Mike was lucky enough to be invited on one of Stuart’s annual trips north. Amazing fishing.
Mike and Stuart on Cape York
Leave a reply
Author Archives: bill
September 2021 Burley Line (Newsletter Issue 171)
Our AGM was conducted on 11 August. Lots of smiling faces with the awarding of trophies. We await advice on possible changes to how fish can be reported for trophy purposes … all a bit academic until our lockdown is relaxed.
With my Membership Officer hat on – reminder that fees are due – go to ‘join us’ to update your contact details via the webform or simply email me. Please note our new bank account numbers (these were changed last year), they are given in this newsletter. So far 24 members have signed up again – means 22 from last year remain to renew, plus hopefully some new members – spread the word folks.
Our traditional casting for the public days were to be on 12, 19 and 26 Sep – of course these dates were always dependent on progress in respect to the COVID lockdown. Given the uncertainty with both ACT and NSW regional lockdown, the Committee has made the hard decision to postpone the event.
Though we are in lockdown, readers are lucky enough to be able to read here about some fishing going on before the current lockdown was started. Others of us have had to live vicariously through videos on the Internet –a number of these have been provided by the Manic Tackle Project and notified on our News Blog … thank goodness for our bro’s “across the dutch”. Peter spotted the promotions and I’ll try to provide advice each time they come up via the News Blog and CAA’s Facebook page.
My dedicated helpers have come up with more funnies and interesting snippets from the web … keep it up guys.
http://canberra-anglers.asn.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/0171.pdf
Flyline Preparation
I’ve been following The New Fly Fisher on YouTube for some time. They have a lot of short, sharp videos providing hints that assist not just novices. Here’s one on preparing a new flyline that I’ve not been aware of.
You may find them as useful as I do.
Fly Tying 25 Aug 21 – Eucumbene Walker Magic Killer Fly (EWMK)
The EWMK wet fly originated in the metropolis of Bruce in Australia’s capital in the 2020s. The artificial fly is also known as Nathan’s Killer and was named after a famous local angler who is always happy to share images of his latest impressive catches ….and provide tips and hints on where to go fishing. The fly is distinguished by the black or dark brown rabbit fur tail, soft hackle collar and fluoro orange bead which makes the fly resemble a small baitfish or fry with its head on fire. The EWMK has proved to be a very effective fly for trout in Snowy region lakes and can also be used when searching for mud-marlin in the local ACT water ways. Many fly fishing purists may deride the use of the fluoro bead head and there are rumours that their use could be banned from international fishing competitions because it makes flies irresistible to fish!
Imitates
The EWMK fly is an attractor pattern most likely taken as a small baitfish or fry with their heads on fire.
Controversy
There is a lot of controversy on whether the fly pattern was ‘stolen’ from Tom Jarman. There is even more controversy on whether the tail should be marabou or rabbit fur….and should the rabbit fur be sourced from the armpit or belly region of the rabbit – best to ask your local fly tying materials supplier!
Materials:
- Hook: 12 or 14 wet – straight or jig (or whatever you choose or can handle)
- Thread: black UNI 8/0
- Tail: Black/Dark Brown Rabbit fur(Zonker) (Marabou if you are non-traditional ) with crystal flash
- Body: Black Seal fur or substitute…I use Poodle hair during COVID + copper wire
- Thorax: Peacock dubbing or real peacock swords (will be quite fiddly)
- Hackle: black/dark brown hen/partridge
- Bead: Fluoro Orange (or whatever you have)
keyword wetfly nymphfly streamerfly
NSWCFA August Newsletter
Has arrived and available here.
Top items.
- Many NSW dams near capacity
- The Murrumbidgee River’s wet season height has dropped by 30% since the 1990s
- Kosciuszko National Park: Draft Amendment to the Plan of Management: Snowy Mountains Special Activation Precinct I’ve put in a personal submission and I know MAS has prepared one plus I envisage NSWCFA. The big concern is that angling is not discussed at all.
