Fly Fishing at Lake Eucumbene (Australia)

[oddspot]

Have been fishing Lake Eucumbene located in the Snowy Mountains Australia for the last 15 years and over that time have had some fantastic fishing experiences and some not so fantastic. However my last trip up there just before Christmas rates up with the best.

Although we found browns hard to find, the number of rainbows 2 - 3 lb actively feeding in the bays kept us very enthused. Most of them fought like they had been on steroids.

Although we caught most on size 14 green nymphs we did catch some on single midge patterns or midge balls.

Does anyone have a midge ball pattern that works as the one that we were using was oftened ignored despite fish taking real midge balls right next to our fly?

There were just the odd hopper around when we were there but I have been told that there are now lots of hoppers around, which all points to a great january and febuary fishing.

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Welcome to the fishing forum

Not my thing but there are a few trout guys nice pics

[wellyfish]

welcome to the forum oddspot .....enjoy as for fly tying...well....ive only just mastered my shoe laces ..

[Old Smoothound]

Welcome to the forum

Nice pictures. My friend lives in Melbourne he works for Goodyear Southpacific. Have heard of the Snowy mountains, I believe the World Fly Fishing Championships were fished there a couple of years ago.

When you say midge balls are these Chironomids? And if so how dow you tie them. We generally use single midge patterns here and call them "Buzzers" they are a non biting midge. Sizes range from 16 through to 8
yes 8 we have very big midge in our lakes and reservoirs!

We also have Hopper patterns but these are not grass hoppers but adult midge. Other patterns we use are Hare's ear nymphs, Damsel and Dragon Fly nymphs.

My favourite dry fly last season was a size 20 CDC Delta wing "F" Fly, with a hare's ear body that took many good trout and Grayling for me.

[oddspot]

Hello thank you for the reply and the compliments about the photos. I must say it is pretty easy to take some good pix when you have such a great environment as Eucumbene.

The worls champs were held there but I can tell you that the fishing then was no where near as good as it is now. As we fisherpeople know it all about having the right conditions...rising water and lots of food.

The midges that I speak of are not biting...although they do get in your nose and mouth if you talk to much, as in these conditions there are millions of them. In fact if you look at some of the photos that I have taken the speckles that youcan see on the water are midges not PIXELS.

We do fish with individual midges...fun but very frustrating as your own fly is one of hundreds in a square metre, midge balls are much easier as they consist of maybe 20 midges trying to mate and are a much easier target for a trout to take, so we generally try to copy a midge ball. Having said that, they still not easy.

We do tie our own midge balls, but I don't think we have perfected it yet.

Muddler Miinows fished dry work well for hoppers for us, as our hoppers when matuer are aournd an inch long. Don't worry about an easy landing..smash em down as hard as you can as all that does is alert the fish that another hopper has landed on the water.

We are looking forward to a great trout season.

All the best for 2005

Stephen

[skinhead]

An Irish fly known as the Balling Buzzer might fit the bill. It's similar to a Woolly Bugger. I tie mine on long shank size 12-14. I dub a very slim body in whatever colour is appropriate with up to 4 Grizzled cock hackles palmered from tail to head. I tend to run a copper wire rib through for added longevity.
Hope this is of some help.