| article: trout tales july edition 2007 by steve williamson |
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Dated: 3 July, 2007
IN THIS ISSUE
* JULY FISHING REPORT
* SPRING ACCOMMODATION SPECIALS
* FLY FISHING WEEKEND
* LAKE LEVELS
* JINDABYNE NEWS
* PAMBULA NEWS
* WEEKEND TROLLING CLINIC
* ONE DAY DOWNRIGGING COURSE and more!
Hi and welcome to the JULY 2007 issue of Trout Tales.
Well my June holiday at Narooma started off OK with the first day sunny and good fishing however as the weather deteriorated during the week so did the fishing and the result was that the last two days we sat in the cabin watching as storms and heavy rain just flooded us totally out.
Of course Newcastle and the Sydney region had a little more rain possibly and the shame of it all was that just so much water went out to sea and not into our rivers and dams where it is needed the most.
Upon returning to Jindabyne it was also good to see that we had almost an inch or rain but unfortunately not much in the way of snow. Second last weekend of June and the town of Jindabyne was just about deserted in comparison to normal years which was a reflection on last years bad snow season and people not booking accommodation until there is at least lots of snow on the ground. Unfortunately the ski resorts were still ‘talking up’ the snow conditions which is only does damage.
I feel that with another bad season accommodation venues may look seriously at dropping their prices to encourage people to come and anglers are one type of people that are happy to come and fish but are usually scared off by the high and unreasonable prices of accommodation.
I would think seriously of shopping around for some good deals if you want to come and have a winter fish at the moment as the fishing is still very good on the lake with some great catches especially on bait and trolling.
The last week of June was interesting for everyone especially along the east coast of NSW with many costal areas experiencing massive flooding.
The Gippsland area went from drought and fires in January to floods in June but at least all of the rivers had a massive flush out which is what is needed to get them back in order again.
Mate and president of the Professional Fishing Guides Association, Rod Barford spent many weeks after the Victorian bush fires researching the damaged done to the rivers and streams after the bushfires. Rod was working with Parks Victoria and the pictures that Rod sent me did not look good for many of our trout streams but now with a good flush out these waterways may again be restocked? and hopefully recover.
Down on the coast it will be interesting as with the massive flush out the estuary systems have had should also improve the fishing and I guess I will have to go and test it out as soon as it stops raining.
With the start of July now here I must say that the snow is much better than last year and while not a lot of depth (official depth is 39.9cm at Spensors creek) the snow is dry and in good condition after the last few days of very cold southerly winds. Over the next week there is a series of westerlies coming through and we may get something significant by the end of this week.
With the NSW School holidays now here, I will be back in business with tours operating on demand.
BACK TO WORK!
Now that I have had a little holiday and the boat has been cleaned and serviced, I am now back in action with tours on Lake Jindabyne starting again in time for the school holidays.
If you can get a chance to experience some of the fantastic winter fishing here on Lake Jindabyne, please give me a call. Remember the big monster Atlantic Salmon will be coming on the bite by now and boat trolling is the best way to catch one.
If you have been out with me before, a regular client, why not book a tour and also take advantage of some FREE extra time that I will through into every tour as a thank you for your loyal custom.
As you are aware I am very busy during the season and rush from job to job or from job to shop and I don’t often have a lot of time to chat so I really do look forward to the laid back nature of my winter fishing tours and enjoy catching up with people that I don’t have to ‘baby-sit’ if you know what I mean. In fact if you are a return client you should be able to guide me!
THE BIG JUST GET BIGGER!
I guess in every industry we see the big get bigger and the tackle industry is no different. After last year's buy out by Rapala International of Silstar (Freetime), DAM, Storm, VMC etc we now are about to see another major buyout overseas by a company called ‘Jarden Corporation’ (their camping brand is Coleman).
Jarden has just purchased Pure Fishing last April and now it looks as if they will also buy out Shakespeare, which will be very interesting in Australia should the buy out go ahead.
The company would then handle such products as Berkley, Shakespeare, Penn, Pflueger, Mitchell, Abu Garcia, Stren, Sevylor, Stearns etc.
When we look at pricing in Australia from Wholesaler to Tackle Shop the product goes through several people. From the Manufacturer, the product is passed onto the wholesaler who has a representative (usually on a commission) that comes to the retail outlet to sell the product.
