# NSW: Jindabyne, a good Friday lesson



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

My family is not religious, but Mum brought with her from England a tradition that on good Friday, you eat fish.

Well, this particular good Friday i was served a double helping of "This is how you do it sunshine!" by trouting expert BigGee. I didn't look like landing a fish all day (sleeping through my alarm and arriving 2 hours later than I wanted didnt help - Geoff had landed 3 great fish by the time I arrived), and despite quite a lot of effort I couldn't even find any yabbies.

But a sunny clear day, and many boats zipping round didn't stop Geoff from plying his trade, finding the fish and landing I think 6 (or was it 7?) great trout, including a real trophy brown of over 60cm and ~6lb, which was his PB from the yak. I travelled between my yabby nets throwing plastics and generally catching nothing, but every time I crossed paths with Geoff he had landed another fish. He took pity on me and donated a couple of his browns - so I got to eat fish on good Friday anyway.

I'll let the big fella tell the stories - the capture of the big brown was quite memorable! Well done mate.


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## paffoh (Aug 24, 2006)

Great fish, nice one.


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

That trout looks big even with you holding it.

Jindy in Autumn is a pretty special place.


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## craig450 (May 11, 2007)

The man can catch trout!! what an awesome day on the water for you Geoff, and put into words so well, thanks for sharing the report mate.

I love the look of a big trout.

Its a shame the fishing was tough for you Jase, but im sure you will make up for it next time 8)


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## kanganoe (Apr 30, 2008)

Some luscious looking trouts there men.Did well for a bright sunny day.Must get up there one day.got to be easier than driving to Tasmania.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Gee whiz

Nuff said


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

BigGee said:


> Got there right at the perfect time I believe, the sun was just showing but a full moon still had it as a bright and crisp morning. Air temperature was a balmy 2 degrees C (come on Jon (Nezevic), come back you'd love it), but the water temperature was still a surprising level of "warmth" at around 15 degs C.
> 
> Gee


T-shirt weather!
Great fish Gee.


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## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

Ah, that brings back fond memories. For my various martial misdemeanours I was imprisoned in Russell Hill jail for a few years, but we were let out most weekends. Jindabyne was a refuge, and a bloody cold and spectacular place to overnight, on shore, in a tiny tent.

The glistening multi coloured trout, and the view, and the crystal cold water brought me there. It'll never happen, but if I were to live in NatCap again I'd have a pedal yak (so I could keep my hands in my pockets) and do a BigGee at Jindy as often as I could.

Thanks Jase and Gee.

Kev


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## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

Superb fish Gee and thanks for the story. Great capture on light line!


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## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

The trout whisperer.

Thats an impressive yak trout Gee.


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## robsea (Apr 7, 2010)

A cracker of a fish Gee. No doubt that every future Easter will revive that memorable day on Jindy. Great story and pics as usual.

cheers

rob


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## Brez (Mar 2, 2012)

very nice brown BigGee , looks like a top day out 8)


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## pescado (May 17, 2007)

Great capture there G, particularly on the light gear.

Jase - about time you were brought back to earth after your morwong slaying the other weekend ;-)


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Jase and Gee, what an enjoyable read from both of you, and including pics of some of the prettiest fish that swim in Aust waters.

However seeing you in jumpers already when only autumn, makes me glad I live in more northerly climes.


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

Great report and cracking photos. Brings back good memories of many hours spent looking out over the lake. Nice work gents


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## Cid (Nov 14, 2005)

Great report guys and wow, what a way to finish off, Gee! Congratulations.

cheers,
Cid


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## Guest (Apr 3, 2013)

How did I miss this! Great fish Gee! What a horse! It makes the others look really small. Kudos on such light line too. I can feel and just imagine the excitement when it came to the surface. Nicely done. Slightly jealous...


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## hoit (Aug 29, 2005)

Wow nice report and and a damn fine effort BigGee.

If only PhilipL was still around to espouse the virtues of sweetwater fishing to take my focus from the briny ...


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

sunshiner said:


> Ah, that brings back fond memories. For my various martial misdemeanours I was imprisoned in Russell Hill jail for a few years, but we were let out most weekends.
> Kev


There is a story there. Telling Kev?



nezevic said:


> How did I miss this! Great fish Gee! What a horse! It makes the others look really small. Kudos on such light line too. I can feel and just imagine the excitement when it came to the surface. Nicely done. Slightly jealous...


X 2 Geoff. But why so light a line? You must have lost the odd one....


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## Guest (Apr 4, 2013)

Gee, i'll never forget that bay. If I ever get down to Jindy again, I know where I am headed first and foremost!


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

BigGee said:


> K1, as I wrote in the article, I had taken a reel that still had 6lb braid and 3lb leader on it from a Bream tournament the previous weekend and transferred it onto my purpose made Surface Trolling rod. An oversight that I didn't change the leader, maybe not either. Seems to work, might use it more often .... if I want another Heart Attack.
> 
> Gee





BigGee said:


> Eventually I saw the whole fish, it was absolute excitement from this time on, this was a good fish. ..... and I had a three pound leader on ..... oh my.
> 
> Took quite a while of exciting dives to the bottom then gentle re lifting .... eventually after about 10 minutes (felt like 10 hours) the big guy was laying on its back and I grabbed for the net. Netted the fish and tried to lift, I underestimated the weight, the fish awoke and jumped back into the water! At this point I thought I was done, but the leader had miraculously held!!!
> 
> ...


Still don't know how you managed to land such a monster on that gear. Reading your description _my_ heart was in my mouth, waiting for the leader to PING. When it jumped out of the net...... OMG! I'd change to much heavier, but then I wouldn't catch a fish, ever.

