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.

Trout season is closed and there’ll be no more events till next year … get your ideas/volunteer to run an event in the 21-22 program to our hardworking Secretary – so far I’ve heard: no doubts Oct for Lyle Knowles, Dec coast trip, Feb Jindabyne, Apr Brindabellas.  Step forward to volunteer ideas and willingness to organise.  I wonder if someone might champion CAA involvement in the NSW Council of Freshwater Anglers Interclub in May.

June Chill report and some photos here.

I should have reported on a short trip to Vanity’s that Peter and I undertook, but since the only fish were some mini-fish below the crossing there was little to report, except to say it was fun to hook the tackers and give them a free ride into the upper section of the river rather than fighting their way up the fish ladder.

Nathan Miles, the head researcher for our trout research program, gave a Zoom talk on Wed 2 June arranged by NSWCFA.  This was the second such talk and was well attended.  One hopes that future talks will be as interesting.  NSWCFA is hoping to upload a video of the talk, meantime, I’d suggest much of the slide material came from the DPI Fisheries Research website.  Nathan put that up on the chat.  While I wasn’t able to capture it, but I’m pretty sure it is this one ….

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/fresh-rec-fish-research

NSWCFA subsequently had a Zoom meeting with DPI’s Jim Harnwell and Mr Bryan vanderWalt on the troubled Anglers Access website.  Both Jim and Bryan are committed to energising this project and putting it onto a formal standing.  NSWCFA is creating a small group to represent angler’s expectations of the site.  The current version (I’ve seen at least three so far) is available on the page referred to above.  If you have any comments, please pass them through Jason M (CAA delegate to NSWCFA) or me.

The date for the Kid’s fishing workshop at Jindabyne had been published, but is no now showing as ‘to be advised’… withdrawn after discussions with the hatchery manager.  I’ve been advised that it is likely that next January there will be fishing workshops at Gaden.

Lots of stuff has gone up on the News Blog this month… don’t forget you can subscribe to get an automatic email notification, rather than have to wait for the monthly newsletter.  Also there’s been some action on our Facebook page … remember you don’t need to be a Facebook subscriber to look.

In other matters here, some very interesting fly patterns from Mike.  Also a report from our new gipsy Stefan and the old gipsy Ian.

The Tumut trip report that missed the schedule for May Burley Line has arrived – wow! Some excellent photos – don’t you love the bokeh (selective focus on the fish and not the angler :-).  Seemed quite a success despite the high flows and will be a must-do event next year.

Was very exciting to have JQ down here from Cairns and available within his busy schedule to get out for one day chasing our speckled friends up in the Brindies.  This was a recce for a planned club trip next year being championed by our man in London (soon to be back home) Greg W.

I’ve put some thoughts to the committee on trips that I’d like to conduct next season.  Put your hand up folks – the program is in development and all the trips ought not have to fall upon the ‘usual suspects’.

Similarly, the stories here are a bit thin – aren’t you fishing?  We’d all love to hear what you’ve been up to with the close of stream season almost upon us.

After getting Peter’s brown incorrect last month, my penance is that he’s photo of the month this month. Actually the image is there to tempt folk into considering the June Chill event – big fish will be around.
CAA went up to Tumut last weekend. The flow was huge, impacting on the fishing no doubt. Unfortunately it seems both John and Claude are busy at work so we’ll have to wait to next month for a report.
Greg S has been sending in weblinks to some interesting video clips and articles. Well spotted mate and keep them coming. I wonder if he (or anyone else) might like to take on the role of stand in editor – now that JQ has moved to Cairns Burley Line is missing this essential portion of the machinery. With COVID possibly easing a bit (New Zealand bubble at minimum), you can expect me to be looking to travel with consequences for newsletter production … think about it folks, it isn’t that hard.
Some funnies from Mike to lighten the spirits, also I’ve ‘discovered’ a particularly good YouTube channel with excellent video quality (I just love closeups of the fish taking the fly) but also instructional commentary along the way.
A couple of important items from Monaro Acclimatisation Society, plus highlights of NSW CFA and RFA of NSW newsletters.

Quite a full issue.  Jo Starling’s talk to the club meeting was very informative, including guidance on a new knot to try out.  The Tantangara trip was a real success for most, though many of us under-estimated how close we are to winter.  Many thanks to Greg S and Jason M for some interesting links.

Correction: I’ve just been told that the Anaconda Trout Challenge at Buckenderra has been postponed to Dec. The organisers tell me they are hoping to include an extra prize, a very special prize for fly fishing only. I’ll fix in next Burley Line

American writer Henry David Thoreau said, possibly after a day’s angling, “Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.”

Important news is that, for those still using Australia Post, our PO Box has changed.  Please take note.

The February club event proved successful for Peter – I understand employing the Charlie patented technique.  Well done to him but also for his generosity in explaining the technique and evening donating one of the special, essential pieces of tackle to some potential members.  We hope they join now.

We have a new section in our blog which will also appear here – Shaun has volunteered to provide a series of book reviews from his extensive library.  I understand he is also amenable to his borrowing a book from you to read and write up – saving you the effort!  I’ve promised to do some also from my less extensive library … maybe next month?

I was fortunate enough to be invited up to a region that I’d not explored – the Barrington Tops.  Notionally it was for deploying some water temperature loggers as part of ‘citizen science’ in support of trout research (though we also got to do some research with fly rod in hand).  I’m also set to do similar with Monaro Acclimatisation Society locally too.  A short report, including some of my drone photography, is here.

