Gary Hickson, Gary Batey, Stephen Chatterton, Stephen Swan and Leo Harding (who refused to be known as Gary or Stephen) stayed at the very comfortable and very inexpensive Cuff ‘n Collar Cottage at Kalkite.
On Friday afternoon, Leo and I fished the Thredbo River, near the Trout Hatchery, but with no success.
The Two Garys had a look at The Badja but it was dry.
We all met up at Kalkite on Friday evening and headed for the Eucumbene Dam wall to fish those two spectacular hours either side of sunset. Stephen Chatterton landed a Rainbow, while Gary Batey and Leo Harding each hooked up only to have an ‘early release’.
Saturday saw the Polaroids dusted off as the group split into two. Gary Hickson, Gary Batey and Stephen Chatterton worked the shoreline around East Jindabyne. Stephen Chatterton landed a Rainbow (2lbs). Gary Batey had a strike as soon as his tippet hit the water. Sadly, his fly was still on the bank where it had been caught up on his back cast. Luckily, Gary has a sense of humour.
Leo Harding and I started at the Kalkite Boat Ramp and headed north. After a few sightings, I found a fish of around 2 lb cruising up and down a gutter in the sand close to shore. The fish refused my Red Tag and then a Royal Wulff, even though it was taking natural flies from the surface. Leo managed to put a fly to the fish, which then treated Leo with the same contempt. Leo then moved a little further upstream, where he managed to scare several fish and a snake.
In the afternoon we regrouped at the Cottage for a meal (not trout, obviously) and then headed back to the Kalkite Boat Ramp for the sunset session. Stephen Chatterton caught a small Rainbow, Gary Batey hooked something large which snapped his tippet, and the rest of us had a few hits without a hook up. This session ended shortly after dark as we were driven back to the cottage by a plague of insects and mosquitos.
Sunday’s plan was to fish Middlingbank, however the wind had come up strongly on Eucumbene and the surface was rough. So, we headed around to Musselwood, which was a little more protected from the wind. The local farmer kindly gave us permission to walk through his paddock, however his advice to look out for the big black bull left as a bit nervous. Fortunately, the bull was as scarce as the fish!
After 2 hours, and having only seen two fish rise, we made back to the cottage for lunch. After congratulating Stephen Chatterton on the news that he had just become a grandfather for the second time in as many weeks, we journeyed home.
Despite a spectacular lack of success, Gary, Gary and I agreed that we had learned much from our weekend. Stephen and Leo were only too keen to pass on their experience and knowledge to us and we are grateful to them.
Even without fish, it was wonderful to be in the mountains, as usual!
Stephen Swan