Dragons and Damsels

[Matt]

Fishing is a pastime full of frustrations, frustration of poor weather, frustration of crap tides, frustration of no fish, the frustration of no fish etc etc. But I think the most frustrating aspect is when everything lines up, perfect weather with perfect conditions. Fish present and feeding yet you can't catch the damn things! Trout are famous for providing this frustration and are of course the provider of that very famous saying - match the hatch. Eucumbene handed out a mass dose of frustration for my father and I.

Eucumbene looked slowly coming up and currently sitting at 34% (should be higher, the SMA failed to take advantage of the rain), one can never claim that Eucumbene is a picturesque lake but there is something about the water slowly inundating grass and thistles that I find visually appealing. You can imagine Trout moving up with the water feeding on the myriad of bugs'n'such being drowned, which in most cases is what occurs. Sure enough, when Dad and myself arrived at Yens Bay the first thing we saw was a decent Trout leap clear of the water. The ensuing rush to get the Fly Rods out would have made for comic relief especially when yours trully fell over putting his waders on, thistles are sharp!

The Trout were here in numbers, wildly jumping and boiling around and the amount of confidence we had showed on the smiles on our faces. But Trout jump for a reason, that reason bumping into my wader clad leg. Dragonflies and their smaller cousins Damselflies, millions of them were flitting about. Good news you would think, mudeyes at night for sure! But heres the thing, Trout become so focused on the damned things that they ignore everything else! I can understand why, the large insects must provide a good bit of food but if you have seen Dragonflies they are fast in the air and the Trouts hit rate must be really low! We tried everything, even Dragonfly imitations yet the Trout ignored us. Very frustrating when a 1kg Rainbow leaps within touching distance.

Frying Pan, nice storm brewing!

That first evening was repeated again, this time at Frying Pan. Loads of Trout, loads of Dragons and Damsels. You could read the frustration on others faces too. More than once we heard another angler utter obscenities about Dragons. What we were too do? Rain killed off the next few sessions but another trip to Frying Pan was shaping up the same. I had tied on an Olive Mountain Shrimp, a fly I like to fast strip at TCD but one I hadn't had a great deal of success with in the Snowies. Giving the shrimp the TCD treatment of fast stripping it I wasn't expecting anything. I had moved into that "enjoying the environment without caring" mode and was thinking more about a glass of Shiraz later in the evening when out of the blue the 5wt line jolted out of my fingers. Pay attention Matt you dill! Finally, something had happened and I soon netted a Rainbow that all though long was very thin. Interested I relayed information back to Dad who was using a Black Nymph and he moved into fast strip mode. Reaction bite to use a US Bass fishing expression. We had cracked a bit of code and all though it was still hard work Trout finally started to hit the bank. All Rainbows and all very much out of condition but still fighting hard. More so right on dark when the Dragons and Damsels went to bed. That breakthrough evening saw us land 10 keeping 3, follow up evenings were similar both at Frying Pan and our favourite Yens Bay. The Trout were still super frustrating and while the sun was high in the sky they were so focused on Dragons, but the sense of achievement when Dad slid our last fish for the week into the net was greater than had we just started catching fish from the start.

The First Rainbow

Dad with a Yens Bay fish

I love Eucumbene and its Trout, last trip it was all about midges and small dry flies. This trip it seems to be Dragonflies, mass mudeye migrations etc. What will the next trip bring? I am sure though that whatever it might be that Dad and myself will get just as much enjoyment and pleasure out of being at the Snowy lakes, listening the frogs croak and hearing the occasional 'sploosh' as a Trout nabs its dinner off the surface.

Thin looking Rainbow

Cheers

Windy

Edited March 15, 2011 by Matt

[Jewhunter]

Top report Matt.

I reckon part of the fun of fishing is working the whole thing out as you go.

You did that & well done on your fish, a great report & pics.

A trip with your dad is priceless mate. You will appreciate it more as you get older!

Cheers,

Grant.

[TheAlby]

Fishing is a pastime full of frustrations, frustration of poor weather, frustration of crap tides, frustration of no fish, the frustration of no fish etc etc. But I think the most frustrating aspect is when everything lines up, perfect weather with perfect conditions. Fish present and feeding yet you can't catch the damn things! Trout are famous for providing this frustration and are of course the provider of that very famous saying - match the hatch. Eucumbene handed out a mass dose of frustration for my father and I.

