# NSW. 15-16 Dec. Trophy Brown Trout from Eucumbene River.



## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

The child bride had a chance to take a couple of days leave on short notice so I grabbed some time myself and we decided to head for the hills. A few weeks ago we had to make a trip to Albury and, as we drove over the high country I had commented that I would like to try fishing the Eucumbene river and so we headed up to Three Mile Dam to camp and took the yaks along for the drive. Talk about cold... just as well we took some warm clothes or we would have had to head back home.

My place is in the salt water but years ago we had a farm with a small trout stream flowing through the back paddock and back then I would head off to the creek any time I wanted fish for dinner. Always rainbows and other than one memorable fish at four and a half pounds they were mostly just a nice table size. Trying to dredge up memories of what to do and how to chase trout, after setting up camp on Thursday, I put the PA on the water and set of to troll the lake. Up there the rules state that only one rod is allowed, minimum size fish is 25cm, two trout per day and only one allowed over 50cm. I really wanted to have a second rod so I could flick plastics at some of the snags around the edges but I behaved myself and made sure I followed the rules. I got two small bumps on a brown trout pattern Tassie Devil but that was all that happened and when I got back to camp I began to throw some celtas which resulted in one follow by a small fish but still no takes.


















On Friday morning we planned to head down to the river to walk and fish in the wild open country and just because I wanted to see what at the other end, I headed down a dry weather track designated for 4X4 only. I had taken both a fly rod and one of my bream rods bu when I saw the water I chose to use the 7'6" rack raider as it was going to be closer to the style and the memories of what I used to do years ago. We started to walk from where we parked the truck and I began to cast upstream and cranking the celta back down with the running water. It looked fishy but this would be where everyone who drove in started from so I was not really expecting any action straight away.


























I walked slowly up the pool looking for areas of deep water and when I was within casting reach of the top of the pool I made a long cast into the next pool just beyond the rapids and the chute leading down into the first pool. As the lure bumped through the rapids I thought I felt something else, something more like a small strike but with the water moving so fast through that section I wasn't at all certain. I watched the line as it approached the slower water in the pool and made sure that I had tension on the line and as soon as the line reached the pool it became fully apparent that I had not just had a strike but was hooked up to a really good fish. The lure was an old celta I had had for over 25 years and because I don't normally fish the fresh it still had on its original treble.










It was about then that I began to think of all the things that could go wrong but the angling skills practiced in the salt water are essentially the same and it became a matter of keeping the line tight and allowing the rod and reel to do their job. The fish was moving with the water flow and about halfway down the pool I saw a massive body roll in the current and made a comment to the bride that I really hoped I was up to the task. From memory, the small rainbows at the farm would throw in arial acrobatics and the bigger ones would stay in the water but this big brown started to throw itself out of the water, twisting and turning and then diving deep before heading skywards again. I was now at that point of doubting my chances of landing the fish and I knew I was not going to be able to lift it with the rod as I was only using 4lb braid and this fish was well over the lines breaking strain. As I approached the bottom of the pool the fish began to tire and I was able to guide it to the edge of the road crossing and much to my relief I carefully beached it and was able to claim my prize.


















This was my first ever brown trout and although I was not able to weigh it, it was 63 cm long and fat as butter. The child bride had grabbed the camera and took some photos just to remind me that it really did happen and as she was getting a final photo the big fella twisted and lunged from my hands and landed head first on the ground. I tried to swim it before releasing it but it just rolled belly up so I retrieved it and gave it the last rites. When dressed it yeilded two absolutely fabulous fillets that were quite a dark orange in colour, very remeniscent of the colour of Atlantic Salmon. I was worried that it wouldn't be much good for the table but I coudn't have been more wrong.

I took a portion of one fillet and cooked it for dinner that night. I chopped up one onion and sweated it down with a small amount of bacon and some chopped tomato until it was translucent and then placed the trout on top of the onion and put a lid on the fry pan which basically steamed the fish. Served straight away with the bacon, onion and tomato over the top and it made a meal fit for a king. That evening as we sat replete from our dinner we were treated to a serenade from some dingos somewhere to the south of us. It should probably have been a little scary but in truth it was quite a pretty song.

