2013 - December Testimonials

Adrian Webb – Meander River,Montana, Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

TROUT RUN A LITTLE HOT AND COLD TODAY. 26-12-13

Thunderstorms may have stopped me from doing some painting today but it did give me the chance to head off to the Meander River for a four hour spin session today. Humid conditions and hardly a breath of wind was what greeted me when I arrived at Montana around 2.30 pm and the river was the perfect height too. So all looked good for some quality fishing. The second cast with the little (yes again) Mepps #00 copper Black Fury spinner and I was onto a small (290gm) brown that quickly came to the net and then released. A couple of casts later and I had another small brown on but lost it on it's first leap from the water. Still this was a great start with the browns being aggressive right from the start of the session.
The next stretch of river that I moved into was probably seventy meters in length and slow moving, but I thought it would still give up a few fish seeing they've been so aggressive to start with. Well they weren't, as a matter of fact they went the opposite and just sat behind the spinner and followed it right up to where I lifted it from the river then casually turn and moved off. This happened for the whole length of the run until I reached the head water where it was running hard and fast. In eight casts into several sections of this fast water I had five hook ups from three rainbows and two browns of which I managed to land two rainbows and one brown with the best fish being a 630gm rainbow which was released after a quick photo as were the other fish.
What lay ahead of me now was a run of fast water that was close on a kilometre in length and it's a run that I have fished several times before too. It's got to be the toughest stretch of river to fish on the Meander as it is just covered with every different size rocks you could imagine, and this is one stretch that really takes it's toll on me. The only reason I do continue to put myself through the punishment is that it usually gives up a lot of trout. Today wasn't one of those days as this stretch only gave up two browns and these were only small fish. It wasn't because the fish weren't there either as they were. They had gone back to just following the spinner through the water or just having a quick go at the lure and missing it, then darting off not to be seen again.
I had now worked around three quarters of this tough stretch of river before deciding to get out of it and move on to another another area a kilometre or so further upstream. This area I was going to was much easier to wade as well, and so off I went. Once in the river and after a few casts I had a couple of follows from small browns again, and they just sat back behind the lure before turning and moving off. So they're not going to be any different here either I thought to myself.
The next cast I lobbed the little copper Black Fury upstream next to a fallen log and then spotted this nice solid brown following it and I could see the white of it's mouth opening behind the spinner.
Now I wasn't sure whether this fish was going to attack the lure or not and so I slowed the retrieve down and then let the spinner drop causing it to flutter. This is when this solid fish took the lure and boy did it take it!! As she (it was a female too) hit it she really gave some hard head shakes with it as she made a run downstream with the fast flow. Then she turned and headed for some submerged logs and debris along the river bank and I thought I'm in trouble here if she gets into it. Just keeping enough pressure on the rod I managed to turn this fish two or three times and finally moved her into a deeper section of river. After a minute or so I finally had her in the net which was a relief I tell you.
Once this solid fish was netted the spinner fell from it's mouth and so that's how close I was to losing this trout. It wasn't as big as I thought it was when I weighed it as it only tipped the scales at 820gms. It too was photographed and then released. Well I fished on for another hour for only the one (480gm) brown and then thought time to give it away. Then I thought I'll just give the next fast water a go before calling it a day. This stretch of water was only a thirty meter stretch which turned out to be a good one in the end as it gave up four small browns which averaged 270gms. So it was worth giving that final stretch of river a spin. The day turned out to be quite a reasonable one in the end and helped to keep up my catch rate once again, even though they did run a little hot and cold today.
Cheers River: Meander Browns: 10 Rainbows: 2 (all released)
Adrian

Adrian Webb – Meander River, Meander. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' RAIN ENDS WHAT WAS THE START OF GOOD SESSION.'' 20-12-13

