Headlines: Fishing has been varied with some anglers having good sessions over Easter and the past week while others have found only a few fish. Though the Eucumbene bite appears to have slowed the fish quality is still sensational.
Anglers need to pay attention to the dropping levels of the lakes. Underwater obstacles are starting to appear in some areas and these can be dangerous if hit at high speed. If unsure of the area go slow and keep an eye out.
Store Trading Hours
Mon-Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 7am - 5.30pm
Sunday 8am - 4:30pm
Flyfishing
Rivers:- Continue to be worth a look in the daytime for some fun dry fly fishing. The fishing during the daytime will be good with small dry flies like hoppers and stimulators being a good option along with emerger style patterns during the evening.
Dry fly fishing has still been excellent at present. Cooler conditions will see nymphs starting to come into their own
*Had a most relaxing weekend away at Alpine Habitats (on the way to the Thredbo) on the weekend and though I didn't get any fishing done, the proprietor Mal Tarbuck showed me a few photos of some nice fish out one of the local streams that he has been catching on dries recently. Real quality rainbows and some healthy browns. A great place to stay for fishos and some great fish and fishing in that local area at present.
*One angler reported gettting seven fish in a mid afternoon session on the Eucumbene River late last week. The fish were not huge but provided some good fun smashing hopper patterns.
Best streams to look at are the Euc, Thredbo and Murrumbidgee.
Other rivers to fish are the Moonbah, Snowy, Gungarlin, and a few other smaller high country creeks.
Lake Eucumbene:- The lake has been a little hit and miss but there are still enough of those fat rainbows around to keep most anglers happy. A few more browns have started to show though the rainbows are out numbering them considerably. The top end around Anglers Reach appears to be producing a few more of the browns.
Seven Gates and Crowes area has been very good as has the whole Middilingbank arm.
Evening fishing has been the best overall with early mornings being quite good also. Standard streamers like Hammils, Simpsons, Tom Jones have been the best fish takers with nymphs also veing good during the day.
The fish have had a mixture of snails, daphnia and mudeyes in their stomachs.
Lake Jindabyne:- Jindabyne has been great in the evenings with some very nice rainbows on dark. There have been some really good browns starting to cruise the edges and these have been suckers for a small woolly bugger. There is a heap of weed in many of the bays and though this is making fishing a little tough it is also drawing the fish in to the food that it holds.
Lake Tantangara :- No reports from Tantangara.
Trolling and Spinning
Eucumbene:- Trolling has been good overall with many lure types producing fish. Leadcore in deeper water has been a good producer over the last two weeks. . Trout pattern minnows in Rapalas, Attacks, RMG Scorpions, Rebels, and Alex lures are great lures to try. Try some of the larger lures down deep to search out the bigger browns.
Tassies and Stings on lead core line have been a great method on the lake. Try pinks and yellow wingers like like # 89, 36 and S12. Dual depth versions of these colours on flat lines would be a good option also.
Small tan and black crickhoppers and F3 and F5 Rapalas
Best areas for trolling continue to be Cobrabald, Waiunui, Collingwood, and the main basin area.
*Hey Guys,
Ray Blundell finally caught a decent size fish caught at Lake Eucumbene recently - 7 lb 6 oz brown trout - Not bad but no 16 lb 4 oz fish like mine - keep trying dad!
Should have noted that's my grandfather, John Blundell, holding the fish - he's 80 years old - and apart that he can't see very well, cameras these days are too technical and so poor dad didn't get in the photo with his fish.
Tracey Blundell.
Jindabyne:- Jindabyne trolling reports have been pretty good in the Kalkite and waste point area along with the eastern side around Sids bay.
Baitfishing :-
Mudeyes are becoming harder to get at present but are well worth using when available. Powerbait is going to come into its own over the next few weeks as the weather continues to cool. Remember to fish it on the bottom but with a light gauge short shank hook, like the Gamakatsu single egg or Daiichi 2171 in a sz 6 are perfect. Best colours have been the Chartreuse, Sherbert and Chunky Cheese nuggets working the best. Scrub worms should account for some good browns over the next few weeks.
*Hi Tom,
I fished off the bank at Kalkite from 3.30 to 6.00 pm on Good Friday and got three nice rainbows on scrub worms and power baits. The first fish was at 4 pm and the next two were caught at 6 pm, just as a thunderstorm was approaching. The last fish was probably the unluckiest fish in Jindabyne that day. I was using 1 kg line and the fish was very feisty so I let the fish play itself out near the banks. Just as I thought the fish had played itself out, it swam around a small rock and snapped the line. Fortunately, it just sat in the water so I waded out and scooped it up with the landing net before it had a chance to swim off. The fish were not big but still happy to take home some nice fish for Easter.
Anthony
Best areas in Eucumbene would be Coppermine, Buckenderra and Seven gates.
Try Hatchery, Curiosity rocks, Claypits, Stinky Bay, and Kalkite.
Lake Levels
Eucumbene 19.3%
Jindabyne 47.7%
Tantangara 6.2%
Cheers Tom
Got any reports from the local lakes or rivers?
If so, email them along with pictures to info@alpineangler.com.au for inclusion in our weekly report.
