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2013 - April Testimonials

John – Raritan River, Branchburg Nj, New Jersey

Lure: Aglia & Dressed Aglia

Fish Caught: Bass, Largemouth - Bass, Smallmouth - Bluegill (Bream, Brim) - Crappie (Black) - Perch, Yellow - Pickerel - Pike, Northern - Sunfish (shellcracker) - Trout, Brook - Trout, Brown - Trout, Palomino - Trout, Rainbow

I went fishing at a local river on Saturday and no one around me was catching fish but me! I was the only one using a Mepps lure, everyone else was using bait. I caught my limit in 45 min. while I only saw one other person catch a trout.

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

AUGHT A FEW BEFORE WIND HITS '' 27-4-13

Woke this morning around 6.30am expecting to hear the wind roaring down the side of the house, there was nothing but silence and the chatter from the family of honey eaters in my back yard.
Jumped out of bed in a hurry and checked out side and there was not a breath of wind, so it was on with the fishing gear and off to Merseylea for a spin before the wind arrived. When I reached the river there was a slight breeze from the Nth West but nothing too drastic just yet to bother me. The first section of river didn't show a sign of catching a fish as I couldn't even manage a follow. Still this was just the first section of river any way, still plenty of water ahead of me yet. Casting into the next small piece of fast water I was onto a solid fish that hit the Mepps Black Fury like it was it's last meal. Three jumps later and it was gone and on it way downstream in one hell of a rush. Not the start I wanted either, but it was a good sign that there may more fish to be taken later as I work my way upstream.
Just ahead of me was a good strip of fast water that usually gives up a fish so I was feeling reasonably confident of getting one there. This piece of water gives up both browns and rainbows so I was hoping to catch either one or the other, and catching both would be even better. Flicked the little copper Black Fury across the flow and just let it drift with it, and I could feel the blade working as it went with the downstream flow, then bang it was fish on. Yes! It was the ever reliable rainbow that has saved the day once more and this fish really put up a fight in this fast water too. Finally it was in the net much to my relief as I'm never happy until the first fish is landed. This was a nice solid (400gm) rainbow too, and was beautifully coloured as well. The pink in some of these fish are great and make for a good photo.
I was happy now that the first fish has been caught and so it was onto the top of this small fast water and second cast across the top of it I was into another (390gm) rainbow that soon in the net. Quick photo of this fish and it too was on its way. The wind was really starting to strengthen now and it was getting more difficult with each cast to lob the spinner right where I wanted it. Then there was the hundreds of willow leaves hitting the water and floating down and fouling the spinner. It's amazing how one can cast and lob the spinner right onto a leaf every few casts isn't it, if you wanted to hit one you'd miss it every time. This next section of river was a slow moving piece of the Mersey and I was lucky enough to have two hook ups for the one nice (380gm) brown. At the end of this slow water was a few mixed short sections of combined fast and slow water and looked like it could hold a fish or two hopefully. Well it did just that, as I had four hook ups in it and netted two of them and lost the other two. The two that were caught and released were both browns that went 370 and 390 gms. Ahead of me now is all slow flowing deeper sections of river and with the wind getting stronger by the minute I decided it was time to head back and call it a day. A pretty fair two hour session really, and I was very happy the way it turned out too. In all I had nine hook ups and landed 5 fish in total, so it wasn't all that bad was it. Once again the ** Mepps Black Fury Ultra Lite did the job for me.
Cheers Adrian

Adrian Webb – Meander River, Meander. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