Well it's been a week since I last had a spin session due to still working on the house and finally I had a chance to go this afternoon. The conditions weren't too bad either with a bit of a gusty Nth Westerly breeze and very heavy cloud conditions with rain forecast for later in the day. I headed to the Meander River once again seeing it's been fishing pretty well for me lately, and I was hoping it would again today. It was close on 3.30pm when I hit the river and starting working the very clear water that had quite a lot of leaves and bark on the surface blown onto it from the wind gusts. The river bottom was also reasonably slippery too, but the flow and depth of the river was perfect. I couldn't believe how dark the skies were, making it seem more like 8.00pm. Any way after working the first twenty meters of river I had already hooked three small browns and released two of the three as I lost one of them. Could not have asked for a better start really and then it started to rain, but only very lightly which wasn't enough to bother me or effect the fishing.
The next section of river was a nice stretch of fast water and I just love fishing this type of water as it can and quite often does gives up several fish. I cast directly upstream from where I was standing in the river and lobbed the little Mepps #00 Copper Black Fury close on a foot from the edge of the river bank and worked it back towards me keeping it at the same speed as the flow. I had a slight bump on the spinner not long after it had hit the water and then when it was within ten feet of me the fish hit it hard and fast. This was a nice solid rainbow that made a dash to my right and into the fast water and then of down stream it went. This rainbow wasn't over big (490gms) but when they get into the fast water they are just full of fight and aggression. It didn't take over long before this fish tired and was brought to the net and released for the next trip here. I finished up having another three hookups in this stretch of fast water for two small browns and one more solid rainbow.
The rain was now getting much heavier and was now starting to annoy me, plus I my shirt and vest were now pretty saturated and I was having trouble keeping the camera dry under the vest. So I fished the next run on the river for another two rainbows and four more browns of which I lost two of the browns just before they were in the net. I didn't bother to take any photos given the dark conditions today and even more so with the rain becoming heavy it wasn't worth it. I had only been in the river for fifty five minutes and had to call an end to my session as it was raining too heavy to continue now much to my disappointment as it was building up to be really a good one. But that's the way it goes, can't do much about the weather when it hits. Six browns and four rainbows from thirteen hookups in such a short time was still a fair catch I suppose. The Mepps #00 Black Fury has done it's job once again.
cheers
Adrian (meppstas)

Adrian Webb – Meander River, Meander. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

"RETURN TRIP TO THE MEANDER WELL WORTH IT" 21-12-13

Seeing that my trip to the Meander River yesterday was cut short due to the rain setting in I decided to head back there again this afternoon. The forecast was again for rain and a chance of thunderstorms as well, but the clouds were high and it didn't look like it was going to hit here for quite some time. The only thing I didn't like was that there was a light Nth Easterly breeze today and that's not the best wind to fish in most times. Arrived at the Meander around 2.00pm and it was a much better day here than yesterday too as it was much brighter which meant I could take a few photos and also use the head cam. After a ten minute chat with the landowner I headed of and started working a fast water section and I reckon it was only the forth cast and I was onto a nice rainbow. Well this was good as it's how yesterday started off catching a fish very early in the session. So it looked like the light Nth Easterly which by the way had dropped to almost nothing, would not effect the fishing this afternoon. This solid rainbow once landed weighed close on 520gms and was in excellent condition. I was keeping at least four fish today to give to a mate who lent me his Karcher and a 16ft ladder for my prepping of the house. That was the only fish that was taken in this first piece of fast water and so it was on to the next section.
The next section was a much longer one of around one hundred meters and looked like it could give up a few trout as it had some great looking holding areas in it. It did just that, but they were only small browns and only three of them from six hook ups as I lost the others. Still it was good to be hooking into a few fish and who knows what the next section was going to give up. The river ahead of me had a lot of shallow fast water runs on it and I knew it was going to be tough going working my way upstream against the flow and on a slippery and very rocky bottom. Tough it was too as I worked my way upstream working every bit of fast water that had a lot of trout lies in behind the large rocks that were stretched out along the river. After hooking and losing another two small browns I did also catch three more nice rainbows as well with the best one going 550 gms. I now had my four good keepers that I wanted and now it's back to catch and release again.
This rock fast water was really starting to slow me down the further I kept working my way against it, but what kept me going was the fact that I was still catching trout. Over the next 500 meters before I decided to give in to the river I did catch and release another eight rainbows and four browns as well as losing six other fish. So the return trip to the Meander River well worth the trip in my books. I'll tell you now though, the body is really feeling it now and I reckon it will be a big rest day tomorrow for sure. The little Mepps #00 Copper Black Fury did it's job once again and I have now retired this one and replace it with a brand new one.
On my 1.5 kilometre walk back to the ''Trout Stalker 2'' I came across a little Echidna and a bush with some unusual small flowers on it, just another bonus of the trip here today.
Cheers
Adrian (meppstas)

Adrian Webb – Meander River, Meander. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' 50-50 CATCH RATE ON THE MEANDER RIVER TODAY.'' 6-12-13