In America and other countries the product goes direct from the manufacturer to the retailer cutting out two and sometimes three middlemen. Now you know why so many people go direct to the U.S. to purchase their fishing tackle! Only problem there is you often don’t get the right advice, correct product, warranty and you certainly don’t get the local knowledge on how to use the product so is it really worth it?
Well if it’s an expensive product it may be but by not supporting your local businesses you will find that prices will often be driven up after the big businesses have market control, so maybe we might be best not supporting internet sales?
FISHING REPORT
July is always a strange month as the fishing changes very quickly as does the weather. The barometer goes up and down quickly and this affects the way the fish behave.
Given these changes, the fishing is often spectacular this month however you just have to have the line in the water at the right time.
The last week has been cold and windy but there have been a few anglers about and the reports are that the bank fishing is very good with both lure and bait fishing catching some good fish.
Last Saturday the weather started out great with nice and sunny conditions greeting us but at 10am the wind came up to 90kpm and it was so dangerous. The police boat was launched to rescue a small tinny and this is another reminder to the fact that you have be aware that the winds can come up and waves on the lake can reach to over a metre in just minutes. If you’re in a small boat on the lake in winter, stay on the western side of the lake and don’t go too far. In winter you don’t have to go too far, so why waste petrol and fishing time?
If you intend to fish Lake Jindabyne over the next month, give me a call at the shop for the latest fishing report or better still call in and have a chat as we can always tell you what is happening and the best places to fish.
WATER LEVELS
Lake Jindabyne’s water level.
Well like everywhere else we have had some rain and snow last month and the fact is the water level is rising very slowly at the moment and the predicted low didn’t eventuate.
While it looks good at the moment the message from Snowy Hydro is that they have taken all the water they can from Eucumbene and so they are now looking at Jindabyne, so anything can happen and we all have to remember that while everywhere on the coast may have been flooded out the rain still hasn’t fallen in the Murray river area where it is needed the most and so it is only a matter of time before we have to send more water from the mountains down the river for the irrigators and that means that we will see our lakes water levels dropped again over the summer months.
LARGE GROUP BOOKINGS
Not a lot of you would be aware that I am set up for guiding large groups and we quite often do conference groups in all different methods of trout fishing.
I am sure quite a lot of you are working for or with large companies so if your interested in putting together a trout fishing weekend for your social club, fishing club or whatever, then you need to contact me so as I can help you with all the arrangements.
I can handle up groups up to 40 people fly fishing and even larger groups for mixed methods.
I can help arrange private lodge accommodation just for your group as well.
If interested contact me for a price. I am sure you will be surprised at the cost.
BATEMANS BAY MARINE PARK
From June 30, love it or hate it there is no more fishing allowed in some of the best fishing spots south of Sydney, unfortunately the marine park is here to stay. I can only partly blame anglers for being so apathetic and allowing the government to get away with it.
Small businesses will go to the wall in some areas. Small tackle shop owners are very, very worried! I absolutely hate, like you wouldn’t believe, any changes that are made without any scientific proof that there is a very good reason for it.
I think there is a real mischief behind this marine park and because we have let the government get away with it, it will only get worse from here. I can guarantee that it will not be long before the far south coast will be a marine park issue as well. The whole Batemans Marine Park joke has been a debacle from start to finish. The marine park will swallow up a lot of great fishing locations between Bawley Point to the north and Wallaga Lake to the south.
I can’t for one minute believe that anglers take too many fish and even if that was the problem at the moment then I am sure we would all have accepted a reduction in the catch limit so as to avoid the marine park. Average anglers like you and me who pay our licence fees, observe the rules and simply want to wet a line DO NOT rape and pillage a fishery. Many of you reading this will lose some favourite fishing spots as a result of the marine park.
The Batemans Marine Park is a reality now and there is nothing we can do about it, so we must start looking at the positives.
Locking out professional fishermen is the biggest plus. Banning commercial fishing in the park’s designated Sanctuary Zones will protect vital breeding grounds and boost fish numbers in the short and long term.
The net gains will be especially noticeable in the estuaries within the marine park, with juvenile fish allowed to thrive and grow without fear of ending up as commercial by-catch.
I can only hope now that no other waterway will become a marine park until such time that is has been scientifically proven without a doubt that the Batman’s Bay Marine Park is a huge success.
In the mean time keep your ears open as I don’t think it will be long before other areas are affected and more small businesses are effected possibly in a negative way!
