In nippy early spring weather on the lawns in front of Old Parliament House a large group of men, women and children spent an hour or two being introduced to the basics of the pleasant art of fly casting by CAA members. Most picked up the required techniques quite quickly and no doubt will go on to become capable fly fishers in time for the 2015-16 trout season which opens on October 3. Others will require one or more lessons to develop the necessary skills but it was delightful to note that there were no "failures".

Everybody who participated now has enough knowledge to make a decision as to whether they will take up fly fishing as an adjunct to their existing bait or lure fishing skills.

There was a lot of interest also in International Fly Fishing Federation casting instructor Nathan Walker's demonstration of the new two-handed fly rods. These rods, designed in part to cast light and heavy flies over long distances also are coincidentally easier to use than standard rods for disabled anglers or people with poor arm and shoulder strength.

The second of the fly classes will be held on September 13 in the same location, from 10am until midday. All gear will again be provided by the CAA but participants can bring their own if they wish. There will be a sausage sizzle with soft drinks and raffles for batches of flies and a complete fly fishing outfit donated by a local tackle store and more demonstrations of the two-handed rods.

The third and final class will be held on September 20 at a rural property at Nimmitabel where everybody can test their new-found skills on two lakes stocked with brown and rainbow trout.

CAA members can provide all the details or it can be accessed via canberra-anglers.asn.au.

Anglers should note that the Murray cod season is now closed until December 1 and any fish caught accidentally during that period must be released immediately. The trout season opens in ACT and NSW streams on October 3.

There were plenty of reports this week of small rainbows in Jindabyne and Eucumbene taken on bait, lure and fly. The fish are just over the legal size limit, mostly in the 27-31cm range. A group of larger rainbows around 40cm in length also is showing, especially in Jindabyne and a scatter of browns ranging up to 50cm are active in both lakes.

Recent rain has resulted in significant rises in water levels in regional lakes. Current levels are Googong 100 per cent, Burrinjuck 71 per cent, Windamere 43 per cent, Wyangala 61 per cent, Blowering 47 per cent, Tantangara 38 per cent, Jindabyne 79 per cent and Eucumbene 56 per cent.

A few fish are stirring in the local lakes. Chris Troth landed a superb 60cm golden perch on a bibless minnow in Lake Burley Griffin and another was taken on fly in Lake Yerrabi. A 130cm Murray cod was rumoured to have been caught and released in Yerrabi.

Anglers who made a last-chance foray for a Murray cod in Googong failed to find a fish. They used large deep divers and spinnerbaits and worked over much of the lake but never saw even a redfin. Redfin are probably quiet because they are likely to be spawning now.

Fishing at the coast has improved as floodwaters clear and water temperatures rise a little. Flathead, bream and a couple of flounder were caught in the Clyde River and there were flathead to 45cm in Tuross and the Moruya River. Beaches have improved with gutters being reformed and there are plenty of salmon around.

Dr Bryan Pratt is a Canberra-based ecologist.