Eucumbene looked slowly coming up and currently sitting at 34% (should be higher, the SMA failed to take advantage of the rain), one can never claim that Eucumbene is a picturesque lake but there is something about the water slowly inundating grass and thistles that I find visually appealing. You can imagine Trout moving up with the water feeding on the myriad of bugs'n'such being drowned, which in most cases is what occurs. Sure enough, when Dad and myself arrived at Yens Bay the first thing we saw was a decent Trout leap clear of the water. The ensuing rush to get the Fly Rods out would have made for comic relief especially when yours trully fell over putting his waders on, thistles are sharp!

The Trout were here in numbers, wildly jumping and boiling around and the amount of confidence we had showed on the smiles on our faces. But Trout jump for a reason, that reason bumping into my wader clad leg. Dragonflies and their smaller cousins Damselflies, millions of them were flitting about. Good news you would think, mudeyes at night for sure! But heres the thing, Trout become so focused on the damned things that they ignore everything else! I can understand why, the large insects must provide a good bit of food but if you have seen Dragonflies they are fast in the air and the Trouts hit rate must be really low! We tried everything, even Dragonfly imitations yet the Trout ignored us. Very frustrating when a 1kg Rainbow leaps within touching distance.

Frying Pan, nice storm brewing!

That first evening was repeated again, this time at Frying Pan. Loads of Trout, loads of Dragons and Damsels. You could read the frustration on others faces too. More than once we heard another angler utter obscenities about Dragons. What we were too do? Rain killed off the next few sessions but another trip to Frying Pan was shaping up the same. I had tied on an Olive Mountain Shrimp, a fly I like to fast strip at TCD but one I hadn't had a great deal of success with in the Snowies. Giving the shrimp the TCD treatment of fast stripping it I wasn't expecting anything. I had moved into that "enjoying the environment without caring" mode and was thinking more about a glass of Shiraz later in the evening when out of the blue the 5wt line jolted out of my fingers. Pay attention Matt you dill! Finally, something had happened and I soon netted a Rainbow that all though long was very thin. Interested I relayed information back to Dad who was using a Black Nymph and he moved into fast strip mode. Reaction bite to use a US Bass fishing expression. We had cracked a bit of code and all though it was still hard work Trout finally started to hit the bank. All Rainbows and all very much out of condition but still fighting hard. More so right on dark when the Dragons and Damsels went to bed. That breakthrough evening saw us land 10 keeping 3, follow up evenings were similar both at Frying Pan and our favourite Yens Bay. The Trout were still super frustrating and while the sun was high in the sky they were so focused on Dragons, but the sense of achievement when Dad slid our last fish for the week into the net was greater than had we just started catching fish from the start.

The First Rainbow

Dad with a Yens Bay fish

I love Eucumbene and its Trout, last trip it was all about midges and small dry flies. This trip it seems to be Dragonflies, mass mudeye migrations etc. What will the next trip bring? I am sure though that whatever it might be that Dad and myself will get just as much enjoyment and pleasure out of being at the Snowy lakes, listening the frogs croak and hearing the occasional 'sploosh' as a Trout nabs its dinner off the surface.

Thin looking Rainbow

Cheers

Windy

Great report ! i was at the same spot at yens over the new year period and had exactly the same thing happen. Saw lots of fish jumping round but no takers. we were using mudeyes... looks like it wasn't too busy for you guys. when we were there the whole area was pretty much taken up.

[Matt]

Thanks folks.

It can very crowded at Yens and indeed many of the easy to access spots TheAlby. I avoid going up there during any public holidays (Easter is the worst) as I hate crowds on Alpine Lakes. Yens Bay is normally pretty good on a regular weekend, usually only get local Fly Fisho's, all though nearby Old Adaminiby seems to get a lot of people on the foreshores. Frying Pan gets bad at times too and you do need to walk a bit. If the lake keeps coming up, Middlinbank will come back into the equation as well.

Stuey, we keep threating to catch up for Fly Fish one of these days. Time to make it reality

Cheers

Windy

[arpie]

Well done on cracking the code, & landing the fish that startled you out of your reverie!!! Your Dad & you put in the time & effort & gained the rewards.

cheers

Roberta

[Lizard Boy]

wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww I've never ever cought arainbow trout before

[tentonner]

awesome stuff, I love Eucumbene and am heading down there after the long weekend, water levels look as high as I've seen in a while judging from the photos. Just wish I was good with the fly rod, most of our fishing is trolling and spinning down there.

