It’s great to see a little more water in our lakes after last winter’s low levels. The fishing has been great over the past month, since the opening of the river season.

Yellow wing Tassie Devil lures are still favourites but you need to fish them at different depths, depending on the conditions.

Tassie Y82 is doing well early in the day but as the sun rises, change to No 36. The Steve Williamson red nosed yellow wing has been the best sunny day colour although my lime green yellow wing is also starting to catch a lot of fish down deep, and downrigging has started earlier than last year.

Jointed Rapalas were responsible for most of the really big browns over the past month with one angler taking a 10-pounder in the first 10 minutes of his holiday.

The Eucumbene River area, East Jindabyne Islands, Sids Bay and the Snowy Arm have been fishing very well at the moment but since the lake is still rising slightly, you might find Hatchery and Hayshed bays worth a look.

During the day, fish with worms off the bottom and a PowerBait dropper and you will catch plenty of rainbows. With the addition of a little Berkley Gulp Chunky Cheese, maybe you will even catch a brown trout.

Fish with bail arm open and make sure you grease the line to keep it out of the slime on the bottom. Local scrubworms are also catching some of the bigger brown trout.

Best areas have been the boat ramp, Wollondibby Inlet in the deeper water, Curiosity Rocks Bay, The Haven and Rushes Bay.

The better spinning is now in deeper water after sunrise. Tassie Devils are catching more fish, especially yellow and gold colours.

Spin close around rocky outcrops later in the day and use smaller lures like Celtas or Gillies spinners around the shallow bays after dark. Don’t stay in one place too long.

The Berkley Gulp 2” Minnow Grubs have been working well around trees, with pumpkinseed and smoke the slightly better colours.

The top end of the lake is still spinning best, with Waste Point not a bad option.

Flyfishers will do well to use a small green nymph under an indicator and fished very slowly. Fish in the shallows have been full of small shrimp.

At night, use bigger flies like Woolly Buggers and Williamsons Goldfish at Wollondibby and Widows creeks. These creeks haven’t seen water for some time and with the lake rising, and the fish are cruising the inundated grass.

Most trout are still being caught on nymphs but there have been days with a little dry-fly action. Hoppers are about in the upper reaches of the Thredbo River so summer is not far off and with that comes some great dry-fly fishing.

For information and booking forms for my courses call 02 6456 1551 or email me your postal address or visit www.swtroutfishing.com.au . We have a full range of tackle for hire at my shop and fishing tours are now available.