' AVERAGE DAY ON THE MEANDER RIVER.'' 23-4-13

Another very cool morning greeted me when I went outside to see what the weather was like today and of course the wind was blowing as usual. Good thing about the wind today is that it was coming from the West which will hopefully stir up a few fish. Seeing the Mersey had dropped off in my last two trips there I was heading to the Meander River for a spin. I haven't had a fish in it for a few weeks now so it was time to give it another crack with the Mepps. I was in the river by 9.00am and boy it was cold here with the wind coming straight down the river into my face, plus I was starting off in a shaded section of the river too. I had the long johns on plus two pairs of thermal socks and the cold was still penetrating through them. Just before I began to have my first cast I noticed some splashing in the middle of the river and I thought it was just a Platypus, but a closer inspection and I found it to be two massive trout. These two fish a male and a female were facing upstream and sitting right on the surface and it looked like he was trying to stimulate the female into spawning. It may just have been a practice run too as they were on the surface in about a meter of water. These two fish were in the 1.5kg – 2kg size and I just stood there watching them for a while as they slowing drifted downstream with the flow of the river still going through the motions.
With them out of the way it was time to do a bit of spinning and it wasn't long before a small brown (240gm) took the Mepps # 00 Copper Black Fury within the first few casts of the day. This little fish was taken along the edge of the flow next to the river bank, as the river was at a medium height today. The river was still running clear which surprised me as it looked liked there had been quite a bit of rain in the Meander area, and I would have preferred it to have been a little clouded. Worked my way up the river for another fifty meters before picking up my second (310gm) brown that ripped into the spinner as if it was it's last meal. After seeing that pair of big browns I was hoping to hook into a fish much larger than what I had caught so far this morning. It wasn't to be as I fished the next 400 meters of river without a sign of a fish, so it was time for a move.
After a short drive plus a two and a half kilometer walk to the river it was around fifteen minutes of spinning when I picked up another (290gm) brown, and not long after that I caught another (270gm) fish. Even though they were few and far between, they were at least the most aggressive they've been for some time. The wind was now really gusting and casting the little 1.5gm Black Fury was a real challenge. It was difficult trying to allow for the wind gusts hitting it on the cast because this area was more open than the last. It wasn't long before I adjusted to it as I worked my way upstream and picked up three more (320, 295, & 380gm) browns over the next five hundred meters or so of river. So far the fish that I had caught and released were the only hits and hook ups for the day. I had not had any other follows in all that time on the water, and still no big fish too be taken either. Over the last six hundred meters of river I did manage to pick up another three medium size (ave 300gm) browns out of four hits. So after fishing around three kilometers of river in very cold,windy conditions and close to five hours in icy cold water it was a pretty average day on the Meander River really. Still catching ten browns from eleven hits helped to make up for it in a way, and these were the only fish that I saw behind the spinner today.

River:.. Meander. Browns:.. 10 (all released)
cheers Adrian

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown

'' MORE LOST FISH THAN NEED BE.'' 18-4-13

Headed back to Merseylea this morning at 7.30am in very cool conditions as there was a cold South Westerly breeze coming straight down the river. After a light frost this was the last thing I wanted to face this morning, as I just hate it when having to cast upstream into it. Plus it's bloody freezing too!! Anyway I started off from where I finished late yesterday (Weds.) afternoon and it wasn't that long before I was getting a whack on the line after my third cast. Problem was this fish was having a go at my painted anti-kink which I had just recently removed the drop fly from. Once he got closer to me he turned and went off downstream in one hell of a rush. The reason I had removed the drop fly was because I have been casting into some very tight spots over the past few trips, and with it on there is the chance of too many hook ups of branches and twigs in amongst the willows.
The next section of river I did hook into a nice medium (460gm) brown which was quickly released and this fish was as solid as a rock, a real well condition brown. So it was looking good and the little
# 00 Mepps Black Fury (copper) was again proving it could do the job once again. It is starting to look a lot worse for wear though as it's bagged quite few trout over the past week. Moving on to the next good looking piece of fast waster that I was sure would give up a trout or two, and it did just that.
Problem was I could get them to stay on as I had five hook ups and could only get two (450gm) browns to the net, still it could have been worse if I had lost them all. The wind was now starting to strengthen a little more now, so I thought I will just fish the next small stretch of fast water before calling it a day. All I could manage was three hook ups and one hit and miss. The three hook ups never made to the net either, as they spat the spinner soon after making a leap or two from the river. So that was my session for the morning, not one of my better days, and not my worst either.