Top report though matt, must be satisfying to have been able to crack the code

[lukedfluke]

Great report!

I found that to be a very interesting an enjoyable read.

i feel your pain and frustration towards thetrout but their cunningness is, i guess, what makes them such a good fish to target. Thankfully, it seems like you managed to get into the action!

Cheers, luke

[alvillanova]

Fishing is a pastime full of frustrations, frustration of poor weather, frustration of crap tides, frustration of no fish, the frustration of no fish etc etc. But I think the most frustrating aspect is when everything lines up, perfect weather with perfect conditions. Fish present and feeding yet you can't catch the damn things! Trout are famous for providing this frustration and are of course the provider of that very famous saying - match the hatch. Eucumbene handed out a mass dose of frustration for my father and I.

Eucumbene looked slowly coming up and currently sitting at 34% (should be higher, the SMA failed to take advantage of the rain), one can never claim that Eucumbene is a picturesque lake but there is something about the water slowly inundating grass and thistles that I find visually appealing. You can imagine Trout moving up with the water feeding on the myriad of bugs'n'such being drowned, which in most cases is what occurs. Sure enough, when Dad and myself arrived at Yens Bay the first thing we saw was a decent Trout leap clear of the water. The ensuing rush to get the Fly Rods out would have made for comic relief especially when yours trully fell over putting his waders on, thistles are sharp!

The Trout were here in numbers, wildly jumping and boiling around and the amount of confidence we had showed on the smiles on our faces. But Trout jump for a reason, that reason bumping into my wader clad leg. Dragonflies and their smaller cousins Damselflies, millions of them were flitting about. Good news you would think, mudeyes at night for sure! But heres the thing, Trout become so focused on the damned things that they ignore everything else! I can understand why, the large insects must provide a good bit of food but if you have seen Dragonflies they are fast in the air and the Trouts hit rate must be really low! We tried everything, even Dragonfly imitations yet the Trout ignored us. Very frustrating when a 1kg Rainbow leaps within touching distance.

Frying Pan, nice storm brewing!

That first evening was repeated again, this time at Frying Pan. Loads of Trout, loads of Dragons and Damsels. You could read the frustration on others faces too. More than once we heard another angler utter obscenities about Dragons. What we were too do? Rain killed off the next few sessions but another trip to Frying Pan was shaping up the same. I had tied on an Olive Mountain Shrimp, a fly I like to fast strip at TCD but one I hadn't had a great deal of success with in the Snowies. Giving the shrimp the TCD treatment of fast stripping it I wasn't expecting anything. I had moved into that "enjoying the environment without caring" mode and was thinking more about a glass of Shiraz later in the evening when out of the blue the 5wt line jolted out of my fingers. Pay attention Matt you dill! Finally, something had happened and I soon netted a Rainbow that all though long was very thin. Interested I relayed information back to Dad who was using a Black Nymph and he moved into fast strip mode. Reaction bite to use a US Bass fishing expression. We had cracked a bit of code and all though it was still hard work Trout finally started to hit the bank. All Rainbows and all very much out of condition but still fighting hard. More so right on dark when the Dragons and Damsels went to bed. That breakthrough evening saw us land 10 keeping 3, follow up evenings were similar both at Frying Pan and our favourite Yens Bay. The Trout were still super frustrating and while the sun was high in the sky they were so focused on Dragons, but the sense of achievement when Dad slid our last fish for the week into the net was greater than had we just started catching fish from the start.

The First Rainbow

Dad with a Yens Bay fish

I love Eucumbene and its Trout, last trip it was all about midges and small dry flies. This trip it seems to be Dragonflies, mass mudeye migrations etc. What will the next trip bring? I am sure though that whatever it might be that Dad and myself will get just as much enjoyment and pleasure out of being at the Snowy lakes, listening the frogs croak and hearing the occasional 'sploosh' as a Trout nabs its dinner off the surface.

Thin looking Rainbow

Cheers

Wind

Well done Matt and Dad, 34% capacity wow, has not been at theses levels for quite a while. I hear at present there are very good reports in the last week or so coming out of Eucumbene from a local that lives near the lake. I think its time to get the wand out and get my u no what into gear, upcoming winter should see great powerbait fishing..well done once again. tight lines