"Fish Tales and Techniques"
by Captains Ross and Glenn Hunter

CATCHING MAHI MAHI (DOLPHIN FISH)
by ROSS AND GLENN HUNTER

Mahi mahi are one of the fastest growing fish in the ocean . I recall some years ago when we were involved in the tagging of these species, how we would return to the private FAD (fish aggregation device) we had put in and be constantly astounded to see the fish swimming around with their fresh yellow tags having grown noticeably in a week.

These fish grow up to half a kilo per month They do not live for long, around three to four years, they grow to around 30 kilos and are a great sight to see as the light up in magnificent yellows, greens and blue.

As a table fish they are five star. They can be eaten whole off the bone or filleted and skinned . They freeze quite well if ice slurried when caught.(placed in a mixture of salt water and ice)

Great light tackle fun and great to eat	As big as they get
Nikee experience the thrill of her first dolphin fish	Dolphin Fish Mahi mahi
These are about as big as they get Gavin Sharp and Tony Ceccato atPt Stephens in 06	Nsw fisheries fad A must for any mahi chaser
Great light tackle fun and great to eat

Where to find Mahi's
They area species that love to hang under any type of flotsom be it a log a piece of timber or a lump of kelp, anything that floats in the oceanic currents.

Traditional FADS are a walk up start The only problem with these is that the resident fish can get very spooky if they are being constantly hammered day after day by each and every boat that targets them. When this happens live baits are a must Best baits are pencil slimeys and small yackas.

We fish light threadlines and light tackle for them .The method is to sit off the FAD and feed back or cast the baits back to them Always give them a little time to devour the bait and then strike lightly. If the fish are responding well and you don't have live bait such lures as medium squidgys and small minnows will get the job done, once again casting back to the Fad will work better than trolling.

We use circle hooks as they are by far the most efficient hook made for this type of fishing.
Small Gamakatsu's are great. The baits are hooked through the back either at the tail or under the dorsal ..

If you wish to release fish then the circles make that task so much easier.

TROLLING
When trolling the bigger of the species around 15 kg and over will jump on any thing skirts, garfish minnows etc, they are quite ravenous . If trolling around a log in the middle of no where then catch a few on lures, mark the log on the plotter so you do not loose it and then work the fish with cubes( cut up pilchards) they go mad on this technique and will stay with you for much longer.

If you keep trolling it is only a matter of time before they spook and go sulky.
We prefer to troll baits for marlin so the mahis are a bi catch .

Many times we have set up our boats with a mix of garfish and mullet only to be raided by a bunch of mahis necessitating a back to the bait rigging table for the deckies much to their disgust.

They are a great sportfish to catch on light tackle. And better again on the barbeque.

MY FAVOURITE RECEIPE…
When caught fillet and skin Then place in an ice slurry
Dry fillets and dust in corn flower Whip a few eggs in a bowl and add garlic, and some mixed herbs and a table spoon of red Thia curry then whip well, dunk fillets in egg mix and lightly bead crumb Cook in peanut or grape seed oil until golden brown….Wash down with a nice white…Gotta' go I'm hungry.

Good luck!

"MARLIN AND WHAT THEY EAT" by ROSS HUNTER 1/12/06

Left rigger was the cry……………..and the lure is taken
It's a giant blue………………….hurry this one's not fakin'
The big fish jumps high ………………..It's action a plenty
But I think were in trouble 'cause the big Shimano's nearly emptyYeh! We're marlin fishin' on Broadbill to day…. wide on the bluewater
Where the whales 'n dolphins play
There's a light nor -easter blowing……… big lures were a trollin'
Yeh ! We're marlin fishing on the Broadbill to day

These are part of the lyrics of a song I wrote and recorded on my first album "BLUEWATER COUNTRY" and they typify my feelings and love for marlin fishing.
Let me create a vision in your mind;

PT STEPHENS IN FEBRUARY '97 ONE OF MANY PERFECT DAYS

It was a balmy summer day with a hint of moisture in the light nor east breeze, the ocean had that wonderful smell of salt as the lazy swells rolled past.
We trolled the "Mosh Pit" Pt Stephens a natural area that because of a ledge of hard ground and corals is a natural attraction for bait schools.

