Available here. Top issues:
From Steve Samuels. President MAS
You may be aware that about 2 weeks ago the Monaro Acclimatisation Society received reports of a fish kill at Black Lake Bombala. We liaised with NSW Fisheries and as a result I share with you the outcome of their analysis of the event (below in italics). The MAS will keep an eye on the lake and if / when things improve we will work with Gaden Hatchery to stock it again. While the lake has been used recently for motor boat activities it is inconclusive if these activities contributed to the fish kill. In other seasons when the lake is full such activity has taken place without a fish kill, but we will monitor the situation.
NSW DPI Fisheries is aware of fish kill at Black Lake today affecting 100-200 Rainbow Trout. DPI Fisheries Officers have inspected the lake, and the suspected cause of the event has been attributed to critically low dissolved oxygen generated by rotting organic material from recent flooding of the lake foreshore.
Also, I would like to thank you all for the support you offer to the Monaro Acclimatisation Society and on behalf of the Executive of the MAS I wish you a merry festive season and good fishing.
Has arrived here.
Just in from DPI Fisheries. Jason M used it recently to book a hut on Lake Tantangara.
DPI Eco Fishing Huts are back! A total of 21 unique wilderness fishing and accommodation opportunities all offering 33% discount are available from now until 31 December 2023.
Book now as the prime times and popular locations are sure to fill up fast.
Follow this link to check out the full range https://bit.ly/2glub6U.
This unique offer is only valid to recreational licence holders or those exempt such as if you are a pensioner or an Aboriginal person.
Make sure to enter the code “ECOHUTS” and include your recreational licence number or your fishing fee exemption details in the comments section when you make your booking.
Stay tuned for details on new exciting Eco Fishing Huts and info on the fantastic fishing opportunities you can enjoy with family and friends on the 21 already available. The Eco Fishing Hut initiative is a great example of your licence fees at work!
NSWCFA have been examining the issue of pumped hydro projects and their potential impact on recreational fishing. The most significant projects are:
NSWCFA will monitor developments at the state level, but affiliates are encouraged to monitor projects in their districts and seek to be engaged in Environmental Impact studies. NSWCFA have developed guidance for affiliates of potential issues that pumped hydro might bring to their favourite fishing spots. See here.
Carp Fishing Hints:
General. Carp are typically bottom feeders but they can also feed on the surface. Carp are easily tackled from shore, boat, kayak. I wouldn’t recommend using a leader less than 6lb…they don’t have great eye sight and are not leader shy. Use strong hooks – bait or fly…..there are some big suckers out there….below is the result of my last hook-up (and lost) carp!
Bait. Corn, bread and/or worms are all great baits. A small circle hook on a 50 cm leader, swivel and the lightest sinker you can cast is my preferred rig. There are plenty of options and suggestions on the web. I have had to chase a couple of rods into the water, so if you leave your rod out of your hand, don’t forget to set a light drag and clip on a bell.
Fly Fishing. You can have a crack at either surface or subsurface tactics. My goal this year is to try to catch a carp on a dry! Nymphs, woolly buggers, bread flies are all options. Drop in and see the guys at the Boss Outdoors for some hints. I also have some fabulous hints from Jason Stratford who has caught over 1000 carp on fly – I’ll provide the hints to those that register for the trip. Another source of information is on his Facebook site ‘Kangaroo Carp’ or YouTube. Leon, one of our club members, has been out successfully practicing (not something that happens to me often). Check out some of the photos at the bottom.
Some detailed hints follow. I’m not sure if these are Claude’s words. #2 rod sounds a bit interesting
Leader set up…
If you keep a basic trout rig in mind when targeting carp, you won’t go wrong. I used to hand tie up tapered leaders but found that debris would get caught on the knots. So now I use factory tapered leaders around 7.5′ – 9′ and just add 2-3′ of tippet. Tippet is entirely dependent on the size of fish and the amount of structure…but for me…I can get away with 8-10lb if I want to muscle fish / using wet flies…6-7lb for dries. You can use tippet rings for wet fly leaders without much issue.
