Christmas stockings

Small falls

Near Belmore Falls, Robertson, Southern Highlands – missed another one

I don’t accept it’s getting near Christmas until the use by date on the milk has a December number – which started a week ago. And at about the same time NSW Fisheries hatchery staff spontaneously grow white beards, don their red and white hats, hook up the stocking trailer to the reindeer and set off to the four corners of the state to deliver seasonal cheer in the form of  trout fry.

The two clubs I’m involved in have both got their fish in the last week. The Adaminaby Fishing Club gets it fish through the Monaro Acclimatisation Society and stocks the Murrumbidgee and a couple of its tributaries both west, north and south of the town.

The Berrima District Acclimatisation Society gets its fish for the many streams and rivers in the southern highlands.

A bit of trivia.  In 1993 I led a team tasked to reform the Fisheries and Oyster Farms Act 1935. The next year we introduced the Fisheries Management Act 1994 and the old Act was repealed – well, most of it.  Then Deputy Parliamentary Counsel Don Colagiuri couldn’t figure out a neat way of dealing with the complexities of the trout acclimatisation societies. So we repealed the whole Act other than that bit and renamed it the Fisheries Act 1935. The issue is they are more than clubs. Some own things that are government assets, and they act as agents of the crown.  For example a registered acclimatisation society may, with the Minister’s approval buy land for camping grounds for anglers and put up buildings for angler accommodation, and “in otherwise providing for their convenience”.

Some happy snaps of the recent stocking days.   Ron Weeks, Linda Squire, and her mum Helen and John Eales assisting with the release of 40,000 Rainbow trout fry into the rivers and creeks around Adaminaby. And the BDAS feeding frenzy at the handover at Goulburn Waterworks. Two Steves (one of them me), two Davids and Grant headed off for the river at Belmore Falls, stocking the creek above it in four locations, and of course bush bashing into one of the small waterfalls for a spot of fishing – where the little rainbows in the very deep pool were great sport on nymphs.

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David and Grant
Buckets
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BDAS mob

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, back in Canberra Anthony reported a good session at Oaks Estate on Saturday for some spooky carp.  There’s a large pool downstream where the carp congregate so he fished that.  There were a few little hiccups with the first decent hook up – the collapsible landing net wouldn’t unfold, and the spool fell of the reel. With a slow strip with pauses the carp just followed and did nothing. With a fast strip the carp chased and smashed the fly. The carp proved fussy, the redfin not so.

Oaks Estate Carp

Oaks Estate Carp

Tight tippets all and go easy at the seasonal parties!

Steve (Snowy Lakes Boat Charter)

Xmas trout stocking