River: Mersey.. Browns.. 3 (all released)

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

SHORT LATE AFTERNOON STINT GIVES UP A FEW.'' 17-4-13

Shot down to Merseylea once again late this afternoon for a short stint of spinning in mild and slightly overcast conditions. When I arrived at Hoggs Bridge I had a chat with a couple of dairy farmers and lost an hour with them before finally hitting the Mersey River close to 4.00 pm. The first 80 meters did not give up a thing, not even a follow until the next small fast water where I picked up a small rainbow. Then over the next 60 meters all I could manage was one hit and miss and that was until the next stretch of fast water when I hooked and lost three browns.
Finally over the final piece of fast water that I fished I caught and released two solid 430gm browns
that were in excellent condition. So I only fished for around and hour and a half before it was to dark to carry on here, but will continue on from where I finished today in the morning. These fish were all caught on a Mepps Black Fury Ultra Lite.

River:.. Mersey... Browns:.. 2 (released) Rainbows:.. 1 (released)

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' NICE MORNING AT MERSEYLEA.'' 11-4-13

Clear skies and a light South Westerly breeze greeted me when I arrived at Merseylea this morning around 8.15am for another spin session on the Mersey River. The reason I have kept returning to the Merseylea area over the past week is because it has been fishing very well. The majority of fish caught have been good size and well conditioned, so when you're onto a good run in a river then why not stick with it. Well that's my motto any way. The only problem that I thought I would have is the clear sky and sun on the water and that is what happened in the end. But before then it wasn't too bad especially in the fast water sections, as they did fish reasonably well for the short time I fished them.
Still had to fish the same way as the past few days by casting and letting the Mepps # 00 Black Fury (copper) spinner drift with the current. This worked again today and I did manged five hook ups, but could only land three fish for the session. These being two solid browns ( 490gm & 480gm) and one very nice rainbow (440gm) that put up the best fight of the three fish. This fish peeled several meters of the 4 lb line from the reel as it made a run downstream for it's freedom. After making a few leaps from the river it was finally over as it tired and was led into the net. I know it wasn't a big fish but these rainbows still put up one hell of a fight and can (and have) bust you off quite easily if you don't play them out. Usually it will break at the weakest point and that's at the knot, and then it's all over red rover. So it pays to be patient and play the fish. I did have several follows as the morning went on but with the sun now on the water they just sat back some 200mms from the spinner in the slower crystal clear sections of river. I gave it away around 10.30am as I knew it wasn't worth my while fishing on, and besides there weren't any fast water sections ahead of me for quite some distance. It was still an enjoyable couple of hours on the Mersey in great weather conditions and it doesn't get any better in my mind either. I did keep the three fish today as it was time for a feed of nice smoked trout, doesn't hurt to keep a few from time to time. The Little Mepps Black Fury did its job once again in getting a few fish.
River: Mersey..... Browns.. 2 (kept) Rainbows.... 1 (kept)

Jordan LeClere – Brushy Creek, Webster City, Iowa

Lure: Black Fury

Fish Caught: Bass, Largemouth - Bass, Smallmouth - Bluegill (Bream, Brim) - Crappie (Black) - Crappie (White) - Musky - Pike, Northern - Walleye

I am a huge fan of the lime green(chartreuse dot) colored #3 Black Fury spinner. When I look back at all of the fish I have caught recently, 90% of them have been caught using the Black Fury. I love this lure! It is the only lure in my tackle box and I will go in after it I lose it on a snag (speaking from experience!!) I have even converted one of my non-believer friends into using them. I guess he finally got tired of watching me catch all the fish while he got skunked. Please, please, please NEVER STOP MAKING THIS LURE!!!! Thank you for such a great product and all of the joy it has given me in my fishing adventures!!