In some places where the fish are highly pressured, very clear water (rare) then I might drop to 5lb for dries but if you hook a 75cm+ carp…you won’t win often as you will have trouble moving the 15 odd pound fish if they belly out on the bottom while you try and reel them in.
Sight fishing vs blind casting…
My style of fishing for carp is ALL sight fishing. By that I mean…I will rarely cast at a tailing fish if I cannot clearly see its head. Roiling fish (fish with head buried in a mud cloud) don’t get much attention from me as I can normally walk a short distance and find a cruising fish or one feeding in the shallows…or on the surface (even better). Note: sometimes you will see plenty of fish together gulping on the surface. This is a spawning aggregation and generally the fish doing that won’t eat. You need to scan the edges of the group and you will see the odd fish feeding / cruising around. Those are the fish to target. Also note that carp generally do not rise to a dry if they are actively feeding on the bottom (unless in very shallow water). They are ‘built’ to be bottom feeders primarily so are also very clumsy surface feeders and can move the fly with their lips (pushing it across the surface) or miss the fly all together. Patience is key…like trout…it’s important to wait until the head drops before setting the hook.
Strip set vs trout strike…
Both work and while I do strip set a lot…the trout strike probably works easier for newcomers as the rod is bent but will still have some shock absorption available when the fish blisters away on its first run…whereas with a strip set…I see a lot of people try and hold the fish (momentarily) which leads to a bust off. Pound for Pound…a carp will pull the head off a trout!!! The easiest way is to just use a steady rod lift as the carp have soft (but very elastic) skin around their mouths so are easy to set the hook on and once set properly, it’s rare for them to spit a hook.
Flies…
Flies are generally unweighted and very slow sinking on size 8-10 wide gape strong hooks. Barbless makes it easier to recover flies from the fish and get the fly back in the water to start fishing quickly. In some places (deeper / current or flow) you do need weighted flies to get the fly down to the fish. Again, my fly selection is different to the ‘norm’. I tie some patterns that work as a dry and can be sunk through the surface file by giving them a twitch / small strip – where they slowly sink. A slow sinking fly that intercepts a mid-water cruising fish at their eye level will very often get a reactive take. There are so many patterns that will work for carp but the woolly worm is a good all round wet fly as are damsel nymphs, plain old woolly buggers, squirmy worm style flies and pretty much anything that looks ‘buggy’. Here is a link to a simple each way bet fly.
https://vimeo.com/194213054
*****************************
On the rod front…use what you are comfortable with.
The rod is merely the delivery method for the size of fly and type of fly line used. I fish a 2wt or 3wt most often as you are limited by the tippet breaking strain and I use fairly small flies compared to a lot of guys and only need to cast short distances (most often 8-10m). Small rods are a lot of fun…I have taken carp around 85cm on the 2wt!
Bigger flies – greater break strain tippet…use the heavier rods. (By that I mean 5 or 6) If you are however in heavy structure…then a beefier rod (7 or above) and heavier tippet may be needed to muscle the fish a bit. If you use carp as ‘training fish’ you will quickly learn how much pressure you can pull through the rod without breaking tippets (which is a lot more than people think if you use good rod angles and ‘roll’ the fish a few times early in the fight).
Most of all…enjoy what you do and how you go about it. Don’t follow what everyone says (use it as a start point and then adjust to suit your local water!)
Beware though…this carp on fly thing can be addictive!!!
CAA Activity Description: Carp (Canberra Barramundi) Fishing – Any Style
Description:
Carp, also are known as “Mud Marlins”, are an introduced species that has plagued our freshwater lakes and river systems. Even though they are a pest, they can be great fun and allow you to get some great practice for the more complicated fishing in the mountains. Some of you may recall Peter Morse highlighting that one of his most memorable days fishing in Australia was fishing dry flies for Carp. I’ve only hooked up two on fly and landed one…but it was great fun…they are solid fighters!
Please join us on a fun filled day fishing any style you like and a social catch-up at the end of the day.
