This season it has continued to dry, the rivers and lakes are low and so we are going to need to be well-equipped to be able to get the best out of our trout fishing holiday.

Start as early as you can and troll surface lures using longer than normal drop-backs, 60-100m is not too far if you use light 3kg line. Use braid with 2m of 3kg fluorocarbon leader if you wish.

Lead-core lines will be good at three colours out (30m). If you team the lead line with a deep diving Tassie Devil Dual Depth you will get down to where the fish are normally sitting. Lead core of 18lb will go down 1m a colour and the Dual Depth Tassie will go down 3m rigged through the side hole. With three colours of lead line out, the lure should be near 6m deep depending on boat speed.

The best lures early on the surface will be small minnows, like Rapalas, Rebel Crickhoppers and 3” StumpJumpers, to name a few, trolled on very light line 60m away from the boat.

On the lake there are plenty of trout biting, especially early and late in the day. In the middle of the day you will find it hard to catch anything and you are better fishing fast water on the rivers and streams.

Even early on the lake it is better to fish deeper drop-offs, allowing the lures to sink a little before retrieving.

On the Thredbo River the water has been mostly low and only time will tell how long it will fish before the water gets hot. The upper reaches are better and the faster runs hold most fish.

Red and gold Celtas and a variety of minnows are catching a few good trout.

Soaking a bait in the lake this month will be for the early birds. The water is warming and the best fishing has been before sunrise or at night.

Worms are best for brown trout while Berkley PowerBait or Gulp are best for rainbow trout and salmon.

The best areas have been over the weed beds, with mudeyes or worms fished off the bottom in the deeper water.

Late evening is the best time to fish larger streamer flies over the weed beds in the lake. Williamsons Gold Fish fly is very good.

With a few more insects hatching we are seeing good early morning rises, which are best fished along the wind lanes from a boat. The best flies depend on what is on top of the water at the time.

On the streams the fishing has been good with brown and green nymphs best, especially fished through the faster runs in the middle of the day.

All the best for Christmas. I look forward to seeing you in the near future. If you want to make a booking for a tour or need the latest update on fishing conditions you can always visit www.swtroutfishing.com.au or phone my shop on 02 6456 1551 or email me.

Josh Elliott with a rainbow trout caught trolling a No 82 Tasmanian Devil. This fish is typical of the huge number of rainbow trout caught this season.