Sincerely,
Jordan

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Kimberley. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' STRUGGLE TO FIND THE TROUT TODAY.'' 16-4-13
Clint and myself decided to have a session at Kimberley today and what a great morning it was once again with clears skies and crisp cool air. We hit the water around 9.40 am and it wasn't long before Clint using a Rapala CD-1 rainbow pattern had his first fish on, a nice well conditioned brown close to 280 gms I reckon. Good start I thought, looks like we may have a big day with the trout at last. Well that was the last fish for nearly and hour of spinning and it wasn't until we fished our forth stretch of fast water before I finally hooked and landed a small (240gm) brown on the ever reliable Mepps # 00 copper Black Fury. Then Clint picked up another solid brown (290gm) in the fast water and things were looking up once again. Clouds were starting to form putting a bit of shade on the water and this is what I was wanting so it would hopefully bring the fish on. But the sky didn't fully cloud up and the sun was still hitting the crystal clear river. As we worked our way up the river I had faith in the little Mepps copper Black Fury and managed another two browns of around 270gms each. Then we went through another quiet spell over the next 60 meters of river before coming to a small fast water were I was lucky enough to pick up two (260gm) rainbows and one (280gm) brown. At the bottom end of the next stretch of river I did hook into another brown which was lost not long after hooking it.
The next piece of the Mersey was a long slow flowing stretch of water with a fast water at the top end of it. There was quite a lot of weed in this area and Clint seemed to be finding most of it too. I was working along the edge and it wasn't to bad here. When we were around halfway up this slow water Clint had a hit and then nothing, no fish and no Rapala either as both had parted his company. It wasn't until I reached the top end of this run when I caught another (270gm) and the last brown for the day. An Easterly wind had started to blow over the last thirty minutes and this didn't help either, so that was enough to call an end to the spin session for the day too. We had been on the river for over four hours and that's long enough when we were both slipping and sliding and battling to stay upright without taking a dip. The river bottom was very slippery to start with and the further up we fished the worse it became making it pretty tough on the body by days end. I'm sure we will both sleep well tonight too!
I have only included the fish that I caught and released on the Mepps # 00 Black Fury.
River: Mersey Browns.. 5 (released) Rainbows.. 2 (released)
Cheers Adrian

Adrian Webb – Meander River, Montana. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

PLENTY OF WATER IN MEANDER, BUT VERY FEW FISH '' 26-3-13

Thought that the Meander River might have been worth a fish after good rainfalls over the past week and so that's where I headed to this morning. The morning was quite cool and overcast and that suited me just fine, but by the time I had reached the Meander River on Longridge Road the sun was starting to break through. Oh well, so be I thought been there before so put up with it!
The river had risen around 8 to 10 inches I would reckon and was running a little high and fast for my liking, but I'm here now so may as well get into it and have a go. So I kept the same Mepps # 00 Copper Black Fury on that I used in the Mersey yesterday as the river was a little milky (clouded) and on the first cast into a small eddy next to the pylon under Barrett's Bridge it was fish on. Took me by surprise as this was the last thing I expected, but I wasn't going to complain as this is how I like things to start. It was a nice plump little Rainbow that made several attempts to throw the Mepps with a few leaps out of the water, but to no avail. This rainbow went 340gms and was beautifully coloured, and so a quick photo and it was released for another day hopefully..
As I moved under the bridge there was another small eddy just ahead of the pylon, so flicked the Black Fury into it and bang another fish was on. What a start this was, two fish in two casts doesn't get any better than that. This fish was a small Brown that only went 270 gms and it too was quickly unhooked and released. Waded up another 6 meters or so and picked up another small Brown (250 gms) that was holding in a small piece of slack water next to the willows. Kept on working my way upstream working the edges of the river that had several areas that I thought should be holding trout, but it didn't happen. Well not until an hour after catching that second brown anyway, when I finally picked up my third brown (260 gms) for the morning. I had finished the stretch of water that I intended to fish and now it was time to move on to the next area around 5 kms further upstream.
On arriving at the next section of river that I wanted to fish I new it was going to be difficult to try and fish the river as it was just running too hard and fast. Still I did get in and struggle my way from one side of the river to the other trying to bag a fish or two from some of the eddies that were fish-able.
But after an hour of battling against the strong flow and very fast water it was time to call it off. So from what started off in a rush soon died off as quick as it started. Still four fish, even though they were small was better than even I expected when I arrived at the Meander today.
Called into Western Creek on the way home to see how it had fared after the rains and it was looking very good. Didn't fish it but went for a wade in it as it was reasonably clear and I did spot several browns darting about, and there were a few surface feeding on grasshoppers than had managed to hop in the wrong direction. So any fly fishers out there, you may want to go and have a crack at them, they are not big fish, but they are river fish and will still put up one hell of a battle on light gear. There is always the chance of picking up a decent brown in here as well as I did early in the season when I picked up a 985 gm brown. You'll never know unless you give it a go, do you !