Before heading home on Saturday I went for a wander around the reed beds to a spot where I had seen a few fish rising on Friday night. By working the lure across the front of the reeds I had a few follows, a couple of small strikes and finally hooked a small fish that self-released at my feet. Shortly after that I added another first to the tally for the weekend with a beautiful Brook Trout.


















Packing up after a weekend camp is often a bit of a downer as it means times up but this time it really didn't matter as I knew that this was one of those occaisions that was right out of the box. That one fish changed a couple of days away into a memory to last a lifetime.

From one happy camper

John


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Thrill and pride well portrayed John.

Certainly a memory to last forever.

Trevor


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## garyp (May 30, 2008)

Great report. Thanks for sharing


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## cobrat (Sep 18, 2008)

What a great report loved the photos. Beautiful country, an adventure. Thanks for sharing


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## pescado (May 17, 2007)

Great stuff John, I'm liking these feral reports from down your way ;-)


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

What a great write up. Wonderful brown John, and big congrats on the brookie, they are the rarest of the salmonids and you have done very well to nab yourself one ;-)


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## paffoh (Aug 24, 2006)

Yep, lovely report.

I gave Three Mile a visit a few times, exceptional place stocked full of Brookies.

I think you have inspired me to visit again, very very shortly.

Thanks John.


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## Sparra (Nov 3, 2007)

Well done John...Can you camp anywhere up there or are there designated camping spots????


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## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

thanks for the replies guys...

Bertros and Indiedog, it was not only tasty, it was just as good the second time I tried it. Also had some sushi, some smoked andd used the last in an omelette - amazing how much was in the fillets. If I get another one like it I would be tempted to keep it just because I now remember how nice the wild fish are on the plate...

Squidder, it might seem funny but that little brookie was just as much a thrill as the big beastie. How big do the brook trout get? I understand that they are a small fish...

Paff, its a great place to visit but fishing the dam was tough going as there was very little happening. Others I spoke to were not having any joy at all but finding the brookies needed a bit of "fishy" thinking.

Sparra, there are designated camping areas around the dam which have pit toilets and some picnic tables. Fires are allowed but you need to take your own firewood and there are no other amenities. Great place for a short stay.

We are both looking forward to going back for another fishing adventure in the near future.

Cheers

John


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## Thefishy1 (Aug 25, 2009)

nice fish by far the best eating fish around when there out of the wild


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Fantastic brown mate. Beautifully conditioned. To answer your question the brookies can grow to over 4kg but find it hard to compete with other salmonoids as far as wild reared stocks go. They even have issues with hatchery rearing this species. Here is a direct quote from the tassie trout guru Greg French "Even today, despite significant advances in aquaculture technology, some 90-95% of ova fails to hatch compared with less than 2% for brown trout ova collected from wild spawners. Furthermore, 50% or more of the sac fry die before the swim up stage and significant losses continue until the time of release. Consequently, maintaining annual stocks of fingerling brook trout is both labour intensive and impossible to guarantee."


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Fantastic read John and what a beautiful fish.
I just can't eat farmed trout after growing up in NZ and eating wild fish.


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## willowonfire (Sep 18, 2008)

Awesome fish mate. Those rivers around there are awesome hey!
The brookies are an awesome looking fish too.
That terrain looks like it would be home to many brown snakes! :shock: 
I saw a few last time I was at the Thredbo. 
Top effort.
Clark


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Wow. That's some Brown John, especially out of such skinny water. I love that section of River. Especially the gorge coutry just downstream. What a place. Good old celta strikes again.


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## john316 (Jan 15, 2009)

can't help myself... am going back up for another bash at river walking. Leaving Christmas Eveand returning on Boxing day. I am not going with the expectation of repeating last weeks brown but will take it if it happens...

cheers

John


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## 4weightfanatic (May 19, 2011)

Great report from a lovely spot there John. That sure was a trophy fish and would have been a handfull had you pinned it on the fly rod :shock: Maybe give the wand a swish next time your there with a bead head wooly bugger or a zonker pattern. Cheers PAT.


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