Organiser: Claude
Date: Sunday 15 January 2022, any time you want. Optional end of day catch-up around 6:00 PM – you have to let Claude know if you are interested in the catch-up
Registration: Not essential but helpful if you want me to hook you up with other participants (and also for insurance). Registration is done by sending Claude an email. Registration can be up to the day prior.
Fishing Style: Any style.
Meeting Point: The intent is that members can fish in any location around the Canberra region that suits them and we will meet up at the end of the day for a counter meal. If you register I can connect you to likeminded fishers: bait or fly, and your preferred location.
Location: Any location you choose. Try any of the local lakes or rivers. The shallows where you can sight fish are best. I intend to tackle a part of the Murrumbidgee that will require a 45 minute walk-in. You may want to tackle something a little closer to town and easier on your thighs, e.g. below Scrivener Dam, Sullivan’s Creek, Uriarra Crossing, Queanbeyan River. If it rains the week before the event and the rivers are dirty, I will be chilling out in a camp chair bait fishing at Lake Ginninderra!
Fishing Hints:
General. Carp are typically bottom feeders but they can also feed on the surface. Carp are easily tackled from shore, boat, kayak. I wouldn’t recommend using a leader less than 6lb…they don’t have great eye sight and are not leader shy. Use strong hooks – bait or fly…..there are some big suckers out there….below is the result of my last hook-up (and lost) carp!
Bait. Corn, bread and/or worms are all great baits. A small circle hook on a 50 cm leader, swivel and the lightest sinker you can cast is my preferred rig. There are plenty of options and suggestions on the web. I have had to chase a couple of rods into the water, so if you leave your rod out of your hand, don’t forget to set a light drag and clip on a bell.
Fly Fishing. You can have a crack at either surface or subsurface tactics. My goal this year is to try to catch a carp on a dry! Nymphs, woolly buggers, bread flies are all options. Drop in and see the guys at the Boss Outdoors for some hints. I also have some fabulous hints from Jason Stratford who has caught over 1000 carp on fly – I’ll provide the hints to those that register for the trip. Another source of information is on his Facebook site ‘Kangaroo Carp’ or YouTube. Leon, one of our club members, has been out successfully practicing (not something that happens to me often). Check out some of the photos at the bottom.
Hope to hear from you!
PS: Don’t forget to support our club sponsors and local industry when getting your gear – Boss Outdoors and Tackleworld.
Cheers,
Claude
Some detailed hints follow. I’m not sure if these are Claude’s words. #2 rod sounds a bit interesting
Leader set up…
If you keep a basic trout rig in mind when targeting carp, you won’t go wrong. I used to hand tie up tapered leaders but found that debris would get caught on the knots. So now I use factory tapered leaders around 7.5′ – 9′ and just add 2-3′ of tippet. Tippet is entirely dependent on the size of fish and the amount of structure…but for me…I can get away with 8-10lb if I want to muscle fish / using wet flies…6-7lb for dries. You can use tippet rings for wet fly leaders without much issue.
In some places where the fish are highly pressured, very clear water (rare) then I might drop to 5lb for dries but if you hook a 75cm+ carp…you won’t win often as you will have trouble moving the 15 odd pound fish if they belly out on the bottom while you try and reel them in.
Sight fishing vs blind casting…
My style of fishing for carp is ALL sight fishing. By that I mean…I will rarely cast at a tailing fish if I cannot clearly see its head. Roiling fish (fish with head buried in a mud cloud) don’t get much attention from me as I can normally walk a short distance and find a cruising fish or one feeding in the shallows…or on the surface (even better). Note: sometimes you will see plenty of fish together gulping on the surface. This is a spawning aggregation and generally the fish doing that won’t eat. You need to scan the edges of the group and you will see the odd fish feeding / cruising around. Those are the fish to target. Also note that carp generally do not rise to a dry if they are actively feeding on the bottom (unless in very shallow water). They are ‘built’ to be bottom feeders primarily so are also very clumsy surface feeders and can move the fly with their lips (pushing it across the surface) or miss the fly all together. Patience is key…like trout…it’s important to wait until the head drops before setting the hook.