River: Meander Browns: 3 (all released) Rainbows: 1 (released)

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Weegena. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' MERSEY STARTING TO GIVE UP A FEW '' 27-3-13

What a great morning it was here in Sheffield this morning, not a breath of wind and a nice mild temperature to go with it. Time to hit the Mersey River once again, this time it was at Weegena. The river here was the perfect height and a light tannin colour, not like it was further down at Merseylea a couple of days ago. Still it doesn't have the very dark tannin waters from the Dasher and Minnow River running into it up here either. Lent on the bridge rail for a short time and watched a few trout rising from time to time in a few sections of the river, had no idea of what they were sucking off the surface.
I waded out to the centre of the river and started to work a section of water on the opposite bank that had a nice medium flow and a small calm strip right next to the river bank. Began flicking the # 00 Gold Black Fury into that area and with a slow retrieve and a light twitch of the rod, plus letting the spinner drift with the flow at the same time. Worked this strip for a couple of minutes before a nice medium Rainbow (295 gms) took the lure and after a few leaps and a couple of runs it was in the net.
Moved on up to another run of medium flow and noticed a fish just sticking it's nose out of the water surface feeding at the at the tail end of this long section of water. Casting the spinner up past this fish I then worked it back with the flow and lifting the rod tip and then lowering it on the retrieve hooked into a nice plump little Brown ( 280 gms) which was promptly unhook and released. Decided to change to a # 00 Copper Black Fury as it was much brighter now and this colour works well in these conditions.
There is still quite a lot of water weed in the river and this was a bit of a pain on the odd occasion, but at least the green cotton like algae had completely gone from the river. There were still a few fish on the rise further upstream, so I slowly worked my way up the river and only managed one hit and miss.
Finally I came to the next section of fast water and worked it in the same way as I normally do I hooked into a bigger Rainbow that gave me a bit of trouble as it took itself into the weeded section of the river. This is where the drop fly can be a problem as it hooked into a clump of weed and I couldn't do a thing about it. I could still feel this fish pulling on the line and staying deep, so I made my way towards it and retrieving line at the same time until I managed to grab the weed clump a free the drop fly. Then it wasn't long after that the rainbow was in the net and this fish went 345 gms. It wasn't too long before I then picked up a nice brown ( 430 gms) within a couple of minutes after the rainbow. This brown had the marks of a cormorant attack on both sides of I too.
The sun was now much higher now and it was starting to warm up so I decided to fish for another hour and then call it a day. It was a fair hours fishing too as I managed to pick up another two browns and one more rainbow in that time as well as a couple of hook ups which I lost. So I was reasonably happy with my session on the Mersey today and I kept two browns (430 & 420 gms) and one rainbow (345gm)that are now in my brine mix to be smoked in the morning.

River: Mersey Browns: 4 ( 2 kept ) Rainbows: 3 ( 1 kept )

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Weegena. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Rainbow

''THANK YOU OH MIGHTY MERSEY FOR No. 300 FOR 2012-13'' 6-4-13

I don't normally go fishing on most weekends, but decided I just had to go and try and pick up trout number 300 today instead of waiting until Monday. Left home in ideal conditions too as it was overcast and reasonably mild here in Sheffield, could not have wanted any thing better. Went to a private property that I fish from time to time at Weegena in the hope that it will give up number 300 today. After a 1.5 kilometer walk through bush and paddocks I reached the Mersey River. It hadn't changed, had good flow and running clear plus it was still full of those lure fouling water weeds as well. The one thing that did tick me off as I was walking downstream to my starting point was the half a dozen Cormorants (shags) that left the river in a hurry when I disturbed them. This wasn't what I had wanted to see again at this time of year as it was this time last year when they were hitting the rivers very hard right across the North.
Anyway reached my starting point some 600 meters further downstream and commence spinning the fast water with the same little Mepps copper Black Fury as I have over the past few trips etc,etc. It was now 9.10 am and things were a little slow until I reached the head of this fast water section and then it was number 300 on the spinner at exactly 9.18 am and it was the ever reliable (280gm) rainbow that did it for me. By 9.20 am it's photo had been taken and this little fish was back in the Mersey. Two casts later and I had hooked into another rainbow and this one was a little bigger than the last one only by 40 gms though.
Onto the next piece of fast water I went and it wasn't long before I had hooked into another small rainbow, but this one spat the spinner. Worked the rest of the fast water until I came to the section of water that I spotted the Cormorants in, and from here on I did not spot a fish at all. Over 500 hundred meters of river and not a follow or a sign of a fish and so that was my morning done. It was now 11.20am and I wanted to be home in time to watch the V8's from Simmon's Plains anyway. I was happy and so '' Thank you, Oh Mighty Mersey for No.300 for the season.''

