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Small Streams & Snakes
Trout fishing the hard to get to streams and creeks...
I was sitting here today going through some of the 22,000 plus photos that I have taken over the years that I've spent trout fishing rivers, streams and creeks around Tasmania, since moving here back in March 2000.
I know the majority of trout fishers that fish the rivers normally go to the more open, accessible areas and rarely try the more difficult, hard to get to little rivers, streams and creeks, those that are quite plentiful here.
The majority of them run into the larger rivers and all contain trout of various sizes. Yes it can be quite tough getting through the dense foliage to get to one of these streams and all while keeping a lookout for snakes as well.
It can take up to an hour of bush bashing just to reach a stream, only to find out there's not enough water in it or that there's no fish in the one that has plenty of flowing water. That's just one of the minor downfalls with this type of fishing, however then there's the times when the effort is well worth it, when you find one that's holding trout.
Most of them I have fished are usually small, dark tannin coloured streams and creeks, that have held some nice brown trout?of various sizes. It's in these little streams and creeks where the small Mepps #00 (1.5 gm) Black Fury and Aglia spinners excel on the trout.
While going through my photos today, I didn't realise how many of them were so tough, with so many fallen trees, log jams etc., on them. Now, when I look back on it, I feel I was very well rewarded for the effort put in, catching some beautiful wild brown trout in them.
Yes, it's tough work and there were plenty of disappointing trips too, but that's what this type of fishing is all about isn't it? These small streams that flow through heavily bushed areas eventually reach a larger river and that's how the trout have come to be in them.
Once the warm weather arrives I normally stay away from these smaller creeks and streams, due to low water levels and snakes. I've stepped on plenty and been struck once by a tiger snake... thankfully it didn't penetrate my waders. I've found so many small streams using Google Earth, it is well worth checking out...
Adrian? (meppstas)