Seeing that I made Thursday a rest day I decided to head back to the Meander River for another spin session in much cooler conditions than the two previous trips. A cool change had come through which would hopefully make for some good river fishing today. I went to another of my favourite piece of the Meander River where one has a four hundred meter walk through a hardwood plantation before reaching the river, but it's usually well worth the effort. The sign on the Angler's Access states no vehicles allowed past this point, and would you believe it after I trudged through he plantation and reached the river there was a four wheel drive parked right near my entry point to the river. So much for having signs on the gates, but this is typical of the attitude of quite a few people from time to time. Then they wonder why access areas gets closed.
Any way once in the river I spotted one bloke further downstream and could hear another one a little further up. I wasn't sure whether to stay here and fish or go back to the car and head to another spot further downstream but then decided to fish here. Well it only took five casts of the little Mepps #00 copper Black Fury and I was into a fish, instant success just the way I like it. It was a nice fat (540gm) rainbow too which I kept for the dear 83 year old lady who lives behind us in Sheffield. I decided that I was only keeping the one fish today and that was for her. I checked to see if the bloke downstream had made any progress upstream and I could see that he was standing right back in the bush along the river edge and now not fishing. I don't reckon they had fishing licenses as when I crossed the river the fellow fishing above me made for the bush too. That was probably why they drove their vehicle through the plantation instead of leaving it at the access entrance.
Well I moved on working my way up this great stretch of river and picked up a nice (470gm) brown and after a quick photo it was back in the river. This stretch of river looked pretty fishy I thought and I reckoned it could be holding a few fish too. It was holding as I had three hook ups but lost every one of them, plus one other massive brown that followed the spinner and then made a late lunge at the Black Fury. Yes, he missed taking the treble and this brown was close on 5lb and really pushed up the heart rate there for a second. He was gone as quick as he had arrived and so it was onto the next section of river that also looked like it could give up a fish or two. I did pick up another medium (340gm) brown after casting directly upstream and working the spinner down keeping it around they same speed as the flow of the river and giving the rod and occasional twitch and this worked as it normally does. Then a cast to the opposite river bank just behind a large rock that had a nice small flat spot behind it where I knew a fish would be sitting. The cast was spot on and I only had one turn of the reel and was into a solid fish. This was a decent brown too and would have gone close to 3 lb had it not made so many leaps for freedom in which it won in the end. This was a kick in the guts as one doesn't get to hook into fish of this size that often in these rivers and to work so hard to pick one up and then have it toss the spinner is a real disappointment.. But that's trout fishing, or any fishing for that matter isn't it.
Still reeling about losing that fish I worked on up stream for another 700 meters or so flicking into every likely spot that I knew should have a fish lying in wait I did manage to pick up five more small to medium browns and another well conditioned rainbow that tipped the scales at 600gms. I also hooked and lost another six browns in that time as well. But at the end of the day it was a fairly good session on the Meander River and another beautiful part of Tasmania that I'm lucky too live in.
cheers
Adrian

Adrian Webb – Meander River, Meander. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Cutthroat - Trout, Dolly Varden - Trout, Lake - Trout, Palomino - Trout, Rainbow