A place that we named for it's busyness when the bite is on, a place that is the finest striped marlin grounds in the world because of this natural attraction to acres of slimy mackerel that gather in the summer months to spawn and what loves to eat slimes…..that's right marlin.

It was two months into '97 and the marlin were every where, a mix of stripes and blacks and we were lovin' it. Busy, active days of multiple releases of some remarkably good size stripes up to 140 kg add to this a black or two as well as an overactive blue and we were in the middle of a great Pt Stephens season. A season of three "grand slams" (a black, blue and a striped in one day)

The lazy burble of the twin Cummins was the only noise to break the serenity of Mother Ocean in her quite persona, a cobalt calm sea of almost glass like surface the sort of day that all serious marlin fisherman dream of.

Glancing back to land the city of Newcastle was just visible, my mind drifted to the people in offices and factories, earning their living, but I would not swap them for all the tea in China.…..Yeh! I though to myself this is as good as it gets as a cooling slither of nor east slid through the open screens on the fly bridge.
I was surrounded by the endless expanses of Mother ocean in a way the last wilderness, the place where a marlin fisherman earns his living.

Glancing down at the anglers who had already fished the two previous days on the boat and had caught 12 marlin so far, I could sense their expectations of an action packed day as they gazed back into the froth trail behind Broadbill, forever looking for that tell tale fin stalking the baits

A beaut photo ............it says it all	A big striped with mackerel still in mouth
A double hook up, we back up on the second fish it had a lot twine out	Billfisher trolling ....they also had a great season
A Pt Stephens striped goes hard This fish was 140kg	Legendary Aussie cricketer Mark Taylor works ona big blue marlin, one of a grand slam for the day

We were trolling a couple of teasers and two live mackerel through the riggers ……..the roller troller clips were set light just like the hair trigger of a gun.
My eyes scanned the sounder, the GPS and then to both riggers looking for that nervous twitch that signifies a bite in progress.

The sounder redded out on massive bait schools under us and under and around the schools were the markings of the marlin that had them balled up………. I knew that action was just a matter of time.
Pulling the twin Cummins out of gear we idled stationary over the bait school and let the baits sink down.

We also drop a deep live bait down 25 fathoms, a sacrificial snapper lead is attached by a rubber band to get it down quickly (the lead breaks off when a hook up is encountered)
My great mate and deckie of nine years "The Bat" developed this system we would mark a fish and feed the bait down to the exact depth…… we marked the line with coloured dental floss super glued at 20 metre intervals I would say "There's one at 60 metres and the Bat would feed the bait down to the fish.

It worked so well for us that year……….Broadbill won the majority of tournaments that season,.being assisted by this system.

An important factor when fishing over a bait school is to be aware of the drift factor in other words when you stop over a school, if you are going to drift with wind and tide then position the boat a little north of the bait so you drift slowly back into it. We also back up to keep the baits positioned where you need them and that is right in the masses of bait and that's always where the big boys roam.

The left rigger bends the line flies out of the clip…Instinctively I cry "Left Rigger" as I reverse up to give the fish some slack line.
Johnny mans the rod and slowly winds up to set the circle hook, the rod bends and where hooked up.

The boys clear the gear but before the deep bait can be brought in another marlin jumps on.
"I've got another one" some one yells from below" as he is winding up the deep bait.
I watch the lines angle up waiting for the explosion out the back and it doesn't let us down as 100 metres in the distance a 120 kg striped flies high.
The Shimano screams as line pours from it, this is the stuff that raises the hackles on any fisherman.

"How beautiful are these fish" I think as the second marlin leaps clear of the water only 20 metres away.
The fishes flanks are glowing in vivid purple stripes, just like the old days at the disco with the purple fluro. lights, only brighter.

There is just nothing I can think of that is this exciting, they are the most spectacular fish that swims and these striped marlin are the prettiest by far. The colours of a lit up striped will never cease to blow even the most experienced fisherman away.

