Burrinjuck and Wyangala reservoirs have dropped alarmingly in recent months as water is bled off for irrigation, but this should have ceased by now and hopefully enough water will remain to enable the fish to survive and thrive, which really should be (but isn’t) an essential part of the management aim of the water authorities.
Both impoundments have fished well this year, with good catches of cod and golden perch in each, with a few catfish and silver perch thrown in at Wyangala. Burrinjuck still produces a cod over the magic one metre mark each week, and these fish usually take spinnerbaits or ultra-large deep divers, most commonly after dark. Surface lures also are now a normal part of the arsenal and account for some good fish.
Anglers are quick to check out isolated waterways in the hope of finding a fish. Recently, some Canberra anglers found a population of Murray cod, some of them up to 70cm, in a pond in the local Norwood Cemetery. In no time at all the area became crowded on a daily basis with cod chasers, but unfortunately the inevitable happened and the noise and yahooing began to interfere with funerals and anglers were banned from the area. This situation was exacerbated by anglers leaving rubbish behind and vandalising advisory signs erected in the area. This is just one more instance of a few reprobate anglers spoiling it for the general majority.
Warm weather has kept fish in the deeper layers of water in Eucumbene and Jindabyne and fishing has been tough. Trollers have caught a few browns to about 2kg using lead core lines or a downrigger. Bait fishers have scored a few smallish rainbows and an odd brown on PowerBait, wood grubs or scrub worms, mostly late at night.
Fly fishers have had few evening rises to fish to and have had to wait until late at night or early morning in the hope of finding a fish.
A few large browns already have entered the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers in anticipation of a later spawning run and more are expected as soon as there is substantial rain in the catchment. We can then expect the usual madhouse as anglers from all over Australia descend on the area for the annual cull. Whether this is good or bad for the fishery is a matter for each person to decide.
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As soon as there is substantial rain in the catchment, masses of brown trout will enter the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers on their pre-spawning run and attract anglers from far and wide for the annual madness.
Water levels in Burrinjuck and Wyangala have dropped dramatically as a result of releases for downstream irrigation, but at least one cod over a metre in length is being caught each week, usually on a spinnerbait or large deep diver.
Trout have been largely confined to the deeper layers of water by the hot weather in the mountains and fishing has been tough. A few large browns, however, have been taken by deep trolling with lead core line or a downrigger.
