Cometh winter, cometh floodwaters.

Many impoundments have flowed over and many rivers have struggled to get below springtime levels.

This has been a boom time for the fish with all the extra food washed into streams and impoundments, coupled with many areas and favourite spots not being accessible for most of the season, so the fish have not been under much pressure, seeing them really pack on the condition.

Another bonus for the fish is that often during floodwaters, the water is discoloured, allowing the fish the comfort and security to get into the edge waters to feed. To fish these discoloured waters one needs to employ a little bling with the fly to make it stand out and attract the attention of these fish.

One of the most effective flies that our northern brothers use to chase the big barra in the tannin stained and often discoloured floodplains and rivers is the black and gold bomber. So just some minor tweaking of one of fly fishing’s more famous trout patterns has seen it become an effective floodwater pattern.

For this particular tie I have put a gold bead in it to help to get in down in the faster flowing water, but for fishing the flooded margins of lakes a bead is optional as fish can be found in quite shallow water. I have also added just a little sparkle flash in gold just to give it the little extra colour and profile.

I have found this pattern fishes well in some of the tailrace fisheries such as the Eildon pondage, and the Tanjil River below Blue Rock Dam. I have also used it with some success in estuaries that have a run of sea run trout; they seem to find it irresistible.

It has on occasion found its way into the sizeable maw of some estuary perch as well.

It is such a well-known and versatile pattern I am sure it would account for many other estuarine species as well. Not to mention some of our native freshwater species such as golden perch and Murray cod.