'' BACK TO THE MEANDER RIVER ONCE AGAIN.'' 12-12-13

Well after spending a few hours of scraping the old paint of the house in the midst of getting it ready for a face lift before it goes on the market I thought it was time to give the Meander another stint of fishing. The weather is still pretty poor with strong winds and rain showers on and off through out the day, but I was going any way. It was around 2.50pm when I arrived at Barrett's Bridge on the Meander river and the water was reasonably low here too. It still looked good enough to be holding a few fish though and I headed of down a small side road and then entered the river some 300 metres below the bridge. The river bottom here was covered in a thick film of black slimy algae that broke up in large clumps and floated of with the flow as I waded and fished my way upstream. I've never seen the river like this before and especially in this area as it is normally pretty clean on the river bottom here. Any way it wasn't effecting the fishing as it was floating off downstream. As you would have probably guessed for those of you who have read my previous reports. I have stayed with the little #00 Mepps copper Black Fury once more, just like that fly spray saying..'' When you're a good thing, then stick with it.'' It took a while before I did finally get a small brown to take the spinner but he soon threw it and was gone. Same thing happened again a few minutes later too and there was nothing wrong with this spinner as it was a new one that I had put on during the Mersey River session last Friday afternoon. As I worked my way up the river I had a few other small browns follow the spinner and just nudge it with the nose. Looked like it's going to be one of those days here again.. Finicky fish like the last few trips and I'm going to have to work hard for them again.
It wasn't until I had fished my way upstream close on 400 metres before I picked up a small (230gm) brown in a fast water section and then another small one within a couple more cast in the same bit of fast water. These two fish had several hits at the spinner before they finally took it too. Over the last 200 meters of this part of the Meander River that I fished I did pick up one more small (220gm) brown before deciding to head on up to the Chestnut Road Bridge and fish the 700-800 meters of river that my mate and I fished last week. After a five minute drive and a quick walk down through the Poppy filled paddocks I was back in the river. Good thing here was that the river bottom was so much better than the area that I had just fished. Hardly any algae at all which was great. Fishing the same stretch of river that gave up a good haul of rainbows last week was much different today as it was nearly fish less. I did have the one rainbow come up behind the spinner and give it a couple of light nudges before it hit it hard but missed the trebles. Then it darted off and that was the only fish that I came across in the section of river. I didn't mind really as it meant that they had now finally spread themselves out into the river system and that's what I preferred them to do. That way you can pick one up here and there instead of just fishing the one stretch of water and pulling them in. The next fast water run gave up three more browns with the best one going 540gms and this was a nice solid well conditioned brown too that gave me a good run for my money in the fast water.

'' Nice 620gm Meander River rainbow.''

The next run ahead was looking okay too and had some really good areas that should be holding a fish or two as well. It didn't let me down either as I picked up my first rainbow for the day in it and this fish was a good 600 gm fish that fought like hell in this fast water section. Took a little longer to get him to the net than I expected but I wasn't rushing this fish as I didn't want to lose it. Finally it was netted and then a quick photo and it was off on it's merry way once more, just a little worse for wear but still okay. I like to be as quick as possible with rainbows as they seem to stress much quicker than the browns do. Another cast into this run and it was fish on again, this time a brown and only a medium one that went around 350gms. So it was onto the next strip of fast water and this good looking water also produced another brown (320gms)and a rainbow (490gms) which now made my catch rate much better than it was earlier in the afternoon session. I was now close to the foot of the bridge and getting close to my exit point in the river but I just had to flick the spinner into a medium size eddy next to the bridge pylon. This was a good idea too as it gave up another rainbow that just smashed the spinner as soon as it hit the water. Boy! Did it give me a bit of curry too as it made a run straight downstream in the fast water flow and peeled several meters of the 4lb line from the spool before I finally had it under control. Now this rainbow wasn't a monster in size at all, but it did fight like one and especially with the help of the fast water in which it used to it's advantage for a while before tiring and finally coming to the net. Like I said it was no monster fish as only it went 620gms on the digital scales, and like the others was photographed and released. Well I thought this was a great end to the day and so I had just one more cast on the other side of the bridge and hooked into another of the small (280gm) Meander browns and then I called it a day at 6.35pm. So it was well worth taking another trip to the Meander today and well, maybe tomorrow afternoon it will be back to the Mersey River.... Only time will tell I guess and it's Friday 13th too!!!

River: Meander Browns: 9 Rainbows: 3 (all fish released)
cheers
Adrian

Adrian Webb – Meander River, Meander. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown - Trout, Rainbow

