Headlines:  Fishing over the Easter weekend was very good with plenty of fish caught in the area.  Eucumbene has produced yet again with some excellent baitfishing with Mudeyes and the fly fishing and trolling has been outstanding.

It's on again this November, The 35th Yamaha and Freshwater Fishing Snowy Mountains Trout Festival.  Dates for the week long competition are Saturday the 1st of November - Friday 7th of November 2008.

Once again prizes will include a Boat, Motor and Trailer package, Category prizes for Trolling, Spinning, Fly and Bait fishing, daily secret weight cash prizes, plus an overall secret weight cash prize.  The fishing is bound to be excellent and it is a great family orientated event.  Book your holidays early and don't miss the countries premier Trout Fishing event.

Flyfishing

Rivers:-  Not a great deal of change in the river fishing which has still been excellent.  Levels have had a top up with recent rain and this augers well for the spawning season.    The Thredbo and Eucumbene have both been fishing well.  There is some great river polaroiding to be had when the water is very clear and the upper reaches of the Thredbo in particular have produced some really good Browns. 

We should see some good day time hatches with the cooler evenings.  Nymphs will start to be a good choice of fly at this time, but be prepared to change to a dry if fish start taking off the top.

On the Eucumbene the fishing has been similar to that in the Thredbo.  Searching or casting at a sighted fish with a dry has been working well in the glides and slow pools.  A dry indicator with a weighted nymph has been the best option in the faster runs at the head of pools.

Hopper patterns have been producing despite the lack of naturals on the water.  Klinkhamers and Red Humpies have been good along with Caddis and Dun style dries.  Nymphs in black, brown and hare and coppers have been great.

Lake Eucumbene:- There has still been producing some great evening and early morning fly fishing.   Mudeye hatches are occurring with some huge migrations.  Fish have been on these and other food items every night.  Some nights are better than others, but there is no doubt the fishing is very consistent at present.  Location is all important.  Bays with lots of grass weed are ideal and rocky points adjacent to these bays being very good too.  The bottom end of the lake has been excellent including Braemar, Coppermine, Collingwood, Waiunui Buckenderra, Rushy Plains, Sevengates, Springwood, Yens and Old Adaminaby are the best options.

Look for areas with some depth as the really shallow areas seem to be holding less fish.

The best time has been from about 8pm onwards and the rise is usually over by about 10pm.  Those who are keen to keep fishing will still catch fish well into the early hours of the morning.

The Rainbows have really put on some great condition over the last few weeks as have the majority of Browns.   

There is a heap of food in the water at present too with Damsels Nymphs, Corixa, Mudeyes, Snails and Caddis being plentiful and although there are still plenty of Hoppers about those that have used them are working very hard for 1-2 fish after burleying with many live hoppers.  The fish seem to be more clued in on the huge amount of aquatic life in the margins at present. 

*Mark Barnes (pictured below) and Neil Barnes from Lismore spent a week in the area fishing a heap of rivers.  They caught some nice fish everywhere they went.  I was fortunate to fish the lake with them one evening.  The boys hooked five but Mark landed the only one a nice Rainbow.  I managed my first blank for the year, that's fishing. 

 Lake Jindabyne:-  Reports from Jindabyne have suggested that fishing down deep is the best bet at present.  With cooler nights the edges should fish well early in the day.   Small wets and searching with Woolly Buggers will find a few fish.  A Mudeye pattern after dark in the evenings should turn up a few good fish also.

Best areas to look at in Jindabyne are Kalkite, Creel Bay, Curiosity Rocks, Hayshed and Hatchery Bay.

 Lake Tantangara :-  

*Gary Mallon caught five nice Rainbows. Sinead caught first ever trout trolling a Celta.  Four were caught on Mudeyes.  The fish were between 38 and 43cm in length.  Good work.

Trolling and Spinning 

Eucumbene:-   Reports from the lake have been fantastic.  The trolling has been brilliant.  Launching access is available at Old Adaminaby, Anglers Reach, Dam Wall and Buckenderra. With cooler conditions there should be a few more fish taking shallow running minnows and Tassie Devils this week.  It would still be worth running a down rigger or lead core as well as surface lures to cover your options.

Best areas have been Anglers Reach, Seven Gates, Waiunui, Collingwood, Coppermine and Main basin.

Jindabyne:-  As in Eucumbene fishing both surface lures and lures on lead core or a down rigger is the best bet for catching a few fish.  Reports do suggest deeper rather than shallower is a little more consistent. 

The quality of some of the fish has been superb with real football like condition.  Best spots to troll have been Sids Bay, Creel Bay, Kangaroo Bay, the bank between  Sid's and Kalkite and the islands adjacent to the township.

 Talbingo:-  No reports

Baitfishing :- Mudeyes, Mudeyes, Mudeyes and dare I say it again, Mudeyes.  These are without doubt the best bait in Eucumbene at present

The bait reports have been out of control!

While worms, grubs and Powerbait can and have produced, the better catches have been with the bubble float and the Mudeye.