JINDABYNE NEWS
The silly season has arrived in Jindabyne and the town is now in full swing with plenty of people about and the NSW school holidays also starting.
After the long weekend in June the town was reasonably quite, and very few skiers or anglers about. This brings me to the same comment I have been making for many years and that is that in all reality the snow season doesn’t start until July anyway so why does all of the accommodation prices have to rise on the June long weekend? If accommodation prices were kept to a reasonable rate I am sure that more anglers would come to fish the Snowys as the fishing is fantastic, it’s just bloody cold!
The takeover of IGA by Woolworths was held up while the ACCC looked at the liqueur licence issues as Woolworths wanted the Porters licence (little IGA) as well at the Festival IGA. That was finally approved on the 19th June by the ACCC and so the takeover is now in full swing and we should see the signs changes over early this month.
The Lakeside bistro at the Jindabyne Bowling Club has been taken over by Somechit who had the Chit Thai restaurant at Snowline for a few years. The Brumby Bar also has a new chef as well so I am not sure what is happening with the food there but I am sure it will still be first class.
Last weekend we saw ‘operation Viking’ in action again. Viking is where the police drug squad with the sniffer dogs go through all of the pubs and clubs trying to catch out people. Yes even after warning everyone, they managed to catch people with drugs. About half a dozen youths were also locked up for vandalism and fighting.
Do the city areas see sniffer dogs coming through pubs and clubs on a regular basis or is it just a snow town thing? Let me know because last year the police even teamed up with the RTA and in August in peak time they set up a road block coming into town and checked all cars.
I personally thought this was a bit harsh and there would be no way I would have had the warm fuzzy ‘Welcome to Jindabyne’ feeling as I was treated like a suspect to a crime! This action by the police was an overkill that held up the traffic for hours and made a lot of snow skiers very unhappy. What the outcome was I have no idea, but I bet they wouldn’t get away with doing this sort of stuff in the city!
The Snowy Mountains area wonders why there are less snow skiers about? We think about it! As the sniffer dogs go through your personal possessions we say ‘Welcome to Jindabyne’!
SNOWLINE HOLIDAY PARK UPDATE
Remember if you are coming to Jindabyne and are booking a tour with me outside of the winter peak period, then you are eligible for a 10% discount on your accommodation if you book at Snowline Holiday Park. Snowline have been very busy over the last month putting in more powered sites and more landscaping.
Everything will be in place by spring and the new managers are looking forward to the Snowy Mountains Trout Festival held from the 2nd to the 9th November.
PAMBULA NEWS
I have been managing a few trips down the coast over the last month and boy tings can change and the biggest changes came from the rain that was received in late June.
As we are aware the whole of the coast had massive falls of rain and the big fresh did have an effect on the fishing, and all should settle down by the time you read this newsletter.
More info on how the south coast is fishing on my web site.
ONE DAY DOWRIGGING COURSE IN JINDABYNE
The one day downrigging course was a huge success and all had a lot of fun and learnt heaps. With the popularity of this course I will hold a few more of these in spring with the first set down for Saturday 13th October. Let me know now if you are interested as there is a limit of only six people at each course. The course is $150 for the day.
Remember I also run private courses so you can always get a few friends together and book your own course at a time that suits you.
TROLLING CLINIC
The next weekend trolling clinic will be in November and the date at this time should be 4th and 5th the start to the SM Trout Festival week.
In this weekend course I cover everything from boat set up for trolling right through to techniques like downrigging and sideplaning. There is 16 hours of tuition and again numbers are very limited.
Call the shop or e-mail for a full itinerary. The whole weekend course will cost you $380 and covers lunches etc and there are discounts for accommodation.
FLY FISHING BEGINNERS COURSE
There will be an extensive Beginners Fly Fishing Course set down for 20th and 21st October 2007. We may be looking at this one as a residential course but will update you on that in the next newsletter.
Normally you would arrive on Friday evening for a social get together to meet every one in the group. Saturday will be a full days instruction and then after dinner on Saturday evening we will have fly fishing DVD’s on fishing the area as well as a fly tying night for you to learn the basics of whipping up a simple fly. Sunday is on the water learning to fish a river and we finish up at lunchtime to allow you to return home.
Call me and book early, pay your deposit and receive a FREE Gillies fly rod. Full itinerary can be e-mailed or posted.
FISHING GUIDES
The Professional Fishing Guides and Instructors Association held their AGM on the 2nd June at Pambula and this year the meeting was well attended.
