If you would like to learn the gentle art of fly fishing you will have a great opportunity when the Canberra Anglers Association runs its three annual free pre-season fly casting classes on September 6, 13 and 20 before the trout season opens on the October Long Weekend.
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The classes will be held from 10 am until 12 noon on the lawns of Old Parliament House, near the Treasury building and are open to all age groups. CAA members will be on hand to teach newcomers how to cast a fly and also to help established casters brush up on their skills. Visitors can bring their own rods if they wish but plenty of gear will be provided. There will be raffles for flies and a complete fly fishing combo and drinks and a sausage sizzle. All that visitors need to bring will be a cap and sunglasses.
A special feature this year will be demonstrations of a new two-handed fly rod by International Federation of Fly Fishers casting instructor Nathan Walker. This rod is designed to enable an angler to cast further and more easily, especially with larger flies and in confined areas, but also is proving to be a boon for people with disabilities and limited strength in the arms and shoulders. It is particularly useful for women who have less casting power than men and opens up a whole new area of opportunity for them.
The first two classes will be held on the Parliament House lawns but as a special surprise the third class will be held at a rural property at Nimmitabel with two large lakes, stocked with brown and rainbow trout, where participants will be able to test their new-found fly fishing skills. All very exciting and highly recommended.
Wattle blooming, cod moving
The old bushie's adage that Murray cod start to move as soon as the wattle blooms held true again this week. The wattle is out, and two anglers at Taemus Bridge fishing with scrub worms landed two large cod near the rock wall. The fish weren't measured but both looked to be over 90cm, and were released.
The fish also were on the move at Burrinjuck, where two fish of 80cm and one at 70cm were caught and released. They were taken on a 150mm AC Invader and a Jackal.
Anglers should note that the season for Murray cod closes on September 1 and will not reopen until December 1.
Local lakes
Redfin have been quiet locally, probably because they are spawning, but should come back on the bite soon. Some are still active at Burrinjuck, where anglers jigging worms in the Murrumbidgee Arm between Maceys Bay and Scrubby landed 28 fish to 35cm.
Golden perch also have been quiet in the local lakes but again at Burrinjuck they are worth a try from the bank with scrub worms, especially at night.
A single silver perch also was caught at Burrinjuck, the first seen for over four years.
Mountain lakes
There were some splendid reports of trout from the mountain lakes this week, especially from bait and lure fishers.
Robert Di Cecca from The Anglers Art and a mate scored some lovely rainbows at Old Adaminaby, using a Rapala Spotted Dog and Power Bait.
Anton and Zelco Brozic fished Yens Bay just on dark when fish were rising everywhere and had a great session, landing two browns and five rainbows. The largest of the browns was about 4kg and the rest were all good fish. All were taken on Power Bait.
