The rivers are open! The season has begun with a flourish, with virtually all our anglers taking nice fish. Although opening was a little quieter than normal because of the weather, those who made the effort were rewarded.

All methods (bait, lure and fly) proved productive. Brian Church caught five trout in one evening, trolling a Woolly Bugger fly. This is a new method to me, but was certainly effective.

The old Spillway Special (a lead fish lure) picked up a number of excellent river fish over the weekend. This method of fishing works well under any dam or weir wall.

Rod Hamilton (our mudeye supplier) picked up a 2kg brown trout, which he kept to eat, then 3kg and 4kg versions that he released – much to the consternation of the anglers around him. Full points to Rod, if you can’t eat them, don’t take them. They’ll be there, bigger and better, next time.

Simon McGinn also picked up a lovely 3kg brown trout on a scrubworm, after only 20 minutes.

Another good drop of rain recently has the area looking beautiful. The deciduous trees are sprouting leaves. The alpine orchids and flowers are starting to appear. It’s worth the trip for the scenery alone – catching a trout is a bonus.

Now that the winter is well and truly finished, it’s time to make the best of the high country fishing before the onset of the March flies around Christmas. This brings up an interesting fact: Khancoban (at only 300m above sea level) does not get March flies, except for the occasional one or two blown in on the wind. March flies only affect the areas above 800m, (e.g. Eucumbene, Jindabyne, Thredbo). So if you want to avoid the scourge of the March fly, try Khancoban.

As forecast, the spring trout fishing looks like being the best in years. The sheer number of trout caught so far attests to that. We’ve already seen a number of large ant falls, which keeps the trout interested and on the surface.

The Khancoban-Cabramurra Road is now open, so access to Tooma Dam and River as well as Ogilvies (for brook trout) and Tumut ponds, is now possible. Geehi Dam will open sometime in the next fortnight, after a Snowy-Hydro aquaduct was damaged by floodwater and blocked the road above Olsons Lookout.

Khancoban is now at it’s best, so make a point of visiting before Christmas.