River: Mersey Browns: Nil Rainbows: 2 (both released)

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Weegena. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' NOT A LOT OF FISH, BUT A 100% CATCH RATE.'' 5-4-13

Headed off to the Meander River this morning to have a session of spinning the fast waters on it, but when I arrived and saw how fast and high it was running, it was a no go-er for me. For my liking it was flowing just that bit too high and fast and I could see it would be tough going and more than likely a waste of time. So I headed back home and when on the Bridle Track Road at Kimberley I decided to give one of my favorite stretches of the Mersey River a fish instead. It was now 10.20 am and the sun was on the water, but there were signs of clouds forming in the north which hopefully will help later on with a bit of cloud cover.
The river here was the perfect height and was running clear as it was a few days ago at Weegena when Clint and myself had a session. Stuck with the Black Fury (copper colour) spinner and started working a small fast water not far from where I had parked the '' Trout Stalker 2 '' and hooked into a solid little rainbow (290gm)on the forth cast. Another good start to a session once again, but will it stay like this or not?? Fished another couple of fast waters without seeing a fish, so moved on upstream to a piece of the Mersey that I usually get a fish or two in each time I fish it.
This is a great stretch of fast water too, and once again it proved me right as on the second cast I had hooked into a nice solid brown (465 gm) that put up a great tussle in the current before coming to the net. A quick photo and it was on it's way and I was back into working this fast water, bang it was fish on once more and another rainbow (310 gm) had taken the Mepps Black Fury. Did the same with this fish too, only difference was that I took the photo while it was still on the spinner before I unhooked it.
Rainbows were outnumbering the browns as they often do in this area at this time of year, but I wasn't worried as I'm not fussed as long as I was catching a few. Came across a very small piece of slack water right next to a narrow and very fast run, so I flicked the mepps into it and in two turns of the reel I had hooked another small (290gm) brown. The next piece of river was a long slow flowing part of the Mersey and gives a fish every now and then and after 15 minutes of working this water without a sign of a fish it was on to the next fast water. On my way to it I noticed a fish rise on the opposite bank and so I flicked the Black Fury just ahead of it, and this fish was not one bit interested in it. Changed to the small Rapala CD-1 that Clint gave me the other day and cast it in the same area and it wasn't long before I had picked up another small (280gm) brown. Worked this area for a little longer without a follow, so now it was into the fast water some twenty meters ahead of me.
It was back on with the Mepps copper Black Fury spinner here, as I know how well they work in this type of water and within a few minutes I had hooked into another solid river (320gm) brown. It was now 1.30pm and I had had enough so decided to head back to the ''TS 2''. Overall it had turned out to be a fair few hours on the Mersey today, and with six fish taken from six hits it was a 100 % catch rate which wasn't too bad in the end. Needed one more fish to take my catch to 300 for the season so far which is way down on last season.
Other than those six fish I did not have a follow or site any others in that time either, so they were few and far between over the one kilometer of river that I fished.