It's dorsal and pectoral fins are even brighter as it flies higher, time and time again, its huge tail beating air as if to climb, higher and upwards like a Polaris missile from a submarine...
Both fish are now heading in opposite direction s I advise the crew that we will back up on the smallest and closest fish, in an endeavour to tag and release that one first.
I hammer Broady back on the smaller marlin as the angler on the bigger fish just hangs on and watches line evaporate. .

We advise him that he will loose some line in the exercise but once we get the first fish we will start to get it back. After backing up on the smaller marlin for 10 minutes Johnny traces and tags
The circle hook is right in the corner of the jaw as always.

The fish swims away a little stressed but I am sure a lot wiser for the ordeal.
Engaging forward and reverse I spin the boat on it's axis, also noticing that the Tiagra is very low on that stuff that normally occupies the spool.

Ok! the angler's back in the chair, the marlin is 400 metres away and still leaping high……More reverse whilst the angler pumps and at last he starts to see line back on the very empty spool
After another half hour the magnificent fish is released.
We head back to the bait and catch seven more marlin for the day.

Great fish eye of a wild black marlin	Ian Berril after releasing his first marlin He does look happy!
it is one of the best medium tackle fisheries in the world	The winning team on Broadbill at The Northern Waters '06

We pull stumps at 4 pm and head for our FAD on the way home, were we catch 20 dolphin fish (Mahi Mahi) for a feed back on land and for the clients to take home.
We steam back to Port to a superb sunset I smile to myself as I take in the beauty with contentment in the thought that;

I am engrossed in my favourite pass time, marlin fishing All our customers have had a ball in some cases caught their first marlin all is well.
Some one once said to me what are your favourite fish ?
I never have to think for long my reply is always "MARLIN and WHAT THEY EAT!"

If you would like to join us in '07 at Pt Stephens email on gamefishing @bigpond .com or Ring 9534 2378..Also visit "Fishing Adventure Packages" on this site.

NSW PROPOSED MARINE PARK NO FISH ZONES AN INSULT TO RECREATIONAL ANGLERS.

ARE WE BEING DICTATED TO BY PISCATORIAL FOOLS OR IS IT JUST A POLITICAL ISSUE AND WE ARE THE PAWNS?
by ROSS HUNTER

(an excerpt from Fishraider .com.au)…..21/11/06 by Ross

PRETTY BEACH TAKEN AWAY
As fisherman, we are a pretty lay back bunch..We love the feeling of freedom that Mother Ocean brings us..... We love the thought of fishing a lonely beach maybe with the family, catching a bream, salmon or tailor. We love a relaxing blackfish session off the rocks enjoying the serenity of it all.

My favourite place is Pretty Beach on the south coast…..Just to arrive at this beautiful area lowers the blood pressure as you breathe in its magnificence. Then it's grab the beach or blackfish rod and off we meander, my sons and myself along the miles off un spoiled oceanic foreshores and beaches….. Fisherman consumed in this rugged isolated spot. a place so beautiful you feel good just to be there.

Maybe a catch of two or three fish will be the result , enough for a meal is the order of the day, however the fish are the bonus, the true joy is the privilege to be able to soak in this wonderful bit of Australiana …………just being apart of the flora and fauna, the kangaroos ,the possums and the scenery is gift enough. This I have been enjoying for 35 years with my family and it is something we treasure.

This may all end for us soon with the Greens wanting more and more Marine Park Sanctuaries. It just annoys me so much that a Government has treated us fishermen with total contempt. a government who has told us that we will not be fishing in areas like Coff's harbour, Seal Rocks, Broughton Island, Cabbage Tree Island, Jervis Bay and Bateman's Bay.

A Government that still sticks it's hand out for $30.00 fishing licences each year from every NSW recreational angler but has no qualms about closing off massive popular fishing areas without consultation or research.

These decisions have been made without any "AUSTRALIAN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH" and have been hammered at us in a manner reminiscent to an Iron Curtain era.

The NSW recreational fisho is being used as a political pawn by a frail NSW Labour government, relying and cow towing and brown nosing to the Greens for preferences. This I find quite sickening.

It is wrong but because we are a lay back bunch who has never really had to stand up for our rights we find it unpleasant to make noise.......Well! People the time has come to take action, not just for our era but also for future generations.