Some of our eagle eyed members pointed me to two interesting web articles.

Some activities outside the CAA schedule are coming out of COVID hibernation – check them out.

Apologies, I should have uploaded into our ‘Gear‘ blog the report by Jason on his experience with a lightweight raft before first uploading Feb Newsletter. It is there now.

Seen at Tilba Tilba:

“If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles”  More quotes from Doug Larson here.

The shift from December to January for our Jindabyne trip proved very successful.  A huge report is enclosed.  Also reported is Claude and BJ’s efforts in the Carp Capers – many thanks guys for the words and photos.  Jason M has excelled again with two articles – his side trip after our Coastal Outing off shore to Montague Island, plus a quick review of his latest lightweight ‘canoe’ … looks more like a swimming ring to me 🙂

We typically don’t have a January edition, (especially since I’ve never been able to convince an ex-Vice President to do a special Christmas Edition J).  Nevertheless, I thought it particularly important this year.  A chance to report on an enjoyable end of year barbeque catching up after a year of limited gatherings and a successful coast trip (well for everyone except me L).  The ever reliable Jason M has produced reports on his aspect of the Coast trip, but he extended on to head on to Brogo where we missed out last month, plus provided some additional reporting on the Lake G outing which was run when the CAA Brogo event was cancelled.  A prolific contributor to Burley Line and always appreciated.

Moreover, looking forwards, we have an unprecedented (if ever a word was overused recently that one would have to take the cake) two events in January – Claude’s carp caper and our ever popular Jindabyne trip – occurring before we even meet for the first time in 2021.  Make sure you put them into the diary, and contact me if you have an interest in Jindy.  We already have 12 members showing interest … and note there are only 14 beds.  More information soon via email.

As I write this, President Claude is in Melbourne having his nasal passages probed by Dan Andrew’s medical staff and me having to cancel my planned trip to Terrigal later this week due to the Northern Beaches outbreak.  How soon the COVID situation can resurge after success – and threaten the chances of a few of us planning a trip to NZ in April.  As we have all agreed, 2020 has been an insane year, we can only hope things will feel more normal next year.

From me and my team of helpers, all the best for the festive season and hope to see you all in the new year.

In this issue:

• An article by new member Tristan on building a fly rod – quite inspiring and the rod does work (see cover photo).
• Images and videos of Googong – a bit more water there now than when we went during the casting weekends.  Thanks Greg S and Lyall.
• Jaime works as an entomologist (just an excuse to learn the wheres and whens of trout food!) and he chanced on an interesting find.
• Promo from me for the Jan 2021 Jindabyne trip.
• A sad tale from someone who will remain nameless.
• Brogo was cancelled, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t go fishing.
• Mike offered some supplementary advice in respect to JQ’s Flat Wing Deceiver pattern.
• Did everyone know that Lake Eucumbene has been performing well?
• One item for sale.
• Lots of news from our lobby groups.

Ian has reminded me that the 1950s vintage front cover we displayed in the October issue was drawn by Alex Gurney, the artist who penned Bluey and Curley amongst others – some of the senior members of the club will know who we are talking about.  I’ve found another one from the early ‘50s.  I’ll try to find more during this year of recalling our heritage.

Many thanks to Claude for his “President’s Notes” this month and his report on Oct Fly Tying.  Also, sincere appreciation to BJ, Shaun, Alan and JM for contributions this month.

JM provided a promotion for the Brogo event but just a short while ago advised that WaterwaysNSW have their reservoirs still for “Day Use Only” due to COVID-19.  He’s exploring options and all will be revealed by email soon.  I’ve left the article in this issue as it might entice some private visits to the waters – it is a great site that we will certainly visit again at some time.  Jason also noted that in Dec 2019, after we were last there, levels had halved again, down to 13%.  Jan 2020 they were at 10%.  In Feb, it went from 10% to 100% in 24 hours.  Wow!

Reports this month are: the successful 75^th anniversary dinner; the equally successful Lyle Knowles comp with reports here complete with photographic evidence; secret hints from Nathan for fishing the Eucumbene – many thanks to Andrew for taking notes at the October meeting (this was conducted as a “Zoom and Room” – a few hiccups and mixups but I believe successful) and finally an item from JM on using his kayak on the Goodradigbee.

Worth a look: https://vfa.vic.gov.au/recreational-fishing/targetonemillion2/crownland  … the Victorian initiative in respect to Crown Land/TSRs.  Is this a model we should seek for in NSW?  I dropped in to the Goodradigbee and the TSR has clear ‘do not camp’ signs.  The problem there (and some other land which I think Council manages) is probably the poor behaviour of previous campers.  That said, if toilets are not provided then the inevitable happens – it is one thing to seek people to take their rubbish, it is a significant step to insist they have their own portaloos …. though the Kiwis have forged a path in that respect too.

While talking New Zealand, a mate pointed me to this – he denies it was him.  My first reaction was “canal feeder” but it being a brown does have me wondering.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/300143657/fisherman-who-landed-massive-trout-in-mackenzie-wishes-to-remain-anonymous

With my Membership Officer hat on … another gentle reminder about fees.  There are handful of ‘regulars’ who have not yet paid.  Remember that you need to be financial to be considered for trophies!  Alan had to rush through his dues in light of his Lyle Knowles catch.