'' RAINBOWS A PLENTY IN THE MEANDER .'' 3-12-13

Had an email from a friend who fished in the National Fly Fishing Championship on the weekend and he told me that there had been around 300 or more Rainbow Trout stocked into the Meander River for the Tournament. These fish were around an average weight of a 1lb (500gms) plus a few in the 3lb – 4 lb range as well and that being Championship it works on a catch and release and also barbless hooks too. So this meant that there were still all those rainbows still in the river to be caught, plus there were also a few Atlantic Salmon put in too in the 4 – 5 lb mark. I decided to head up to the small township of Meander for a late afternoon spin session and on my arrival there were around 11 or so fly fishermen in the river here. So that was the end of it for me in this area so I headed further downstream to another spot that I was told that a hundred or so rainbows had been released into the river. Good decision too! Not a single person to be seen which was a relief. Walked down through several paddocks next to the river for at least 1.5kms before heading into the river and stayed with the same little #00 Mepps Copper Black Fury spinner that's been doing such a great job on several trips now. Well, first cast and I hooked into a little brown (220gms) which rather took me by surprise as I wasn't expecting a fish that quick. Still it's the start one always hopes for isn't it. Then three casts later in the same section of river I had another small (230gms) brown on, now this is really looking good. But where's these rainbows?? Anyway by the time I had fished this 30 mtr section of river I had caught and released a total of four browns with the biggest going 440 gms.
Now the next section of water was one that used to always fish very well and gave up several fish on many trips here. It didn't let me down today either as I picked up another three small browns and finally my first rainbow for the day at the top end of the section. Nice solid fish that went 440gms and had some great colour to it as well. This fish had three or four hits at the spinner before finally being hooked. This fish was being kept for the smoker too as it's been a long time since I did some smoked trout. Well the next two stretches of river only gave up the one small brown 260gms and there was some really good looking water that I reckon should have been holding a few fish, but it wasn't to be. So then it was onto the next long stretch of river that had a nice medium flow to it with a small fast water at the top end. Real good looking piece of river this was, and it finished up being a ripper of a stretch too. I had three hit and misses in the first 20 mtrs from small browns and then when I had reached around half way up this section it was fish on and yes, Rainbow Trout again. Another solid fish and this one went 550gms and was in top condition too.
I stayed in the one spot here and worked the spinner to the opposite bank and then with a slow retrieve and letting it drift with the flow I picked up another nine rainbows without having to move. I did change the spinner after I had caught the first four as they were a little finicky and so I went with a small Rapala CD1 in the brown trout pattern and this worked a treat too. I really had to work this lure as well because they weren't really attacking it either and one had to work it as to entice them to hit the little CD1. Another change of lure now and this time it was to be a #0 Mepps copper Black Fury.
I decided to move and leave this section of river that still had quite a few rainbows still there to be caught next trip, which will be around 7.30am Thursday morning. Well the last stretch of river gave up another nice brown (420gms) and also four more rainbows and then the session was topped off with an Atlantic Salmon hitting hard and fast and then with once dash downstream my line parted. The line was more than likely frayed as it broke between the spinner and the anti-kink and this was my fault too as I should have replaced it some time ago. It has been used for quite a long time now and has had close on eighty trout caught using on this 6lb trace. It's changed now!! So in all it was a great session on the Meander River this afternoon and I finished up catching 15 rainbows and 9 browns for the session that fished close on 7.20pm. I did keep 8 rainbows for the smoker. What ever gets caught on Thursday morning will be released.
Cheers
Adrian

Adrian Webb – Mersey River, Merseylea. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown

'' STILL MANAGED A FEW IN GALE FORCE WINDS.'' 10-12-13
Well, we've got the100 year old Federation home going up for sale in the next month or so and after running around with the real estate agent today looking for something much smaller I decided to go and have a couple of hours on the Mersey River. Only problem was that we had gale force winds with the odd shower of rain and so I knew it wasn't going to be an easy day on the river.
Headed on over to Merseylea to the top bridge thinking it may be okay to spin my way upstream there, but it was a little too open and the wind was belting across the river. So that was spot number one scratched off the list, and so it was on to the middle bridge to check it out there. I knew that it was a lot more sheltered in most sections along the river at this spot. Once there I could see that this was where I would be fishing for the next couple of hours, so on with the waders etc and I was on my way.
The river was reasonably clear and at a nice medium height, plus it looked pretty good for a spin session that's for sure. Started of flicking out the same little Mepps #00 copper Black Fury that's caught so many trout now that I've lost count, I think it's around 80 or close to it. Really did look like had too as it was looking a much worse for wear. After a few casts a medium size brown hit hard and fast and was on until it's second leap from the river when it threw the spinner. Now this is what happened a while back in the Meander River with this same little spinner where I was losing fish after fish on it. Even then I couldn't work out why! I thought about putting on a brand new Black Fury but decided to stay with old faithful. I checked the trebles once again and they were still okay, so I went on working the river and it was long before I had another brown on the line. This fish was much bigger and was around a pound and a half and full of fight. Well, same thing happened another lost fish. Now this was no one else's fault but my own for not retiring that little spinner when I knew it was long overdue to do so. So it was quickly off with the old and straight on with the new and back into working the Mersey. Hooked up to another medium (360gm) brown and this fish stayed on right to the end. So the change of spinner worked and after a quick photo this fish was on it's way.
The next section of river was much shallower and had a couple of nice little pieces of flat water in each of them that I knew should be holding fish. Now most fisher's walk on past these little sections of river that are only up to six inches deep, but I never bypass any bit of water like this at all. Both of these small fast water flats gave up one brown from each of them and that's why I never go past them. These weren't big fish by any means as the biggest brown went just on 340gms which is still a nice size fish to hook into in very shallow water on light tackle. I had my headcam on again today and I was describing this section of water of how and where the trout should be sitting and it worked to a treat as I did catch a fish in each of them while recording and explaining this type of water on how to fish it. Great when it all falls into place isn't it.
The next fast water was one that always gives up a few fish and quite often one of them is a rainbow, so I was pretty confident it would today as well. It didn't happen though as all I managed was two hook ups for the one small (320gm) brown. I had now been in the river for close on an hour and the wind had really strengthened even more and casting this little 1.5gm spinner was a real test now. Several times I had to cast at least five metres further up and across the river for the spinner to carry back with the wind and have it drop into the spot that I wanted to work it back from.
This last stretch of river that I was fishing was wide and much slower flowing than the previous sections that I had just fished. It was much deeper too, but I did pick up another three small browns here and dropped one other before calling it a day. On the way back I flicked the spinner into a small back water and picked up my last fish for the day, another solid (350gm) brown that topped off a reasonably good session in very tough conditions. Had I not been so slack in changing the old lure for the new I may have finished up with ten fish for the day, but I was still happy with a total of eight for the session.
Cheers
Adrian