For the first time, the PFIGA has made arrangements for the 2008 AGM to be held on the weekend of the 14th and 15th June 2008 at Holiday Hub Beach Resort at Pambula.
For the first time the weekend, which will include workshops and displays and the weekend will be open to those people that are just starting off or are looking at becoming guides. This will be a great opportunity for you to see just what the PFIGA is all about.
If interested please contact me and I will keep you in the loop as to what is happening as the event gets closer. 12 months is not that far away!
UPDATED FISHING REPORTS
You can always access the latest Jindabyne Fishing Reports from my web site at www.swtroutfishing.com.auhowever should you wish to have a report directly e-mailed to you as soon as they are updated you can always request to be put into my address book and have theme e-mailed direct.
You will also find on my web site now fishing reports for Pambula / Merimbula and Eden area.
These saltwater reports are compiled by myself, Barry and friends down on the coast that fish the area regularly. At the moment I am tending to fish the coast a day or two a week so I have a reasonable handle on what is happening and intend to update monthly. These reports will be a little more up to date than what you read in the magazines which are more than often written a month before they are distributed.
RAINBOW LODGE
Rainbow Lodge is now booked out for winter and will be available once again in October. Bookings please phone my shop on 02 64561551 during business hours.
A FUNNY
A man was fishing.
He began his outing with a 25kg Kingfish on the first drop and a 20lb Snapper on the second.
On the third drop he had just scored his first ever King Terakihi when his cell phone rang.
It was a doctor notifying him that his wife had just been in a terrible accident and was in critical condition in ICU. The man told the doctor to inform his wife where he was and that he'd be there as soon as possible.
As he hung up he realized he was leaving what was shaping up to be his best ever fishing trip. He decided to get in a couple of more drifts before heading to the hospital. He ended up catching several personal bests, and all in all, had his best days fishing by far. He was jubilant....
Then he remembered his wife. Feeling guilty he dashed to the hospital. He saw the doctor in the corridor and asked about his wife's condition.
The doctor glared at him and shouted, "You went ahead and kept fishing didn't you! I hope you're proud of yourself! While you were out for the past four hours enjoying yourself on the ocean, your wife has been languishing in the ICU! It's just as well you went ahead and finished the fishing because it will be more than likely your last! For the rest of her life she will require 'round the clock care and you'll be her care giver!"
The man was feeling so guilty he broke down and sobbed .
The doctor snickered and said, "Just screwing with you. She's dead. What'd you catch?"
(Thanks for that David)
ANOTHER FUNNY
A man had just settled into his seat next to the window on the plane when another man sat down in the aisle seat and put his black Labrador retriever between them.
The first man asked why the dog was allowed on the plane. The second man explained that he was a DEA agent and that the dog was a sniffing dog.
"His name is Sniffer, and he's the best there is," he said. "I'll show you once we get airborne when I put him to work."
The plane took off, and once it had levelled out, the agent said, "Watch this." He told Sniffer to "search."
Sniffer jumped down, walked along the aisle, and finally sat very purposefully next to a woman for several seconds. Sniffer then returned to his seat and put one paw on the agent's arm. The agent said, "Good boy." He turned to the other man and said, "That woman is in possession of marijuana, so I'm making a note of her seat number. The authorities will apprehend her when we land."
"Say, that's pretty neat," replied the first man. Once again, the agent sent Sniffer to search the aisles. The Lab sniffed about, sat down beside a man for a few seconds, returned to his seat and placed two paws on the agent's arm. The agent said, "That man is carrying cocaine, so again, I'm making a note of his seat number for the police."
The agent then told Sniffer to search again. Sniffer walked up and down the aisles for a little while, sat down for a moment, and then came racing back to the agent. He jumped into the middle seat and proceeded to poop all over the place. The first man was really disgusted by this behaviour and couldn't figure out why a well-trained dog would act like that, so he asked the agent, "What's going on?"
The agent nervously replied, "He just found a bomb!"
If you would like an up to date fishing report e-mailed direct to you each week, please e-mail a request to me and you will be added to my list.
Hope you enjoyed this edition of ‘Trout Tales’, the next edition should be in early AUGUST.
I look forward to catching up with you all soon.
Steve Williamson
TO SUBSCRIBE TO ‘TROUT TALES’ e-mail swtrout@airlan.com.auor check out my web site.
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