I am very happy to report that the fishing in this area is still great.

We have continued to received large falls of rain over the past month: the rivers go up and the fishing is quiet for a few days. The rivers then return to normal flow and the fishing takes off again.

Due to the cool weather that we have experienced during summer and early autumn, the water temperatures have been very favourable and the fish have responded accordingly.

The upper Mitta Mitta River, above its junction with the Bundara River has been superb. Most of the fish are around 500g with a few larger ones thrown in. Mick Rosenboom recently fished this area and caught eight browns in a short period of time. He started off using several different grasshopper patterns without success before changing over to a Royal Wulff and catching all his fish on this pattern.

The Celta brigade are also causing havoc and having a great time. Like most other rivers in the area there are grasshoppers around and some of them are big but they are not in the same numbers as normal at this time of the year.

Middle Creek is fishing well near the Omeo Highway. This tiny creek is producing plenty of fish up to 650g and it really suits the fly fisher with its many runs and pools.

The Bundara River is flowing nicely and yielding good numbers of browns, many of around 300g. This is one of the first rivers to recover following a fresh as it flows through native bush for much of its course. Nearby, the Cobungra River at Innisfail is fishing well. There are a few more hoppers here and they are accounting for the fish.

Livingston Creek is also fishing well in the Cassilis area to hoppers and flies. Christie Aaras recently caught a really nice brown of 600g flyfishing whilst the river was rising following a heavy downpour.

Most of the browns in this creek are under 400g but they are great fun on light tackle. The Gibbo River continues to fish well. Many small rainbows and a few browns are being taken here. It is a great stream for beginners to learn their craft although they need to be careful casters as much of the river flows under a canopy of trees.

Keen angler Jim Combay has been making the most of his retirement, heading out fishing mid-week as often as he can. He had a great time on the Timbarra River catching browns up to 700g. The Timbarra River holds a good head of browns that are mostly under 500g.

Usually at this time of the year it is low, clear and too hot for much trout action. This is a good river to prospect with a beetle pattern or of course a Royal Wulff, which seldom fails anywhere.

Over the next month we should continue to get great autumn fishing in all our rivers. The browns will start moving up the rivers in preparation to spawn soon so get out on the water and make the most of this great trout season.

The author with a typical small brown out of the upper Mitta. Note the great flow in the river and the nice ripples. This is the type of water to snag a trout on a fly, lure or bait.