- ‘John Barilaro is privatising Kosciuszko National Park’ In public policy commentator John Menadue’s Pearls and Irritations blog, Carolyn Pettigrew writes that John Barilaro’s Snowy Mountains Special Activation Zone Precinct effectively wrests the control of developments in Kosciuszko National Park from the Minister for the Environment into the hands of the Minister for Regional NSW, John Barilaro. The plan is to heavily develop Jindabyne and surrounding areas for tourism, with little thought for the environment.
- ‘Real truths’? John Newbery looks at C&R Writing in Fishing World, John Newbery looks at some of the issues about catch-and-release and how the ongoing arguments will lead to pressure on recreational fishing in the future.
Post AGM Updates
Next Burley Line will have all the news from the AGM earlier this week. Lots of smiling faces receiving trophies. The committee and the additional members we call the “council” are unchanged. Now that we are into the 2021-22 season there have been some consequent updates to the website.
Our 2021-22 program has been uploaded … http://canberra-anglers.asn.au/blog/program/
Reminder that 2021-22 membership fees are now due, unchanged rates from last year. Information on how to pay are on the web … http://canberra-anglers.asn.au/blog/canberra-anglers-association-membership-application/ Can you please use the webform on that page to advise us of any changes to your contact details?
Our trophy rules have been reviewed and images of our most recently added trophies been added … Redfin and Bass. http://canberra-anglers.asn.au/club_process/caatrophyrules2021.pdf
Our calculator to compare/score natives to account for any changes to NSW records has been reviewed but no changes made. http://canberra-anglers.asn.au/club_process/rate_my_catch.htm
Our ‘corporate’ email addresses for contacting the club roles have been revalidated.
RFANSW August 2021 Newsletter
This has just arrived and a very full one it is. You can see it here.
Top items for us appear to be:
- Bromadiolone mouse poison knocked back RFANSW, supported by NSWCFA and others have convinced authorities of the inappropriateness of this measure.
- Melbourne to host 2023 World Recreational Fishing Conference I’d envisage in a COVIDSafe manner.
- Trout season operation detected 36 offences DPI Fisheries pursued checks during the close of the season
- Clean For Life, Fish For Life DPI’s Fish Care team getting runs on the board and are looking for sites to work on.
- Federal intervention to protect Kosciuszko from feral horse damage We will have to see what will transpire.
- Gone Fishing Day is on again 10 Oct
- National Recreational Fishing Conference 2022 the organisers are looking for volunteers to help organise
August 2021 Burley Line (Newsletter Issue 170)
With our winter shutdown of events, fishing reports are a bit thin … thank you Jason M for coming up with some news from the end of the stream season!! Also, your notes that missed the deadline for last month’s newsletter which provides additional input to the June Chill trip report. Plus, get a load of Rod’s fish on our front cover! though he might have graced the cover if I’d received Mike’s in advance … still, Mike has promised me some more and a report so he’ll get his turn.
Lots of other stuff, especially for those who don’t follow us on Facebook or have not subscribed for email notifications of new items on our news blog. (To subscribe for the latter use the form on the right of the news blog page.)
Our AGM is coming soon (11 Aug), pop it into your diary. Make some serious consideration of putting your hand up to become a committee member – either on the Executive, or as a less onerous Council member. With the AGM will come the need to renew your membership/pay the fees. Note that the annual fee is actually endorsed at the AGM, it makes sense then to hold off paying fees until the AGM has confirmed continuation of the current fee or a change (don’t make it harder for the Treasurer folks).
Am still wondering if there are any budding assistant editors out there … maybe Greg W on his return from UK? 🙂 COVID has slowed down my international travel, but surely it can’t last forever and some help here would be most appreciated. Don’t worry, I can handle the technical stuff of uploading wherever I am in the world, but typing up the newsletter itself (on my phone) is a bit much to ask. We have a fancy template (built by big Luke a while ago) so all you need is Microsoft Word and a little time – advice will be provided.
CRFA closure … after a lingering period of no activity, but still no formal de-incorporation, the President of the Capital Region Fishing Alliance (our very own Jason M) has advised me that we can consider it to be closed. A shame really that we don’t have a formal forum for local clubs to band together and provide greater clout in dealings with ACT Government on angling matters.
NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers AGM (and quarterly OGM) is on Sat 21 Aug at 10 AM via Zoom. You don’t need to be a formally identified Delegate to attend (you just can’t vote unless you are a Delegate – CAA is entitled to two voting people). Latest word is that our prime point of contact in DPI (Mr Jim Harnwell) is due to speak – should be interesting. ‘Come along’ and hear what the Council has been doing for us.
Fly Tying 28 Jul 2021 – Magoo
Claude in the lead. He tells me Compleat Angler has the majority of the materials in stock.
This fly originates from Ireland and was then further developed by Ballarat fly anglers, Vern Barby and, to a lesser extent, Craig Coltman. Although originally intended as a damsel fly imitation, the fly works very well when none are present. The slim profile makes it very effective when fish are being selective yet it still has “pulling power”, attracting fish from a long way off. The fly works well on a floating line when fished from the shore on its own but really comes into its own in a team of flies on sinking lines. I prefer to fish this fly slowly but it is equally effective pulled hard and ‘hung’. I have caught fish with this fly on all three spots on the leader but favour the point for the weighted version and the top dropper for the unweighted fly. Used on a DI 7 it is effective but as good as it is, I prefer it in a scenario when fishing in five feet of water or less. In Tasmania, there is not a lake it won’t work on. In bright weather or when fish are slightly spooky, one piece of flash can be cut out of either side of the tail to increase your catch rate. Christopher Bassano.
Hook :- Wet fly, size 8 or 10. Kamasan B175 or similar
Bead: of your choice, usually red or gold.
Tail :- Olive marabou and two strands of flash.
Rib :- Copper wire.
Body :- Peacock herl
Body hackle :- Olive saddle feather, palmered
Front hackle :- Partridge breast feather or similar.
keyword wetfly streamerfly
Trout relocation in Central Acclimatisation Society Area
Did people see this, possibly via DPI’s Facebook page?https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/about-us/media-centre/releases/2021/the-great-winburndale-trout-translocation
I had mixed feelings about it. The article is carefully crafted but are we still portraying trout in an undue bad light here? A quick exchange with Secretary Central Acclimatisation Society relaxed me. (CAS are Affiliated to NSWCFA same as we are) .
Brown trout are somewhat piscivorous and it was only sensible to reduce the numbers in an impoundment where they were of no benefit to recreational fishing, thereby maximising the survival chances of the Macquarie Perch fry, and putting the trout where they will be a benefit to rec fishing.
We’ll probably repeat that yearly for the next few years.
It’s all about population dynamics. In the 4 years or so until they reach sexual maturity the Perch need the scales tilted their way. After that it might be interesting to see whether the two species coexist but I think that experiment might better wait until there are more recovering populations of the Perch.”
When I asked if the electrofishing was also used to remove redfin, Don responded.
There are no redfin in the Dam, which is why it was chosen for the Macquarie Perch, and hopefully will remain that way. The redfin are so inimical to the Perch that there’s no point reintroducing the Macquaries where redfin are present or are likely to turn up.
Further, the redfin are such hardy prolific breeders that there probably would not be much point trying to reduce their numbers using the approach we took with the trout, a reflection of the degree of threat each represents. DPI see removal of some of the browns as an exercise in abundant caution.
A couple of interesting reflections arising from the exercise:
Anglers are not permitted to enter the area for health reasons, the Dam being for potable water supply, yet the indications were that quite a significant number of wild pigs lived in the area, which is bounded by a nature reserve. Given all the diseases that wild pigs host, it’s rather contradictory of the concern re anglers.
I had the opportunity observe the use of a calibrated electric shock to stun a fair number of trout of various sizes, fingerlings to 5lb stonkers, which were netted and held captive; all recovered within a few minutes, as did a few Macquarie Perch fry that were incidentally caught and released. Having seen this, I have no concerns about the use of electro fishing for research purposes on fish, including trout.
By the way, Ray Tang Wallerawang CAS organised the development, stocking and eventual opening of the Millpond, an old quarry at Portland with the aid of the Portland Trust.
Don provided some extra photos.
