With this extension of summer continuing well beyond the norm, the fishing has also been extended and some areas are still well worth the time on the water.
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As we enter May, many anglers turn their focus to the pre-spawning trout within the Snowy Mountains, where brown trout stack up in the river in their thousands and those looking to score themselves a trophy trout may have to contend with shoulder-to-shoulder anglers. But it can pay off for the anglers who partake.
It’s reasonably simple to target the trout at this time of year. With the blinkers on in preparation for spawning, the main feeding patterns are Trout Roe in the rivers and then small lures and flies in the lake.
Looking at the river first, the optimal choice would be to use a fly to imitate the floating eggs that the trout are likely to be keyed into. Known as the humble "Glo Bug" among enthusiasts, the simple method is to cast upstream and allow the Glo Bug to float downstream in front of the waiting trout. This can be done with spin gear as well, attaching a few split shot sinkers to your line with a Glo Bug at the bottom is just as deadly as using them with a fly rod.
A reminder to all anglers who wish to target the spawn run trout in any river or stream in the snowies is that, especially in the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers, a size limit of 50 cms applies. And only one fish can be taken per person per day.
Within the lake itself I find the best fishing to be at night, when the fish are more actively hunting. Stripping wet flies or spinning small lures is best. Flies such as the Hamills Killer, Wooly Buggar and Craig’s Night Time have achieved the most success for me. And small hard bodies, celtas and even Tassie Devils from the bank can provide some great captures. These tactics can also be used throughout the day, but be prepared to walk along a lot more bank to find active pods of fish. At night, on the other hand, it’s likely to stay in the one spot for a few hours and the fish then come to you.
The dams and waterways locally are still producing a few natives. Yellow belly are still in the trees within Burrinjuck in 10 to 20 metres of water. Cod are being trolled up, but can be a bit hit and miss.