Don't think that once the idiots get their way that there won't be more closures there will.....Such colures will drive us all out over seven kilometres to catch a fish off our own shoreline.
For small boat offshore users a danger element becomes a factor with bad weather etc..

WE TOO ARE GREENYS
I am a greeny, for example I was on the original committee in the mid seventies which drew up the current tag and release program.......We also banned the killing of marlin on our boats Broadbill and Billfisher for the past 16 years....We are proud of the fact that our boats insist on catch levels below NSW bag limits.
We have a sign on our boats that reads
"REAL MEN DON'T KILL MARLIN LET THEM GO!"

This is an attitude that we are proud of...it is a respect for the ocean and it's inhabitants that we really do care about and like to pass on to our clients as ambassadors in the job we do as charter skippers, as we take people fishing from Australia and all over the world.

I take great pride in my accumulated knowledge of Mother Ocean, her bird life, her fish species etc.

I have seen in my short lifetime spanning 50 years, oceanic species disappear or endangered......all because of bad management by commercial fishermen and government governing bodies. I have experienced actions taken on species under threat, all too late.... species that we will never see re group.

This has been saddening and needless, but alas the dollar must come first and let's face it the Japanese must have their Sashimi and don't mind paying for it either! So lets allow them to eat our oceans into marine deserts.

So as dedicated greeny I am concerned and will continue to fight for our oceanic fish population. This is where our real problem exists and will get worse unless agreements are reached for fishing in International waters by all countries that fish them.

RECREATIONAL BAG LIMITS
However when it comes to our inshore coastal species, especially our pelagic, migratory species (I talk now of the coastal dwelling fish like salmon, tailor, blackfish, long tails and bream) these species are certainly copping a bit of pressure from the coastal commercial netters and trappers, but the poor old recreational angler could not harm these stocks under current bag limits while their bums point to the ground......( let's face it how many times do we bag out in a season)

Despite of these facts we are now being dictated to by a Government party inc NSW Fisheries headed up by Macdonald who sits on his hands and says bugger all. The Dept Of Wildlife (what the hell are these clowns involved with a section of ocean that has been governed by NSW Fisheries since "Adam was a boy" doing in the scheme of things any way?)..................Maybe it is their way of controlling massive areas of coastline and being able to crawl and grovel a little further to the greens.

You see! …….These people and their "advisors" and I use that word with great caution are relying on overseas studies from countries that have a biodiversity and population mass not remotely akin to NSW coastal shorelines…….No local study , no research, all driven by a pack of drones,. not a fisherman worth his salt or a scientist amongst the team

A bunch of "do gooders" working on the theory that "Well you ask any one and they will tell you we don't catch as many fish as we used to"……. A comment made by an "advisor"…Well shit! if "someone" said that, let's close the coastline down to recreational fishing…….'cause "someone" must be right. Who the hell is "someone" and what horse did he ride in on.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
If you really do care and I hope you do, then remove any previous traditional thought on voting for a party from your thoughts. It is natural that we have family voting habits etc....and consider voting for the future of fisherman's rights ....

Vote for THE FISHING PARTY and LEAVE THE GREENS OFF ALL TOGETHER ...... I have had meetings with Shadow Minister Duncan Gay and he has assured that a total review of Marine Parks will be taken if the Nationals are elected and I do believe him. I also believe he is a good man and has given us these assurances in writing.

There is light at the end of the tunnel if we act now.

You know, I have never been a political person and I love this magnificent country we call OZ but I am MAD because Marine Park Recreational No fish Zones are wrong and we have to stand up for what's right and what's' Australian and being dictated to by idiots who don't know what they are talking about does not fall into the Australian way.

We will only get one shot at this so let's make it right .....It really is our fishing future……………………………….Please.think about your vote in March.
If you are likeminded in this most important issue facing recreational fisherman since time began.
I personally hate the world of politics and have never got political in my life, but because of these dictative attitudes by this NSW Government there is no option.

