Something a little different outside the front of the shop 800 head of cattle!

Headlines: Some great reports from the last few days with good numbers of fish being caught using all methods.

This will be the last fishing report for 2006.  Thanks for all the reports you have given us through the year, we look forward to receiving more in 2007.

Please note we will only be open 10 am to 3pm on Monday the 1st of January.

Flyfishing

Rivers:-  Some rain in the hills has helped cool some of the streams this week.  Unfortunately not enough rain for really flushing them but certainly better than nothing.  The fishing has been very good in all the higher streams and has been great fun with increasing numbers of hoppers.  Searching the heads of pools and bubble lines with a small hopper pattern will result in some nice fish.  Light and long leaders (12-15 ft) are an advantage at the moment with the clear water conditions, try using as light a tippet as you fill confident with and you will get more takes.

The Eucumbene, Thredbo, Gungarlin, Moonbah and Murrumbidgee have all been fishing well and would be the pick at present.

Best flies during the day are the Red Tag, Geehi Beetle, Coch-y-Bondhu, Royal Wullf, Humpy, Stimulator and Adams.  In the evenings an Elk Hair Caddis, Klinkhammer, Shaving brush, or Parachute style flies are best.

Lake Eucumbene:-  The lake fishing has been generally very good. Loch Style fishing has been good and there have been numbers of beetles in the lanes at times.  There have been a heap of hoppers in the grass up high around the lake and some anglers have reported doing quite well during the day drifting small hoppers from shore.

*One angler reported catching 5 nice Rainbows on hoppers this week.  He threw a number of live hoppers out and they were gobbled up by hungry fish which then ate his hopper pattern too.

*Les and Tony Roth fished the Western shore this week with Les catching 4 Rainbows and 1 Brown on Mrs Simpsons.  The kids caught 2 on Mudeyes as well. Tony is going to get even soon he reckons.

Seven Gates and Old Adaminaby have been good spots to try. The Western Shore of the lake would be a good option if you have a boat and in a Westerly wind this area can have great windlanes as well as bank fishing.

 Lake Jindabyne:-  The new moon this week will have plenty of good Rainbows and Browns searching the edges early and late in the day. Weed beds are thick in places and these are the areas to concentrate on around evening.  Steeper rocky shores are worth a polaroid during the early to mid morning.  Try drifting a small beetle, ant or nymph at any fish sighted, and if this brings no response a small Woolly Bugger or Tom Jones can work.  After dark big  black streamers and muddlers will catch them.

*David Jones from Sydney caught some great fish on Craigs Nightimes, Sunset Flies and Mudeye patterns. The quality of the fish was quite good with the Rainbows averaging 45cm and the Browns 50cm.  Shallow bays produced the Rainbows and Deeper water the Browns.

*Jan Ploski caught a nice 1.25kg Brown at Hatchery Bay on a Red and Baldck Woolly Bugger.  He did say the fishing was difficult due to the wind.

Best spots are Hatchery Bay, East Jindabyne, and Stinky Bay.

Lake Tantangara :-  As in Jindabyne there are some good weed beds in Tantangara with lots of aquatic insects in them.  There have been some great hatches and good rises occuring in the evenings with most fish being small Rainbows.  Small Elk Hair Caddis, Klinkhammer, and Brown Nymphs are the best patterns to use on these fish.  A small Mrs Simpson, Hamills Killer, or Scotch Poacher will also turn a few fish after dark there.

Eucumbene:- Launching is still possible in many areas though the Old Adaminaby ramp is still the pick if you have only a 2 wheel drive or a BIG boat. Launching is also possible at Buckenderra, The Dam Wall and Anglers Reach at present.

It has been a very mixed bag when it comes to method that have worked this week.  Early and late in the day shallow running minnows or Tassies have been the best option fished in close.  Leadcore and downrigging during the brightest and hottest part of the day has also caught fish.

With the warm conditions we have been experiencing the earlier you can get on the water the better.  Aim to be out and trolling by 5 am. 

Best minnow lures have been Rebel Crickhoppers in tan and green, Rapala J-7 in Rainbow Trout, Bennett Ultra Deep Merlins in Rainbow trout and RMG Scorpions in Gold.

Best Tassie Devil colours have been 36, 55, 89, Y94, Y82, 28 and 48.  These are best run with a bead and a Gamakatsu single lure hook swinging off a split ring.

Best trolling areas have been around Old Adaminaby The Dam wall and main basin and the tree lined Western side of the lake.

* A.Bond and G.Bond from Victoria fared well catching 4 Browns and 6 Rainbows. Browns were 1.1kg - 1.4kg.  Rainbows were up to 40cm in length. Tassies were the best lures and the best colour was 'anything with a yellow wing'.

*Simon Gloster from Seymour in Victoria trolled some nice fish on Tassie devil in the Midnite (#8).  Rainbows to 1kg Browns to 1.2kg.

GOOD NEWS  TWO NEW Launching areas - Snowy River Shire Council & Snowy Hydro have upgraded and cleared off the silt from the old Denison st at Old Adaminaby and added gravel to the top turning/parking area as well - along with park owners Paul and Ken upgrading an area at Anglers Reach as well. These ramps can now be used to launch boats with out too much trouble. Larger boats can be a little more difficult, but it is possible to launch small to medium sized vessels.  This ramp will now be cleared regularly to keep access for launching boats open on lake Eucumbene.Snowy Hydro are also looking at improving launching area's at Anglers Reach and the Dam wall - so we'll keep you posted. More details on Lake Eucumbene's levels @ http://www.snowyhydro.com.au/LevelThree.asp?pageID=322&grandParentID=3&parentID=52

*Buckenderra have also upgraded their launching area and you can now launch boats up to 4 metres with a four wheel drive at the Eucumbene cover.

Jindabyne:-  Jinde has been fishing much the same as Eucumbene.  There have been a few better Browns and fatter Rainbows being caught in Jindabyne however. 

*Ken Godwin from the Woolly Buggers Flyfishers trolled Y82 Tassie Devils from his canoe for two 32cm Rainbowns and two 40 cm Browns in a 3 hour session.

*David Jones from Sydney caught some fish on the troll as well as on the fly.  Tassies Y48, 89 trolled on flat lines early and late produced the goods.

Best areas have been Sids Bay, Kalkite, Thredbo arm and Creel Bay.

Baitfishing  :-  WE NOW HAVE BARDIE'S AGAIN

Powerbait, Grubs, Mudeyes and Scrub Worms all worked over the last week and the weekend.   Powerbait in Lime and Lemon twist has been excellent during the day and most anglers opt for one rod with a Mudeye under a bubble and one with a Scrub Worm or Powerbait on the bottom.

Mudeyes have really been the best of the baits at present with some very good catches in the evenings.  Rainbows just love a mudeye under a bubble.