Adrian Webb – Dasher River, Shellield. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown

'' BEST DAYS FISHING FOR THE SEASON SO FAR.'' 16-11-13

Being a Saturday I normally don't go and fish any rivers but today I was bored and so I thought the Dasher River which is only five minutes from home may be worth a try. I haven't fished the Dasher since last season and then it didn't fish that good, hence the reason for leaving it so long to fish it this season. It was close to 2.45pm when I arrived at the river in warm and slightly overcast conditions and a light to medium Nor Westerly breeze. After a 35 minute walk through the paddocks I reached my starting point some 1.5kms from the car. The river looked really good too as it had a nice flow and was a nice tannin colour, but still clear enough to see the bottom quite easily.
It had been so long since my last trip to this area I had almost forgotten what a beautiful stretch of river it really is. It has changed in a few sections from flood damage but it looked all the better for it too. I started off using a #00 Gold Black Fury in the first section of river that used to often give up one or two fish each trip, but it didn't give a yelp today and so it was on to the next section of water.
After a few cast I did have a few small browns follow the spinner right to the river bank, but they would strike the lure. Changed to a #00 Copper Black Fury as this colour has worked okay here on many other trips and I was hoping it may do the job again. Well it took only two casts upstream into a small fast water section before I had a nice little Dasher River brown in the hand. A quick photo and it was on it's way and so was I, because the next cast also produced another fish around the same size. This was more like how the Dasher used to fish and I was no feeling pretty confident that a good catch was on today.
Over the next 500 metres it was not how I expected to be, out of four hook ups only the one small brown was landed, though I did had a few hit and misses as well. This still wasn't good enough for me even though I had made several changes of spinners such as trying the following Stone Fly Bug, Aglia Rouge, Black Bladed Black Furys and even the 40 year old spinner to no avail and so it was back on with the #00 copper Black Fury spinner. It was now close to 4.30pm and only the three fish caught and released, it wasn't looking good. Then all of a sudden it changed I started getting fish after fish in most sections of the Dasher, they just seemed to come on the bite and were really aggressive. A couple of sections gave up three and four fish where others just the one or two fish. These were mainly small browns with the odd one going 300gms and the best fish went 450gms. The fishing stayed like right up until I had made it back to the Main Road bridge where I had parked the car. The last fish of the day was a nice solid 400gm brown taken right under the bridge in a fast water section and it gave up one hell of a fight for it's size too. I realised why it was fighting so hard as it was foul hooked on the outside of the gill cover.
It wasn't that long before this fish was on the bank and then released without any damage done to it. So in all it finished up a great four and a half hours on the Dasher River with a total of 25 browns being caught and released and only a total of six other fish being hooked and lost.
cheers
Adrian

Adrian Webb – Dasher River, Sheffield. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown

'' WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GETS GOING.''
19-11-13
As the title states it was exactly like that today when I returned to the Dasher River for another late afternoon spin session. Not really ideal conditions when I left home as there was a gusty North Easterly wind and it was reasonably warm, but the cloud was starting to build up which is what I wanted. The forecast was for a South Westerly change and rain which I was hoping for it to arrive by the time I hit the river. After a 1.5km walk through several paddocks in waist high grass I finally reached the Dasher River at 4.15pm. I was a little puffed too as it wasn't easy going in the tall grass either! The area I fished today is a lot further upstream from where I fished last Saturday and is more open as well, and so I was going to be battling with the wind for the next few hours. Once in the shallow section of the river it wasn't long before I had the first fish on the bank, a nice little brown. Wasn't expecting a fish so soon given the wind direction, but it didn't stay this way. Over the next hour and a half I only had three browns landed and had hooked and lost another eight fish. They weren't really attacking the spinner and I reckon this was due to the weather conditions as we all know what fishing is like during a North Easterly and it's not usually good. The river in this area is much different to the lower section that I fished the other day too. It is very rocky and slippery here and that was making it very tough on the body, plus the wind was coming straight down the river making accurate casting very difficult.
It was now just after 5.45pm and the wind finally changed direction and starting coming from the west and with it was a light drizzle. Then it all changed the fish came on and really started to attack the spinner like there was no tomorrow. This was more like it and my tally was starting to add up and it wasn't long before I had caught and released seven browns from ten hookups. This was much better now making it eleven browns landed from twenty two hook ups. Kept on working my way upstream and these little browns continued to keep on taking the 1.5gm #00 copper Black Fury with plenty of aggression right up until 7.00pm when the rain became a little heavier, and so I called it a day. The session finished up being a pretty good one in the end as I finished up catching and releasing twenty nice little browns from 41 hookups. If had had bought my landing net my catch rate would have been much better as I could have slipped the net under them. I don't bother to use it in this little river as large browns are very few and far between and when one is caught it can easily be brought to the river bank.
cheers
Adrian

Adrian Webb – Dasher River, Sheffield. Tasmania Australia

Lure: Black Fury Ultra Lites

Fish Caught: Trout, Brown

'' NOT THE DAY I EXPECTED IT TO BE.'' 22-11-13

After yesterdays good rain fall (16mm) here in Sheffield I thought another trip to the lower section of the Dasher River that fished so well last Saturday was a good idea. Being a week since fishing there I reckon it could be a worthwhile spin session that would give up another good catch of browns. The conditions today were quite humid and the only problem was the Easterly wind that was a little strong for my liking. Once there I could see that the river had risen by around four inches which was good as this will have hopefully livened the fish up. Stuck with the same little #00 Mepps Copper Black Fury as it's been the spinner that's been doing the job for me over several trips now, and has caught 55 browns in the last five sessions on rivers. I only walked downstream for around a kilometre today as it was close on 4.15pm when I left home and I thought a kilometre of river will do for today any way. Well after wading and working my way upstream all I could manage for the first 300 meters was 3 hook ups for zero fish landed. I did have a few follows but they wee not really that interested in taking the spinner. With storm clouds building up and the rumble of thunder in the distance plus the wind from the East it wasn't looking good.
I was rather glad I hadn't walked the extra half a kilometre today as it seemed like it was going to be an off day for sure. Kept working up the river casting into areas that I thought should be holding a fish or two and finally it was fish on. This nice solid little brown (410gms) made a few good runs with the flow before being led onto a flat section of river bank. Quick photo and it was on it's way. I picked this fish up along side of the river bank where there was a good flow of water that had a bubble line on it. Trout will sit in these areas as they are a feed line that carries insects etc along it. So finally after fishing half way back to the car I had my first fish for the session at last. Hoping that this was just the start of things to come, well it wasn't to be as over the next three hundred meters I only had two more hit and misses and these were the only fish that I spotted too. Today's session was now looking like it's going to be a real fizzer!! Over the last couple of hundred meters I did manage to catch and release three more small brown from four hook ups, and so it wasn't all bad in the end. Not the day I thought it was going to be, but with four fish over the kilometre probably was a fair catch given the weather conditions I suppose. When I got back home I checked the barometer and it had fallen quite a bit and so that was another thing that had gone against me today. Still, can't complain as it was still nice being in a river that's for sure.
cheers
Adrian

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