jdanger Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 After a dud of a trip to the Snowies for trout, my mate and I went back to the comfort of our local salty stretch hoping to catch the salmon busting jelly prawns in the back of the Parra bays. Day was pleasant, water was calm and the gulls on the water had us thinking things were about to set off. The salmon didn't eventuate so we decided to wade the flats on the run out for bream as usual. Last night I had tied a shrimp fly using almost everything in the tying box, mostly to try out my recently ordered shrimp eyes from China. Anyway, the fly ended up a little busier and much brighter than usual with some hot pink & chartreuse feelers, pink BMS tail, tan dubbing and wing. Having a general preference for browns and olives, I figured if the bream wouldn't eat it a flathead eventually will. I haven't fished shrimp flies a lot, finding the simply BMS baitfish pattern being more than effective enough, but a few outings recently mixing it up had me rethinking my strategy. Old Mate wasn't thrilled with the colour scheme. I had my reservations as well. "I dare you to fish it - you stick with your shrimp and I'll stick with the BMS". "Fine." A few casts in and my hot pink mess gets munched by a mid 40's flatty. Game on - but will the bream bite? Things went quiet for a while - it was a weak tide so it would take a while for the current to warm things up. We decided to move to another part of the bay which has been productive in the past. Eventually, my mate who was fishing ahead started finding a few as we made our way up the flat. A mid 30's bream, a small flatty - we were just complaining about how whiting don't really fight that well and are inconsistent compared to bream when they apparently heard, took offence and started attacking his fly with gusto. It was begging to get dark and we were both getting cold. Hands numb, I found an excuse to start fishing in front and promptly connected to a solid fish before it spat the hook. Fark. Hands number, I soon connected again. Initially I picked it for a flatty as there was a fair weight but the run wasn't blistering. A few strips in and the fish suddenly woke up, giving plenty of nice headshakes and few good little runs. Still thought it was a flatty. Eventually the fish got its flank into the current and a long slog ensued - by now the rythmic thump-thump identified it as a bream. Eventually got it to the net and we were both a little surprised with how little space was left. We knew it was a trophy and took a rod-measure so Matey Potatey could confirm the numbers when he got home. Pleased to say the pink shrimpy wonder worked a treat - the fly was well and truly down the gob of my new PB of 43cm, and made a great consolation prize for the lack of pelagic action. Suddenly, my hands were warm again. 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masterfisho7 Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Well done some top fish on fly love doing it also fly fishing for bream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingie chaser Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 That's cool, top report @jdanger Don't give up on the trout, its when we are tested we savour the rewards so much more 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Great report. Everything wants a go at the fly you created. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61 crusher Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 That’s a top report & photos 😎, that pinky shrimp fly looks great & what a way to christen it with a new PB bream 👍, I’m assuming you were chasing the trout in the rivers with the fly wand, while I was down there Brian (new owner Geoff Williamson’s shop) mentioned they were loading up in the rivers but good luck trying to get them to bite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 That's awesome. Would have been very rewarding to snag a PB on a home made fly. Keep up the good work ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirvin21 Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 awesome mate.. cracker of a bream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdanger Posted June 11, 2019 Author Share Posted June 11, 2019 On 6/10/2019 at 7:50 AM, kingie chaser said: That's cool, top report @jdanger Don't give up on the trout, its when we are tested we savour the rewards so much more 👍 Got a love hate relationship with the trout! Hard to beat sight casting dries and you get some exceptional scenery while chasing them. On 6/10/2019 at 10:50 AM, 61 crusher said: That’s a top report & photos 😎, that pinky shrimp fly looks great & what a way to christen it with a new PB bream 👍, I’m assuming you were chasing the trout in the rivers with the fly wand, while I was down there Brian (new owner Geoff Williamson’s shop) mentioned they were loading up in the rivers but good luck trying to get them to bite When we were down everyone was struggling. Fished the Euc and Thredbo for one fish between us and saw a lot less fish than last year. The reports seemed quiet around the time we went but started seeing a few pics hit social media a few days later. Ah well, show's all over now i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61 crusher Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, jdanger said: Ah well, show's all over now i guess. Have you tried closer to home like Thompson’s or lake Lyell & the tributaries, there are other rivers over the divide & also the New England area, don’t know about the water levels though, even caught trout in the Nepean after the floods at the base of Warragamba dam by boat, google will help with access, & I agree amazing scenery & wildlife Edited June 12, 2019 by 61 crusher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdanger Posted June 12, 2019 Author Share Posted June 12, 2019 Fished a small oberon stream which was nice but didnt hold large fish. Had a brief crack at the coxs river as well but yet to land anything there. Tasmania is good but didnt get to do my annual week of the Western Lakes as i was in Thailand over summer (first world problems, eh?) Havent fished thompsons before but may head up in July. I've read about the large rainbows but also hear it can be a frustrating fishery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted June 12, 2019 Share Posted June 12, 2019 4 weeks ago i walked bout4miles on the cox never had a hit or seen a fish went to lyell no good went to the back of thompsons no good got one brown in a trib of river lett hard wknd 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 15 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said: 4 weeks ago i walked bout4miles on the cox never had a hit or seen a fish went to lyell no good went to the back of thompsons no good got one brown in a trib of river lett hard wknd Nice work jdanger! Ive done the same trip as you exactly rick! But we didn’t land a fish. We had two follows and the boys got excited. I was so bored! I came home and bagged out on snapper just to get my fix! You fellas chasing trout certainly earn them! Cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdanger Posted June 13, 2019 Author Share Posted June 13, 2019 1 hour ago, Scratchie said: Nice work jdanger! Ive done the same trip as you exactly rick! But we didn’t land a fish. We had two follows and the boys got excited. I was so bored! I came home and bagged out on snapper just to get my fix! You fellas chasing trout certainly earn them! Cheers scratchie!!! Agreed! IME trout have the worst walking:catching ratio around. Just as well they live in nice places. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted June 13, 2019 Share Posted June 13, 2019 Im stickin with scratchie reds are heaps easier haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centrepin Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 Jdanger, Wow 43 Bream on Fly is unreal. We have a lot in common. I will PB you with my Trout plans this year as NZ is off the agenda. If Australia trout cracks off I will keep you posted. I have some spies out on the job. Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flycamp Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 Cracking bream mate. Great to see it done on fly especially! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Ct Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 Stonker bream on fly mate, well done. Nice whiting as well. Sounds like an awesome trip, well done!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 A revitalised report from mid 2019, when the world was an entirely different place...don't know how I missed this one originally. I absolutely respect fly fishing anglers who tie their own flies and pursue their quarry with great determination, ever confident in their handiwork doing the trick. Fly fishing is, in itself, a high end application of angling but when the angler goes to the trouble to design their own flies, it takes on another dimension. Your report and the fantastic supporting pictures further endorse your attention to detail. You have my respect jdanger. Thankyou, bn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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