Just when we thought we were done with winter’s bite, Mother Nature pulled a fast one on us with strong winds and icy temperatures the past 24 hours. For most anglers, the sudden shift was a cue to head back to Melbourne. So, the river is a ghost town right now. But for us fly fishers, the rising river presents a host of opportunities to seek out fish that are feeding along the edges.
Good news regarding this weather – things are looking up. By Monday, we’re in for some nicer conditions, with temps on the rise all week. From the looks of it, a perfect weekend is just around the corner, just seven days away. All of next week looks to be excellet, with most days shaping up to be in the low twenties and, fingers crossed, not too windy.
For those unfamiliar, the Goulburn is a tailwater that is mostly unaffected by rain events such as we are experiencing now. This is because it is a tailwater and its flows are heavily regulated. They’re releasing more water from Lake Eildon – 5000 ML/d yesterday, 7000 today, and it’s looking like 8500 by Sunday. This means awesome edge sight fishing for fly fishers, and the freedom to fish just about anywhere out of the drift boats.
But a word of caution for those heading below Thornton: the river’s got a few new tricks up its sleeve. From the looks of it, some big water releases shifted things around a bit while we were fishing in Montana. Lots of new gravel bars and timber in some unexpected and unfortunate places. So, if you’re drifting, play it safe. If something looks off – better to hop out and check the waters ahead.
We’ve been rowing this river for 30 years, but we’ve seen more changes in the past eleven months than the previous three decades combined. There is also a huge tree that has fallen across the river located here. https://goo.gl/maps/vQiPZSXB9k9SBcnE9 While it’s an easy get around on river left at this height – it was tricky when the river was low. As it turns out this fell on Monday just after David and Nella passed by it.
The worst hazard on this section is still located here – https://goo.gl/maps/7NZy8snyV2RMzf7QA
This strainer accounted for numerous canoes, at least two rafts, and a tinny/punt last season, and contributed significant quantities of gear to one group of fisherman we passed who said they had scored an esky, gear bags, and fly boxes that were floating by. While we don’t condone their behaviour – it’s better you stay safe and don’t give anyone the opportunity to profit off your misfortune.
Remember, we have mountains of soft gravel lying about after the floods of 2022. This scree will continue to shift on all river heights, so if you’re boating, be vigilant on every outing.
Onto the fun stuff – the hatches have started. While some are having luck with nymphs and streamers, dry flies are holding their own. Surprisingly, there’s a bunch of grannoms and caddis out and about earlier than usual. We’re well ahead of the schedule this season but this is a good thing when all factors are taken into consideration. The combination of warmer weather and reliable flows of cold water means an epic dry fly season ahead.
A word on our teaching sessions. We’ve seen some real success, especially with the newcomers fishing nymphs. We haven’t done heaps of general guiding yet, mostly beginner lessons, workshops and drifting, but stay tuned. We’ve got a bunch of bookings lined up for the next eleven days, including drift boats out every day, so we will have a more information to share in the next week.
Overall it’s been a solid start to the season, and all signs point to some stellar dry fly fishing.
A bit more news – our film from the Montana trip is live and ready for viewing. Best watched in 4k if you can! Interested in joining the next trip? We’re taking bookings now.
Our beginner workshops are on every weekend. We’ve got some deals for group bookings, and if you’re thinking of a refresher, there’s a discount in it for you. We even have some availability for this weekend with a group having to cancel at the last-minute.
Wrapping up this update, a massive thanks to all of you. Hard to believe, but we’re nearing our 30th year in this gig. It’s been a wild ride – droughts, fires, floods, and a global pandemic. Still, here we are. Your support’s been everything. Expect a big bash when we hit that milestone, and you’re all on the invite list.
Have an epic weekend, and chat soon!
