Moruya River.
Moruya River continues to fish really well in all sections this week, with flathead and bream being the most consistent catches. The blue swimmers have made an appearance this week, with good numbers and size being caught. Witches hats or crab pots placed in front of creek mouths adjacent to ribbon weed beds are producing the goods. I managed to land a healthy sized swimmer off the Moruya bridge last weekend on a live nipper. The fact I managed to get to the bucket on top of the bridge was just dumb luck, as they usually will drop the hook as soon as they feel something is wrong. Live nippers are working really well on the local bream, with Garland town flats the best area to catch nippers - 10-15 minutes of pumping, saw me with 20-30 nippers (enough for a quick solo session). Don’t take too many, and return anything you haven’t used alive. Upstream of the bridge, the snags and structure in front of Moruya hospital continues to hold good numbers of estuary perch and bream. Throughout the entire system, the whiting are mostly interested in squirt worms if you can find them. Surface lures are accounting for a few fish, but live worms are the gun bait at the moment.
Upstream in the fresh, there have been a few very nice bass caught on soft plastics. Please remember these fish are stuck in the holes you catch them in and are under stress from low flows and increased angling pressure – please do the right thing and let them go so our resource continues to survive a difficult time.
Tuross River
The lower sections of Tuross are producing the best fish at the moment. With diminished flows, and a nearly closed system, wherever the water is freshest is producing the better catches. Don’t get me wrong the system is still very healthy, all the way up to the middle and upper sections, it’s just that the lower sections are fishing better. With a new or dark moon on Boxing Day, the prawning should be really good this year. Whiting are preferring live squirt worms in Tuross also, with surface lures also accounting for some nice fish. Bream will be hitting all offerings, be it bait or artificial presentations. While the humble flathead still continue to hit plastics in the shallows. Blue swimmers and mud crabs are also turning up in side creeks and the fronts of gutters that drain into the main channel. Those chasing Bass in Tuross will have to travel a long way upstream to find the fresh, break out the maps.
Rock and Beach
Whiting have been reported in the shallow bays in and around the local headlands. Fresh beach worms or pipis will be your best baits here. There should be good bream in the beach gutters on a high tide also for those who like to fish light enough for them. Again worms and pips will be your best baits. It’s moving into the time of the year, where a good fresh fillet bait has the chance to come across a nice mulloway from the local beaches. You can expect to put some hours in for these slivered ghosts though.
Offshore
Again the winds, combined with the horrific fire conditions we have been experiencing these last few weeks have kept the offshore crews quiet. For those who have got out, good numbers of flathead and snapper have been reported. Hopefully once the Kings Hwy reopens, and we get an influx of weekend anglers from over the hill, reports will pick up.
Although the last few weeks have been trying for the entire south coast, we are still open for business. That goes for all the major and minor travel destinations along the coast. The best we can hope for, is that our loyal and welcome customer base to continue making the journey down to see us from where ever they hail. Please don’t be deterred by the events of the last few weeks, yes some areas have been affected, but there is plenty to see and do, and the best way to support those who have been hit hardest, is to come and visit, spend some money and enjoy the beautiful coastal area we call home.
Snowy Mountains Trout:
The winds have actually eased and this past week was much warmer, these calmer conditions are more inviting to get out for a fish. Just remember to slip, slop, slap!
The top end of the Murrumbidgee river is flowing nicely and there’s been plenty of trout to tangle with. Local fly and lure anglers have been hooking into good numbers and some reasonably sized specimens amongst them.
Dry fly’s are enticing most of the attention, matching the hatch is your key to success. Small bladed Celta type spinners through to deep diving hard bodies and soft plastics - soft plastics that mimic yabbies, worms or small eels are perfect for attracting some string pulling action, working the water column from top to bottom. Soft plastics are cheap so it doesn’t hurt the pocket snagging up a few times throughout your session.
Eucumbene river is showing good signs with the odd nice mountain trout to tangled with, on fly’s or lures. “Blue Ribbon Stream” The river is flowing nicely and the banks are lined with luscious green growth from the snow melt. Watching for snakes with every step!!
Thredbo river, can be a frustrating location to entice a hook up. With its gin clear waters you can sight trout swimming in open waters, enticing attention and setting the hook is another story. Stealth mode is required and quality Polarised glasses like “Mako Eyewear” are needed for sight casting. Don’t leave home without your Mako’s!
Snowy river has very few locations for the general public to access. In the township of Dalgety behind the caravan park is a beautifully shaded place to spend a day with the family, clean banks, great swimming holes and the odd nice trout is often found at this location.
Lake Eucumbene is fishing well, 7pm through to mid morning’s are the productive hours, low light to bring the bite. Bait is the standout method and trolling the fringes in the 2m-3m mark is your best angle of attack, casting from the boat towards the banks can create some red hot sessions.
Fly fishos it’s time to get your long wands out, the insects are moving about and the trout can be seen slurping down anything that’s hitting the surface of an evening.
Lake Jindabyne has been fairly consistent in the evening’s especially trolling bright/sparkly colours in the 2.5m - 4m depth range, using your sounder to locate the fish. Good numbers have been caught along the rocky outcrops towards the dam wall. A few brook trout are starting to show up with a nice one landed in recent days. Brook trout don’t move around too much, they hold the bottom - soft plastics are ideal for bottom bouncing for brook trout.
Tantangara Dam has dropped leaving muddy banks to contend with. There’s been some good numbers and well conditioned fish landed, mostly on fly, it’s definitely worth a day trip. Due to the 2.0 project “Don’t forget to call the Snowy Hydro information centre” to confirm access. During weekends the Adaminaby servo or Adaminaby angler can confirm access for you.
Lake levels as follows:
•Lake Eucumbene - 30% and steady. •Lake Jindabyne - 82% capacity and steady. •Tantangara Dam is back to 11% but fishing well.
Tight lines my friends and fish for the future!
Remember “every days a good day for fishing ...!!”
Team Tackle World Moruya
