The Canberra Anglers Association is expecting strong interest from the public about their offer of free pre-season fly fishing classes to be held on the Old Parliament House lawns near the Treasury Building on 6 and 13 September. A large contingent of CAA members will be on hand from 10 a.m. until 12 noon, to teach newcomers the gentle art of fly fishing and to assist more accomplished anglers build up their casting skills. Those attending do not need to bring any gear, just sunnies and a cap, as all the necessary rods, reels and lines will be supplied. A special feature of the classes this year will be a demonstration of two-handed fly rods by International Federation of Fly Fishers Instructor Nathan Walker. These rods are especially useful for longer distance casting and are also useful for disabled anglers or those with limited shoulder strength. As a special feature also the third of the classes, on 20 September, will be held at a rural property at Nimmitabel where anglers can test their new-found fly casting skills on two lakes stocked with brown and rainbow trout.
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Grabine gathering
The annual Grabine Classic Fishing Tournament will be staged this year on 28-30 August at Wyangala Reservoir and conditions are looking good. The water level is at 47 per cent of capacity and recent catches have included good-sized Murray cod and golden perch.
There will be more than $20,000 in prizes, with the major one listed as a Brooker boat, motor and trailer worth $17,000. The tournament will be a total catch-and-release event, so make sure you take your camera/phone with you to register for prizes. For more information ring (02) 4835 2345.
Cod closure
Anglers should note that the Murray cod season closes for three months on 1 September in both the ACT and NSW to allow the fish to spawn in peace. Anglers are asked to refrain from deliberately targeting the fish during that period and any fish caught accidentally must be released immediately, as unharmed as possible. Whilst it is unlikely that Murray cod breed in ACT waters or Googong Reservoir the law is applied to those areas because the fish migrate between the State and Territory and continuity of the law and its broad enforcement is considered necessary.
Mountain lakes
Fishing is steadily improving in the mountain lakes as the weather warms and increased insect activity brings fish to the upper layers of water and closer to shore.
There were regular reports of good fish on bait and lure in Jindabyne and Eucumbene. Jason Naumann scored particularly well with seven large browns on bait in Eucumbene in a couple of hours. Regular fly fishers Ben Elliott and Nathan Walker also fished Eucumbene for one smallish rainbow and a 45cm brown on midge pupa and Woolly Bugger.
Anglers are reminded that the stream season for trout in the ACT and NSW opens on 3 October. All streams will open simultaneously on that date, so make sure your licence is up to date.
Kids fishing workshop
NSW Fisheries will be hosting more of the popular Kids Fishing Workshops at Gaden Hatchery at Jindabyne on 2 and 3 October and 15 and 16 January. These are suitable for children 8-14 years of age and run from 10 a.m until 2 p.m. Cost is $40 per child and that includes a rod and reel, shirt, hat, tackle box and show bag for each of the kids to take home.
Coast wipeout
Bad weather wiped out all fishing at the coast this week but prior to that there had been a few reports of flathead in the Clyde River, Tuross and Wallaga, and, surprisingly, some bluefin wide of Narooma and Ulladulla. One angler caught his first ever saltwater fish on fly in Wallaga. It was only a tiny bream but memorable because it was on a fly he had tied himself.
