Thomson River 15/5
Posted: Sun May 15, 2016 7:54 pm
With the wind predicted to be too strong for fishing WPB I got ready for Plan B, which was a session over at Blue Rock Dam which I thought might be out of the way of the high winds. Unfortunately MetEye suggested Blue Rock would be uncomfortably windy too so I activated Plan C which was to hide up in the steep valleys around Walhalla and try for some stream trout in the Thomson.
I'd never been there before so it was a bit of a gamble. I wasn't even certain there was a place to launch the kayak. turned out there was but it was a rocky 4WD track that entered the water at 45o right on top of some rapids. Not a launch for the faint hearted. The stretch of river I was fishing was completely inaccessible except by water, and was deep enough that only the most determined fisho would bother wading. The fishing should've been pretty good because I reckon that bit of river would be fished a handful of times a year at most. However my knowledge of trout fishing is limited to reading Adrian's reports, a trip to Blue Rock last year and a visit to a trout farm as a kid; plus this was the first time I'd fished this spot and the first time I'd used the kayak in running water so the trout were in with a fighting chance.
It was a beautiful morning, with a few wisps of cloud hanging in the trees along the spurs high above me and a layer of fog over the water. I could see the occasional ripples spreading over the water as trout slurped bugs off the surface. The only downside is that the 2nd hand phone I acquired is bad at taking photos so I couldn't capture the trip as I would've liked. A waterproof camera is on the shopping list so hopefully the next report will be easier on the eyes.
I paddled upstream trolling a couple of floating trout patterned Rapalas but these quickly fouled with weed. The next thing I tried was to paddle a bit, stop, cast a lure and retrive as I drifted back with the current. It worked OK but it was a bit tedious stopping and starting to try and work over a patch of water. A stakeout pole is on the shopping list as well now, then I've be able to remain in place until I've finished with that section and paddle on to the next area. Should be a lot more efficient.
There were a few spots where I had to climb out and drag the yak through the shallows
Eventually I had a splash behind the lure and was hooked up briefly but it was off again before I could react. Still, it was a positive sign that I was doing something right. About 500m upstream from the missed hookup I was next to a deep and fast channel and after a couple of casts I came up with a solid hit and shortly a 30cm brown was in the yak. Didn't fight very hard on the ultra light gear. I worked over that section a bit more but with no luck so I continued upstream
I got to a long stretch of rapids that I couldn't be arsed dragging the yak over so I pulled it up on the bank and walked for a bit, casting into deeper areas. I got a third hookup here but this one went aerial and managed to spit the hook during a big cartwheel.
The trip back was a lot easier, I was able to go with the current and cast at the banks as I passed by. There were no other hits on the way back, but I was moving to fast to properly work over the fishy looking areas. I tried drifting a bait ahead of me but it kept getting snagged so I gave that up.
All told it was a pretty enjoyable trip. More fish would've been nice but given it was my first attempt at this style of fishing I'm happy with the result. It is such a beautiful part of the world too, and it probably wouldn't matter if I didn't catch a thing. On the way back to Melbourne I stopped by the Coopers Creek campsite, there is another launch spot there but the river looks like it has a lot of rapids in that area so I'm not sure how suitable it would be for kayak fishing.
I'd never been there before so it was a bit of a gamble. I wasn't even certain there was a place to launch the kayak. turned out there was but it was a rocky 4WD track that entered the water at 45o right on top of some rapids. Not a launch for the faint hearted. The stretch of river I was fishing was completely inaccessible except by water, and was deep enough that only the most determined fisho would bother wading. The fishing should've been pretty good because I reckon that bit of river would be fished a handful of times a year at most. However my knowledge of trout fishing is limited to reading Adrian's reports, a trip to Blue Rock last year and a visit to a trout farm as a kid; plus this was the first time I'd fished this spot and the first time I'd used the kayak in running water so the trout were in with a fighting chance.
It was a beautiful morning, with a few wisps of cloud hanging in the trees along the spurs high above me and a layer of fog over the water. I could see the occasional ripples spreading over the water as trout slurped bugs off the surface. The only downside is that the 2nd hand phone I acquired is bad at taking photos so I couldn't capture the trip as I would've liked. A waterproof camera is on the shopping list so hopefully the next report will be easier on the eyes.
I paddled upstream trolling a couple of floating trout patterned Rapalas but these quickly fouled with weed. The next thing I tried was to paddle a bit, stop, cast a lure and retrive as I drifted back with the current. It worked OK but it was a bit tedious stopping and starting to try and work over a patch of water. A stakeout pole is on the shopping list as well now, then I've be able to remain in place until I've finished with that section and paddle on to the next area. Should be a lot more efficient.
There were a few spots where I had to climb out and drag the yak through the shallows
Eventually I had a splash behind the lure and was hooked up briefly but it was off again before I could react. Still, it was a positive sign that I was doing something right. About 500m upstream from the missed hookup I was next to a deep and fast channel and after a couple of casts I came up with a solid hit and shortly a 30cm brown was in the yak. Didn't fight very hard on the ultra light gear. I worked over that section a bit more but with no luck so I continued upstream
I got to a long stretch of rapids that I couldn't be arsed dragging the yak over so I pulled it up on the bank and walked for a bit, casting into deeper areas. I got a third hookup here but this one went aerial and managed to spit the hook during a big cartwheel.
The trip back was a lot easier, I was able to go with the current and cast at the banks as I passed by. There were no other hits on the way back, but I was moving to fast to properly work over the fishy looking areas. I tried drifting a bait ahead of me but it kept getting snagged so I gave that up.
All told it was a pretty enjoyable trip. More fish would've been nice but given it was my first attempt at this style of fishing I'm happy with the result. It is such a beautiful part of the world too, and it probably wouldn't matter if I didn't catch a thing. On the way back to Melbourne I stopped by the Coopers Creek campsite, there is another launch spot there but the river looks like it has a lot of rapids in that area so I'm not sure how suitable it would be for kayak fishing.
