Matcho

Just sitting here at home in Inner Sydney. Hearing the cicadas for the first time. I was born and raised with pro fishos and did a little bit myself on Botany Bay/Georges River. Brought back a memory from a real old timer. "First cicadas means the jews are starting to run, big nets out." He was never wrong. Think it is time to get the Jew gear out. I won't go with the fly again like I did a few years ago on dark and hooked one. Not pretty on 6 weight. Go hard fellas, if old Jimmy was right, now is the time.

Where there is baitfish they are there this time of year, small ones are fun and good eating but the big buggers are another issue! Nasty as.

Hey guys, Haven't posted for a while but here goes. Went down to the Southern Highlands a few weeks ago for my stepsons wedding. His mom rented a lodge in the Moss Vale area. Looked like an American hunting lodge with all stuffed heads on the wall, cowhides on the floor, a dam with a big Indian Teepee. Anyhow to cut a story short, went for a walk around the property and went down to the dam, nice clear water, small sandy beach, pier, plenty of plant growth and ducks. Saw a few shadows moving around in the centre of the dam. Immediate thought was "carp" as you would expect. Had the 6wt Sage in the car so rigged up with a small Tom Jones fly with a gold bead head. One cast, up come the big dark thing and sucked it straight down. Heavy fish bearing in mind only 4lb tippet, Not much of a fight in so much as powerful runs but just so heavy and every turn I got back it took the same. Anyway after 5 minutes up it came, 46 long and who knows what weight. Called it for a silver perch but now not so sure, give the location etc. Any ideas? Ken

OK Salmon it is. Even more reason to get back down there for some fun. Ken.

Adam, As I said, the canal has a load of different fish, I have caught kings on blades not far from the mouth and seen salmon not too far away at Callan Park, but salmon in the canal, not so sure. I would say that you have got tied up with one of the massive mullet that are often there. Have foul hooked one myself and the end result was the same. I hope you can prove me wrong on the future. They look very similar to salmon and I reckon go even harder! Anyhow great effort, it is so funny that people walk past locations like this and areas nearby and have no idea what potential there is. When I first started flyfishing in Iron Cove over near the Aquatic Club the walkers on the bay run would look on with the old "no trout in there" comment. When they see the rod bent and good whiting, bream, flathead and small snapper some stop and chew their words. Anyhow water is starting to warm, have tied some new flies over winter, I'll be there soon. Ken.

Olive and dark olive fuzzel and woolly buggers, crazy charlies, and any small shrimp/squid imitations. There really isn't any limitations. Have caught bream on a dry fly as well when the flying ants are out. Mullet will take bread flies but you need to burley them up with bread and bream will take them as well. It is pretty hard to target specific species down there except for the mullet, it's a lucky dip really. Just be careful with the backcasts though because of "Doggie Park", and trees on the eastern side although its not too bad up at the boat ramp casting up to the pylons of both bridges. There are some spots near the tennis courts on the western side which have a bit of space, mainly use a roll cast but in all reality you dont need to cast that far because at best the canal is less than 10 metres wide. Good luck. Ken.

It is quite amazing what can turn up in that particular canal. I have fished it over the past 15 or so years. Huge bream, 90cm flathead, large stingrays, big whiting, mudcrabs, decent jews, big mullet and even caught a long necked turtle one day. Have fished it with bait very rarely, mainly used small hard bodies, poppers, plastics and of late fly. Congrats on your efforts and good to see catch and release. Matcho.