Well, we’ve be in the summer doldrums recently. The doldrums, an equatorial region of the Atlantic are known for extended calm periods, generally light winds that just come and go without any certainty, and then unpredictable and often violent storms. Sounds a bit like human behaviour, which I suppose is why the term is often coined for that purpose, but also describes perfectly the Snowy Lakes weather and fishing conditions we’ve had since mid-January. Nothing new, it’s just we’ve been royally spoilt by the amazing fishing in recent months and now have to get back to a real world of long, hot, sultry days; becalmed on a boat drift, the drogue lying limp alongside the boat; the sun beating down relentlessly; seeing every rise on the lake and yet none within an easy cast. But then of course, as always, for the hardy battlers come the best rewards.
Coal black skies presage afternoon thunderstorms.
My advice for fishing the doldrums is to slow everything down a notch or two. Learn to cast a big terrestrial and to just leave it alone for several minutes – without taking your eyes off it of course. Fish an extra 1 or 2 mm bigger bead on your Woolly Bugger on a 1 to 2 metre longer than usual leader – and let it get down to three metres or even deeper (on a deep bank or from the boat), and slow retrieve with some occasional jerky animation (and watch for takes when you’re not moving it). Or fish a couple of nymphs deep under an indicator (or large terrestrial). And be invisible. Move very little, be slow if you’re wading, minimise false casting, and DO NOT bang the side of the boat.
Good browns on big Buggers, down deep.
A fish story
Rod and Ash had a day on Lake Eucumbene over the weekend. The non-stop action of recent weeks had slowed; very few fish were polaroided, but then a beautiful brown came out of nowhere. Rod said it looked like a spawner, not the usual black and silver deepwater browns we’re used to, but a fish that has been feeding hard for weeks in the shallow water and has got both condition and that sunburnt colour. Reward for effort.
Spawning colours or suntan? You decide!*
Snowy Lake Levels
Lake Eucumbene has been falling gently over the past few weeks, currently at 46.5%, down 1% over the month. In the scheme of things this is not a rapid fall, but a falling lake always pushes the fish offshore as their regular beats disappear, leaving them a little unsettled. The Eucumbene rainbows are definitely fewer than for the last few years. Given the number of cormorants and pelicans earlier in the year, and the high levels of catch and kill fishing pressure, this isn’t surprising. But conditions are good, and stocks will bounce back in a year or two.
Brookwood, like all the shallow bays, turns muddy very quickly with a 1% drop in lake level.*
Lake Jindabyne has fallen a little faster than Eucumbene, down 2% to 51.1%. Fishing reports have been of generally slow fishing but with the trolling boats finding good fish in deeper water. There doesn’t seem to be a lot to bring the fish into the shore for flyfishers right now.
Tantangara is at 12.25%. After a rainstorm-driven bounce up to 13% from 9%, it’s on the way back down to the Snowy 2.0 development operating level. The lake looks amazing with grass to the shoreline. Reports are that the seasonal (Tantangara tent city) campsites have mainly disappeared, and there’s some reasonable fishing late in the afternoon and into the evening.
Hot tips
Before we can blink it will be autumn. Whilst I’ll be in Cornwall for the March season opening back there, the Snowy lakes fishing will get better and better as this year’s spawners try to put on condition and start to eat just about anything that gets put in front of their snouts. Bigger wets, especially on dark, and big dries fished along a windy shore will all work well.
And a quick warning not to fish in thunderstorms – if your rod starts to buzz and glow, put it down and walk away!
Rod’s grandies showing off hopper caught browns.*
(*photos by Rod Allen and Crazytrouthunterz on Facebook)
