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Thompson Creek Dam


hellcorner

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Hi Raiders, I decided to check out TCD the other day.I've never targeted trout before and my knowledge of trout fishing is almost non existent, but why not give it a shot. Even before I left my house, I checked conditions, and the only thing that may have been favourable, was the overcast conditions. So I went anyway just for the curiosity. I arrive, and walked up the hill that takes you on to the dam wall and headed to the eastern side. I'm in awe of this place! Spotted a trout cruising past the wall, and thought how cool is this. Walked the eastern bank, flicked lures around ( no bait allowed),and nothing, I kept moving, trying to locate the fish, but it took ages. Eventually, I spotted one screaming toward my lure, then it turned away at the last moment! ?

Tried a few more times, and nothing.

I thought, I've found a fish, I'll stay and switch lures. A few casts later, I had at least 5 fish slowly follow the lure, but not one was curious enough to find out how it tasted. I had only one more follow a lure about half an hour later, and after 3 more hours of trying to entice them, I packed up.

There is no doubt that I'll be going back. I can't wait to crack the code.

Just one final word. It wouldn't be a bad idea to carry a first aid kit with you, and if you do( like I do), make sure it's up to date ( which I'll be doing). Someone walked past me, after a quick chat, continued on his way, I heard him swear,and he almost stood on a snake. It was within 10 metres from where I was standing! Apparently and not surprising, they are all around TCD.

Thanks for reading.

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Heya hellcorner, were you there Thursday too? wasn't me you bumped into. I got there early, walked a lap of the lake, didn't see anyone else. I actually thought I was the only person there all day and relished the thought of having all those fish to myself. Was my (approximately) 6th visit. Watching fish make lazy inspections of lures before turning away or doing an impression of running out of time (they are so fast enough to catch a lure they really want to eat it) is both intriguing and frustrating. I think those fish both have plenty to eat and get to see a lot of lures !! Yep, it's a code that begs a bit of unraveling.

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False spawners notoriously hard to tempt! Even on the day fly anglers struggle. My best advice if fly fishing is fast stripped big streamer or bugger patterns on a ink tip line up over the drop offs. Or small nymphs and fly bugs presented I front of cruising fish and watch for the take when small I'm talking size 16

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a good percentage of the fish I saw were sipping at the surface. I imagine fly would be a much better way to have targeted those fish.

interestingly, a few years back, I fished some days on the Goulbourn, in Vic, with a friend who only fishes fly. All three days, I caught fish in the morning, on spin gear, and he didn't, with the fly gear. In the afternoons and early evening it reversed, he caught fish and I didn't. There was even one resident bigger brown which he caught one arvo and I got the next morning.

hellcorner, will to be about 3 or 4 weeks until I can get back out there but as soon as circs allow, I'm keen to go back. the challenge is obvious and interesting and I like the long lazy day walk around the lake. if you're interested in coordinating a day out there, pm me. Can try and learn a lot more things with two people fishing.

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My first post here - hello all!

Had my first trip up there from Sydney last week and took a few nice Rainbows to about 3lb all off the top on hoppers later in the day. Saw plenty of fish cruising about and had follows, but couldn't provoke a take. I fished the eastern shore up to that first point and back. Any tips on best parts of the dam? Happy to walk, so no fear of the western shores!

Cheers

Tom

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hey Tom,

I'd recommend doing a full lap. Pack a lunch and enough water. It's easy, can't get lost walking (well, almost can't. I'm sure there's someone out there who could find a way to). It throws up fishable spots at regular intervals, with a nice variety of terrain. There's shallow flats, some grassy, some bare: there's a few nice mid depth banks to drop offs. And, at the quarry, there's very deep water straight down from the shore.. The only bit I don't really like is the far end of the western shore - trees, lots of trees, on the shore and out in to the water.

Compared to other times i've been there, the water level is seems quite high at the moment. That's shifted the fishable bit bit around some, That's good too, yes? variety.

Cheers,

henry

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hey Tom,

I'd recommend doing a full lap. Pack a lunch and enough water. It's easy, can't get lost walking (well, almost can't. I'm sure there's someone out there who could find a way to). It throws up fishable spots at regular intervals, with a nice variety of terrain. There's shallow flats, some grassy, some bare: there's a few nice mid depth banks to drop offs. And, at the quarry, there's very deep water straight down from the shore.. The only bit I don't really like is the far end of the western shore - trees, lots of trees, on the shore and out in to the water.

Compared to other times i've been there, the water level is seems quite high at the moment. That's shifted the fishable bit bit around some, That's good too, yes? variety.

Cheers,

henry

Hi,

Where are the drop offs and where is the quarry you mention? Are those the small lakes on the way up to wall on the left? I have been there a few times now but usually only fish the area on the left side of the wall as you walk up, I think that's the east... Only ever caught in the small lakes on dry and nymph usually at the end of a frustrating session. The large ones in the main lake just don't seem interested a lot of the time. I once walked about half way around but really couldn't find a spot that looked worth spending time on.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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That's pretty much the plan for next time. Getting there nice and early and have a good walk. The rising water levels would usually bring fish closer in, so can only be a good thing!

On the little lake as you walk up, is that fishable then?

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ken, walk either side of the dam wall and you'll find drop offs before too long. There's a couple either side. There's one right up back of the dam as well - tho, when I was there, the water level is so high, that there was quite a bit of shallow, grass filled water between that one and dry land, making it tricky to get a line to. The quarry is on the western side. there's a big map / sign at the TCD carpark that gives names for various bits of the dam - the quarry is marked on that. I know people catch fish at the drop offs, and at the quarry but, the few (two only) fish I've landed at TCD have both come out of shallow water, no more than a couple of feet deep.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Went up today for a look - the weather report suggested light winds. The weather report was very very wrong! You could have surfed the 3ft swell by the dam!

Due to the wind the eastern shore was a non-starter, though I saw a couple of nice fish I had no chance of getting a fly out to them. Headed along the western shore and managed to find out 3 areas where I could cast. Saw fish, but they just weren't in the mood today. I threw everything I could at them but to no avail - a few follows to a big orange blob (I'm not much of a fan of the so was scraping the barrel in putting one on), then gave in and headed for home with the company of an angry magpie.

On the plus side I found some decent looking options down the west bank with some more obvious drop offs within casting range. I can see how the quarry would be good for the lure guys - my floating line wasn't really the right tool for round there.

Will try and get up again next week and hope for some lighter wind!

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it is so not a forgiving place in strong wind !

I always think it feels like it should be a saltwater spot, the Quarry. But, I note, the only fish i've ever seen caught there was on fly. You can find fish hanging out high in the water but hidden, right up against the wall. if you fish down from the high, cliffy bits of the wall.

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Went up today for a look - the weather report suggested light winds. The weather report was very very wrong! You could have surfed the 3ft swell by the dam!

Due to the wind the eastern shore was a non-starter, though I saw a couple of nice fish I had no chance of getting a fly out to them. Headed along the western shore and managed to find out 3 areas where I could cast. Saw fish, but they just weren't in the mood today. I threw everything I could at them but to no avail - a few follows to a big orange blob (I'm not much of a fan of the so was scraping the barrel in putting one on), then gave in and headed for home with the company of an angry magpie.

On the plus side I found some decent looking options down the west bank with some more obvious drop offs within casting range. I can see how the quarry would be good for the lure guys - my floating line wasn't really the right tool for round there.

Will try and get up again next week and hope for some lighter wind!

Mate stream season is open so much more fun but if your after a sure fire toget a big bow in YCD flick me a pm!

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