River: Mersey Browns: 4 (all released) Rainbows: 2 (all released)

Cheers Adrian

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' NICE MORNING AT MERSEYLEA.'' 11-4-13

Clear skies and a light South Westerly breeze greeted me when I arrived at Merseylea this morning around 8.15am for another spin session on the Mersey River. The reason I have kept returning to the Merseylea area over the past week is because it has been fishing very well. The majority of fish caught have been good size and well conditioned, so when you're onto a good run in a river then why not stick with it. Well that's my motto any way. The only problem that I thought I would have is the clear sky and sun on the water and that is what happened in the end. But before then it wasn't too bad especially in the fast water sections, as they did fish reasonably well for the short time I fished them.
Still had to fish the same way as the past few days by casting and letting the # 00 Black Fury (copper) spinner drift with the current. This worked again today and I did manged five hook ups, but could only land three fish for the session. These being two solid browns ( 490gm & 480gm) and one very nice rainbow (440gm) that put up the best fight of the three fish. This fish peeled several meters of the 4 lb line from the reel as it made a run downstream for it's freedom. After making a few leaps from the river it was finally over as it tired and was led into the net. I know it wasn't a big fish but these rainbows still put up one hell of a fight and can (and have) bust you off quite easily if you don't play them out. Usually it will break at the weakest point and that's at the knot, and then it's all over red rover. So it pays to be patient and play the fish. I did have several follows as the morning went on but with the sun now on the water they just sat back some 200mms from the spinner in the slower crystal clear sections of river. I gave it away around 10.30am as I knew it wasn't worth my while fishing on, and besides there weren't any fast water sections ahead of me for quite some distance. It was still an enjoyable couple of hours on the Mersey in great weather conditions and it doesn't get any better in my mind either. I did keep the three fish today as it was time for a feed of nice smoked trout, doesn't hurt to keep a few from time to time.
River: Mersey..... Browns.. 2 (kept) Rainbows.... 1 (kept)

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' HAD TO COME FROM BEHIND TODAY.'' 10-4-13

Another top Autumn morning and once again and I was off to the Mersey River to give one of my other favorite spots a spin. Left a little later this morning and got away around 9.00 am, by the time I had arrived and then walked downstream to where I was starting from it was 9.45 am. The fog was starting to lift more now as the sun rose a little higher and the air warmed up, but it was still a top morning to be on the water. As usual I started fishing the fast water and it wasn't long before I had my first brown (350gm) on the copper Black Fury. Good start to the session again with a fish taken in the first section of water, then it was fish on again but this one tossed the spinner. As I moved on upstream working both sides of the river I had hooked another four browns and lost every one of them. Now this wasn't the plan for today that's for sure and I was hoping it would soon turn around in my favour.
Over the next 50 meters of river it did start to come back my way as I hooked and landed four browns and lost two others, so now it was looking much better. But I was still behind and I don't like it when I have lost more than I have landed. As I kept on fishing upstream I would catch one and draw level then when I thought the next fish was going to stay on it would make one final leap and toss the spinner and I was behind again. The last 200 meters of river that I fished it was neck and neck but I was still that one fish short, until it all turned around and I landed four fish in a row and that all happened in the last section of fast water that I fished before calling it a day at 1.45pm. It was the ever reliable rainbow that helped me put my nose in front in the end and then finished it off with two browns.
At the end of my spin session I had hooked 22 fish and landed 13 of them to end a another top day on the Mersey River.

River: Mersey.... Browns.... 12 (all released).... Rainbows.... 1 (released)

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' GREAT AFTERNOON FOR A SPIN.'' 8-4-13

What a great afternoon weather wise it was this afternoon to go and have a spin, and so I headed off to Merseylea around 3.00pm. Light cloud cover and hardly a breath of wind the conditions were perfect for fishing the river which was running clear and just the right height for wading. Kept with the same old copper Black Fury once again, even though it was looking a little worse for wear since it's caught around 80 or more trout so far this season. It wasn't long before I had my first fish on and it was the ever reliable rainbow that kicked off the session once again. It was the normal medium size of around 290 gms and after a quick photo it was on its way.
Kept on working the fast water and picked up another rainbow (320gms) that was a little bigger than the last one, and so the rainbows looked like being the main catch again today. Moved on to the next section of river that had a nice split middle of it and the water was running fast on the left side and a medium flow on the right side. This was good as I could work the fast water that ran along under the willows for 40 meters and then walk back and work the medium section. The fast water gave up one nice brown (390gm) and the medium flow did the same with a 340 gm brown. So the score was now two all with 2 rainbows and 2 browns taken so far in the first 50 minutes. Over the next 500 metres I had seven hook ups and landed six more browns before calling it a day as the light had faded that much now I was finding it hard to judge my casting close to the opposite river bank.. And so another spin session had come to an end in what was a good two and a half hours at Merseylea.
** The last five browns were all caught on a gold Black Fury as the ''little copper beast'' finally gave up the ghost on a brown that bent the wire shaft beyond repair. '' RIP little fella.''

