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Archive Date: 19/02/2006

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The cooler weather continues with plenty of anglers around on the weekend .Generally there has been some excellent dry fly fishing on the high country rivers and some top trolling/down rigging on the lakes over the last few weeks. The baitfishing on the lakes has also been good with plenty of mudeyes about this season.This will be the pattern until conditions really start to cool off in March/April.

CLEARANCE SALE  ( Applies to In-Store stocks ONLY)

Remember to call in for a cuppa or cool water on your way through next trip !

Fly-fishing

Rivers:- The high country rivers continue to fish very well with numerous reports of hot dry fly action . The Eucumbene and Thredbo have been great with any of the smaller high country streams producing well at present. Long leaders, light tippets and small flies are the go. Hoppers are thick this year and the fish are slurping them down , so try searching with a hopper pattern during the day if nothing is moving.We've just un-packed another big fly order this week with some great NEW hopper patterns now in stock - Including Muzz Wilson's great "Free Stone" hopper.

*Adam Carter from Narooma did well flyfishing on the Thredbo river with hoppers & stimulators - for 13 fish over the weekend to 1.5kgs.

*Charles Sealy from Tumut fished Middlingbank with a Mr's Simpson for this lovely brown going 2.5kgs

*Dave Hackett from Balmain did well fishing a brown nymph along Middlingbank with another good brown of  2kgs.

*Mark from Canberra fished Rushy Plains bay on Friday night for 3 good rainbows to 1.5kgs on "Mum's poodle".

Lake Eucumbene:- There have been some very nice browns showing up down around the Buckenderra / Middling bank ,Frying pan ,Seven Gates and Eucumbene Cove area. Try fishing early mornings ( pre-dawn ) with mudeye patterns then switch to a hopper pattern for searching up till mid-day. Best to fish shore lines with an off shore breeze and some deep water in close as this allows the fish to chase hoppers in the comfort of cooler water.The windlane fishing has plenty of potential so if you have a boat you should be out there drifting with a beetle, black and peacock spider or small hopper.

Lake Tantagara :- Has been pretty quite with no current reports ?   

Lake Jindabyne:-  Again the best fishing will be ealy mornings with mudeye patterns in the weedy bays, switching to hoppers and the deeper shore lines through till mid-day.Area's worth a look include Stinky Bay, Sid's bay, Hatchery Bay, Creel Bay , Snowy arm and Kalkite.

Trolling 

LURE SALE - Buy 5 Flatfish OR Rapala Lures and Select a sixth ONE FREE !

Jindabyne:-  There has been some great down rigging up on Jindy over the last few weeks, with the best area's being out around the islands in the main basin in front of town , up around the Thredbo river mouth at around Waste Point and the eastern shoreline around Sid's Bay . Fishing a mixture of small minnows like RMG Scorpions, Merlins & Attacks along with Tassies in just about all the "Yellow Wing", as well as our own Alpine Cobra's in the Lime Spider and Alpine Attractor colours producing the most fish.

*David - from Sydney did real well over 4 days down rigging between 30ft - 35ft with Rapala F7cm minnows in the brook trout finish and tassies in the S12 and Y82 "yellow wing" patterns - for 30 good fish - mostly rainbows to 1.5 kg.

Eucumbene:- The trolling really has been great on Eucumbene for those getting out on the water early in the morning, with conditions getting tougher after 10am. Both leadlines at 3 colours and Downriggers worked between 3 and 6 metres bringing the best results. If you still don't have a down rigger and would like to know how to best set one up - call in and we'll take you through it all - they're easier than you think ! The rainbows are in peak condition and averaging around the 1kg mark, feeding heavily on daphnia in the open water, while the better browns have been in close around the clay yabby banks. Consistant lures include Tasmanian Devils in Cols 36,89,55, 72,S12, Y82 & Y62. Our own Alpine Cobra's in the Alpine Attractor, Black hole , Lime spider and Alpine Special patterns, Rebel crickhoppers and crawfish,Storm Hot N Tots , ultra deep Merlins,Stump Jumpers,RMG Scorpions & Poltergeist AND Rapala Jointed Shad Raps & minnows.

Baitfishing  

The baitfishing has been very consistant with some beautiful browns starting to turn up .Try and fish early ( Pre-dawn ) as this is the coolest time to be on the water. Just about all the main baits have been taking fish with mudeyes doing very well . Conditions look set to be one of our best mudeye seasons in many years. Scrub worms fished in conjunction with a Powerbait dropper still proving to be a popular rig ( Pictured below ).Power bait naturally floats, so the distance you make your dropper is the distance you can expect your Power bait to be above the bottom. This means that fish will find your bait a lot quicker even if you have cast into weeds. If they don't eat the Power bait they have found your main bait a lot quicker. The hook is important when fishing with Power bait and we have a special NEW  "circle hook" pattern from Mustad just for the job - which hooks them for you ! Feel free to ask us to go over the rig next time your in if still unsure. The mudeye fishing has also been pretty good over the last month and should only improve as things warm up.The best way to fish mudeyes is with a running bubble rig (Pictured Below ).

*John from Sydney did real well fishing mudeyes out at Middlingbank over the weekend for 11 rainbows averaging .800 gms and one good brown of 2kgs.

* Please call into the store and ask us to show you how to rig these baits if your having trouble

Mudeye Rig

Powerbait Dropper Rig 
 

Best areas on Eucumbene include: Middling bank, Frying pan, Seven Gates, Yens bay, Breamar bay ,Providence around the Eucumbene River Mouth and along the dam wall at Eucumbene Cove.

Best area's on Jindabyne include: The clay pits in front of town, Hatchery bay, Hayshed bay and Kalkite.

Jindabyne Dam Wall project Up-dates :- For detailed information regarding the work being carried out on the Lake Jindabyne Dam wall, including road delays etc go to :-

http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/LevelThree.asp?pageID=56&parentID=254&grandParentID=3

Summer - October to June Longweekends

Monday to Thursday - 9am to 5.30 pm
Friday                           9am to 7 pm
Saturday                   8am to 5.30 pm
Sunday                     8am to 5.30 pm 

 
Winter - June to October Longweekends     

Monday to Thursday - 9am to 5.30pm
Friday                       9am to 7pm
Saturday                   8am to 5.30pm
Sunday                     9am to 5.30 pm
#we are also open extended hours over all public hollidays - please call us for more details 02-6452-5538

Lake Levels

Eucumbene 49 % Falling

Jindabyne 58 % Falling

Tantangarra  6.7 % Stable