See attached details that will make a difference

Click to enlarge	Click to enlarge
Early morning art snapper point this is what these fools want to take away	My great mates who have fished Pretty all their lives with a satisfying catch for the morning....all migratory species, salmon and tailor...school fish that are in great shape
Pretty Beach its beauty takes a fishos breathe away	sunrise at snapper pt

WHEN OLD SALTS HIT THE SWEET WATER by Ross HUNTER
As a third generation of fisherman my son Glenn and myself spend many thousands of hours game and reef fishing on our family owned charter boats both from our home port Sydney and then for three months each year we fish the marlin season from our second home Pt. Stephens, 100 nautical mile to the north.

We are dedicated "salts" to the extent that a recent blood test confirmed a percentage of salt water in our veins.

We fish the tuna in winter and the marlin in summer and nothing gives a Dad more pleasure than to be fishing a bait school next to his Son and watch him backing up most of the day chasing a hot marlin, sometimes beating the old bloke..
So many times at Pt Stephens I have had the thrill of experiencing both our boats Broadbill and Billfisher backing up to-gether after rampaging marlin.

I recall one day in 2005 where we were fifty metres apart working a hot bite when we both simultaneously had a double hook up, there were four marlin jumping all over the place as Captains and crew endeavoured to "knit one pearl one" in an attempt to stay in contact with the chaotic, wild action.

After 40 mins of hammering our boats in reverse all over the ocean in pursuit of fish that had extracted hundreds of metres of line, we eventually tagged and released them.

We both returned to the bait school and hooked a couple more up….Fishing at its best, heady days, happy crews, wild exciting action on Mother Ocean, stuff that dedicated marlin Captains live for.

The ocean is my life, it has given me so many wonderful experiences over a lifetime, memories that one savours and takes to the grave with a smile.

I started my fishing in my Grandfathers rowboat at the age of five, he taught me much, especially patience. I then fished lonely beaches, ocean rocks, joined The St George Sport fishing Club, fished the first Narooma Comp and so the wheel turned I was hooked, so to speak.
To day my passions are beach fishing, black fishing and believe it or not trout fishing.
In the pursuit of these highly coloured specimens I have a mate of 30 years, who to is a salty from way back and loves to chase the illusive trout.

He is a very talented trout fisherman who these days spends more time trout fishing and talking about it, than breathing…..we really do enjoy our alpine adventures away from the ocean, trout fishing to gether

A PAIR OF LOST SALTYS AND THEIR TROUT
It was beach and rock fishing an occasional trout weekend where we started and it was these piscatorial pursuits that led me into the Bluewater scene, so why do they draw a fisherman back in the latter part of his or her career?

Because for me it is a totally different environment, a style that does not involve any pressure, no boats, no customers, just myself and a great mate in a wonderful carefree situation.
If we catch them, that's good…….. if we don't what the hell …………………….it was fun anyway.

Every year my good friend and trout fishing companion Gordon (the 50 kilo kid) Johnson and myself make our annual pilgrimage from Sydney to fish the Thredbo River and the lake at Jindabyne for trout.

To describe my companion is most complex and because I don't want this story to be in competition to "War and Peace" I will keep it brief…..He is a man who's "glass in always half full, never half empty" he is the eternal optimist.

I can recall fishing Montague Island for yellowfin in the '70's with him and I commented on the trip down in the car that the local tuna fisherman reckoned that nothing was caught in the recently held Victorian Gamefishing Competition and that there were no yellowfin within a bulls roar of the place.

The ocean was green with ice-bergs floating past, even the seals were sitting on the rocks with army coats on.
The current was arse about and if there was going to be a tuna in these waters it would be one that was lost.

He just stared off into the wilderness with a vacant look , pensive in thought and replied
"Yeh! But the Victorians never catch much anyway!"
You would never get him to admit that we were in for some tough fishing, he always looks on the brighter side ………………………………………..Now you may say "Well that's good isn't it?'

My reply to that is that in most cases when he does make predictions about "the mind blowing fishing' or "I reckon we'll be catchin' the crap out of then to morrow!" it never comes to fruition, the fishery generally turns into a marine desert, forcing me into long sessions at the "local", having to listen to his fishing stories, which only depresses me more.

However, it has not always been totally fishless association that we have enjoyed, there have been some successful sojourns with the amazing man.

