near the bottom for yabbie (fresh water crayfish) feeders.
Some of the smaller high country lakes such as Three Mile Dam have also produced good evening rises to beetles, caddis and midges are worth a try, as can day time polarioding on these lakes.

More storms and rain are fore cast and will help to cool things down a bit and improve the fishing.

November 2006 Fly Fishing Report

The Mountain Rainbows have finally finished their spawning, although with the current rain in the area there may still be a few on the redds.
What a great start to the season. The unusually low levels made fly fishing a little easier than usual. Apart from the mandatory tungsten bead head and Glo Bug flies a few friends and myself had a ball catching spawners on dry flies. That’s definately unusual for the Rainbows that are intent on spawning, but a lot of fun. They were obviously very aggresive.

More traditional fly-fishing is now the norm. We’ve been lucky enough to have some fair falls of rain with over 50mm. recorded in some areas and all the mountain streams and rivers are flowing nicely as I write.

The Thredbo has some colour at the moment but will clear quickly. It’s been fishing well with a dry fly and of course a weighted nymph is still working well in faster and deeper runs. The fish there are a little larger than the Eucumbene fish with many rainbows around 1kg. Those in the Eucumbene R. are mostly closer to 750grams. It’s been pleasing to see many 500gram Browns in the Eucumbene R. and this augers well for the future.
The best dry flies of late have been Royal Wullfs, Adams and various Caddis, Stonefly and emerger patterns. Some fly fishers I’ve been with over the last week have still managed a dozen or more nice fish for the day. Mayfly hatches are also starting on the right day and with some rain about termites are also a possibility.

Remember that most of the fish have seen plenty of fly fishers by now and a little care when approaching fish will pay dividends. Stay low and use any bank side cover so as not to be seen by the fish. Spotting fish first if possible is now the way to go and a slightly longer leader will also help.

Also be aware that gravel areas (redds) at the rear of pools and runs should not be walked or waded on as the eggs deposited there will be killed by trampling on them. I’ll also add that many of the mountain rivers are classified as Blue Ribbon and therefore have a 2 fish bag limit. I must admit I’m tiring of hearing of successful fishers telling me they only kept a couple as if they were doing the right thing instead of keeping the maximum legal amount they could before breaking the law.
As expected the lowland rivers have very few fish and are not worth the effort. Let’s hope the drought affecting these streams ends soon.

The big lakes have dropped by about 1-2 % since the season opened. Some fly fishers are still doing well and finding a few at dawn or dusk in the deeper areas of Lake Eucumbene near dead timber using nymphs and wet flies. Lake Jindabyne has generally been more stable and has some established weed beds. I’ve found a few midge hatching as well as Caddis flies. As the weather warms some beetle activity should be more apparent.

Good luck and let’s hope we continue to get some rain.

New Season Prospects for the Snowy/Monaro (October 2006)

Only a few short days to go and at last the trout fly fishing season 06/07 will open.

So what can we expect? As many people already know this winter saw some of the poorest snow falls on record for the Snowy mountains. What this will mean for the season as a whole is difficult to guess.

If the region receives average spring summer rainfall then the fishing in the mountain rivers and streams should be excellent. We’ll have to wait and see.

As the season opens the mountains larger rivers should fish well for the usual spawning run of rainbows from the big lakes. At the moment the Thredbo River has an above average flow and the Eucumbene River is a little more sedate. Both rivers are certainly lower than they have been at the start of previous seasons. For fly fishers this will make fishing a little easier as contending with high water can be difficult, but the lower levels may see the trout themselves a little spookier than usual for this time of year. The forecast for the long weekend is reasonable with no real rain expected.

The usual heavy nymph/globug rig fished with an indicator should produce good results, although it may not need to be as heavy as can sometimes be necessary. So carry a variety of weighted nymphs and make your decision at the water - remember it still pays to keep the fly near the bottom. Rainbow trout of around 1 kilogram average can be expected and these can go pretty hard, so be ready for a speedy run down stream. Also remember the Blue Ribbon streams have a 2 fish bag limit and the spawning fish can be dark and poor eating - so limit your kill.

The early onset of spring this year will also mean some good insect hatches on warm days, so be ready to switch to a dry. The large Kosciuszko mayfly can hatch in prolific numbers at this time of year in the mountains so make sure you carry some big dries. A size 10 Adams makes a fair imitation and can prove invaluable if you’re lucky enough to be on the river during a good rise to these big mayfly duns. A large Royal Wulff dry fly is also always a good bet in the faster water, as are other flies imitating Caddis flies and Stone flies.

The lowland rivers of the Monaro have received average rainfalls through winter but I’m still expecting fish numbers to be very low for at least another season or two. If you do try these streams please do the right thing and return any fish caught as mature, wild spawning fish are the surest way for these rivers to return to their former glory. Those lowland rivers unaffected by drought will also provide some dry fly activity during October if conditions are right. Some of these slower waters are also home for Red and Black spinners and some smaller mayfly species. Stone fly and Caddis patterns should also prove useful. Try polarioding.and make sure to use any available cover if you want to be successful on the gentle flows in these streams.

The big Hydro lakes should provide some excellent fly fishing. Lake Jindabyne is well over 50% full and rising whilst Lake Eucumbene is in the low 20% region. If you fish from a boat the old road at the top of Lake Eucumbene is the safest place to launch so as to avoid becoming stuck in mud. Polarioding should be good as hungry trout venture into the shallows in search of food. Anywhere one Jindabyne and the rocky shores near Seven Gates will be the go. Caddis and Midge hatches can also occur especially in humid conditions. Snowy Hydro report low inflows into these lakes but depending how you look at it most people are still expecting some excellent fishing in October at least. Hopefully hungry fish in Lake Eucumbene with a lot less water between them!

There’s always plenty of anticipation at the start of a new trout season and if we’re lucky enough to have some reasonable rainfall in the coming months and not too hot a summer the Snowys should again have some great fly fishing on offer.

Paul Bourne.