BTW Geoff,_ just how big do these fish get_? I only ever tried it once in NZ, for one 30 cm rainbow, and I (erroneously) thought that cod were the only big fish in the fresh in Oz.


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## theGT58 (Nov 1, 2011)

[quote) just how big do these fish get[/i]? I only ever tried it once in NZ, for one 30 cm rainbow, and I (erroneously) thought that cod were the only big fish in the fresh in Oz.[/quote]

The Australian brown trout record is currently just over 26 pounds I believe (caught a bit over a year ago from a river in TAS). Captures anywhere near that though are rare. Both Eucumbene and Jindy produce fish fairly regularly over 5 pounds, occasionally over 10. Jindy arguably moreso as they release the ex brood monsters from the hatchery. Usual fish is the standard 30-40cm bow.

Yellowbelly also clear 20 pounds on occasion. Fun, but not like a 20 pound trout!

Bloody great capture gee, congrats!


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

theGT58 said:


> [quote) just how big do these fish get[/i]? I only ever tried it once in NZ, for one 30 cm rainbow, and I (erroneously) thought that cod were the only big fish in the fresh in Oz.


The Australian brown trout record is currently just over 26 pounds I believe (caught a bit over a year ago from a river in TAS).

Bloody great capture gee, congrats![/quote]

Holy whiteman! Like to see Geoff land that on 3lb leader! Methinks a 6 lb fish is on/over the limit.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Another great report, Gee... you write them up well... it's as if the reader is right there with you, worrying about the three pound string!

Lovely brownie! don't they fight well?!

Commiserations on your lack of success, Jase... guess it was Gee's day at Jindy!

Those who haven't encountered big trout like yours Gee, could understandably under-estimate the power of the big'uns. They and the much bigger versions go like freight-trains!

Jase and Gee... I'll be visiting the Hub for a fortnight beginning this Sat... would it be possible to tee up another meeting as we did the last time I was there?

I enjoyed meeting you all, even tho' Jason was a bit wary of me for a while after my description of the Hub earlier.

If any others in the area would be interested, please PM me... I'll have access to the forum at my son Mick's home.

Cheers, Jim


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## millonario (Feb 20, 2012)

You are looking a bit lighter Geoff. Even with the layers on.

Well done lads, great to see the hub boys REPRESENT! *throws up gangsta sign*

p.s. I'd love an invite when next thoust head for the cooler climes to whet thy lines...


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

millonario said:


> p.s. I'd love an invite when next thoust head for the cooler climes to whet thy lines...


Sounds like Shakespeare, or the like.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

BigGee said:


> Do PM me next week or put a post up and we'll see if we can arrange a lunch again.
> 
> Will do, Gee, sounds good.
> 
> Do you want to go fishing while you're here? Got a few Yaks laying around :Gee


Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass on the fishing... the trip is for the family, not for me. It's not as if I'm starved for fishing, eh? (three trips a week depending on weather).

If I were down there on a fishing trip, I'd look you up for an outing... long time since I've got in amongst trout... my right arm's beginning to twitch at the thought!

I'll be in touch soon,

Jimbo


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

BigGee said:


> Beekeeper said:
> 
> 
> > Jase and Gee... I'll be visiting the Hub for a fortnight beginning this Sat... would it be possible to tee up another meeting as we did the last time I was there?
> ...


I finally got onto the computer... I'm open to suggestions as to lunch... when & where up to you.

Jimbo


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Beekeeper said:


> Jase and Gee... I'll be visiting the Hub for a fortnight beginning this Sat... would it be possible to tee up another meeting as we did the last time I was there?


Jimbo the timing is not so great for me mate - I am looking after Canadian visitors until wed, then in Melbourne Thurs-Mon, then off to Indonesia for work. Hopefully next time.


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## brant78 (Jun 24, 2012)

What a great read gee! I loved every moment of your write up gee and some cracking fish in there. That big one is a stonker! Looking forward to having a fish with you again.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

BigGee said:


> I may have to Raincheck personally Jimbo .... been called away to the mountains for product testing for the rest of this week till Friday night and the weekend is supposed to be another comp. Still wondering if I'll do that.
> 
> Sorry bloke, next time. Suggest you start another thread with an invite there mate. Cheers Gee





Squidder said:


> Jimbo the timing is not so great for me mate - I am looking after Canadian visitors until wed, then in Melbourne Thurs-Mon, then off to Indonesia for work. Hopefully next time.


No hassles fellers... My son's got me working during the day cutting down and re-arranging cupboards, attaching curtain fittings for new drapes, and when I've sorted them out, he'll find other jobs for me... that's this week, then it's full-on grand-parenting three grandies from 8 to 15 year-old for the first week of their school holidays... that'll keep me busy, anyway... I'll have to brush up on the Monopoly etc. skills, I guess.

I'll probably be glad to get back home and relax a bit. 

Cheers, Jimbo


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Beekeeper said:


> I'll probably be glad to get back home and relax a bit.
> 
> Cheers, Jimbo


What he means by "relaxing" Hub critters, is catching ten to twenty fish per session. :shock:

Can't anyone go carping with him to calm him down?


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Bloody hell, Trev... tonight my missus suggested to me that I could possibly donate a fortnight of my fishing time to our home... take a fortnight off to do as many odd-jobs/chores/improvements around our place...  just like I'm doing for my son Mick right now.

I guess I'll just have to use the "but I'll lose all my paddle fitness" excuse, eh? 

Can I use you as an example, ol' mate? ie look at Trev... after an enforced non-paddle fortnight, just a couple of hours on the water the other day, and he was totally stuffed! (I won't tell her how much weight you've put on while you were off he paddles). :lol:

Got that 96cm snapper yet? (he's given up on the 95cm one... it's taking too long, so he's upped the ante!).

cheers all... Jimbo


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