River: Mersey. Browns: 8 (all released) Rainbows: 2 ( all released)

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS.'' 9-4-13

It doesn't get any better than this does it when you wake up to a beautiful mild Autumn morning and a light cloud cover to go with it. Hit the Mersey River at 7.45 am this morning and it was just such a great day to be on the water. Started working the # 00 Black Fury gold across the medium flowing river for around five minutes and could only manage one follow in that time. Moving on to the next section of river that was flowing a little faster and this was more to my liking and with a change of spinner ( went to copper ) I started casting across the river and just let it drift with the current and then with a very slow retrieve and a light twitch of the rod it wasn't long before I had my first fish for the morning. First one today was a brown (280 gm) which was a change as it's normally been a rainbow or two first up. Still it was a fish and that's what counts most of all!
Only moved upstream around five meters and stuck with the drift method with the spinner and it was fish on once more, this time it was a rainbow (340gm) that gave me a nice little battle for a while before coming to the net. Didn't move from my spot when I hooked into another rainbow (310gm) and this was quickly released after a photo as were the previous two fish. I had now picked up three fish in the space of 10 minutes and this was more the way I like it. I'll tell you now, trout are a lot like women the way they keep changing what they like! One minute it's a gold colour, then the next thing it's a copper colour and then they change again. This happened to me over the next 400 meters of river before I finally got a brown (330gm) to take a Black Aglia Mouche and not before time too. Then bugger me if they didn't like that colour from then on, and so I changed back to the copper Black Fury and I wasn't changing again. I'm sticking with this one to the end of my stint which is around 500 meters away.
Well it worked a treat as they went for the copper once more and over that 500 meters of river I finished up landing two more small (180gm) rainbows and seven browns from twelve hookups. The best two browns going 640gms and the other at 520 gms, the rest were around the 380- 420 gm mark.
It was now 11.30 am and I decided to call it a day and what a good one it was in the end too. Like I stated at the start of this article, '' It doesn't get any better than this.''

River: Mersey.... Browns: 9 ( all released )..... Rainbows: 4 ( all released )

Cheers Adrian....

Joshua Murrow – Northeast, Kansas

Lure: Timber Doodle

Fish Caught: Bass, Largemouth

Mepps spinners and spoons are excellent outside of brush and weeds. When it comes to dropping the bait inside of cover where the big ones hide thats when the Timber Doodle comes into play. Floating vegetation where you have to fish slop is where the Timber Doodle works best. Just cast it and drag it across the top and shake it in the open pockets and hang on. Sperotic weed beds won't hang it up and where there are logs and trees, use the 1/2 ounce and drag it on the bottom and short hop it like a bass jig. Dynomite addition to the Mepps line up.

Joshua Murrow – Northeast, Kansas

Lure: Aglia & Dressed Aglia

Fish Caught: Bass, Largemouth - Bass, Smallmouth - Bass, White - Bluegill (Bream, Brim) - Crappie (Black) - Crappie (White) - Sunfish (shellcracker) - Trout, Rainbow - Walleye

I can't say enouph about the Aglia. I have cought many diffrent kinds of fish with this spinner. The Aglia will catch anything. This spring I have already caught hundreds of bass and haven't used hardly anything else.
I have already caught three award-winning trout for the Mepps Awards. Monster trout that weighs up to and including the three pound class. Last weekend I caught the biggest crappie of my life. A one pound nine ounce white crappie out of a farm pond. I will have a pick up soon in the picture section on this site. I have used Mepps for over twenty years (about 1989) and love and respect anything Mepps puts out there. This spinner can run at almost any depth as long as you retrive it slow enouph to turn the blades and you can run it as low as five to eight feet. I use the 1/4 ounce #3 for bass and trout,#0 and #1 for crappie and other panfish, #5 for large bass and carp... anything really big. I have been a fan and always will be forever. Mepps is a part of my life and thats something I will never regret.

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