|
|
| Post Number: 1
|
icthusiast 
Group: Members
Posts: 560
Joined: Aug. 2006
|
 |
Posted on: Oct. 11 2011,00:55 |
|
   |
Saturday came as a welcome relief to the inactivity of winter and the unproductive couple of hours managed on opening day.
It's a delightful little stream not far from home. I've only visited it a handful of times before - at the end of last season when the cicadas were chirping. We'd spotted a few fish and deceived one or two. But how would it fish early season? Will there be more post-spawning fish about? Only one way to find out!
The forecast was not flash. Showers in the morning but clearing late afternoon. I'm a bit of a fair weather angler myself, so the promise of a clearing afternoon was pretty important. As it turned out the weather only cleared after our early return home for the quarter-finals! Fortunately the showers were mostly infrequent and light.
The first fish was spotted through a gap in the trees looking down from the track in. Unfortunately, by the time Mattyd's dad got down there it had sloped away. Fish 1 : Anglers nil.
It was a long walk to the next fish. It was moochng round the wide tail out of a large sheltered pool. Mattyd's dad fired off a couple of casts, trying to predict its path, without success. It then settled at the base of the run down into the pool. The first cast to this stable position was slightly short and landed precariuosly close to the feeding fish. The next.... was too long and the target made a hasty departure for the depths. Fish 2 : Anglers nil.
It wasn't quite so far to the next fish. It was up out of its pool feeding in the run, directly under a bare overhanging branch. My turn!
The first drift was not sighted. The next couple hung up on the branch, but obligingly unravelled themselves and plopped gently into what I thought was perfect position. But, there was no take! The next cast was longer and left. The indicator dipped... and I was firmly hooked on the bottom a metre in front of the still feeding fish. Fish 3 : Anglers nil.
I lay my line down and invited my mate to have a go. He'll probably tell you it was first cast, and he may be right, but I'm not so sure!
Whichever cast it was, the hook-up came and it was Fish 2 : Anglers 1. A nice fish of just over 4lb
A little further on, after a downpour and an apparently barren pool that had held fish in March, we came to the spot from which the last cicada gobbling fish of last season came. It had been right up in the head of the pool under the foaming water dropping in. A glance in that direct revealed a fish sitting in the little eye at the top. My turn again.
Now, this definitely was first cast! I thought I'd dropped it too far left and I fully expected to spook the fish retrieving a fly marooned in the slack water. I needn't have worried. The indicator sagged, I lifted and tightened into a solid 5lber. Fish 2 : Anglers 2.
We didn't spot anymore, but eventually arrived at the pool where a good fish had bust me off, running under a submerged log, back in March. I was generously offered the run into the pool while my mate waited for a cruiser to appear. Naturally I wanted to help him out so I spooked a 2 or 3lber out of the middle of the run back down to meet him! And, yes, I was, and have been since, mercilessly ridiculed for my ineptitude!
However, undeterred, I fished on. Spotting conditions were not good so I covered the upper part of the gentle run more carefully.
Eventually, the indicator did its thing again, and I did mine. It turned out to be the best fish of the day. I managed to keep it up in the run and away from the logs down in the body of the pool. Another great fish from a relatively small stream. Just on 6lb.
Fish 2 : Anglers 3.
Not bad for a wet Saturday. 
--------------
All the best
GarthS
<"}}}><\
|
 |
|
|
| Post Number: 2
|
Mike Wilkinson
Group: Members
Posts: 1293
Joined: Jul. 2005
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2011,07:53 |
|
 |
Nice Garth, lovely looking wee stream 
--------------
Wilki
Evolution of a flyfisher
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 3
|
Sick of Sinkers
Group: Members
Posts: 467
Joined: Dec. 2010
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2011,09:39 |
|
|
very nice garth lovly fish.......Matty will love reading this while changing nappies  this wont help his fishing withdrawals
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 4
|
gobbog
Group: Members
Posts: 247
Joined: Jan. 2007
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 11 2011,09:55 |
|
|
those are some nice fish in a beautiful stream, good going mate.
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 5
|
|
|
| Post Number: 6
|
|
|
| Post Number: 7
|
|
|
| Post Number: 8
|
TheBadger
'Badger on the other hand, he's basically a bum'
Group: Members
Posts: 1039
Joined: May 2009
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 12 2011,16:15 |
|
|
The stream's looking in great condition. I shall have to make a visit upon my return to Welly.
--------------
Jack Kos
RIVERWORKS Pro Team
Riverworks Blog
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 9
|
icthusiast
Group: Members
Posts: 560
Joined: Aug. 2006
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 12 2011,18:44 |
|
|
When are you back, Jack? Might be good to catch up for an outing together before I leave these fair parts?
What do you reckon?
--------------
All the best
GarthS
<"}}}><\
|
|
|
|
| Post Number: 10
|
peterdb
Group: Members
Posts: 57
Joined: Jan. 2008
|
|
Posted on: Oct. 12 2011,20:34 |
|
|
Great report as ever Garth. Managed 2 hours on the same stream (lower down the river than you) on opening day - Fish 1 Angler 1 
Your fish look in pretty good nick whereas mine was a 4lb jack that would have gone 5-6lb in his prime.
Still think the rivers could do with some decent rain as they are dropping real low real quick at present 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
)