Strip set vs trout strike…
Both work and while I do strip set a lot…the trout strike probably works easier for newcomers as the rod is bent but will still have some shock absorption available when the fish blisters away on its first run…whereas with a strip set…I see a lot of people try and hold the fish (momentarily) which leads to a bust off. Pound for Pound…a carp will pull the head off a trout!!! The easiest way is to just use a steady rod lift as the carp have soft (but very elastic) skin around their mouths so are easy to set the hook on and once set properly, it’s rare for them to spit a hook.
Flies…
Flies are generally unweighted and very slow sinking on size 8-10 wide gape strong hooks. Barbless makes it easier to recover flies from the fish and get the fly back in the water to start fishing quickly. In some places (deeper / current or flow) you do need weighted flies to get the fly down to the fish. Again, my fly selection is different to the ‘norm’. I tie some patterns that work as a dry and can be sunk through the surface file by giving them a twitch / small strip – where they slowly sink. A slow sinking fly that intercepts a mid-water cruising fish at their eye level will very often get a reactive take. There are so many patterns that will work for carp but the woolly worm is a good all round wet fly as are damsel nymphs, plain old woolly buggers, squirmy worm style flies and pretty much anything that looks ‘buggy’. Here is a link to a simple each way bet fly.
https://vimeo.com/194213054
*****************************
On the rod front…use what you are comfortable with.
The rod is merely the delivery method for the size of fly and type of fly line used. I fish a 2wt or 3wt most often as you are limited by the tippet breaking strain and I use fairly small flies compared to a lot of guys and only need to cast short distances (most often 8-10m). Small rods are a lot of fun…I have taken carp around 85cm on the 2wt!
Bigger flies – greater break strain tippet…use the heavier rods. (By that I mean 5 or 6) If you are however in heavy structure…then a beefier rod (7 or above) and heavier tippet may be needed to muscle the fish a bit. If you use carp as ‘training fish’ you will quickly learn how much pressure you can pull through the rod without breaking tippets (which is a lot more than people think if you use good rod angles and ‘roll’ the fish a few times early in the fight).
Most of all…enjoy what you do and how you go about it. Don’t follow what everyone says (use it as a start point and then adjust to suit your local water!)
Beware though…this carp on fly thing can be addictive!!!
Don’t forget our end of year barbeque – Wednesday 14 Dec, starting around 6PM at Lotus Bay. Our big raffle is going cash-less. Come with your credit/debit card or buy tickets via EFT before the day.
With the cancellation of Stefan’s Brogo trip I was concerned this issue could be a bit thin, but many thanks to Roger, Al and Stuart, there’s plenty to read here.
I found Roger in Toronto awaiting a flight to UK. His bike is with a shipping agent about to follow him over the Atlantic. His plan is to spend the winter in the UK and get some work prior to hitting the road again in summer to ride and fish around Europe. He assures me he has been able to stay safely upright – which can’t be said by yours truly. I’ve been privileged to get another chapter in his journey log. Roger clarifies this is Part 2 (still up in Alaska continuing on from his first part). Part 3 would probably be returning to BC, and part 4 could be the east coast. All this before we start on his European tour. I’ll assemble this into a single document for our ‘Places’ blog in due course.
Some of us missed Al’s talk on his recent trip back across the ditch to fish smaller streams in the Taupo basin – the results almost tempt those committed Southlanders to have a session back north again.
Stuart has been up North again – the fish there seem to be so big!!! Eli’s first major trophy is further evidence.
While it is a ways till February, the summer season will be busy, so I’m starting the promotion for the Jindabyne trip.
I believe reports from our Saltwater Event and a recent trip to NZ by our President are in preparation – we may see these grace a special Christmas edition, or await January issue. Any and all submissions from members will be appreciated anytime.
The newsletter is available here. Key items:
Anthony Heiser of Canberra Fishos has produced a very readable explanation of the content of the NCCP. Anthony has been following the developments closely over many years and this paper is only the latest he has developed on the topic. Read it here.
Recall that the NCCP is currently with state and Federal Environment Ministers for a decision on future action. The NCCP identifies further studies that are needed before release of the virus.