TROUT
The introduced highly coloured, feral fish called trout, they are slimy eel like fish, they taste like coloured cardboard, they fight like a toad on Prozac and they are our target once again at Jindy.
As a fighting fish I rate them poorly when compared to their salt water cousins, but we love the challenge, the presentation, the joy of fooling a feeding fish into eating a fly…that's what this scene is all about as we cruise thru Jindy and take up residence at the Snowline Caravan Park.
The "saltys" have arrived and the trout are hiding and shivering in fear under their rocks at the news.

We visit old mate and local trout "Guru" Steve Williamson and lure him back to the unit with the promise of a glass of red wine, internal lubricant that gets many a sane man to release secrets.
Steve gives us the gossip "The fishing's pretty good…some nice fish in the river." He adds.
Gordo smiles, winks and nods at me.. "Christ that's all he wanted to hear, I think to myself, now he'll be un bloody stoppable" I notice a nervous twitch of excitement in his persona a bit like "Inspector Cluso" from the Pink Panther movie, as he leans closer to Steve hanging on his every word like a trout groupy.

Gordo then pours The "Guru" another lashing of red as if in gratification of the excellent fishing report he then produces some archival photos of trout which some one else probably caught in New Zealand on his last trip over there.
He can't wait until tomorrow …………There's revitalised spring in his step, optimism is oozing from him and sometimes that frightens me.

At some unearthly hour before day break you will now find the captain and his mate dressed in balaclavas, thermal underwear, track suits, thermal gloves, waders, trout vests (the ones with 59 pockets, fully imported of course) and of course a woollen scarf , we make the Michelin Man look thin and agile

Gordon with a good Thredbo brown Note the vest That's the important one with 59 pockets	Just one of the great runs on the Thredbo
Gordon with a Thredbo brown	Rossco hooks up a nice rainbow

Gordon has a jacket, the vest type with 59 pockets, he constantly reminds me of this, he bought it from the States (they always have more pockets over there) mine (the paupers Australian version) only has 49 pockets and that really means that he has more pockets , something I am constantly reminded of.

However in the upshot of it all, it also means I can find things quicker.
I then casually ask "Do you have the pencil torch on you Gordon?"
That's enough to set him into a search frenzy, ratting through every pocket in the vest swearing and cursing about "I know it's here somewhere" eventually crying in glee.half hour later "Found it!

So off we head in the fourby, barely able to see because of the iced up windscreen, never the less down the highway we bumble travelling by brail and into the minus 8-degree frosty, bleak morning to the river.

It is still very dark and quite misty but that will not deter us as we stumble down a tiny track beside the Thredbo, sliding down boulders, moving at the speed of two startled snails, sort of the blind leading the blind as we both gasp for air in the high altitudes of the Snowy Mountains.

We know where the trout are and we cannot wait to get there, the only thing between us and the fish is the negotiation of the goat track, which winds up, over and around seemingly un-penertrateable human obstacles, treacherous rocks, muddy slides leading to potential leg snapping drops and overhanging tree limbs begging to take ones head off under the cloak of darkness.

I felt a great compassion for Sir Edmund Hillary for some un known reason. I push on after my dear friend like a loyal dog.

Every trout fisherman has their favourite parts of a river and we are no different .as we head down stream with a plan to fish the rest of the river on the way home.

We walk for another 25 minutes as day break greats us at last, beads of sweat drip from our faces from our mountain climbing activities, but we know that once our the walking ceases and the fishing starts the sweat will soon disappear, probably freeze to us leaving us looking like a poor man's "Scott of the Antarctic". We estimate it is now minus ten degrees as a light zephyr blows gently down the river, just to give us a bit of wind chill factor.

A last scramble over a nasty ridge and we are finally at the spot, we sit on a rock, take a short breather and peruse the situation from our high vantage point. "Hell! It's cold", so cold the brass monkeys are looking for welders I suggest.

The early morning mist hangs eerily over the water, even with gloved hands the cold still penetrates, this will get worse once we start fishing when the finger lets are folded back to expose the pinkies to the elements ……………….Ooh! That is cold.

