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More Trout from the Tannin

By Adrian (meppstas) Webb

Clear skies, sixteen degrees and a very light breeze. What a beautiful day it was to head off for a spin session in a small tannin stream this afternoon. It was back to my favourite stream, on private property, and this time to a stretch of water that I haven't fished since August 12 this year... when I never caught a trout. The same time last season I caught and released two here, however back then the weather wasn't all that good and the water temps were very low too. With it being over a month since I had last fished this stretch of tannin water, I was feeling fairly confident that there would be a few trout out and about, however probably not in big numbers yet as the water was still running pretty cold (back to around 3 degrees) due to snow melting in the upper reaches.

With more poor weather forecast over the coming days, I wanted to get a couple more spin sessions in before it hit. After a kilometre walk, in some of the best weather we've had, I reached my entry point into the stream. The water level was higher than I would have preferred but beggars can't be choosy... so I hopped in.

I started the spin session off using the same well-worn #00 Mepps Gold Aglia spinner that had served me well on quite a lot of trips spent chasing trout in the rivers and streams. It is funny how one sticks to using the same old lure. I reckon it's a confidence thing in a way. I would have at least two dozen brand new #00 Gold Aglia spinners all up, yet I keep going with this old one. The day will come when one of the hooks parts ways and I'll have no choice than to replace the spinner with a new one. Until that day comes, I'll stick with the golden oldie.

The fishing was slow going for the first fifteen minutes or so, until I came to a bend in the stream. It was there that I noticed a small circle appear in the flat water, to the right side of the main flow. I wasn't sure if it was a trout that sipped something off the surface or a dropping from a little wagtail that was darting around the place, grabbing a few insects that were now out and about in the warmer conditions.

After getting through a small log jam I flicked the Gold Aglia into the top end of the flat water and four turns off the Okuma Inspira reel was all it took before the little lure was taken by a solid fish. It made a few runs and leaps from the water at the same time, giving some solid head shakes to try and toss the spinner. It was well hooked and soon hit the net. That fish went 435 grams and like most I've caught this season, it was in top condition.

After the release of that trout the fishing was slow going and a change of lure was had. It was on with a #0 Mepps Aglia Fluo rainbow spinner, another one that works well in tannin waters. The reason I went for the heavier lure was because most of the water that I was now fishing was deeper and faster flowing. The #0 (2.5 gram) spinner will stay mid water and I have more chance of picking up trout. The lightweight 1.5 gram Gold Aglia wasn't quite heavy enough to stay at a good depth in the narrow fast water runs. I know it's only one gram extra between the two spinners, however it does make a lot of difference.

Talk about the fishing being slow going was an understatement... it took sixty seven minutes before I hooked the second trout of the afternoon. This was a small 290 gram brown. With just the two trout caught so far, it was a little disappointing. Two trout wasn't good enough for this time of the season, I wanted more. Five minutes on and a little further up the stream I hooked and lost a small brown in a narrow fast water run.

The next water that I moved into was a wide open, deep stretch and one that has always given up a fish or two on other trips later into the trout season. The left hand side of it was the area that always gave up a fish and that's where the first cast with the Aglia rainbow went. No sooner had that lure hit the water and on the retrieve a bow wave appeared behind the lure. A short lift and drop of the rod was all that it took to get the fish to take the spinner.

No sooner had it taken the spinner that I knew this was the fish of the day by far. It stayed deep and ran hard, before breaking the surface and making several almighty leaps from the water. After playing it out it wasn't all that long before I led it into the landing net and once it was in the net out popped the Aglia Fluo spinner. The fishing gods were on my side with this fish making it to the net. One more leap and head shake it may have been gone. It was a decent size brown, for a small stream, and after weighing it in the net it went 485 grams. My second best trout so far this season. I couldn't continue any further in this stretch of water because it was too deep, so I had to bypass the rest of it.

I felt a lot better now, with three trout added to the afternoon's tally and even better was that third trout being such a good size fish. It was 3:15 pm when I got back into the stream and three casts after entering it I had my fourth trout caught and released. That fish was a nice medium size, well-conditioned brown. I was going to call it a day, however with the car not all that far away from me I decided to fish the last two stretches of water.

With no signs of a trout by the time I got to where the car was, I had one last cast up and under the dirt road bridge. It was there that I picked up the fifth trout of the day, another good size brown that tangled itself in the line as it did a few crocodile rolls. I reeled it in as quickly as possible, untangled the line and then released it. My day was done and dusted. Three and a half hours in the water for just the five trout landed from seven takes, wasn't one of my better sessions for the time that I put into it. In saying that, it was good to see some trout have returned to this stretch of water, and this little stream will only get better as the season rolls on.

Adrian (meppstas)

Equipment used on various trout trips:

Okuma Celilo Finesse Spin Rods - ULS 1-3kg trout rods
Okuma LRF Spin Rods - Split Grip 1-3kg
Okuma Inspira Blue Spin Reels - ISX-20B
Okuma Helios SX Spin Reels - HSX-20
Okuma Epixor XT Spin Reels - EXPT-20
Okuma Ceymar Spin Reels - C-10
Platypus Super 100 Monofilament Fishing Line
Platypus Pre-Test Monofilament Fishing Line
Platypus Stealth FC Fluorocarbon Leader
Mepps Inline Spinners
Boomerang Tool Products