The pool is fed by a series of rapids, there are two reasonable rainbows feeding at the head of the run. A scan into its depths further downstream, a bunch of browns are spotted lying up on a sand patch; amongst them are a couple of big fish.

We take stock and like five star Generals planning a strategic assault we plan our move in whispered tones as our hearts quicken slightly, sensing that there might be some great fly-fishing on the Thredbo to day.

I decide to have a go at the rainbows whilst Gordon is going to target the browns in the deeper part of the pool; we both take off for the hunt, stalking down the bank like stealth fighters.
Gordo with his fully imported waders, vest (the one with 59 pockets), scarf, socks, boots, bum bag, clippers, torches, sun glasses, deodorant, flies, moustache wax, waders and hair gel…me with my paupers pack………..is it a wonder a man has an inferiority complex.

In the fast run the water is crystal clear, I slowly sneak forward in a semi-crouched, inch by inch sneak up, a little downstream of the feeding fish, there is a substantial hide on the corner in the form of a large rock, my pulse quickens a little knowing that I won't get a second chance if the trout spots me.

Stalking a feeding trout is one part of trout fishing I really do love. The thought that the fish is visible through the polariods. You can see him, but he too can see you The fish is there to be caught and it is now up to you, not to bugger it up.
A little voice says……."Take your time, get that fly right over the fish, no splashes, a well timed cast and then see if you can entice the fish to eat the tiny morsal attached to your line"…..Yeh! You've gotta love that.

The fact that I hadn't cast a fly for twelve months was not an issue. I reckon it's like riding a bike, you never forget..I have loved fly-fishing ever since I saw a guy doing it at Eucumbene some 35 years earlier.

I watched in awe as the fly line flew through the air and alighted so gently on the water I knew from that moment on that this was going to be added to a chapter of my fishing curriculum
It was and from that point on I have been rewarded with much enjoyment from so many rivers and lakes in both OZ and New Zealand.

However, because of the lack of time spent trout fishing because of my salt water obligations, I do not regard myself as an expert fly fisherman, but I am handy enough to catch fish, however if it is the joy of this type of fishing that is a barometer of happiness, then I rate it five star.
A magpie calls from the high timber, her mate reciprocating in the distance, a kangaroo watches from the river bank with ears pricked, rotating sideways, ever alert.

Fishing the lake can work well	Gordon and one of the photos from NZ A big salmon
Gordon gets this great underwater shot of my rainbow	The magnificence of this beautiful area Ross casts to a fish on the far bank of the Thredbo river
This is the sort of stuff that lures salts to the fresh	They are an introduced specie but they are pretty

How beautiful is this, a crystal clear stream full of fish surrounded by nature in the wild.
This is Australiana, this is why I love this sort of fishing, I slowly inched closer around a small bend the feeding fish were only 20 metres away.

As I position myself semi crouched behind a rock on the bend I realise that so far so good we are one track to get a cast away.
The little voice again tells me
"OK! False cast some line into the air ….Yeh! That's good…..Right, get the direction right….. Yeh That's good…… Now one more cast and lay it out in front of the fish… Yeh! Perfect" It worked for once.

The nine-foot tippet lay back in the current perfectly as the now sinking fly approached the rainbow; having spotted it she moved to wards the nymph and devoured it "Yes! I cried instinctively as I lifted the number five and struck.

"Hooked up!" what a beauty as the trout jumped clear and shot into the depths of the pool.
I yelled to Gordo to announce success, but he was busy playing a healthy brown.in the pool a hundred metres down.

We both landed our fish, kept one and released one……we fished on for a few hours and caught four more fish including one excellent brown of 2.5kg all on nymphs and glow bugs.
We had many so many wonderful mornings and afternoons fishing the lake and the river during our weeks stay.

Early starts, maybe a little mid day siesta under a tree somewhere, then fish hard in the afternoon to return to the heated cabin, get out of the clobber and roll into a refreshing shower, followed by a compulsory cold beer or two, a bottle of red with dinner a few tall tales of fish of herculean size that always get away, then into bed back up at sparrow to re live it again.
Can't wait 'till next year when me 'n Gordo will be at it again.

TROUT FISHING…………. IN THE SWEET WATER