Trip Reports
Christmas Outing by Len Verrenkamp
Date:
16 December 2012

Brisbane Water, the last hurrah for 2012

As my first year as a fly fisherman and club member draws to a close I can attest to the steep learning curve required to attempt to conquer the arts of casting, presentation, tying etc. My progress along this curve has been a series of challenges that are still presenting themselves, often at times when I think just maybe I am beginning to acquire a small part of the skill set required to actually look like a Fly Rodder it all falls apart and a favourite quote often springs to mind that applies just as much to fly fishing as it does to life in general, being; All movement is not progress, just as all progress is not forward! (Anon).

Anyway, with this trip being the last for 2012 and my first in a couple of months due to another project that was occupying large chunks of my spare time meant I was as keen for a fish as can possibly be.

Arriving at the Koolewong ramp I met up with Chris, Rodger, John, Bob and Dave with Trent, Sticker and Sebastian due, just not there as yet (seems to be a familiar theme Sticker).

Needing a crew and with John Roberts happy to provide his services and both of us keen to get a line wet we absconded from the ramp post haste and headed straight for Box Head and started looking for signs of fish in conditions that were near perfect for humans with a clear sky, no breeze and a lazy swell. With nothing obvious happening on the surface we harled across Broken Bay along with a pod of dolphins following some well defined tide lines all to no avail.

With a change of spot, change your luck agreed upon we headed into the "general vicinity" of Pitt Water to find a small patch of fish working the surface with some birds picking up the leftovers.
Within a few casts I was onto a nice fish, John said make the call, Tailor I guessed which proved to be correct as the first time I sighted the fish it buggered off with my fly in it's gob and left me with a shredded leader!

I must say at this point the profound and sincere heartfelt symapthy that John showed after I lost my first tailor on fly was totally non bloody existent, all I received was a "gee that was a shame and you lost a great looking fly!".

After the school sounded and surfaced a few more times and we had had numerous follows John switched to a surface popper and was immediately hammered by a nice salmon. A shortish fight on his 9# soon had a 45cm salmon in the net, photographed and released in quick time. Obviously I was full of praise for John's effort!

Bob and Dave then cruised up in their boat, said G'day and parked right between us and the school of fish and started casting. This little move has been stored in the memory bank gentlemen and just let me say notice has been given!!!! I did see Bob catch a chopper Tailor and I heard a small kingy was caught earlier also.

After another hour chasing this school of fish and having numerous follows and a few hits without hooking up we left them to their own devices.

By now it was around 10am, the sun was making its presence felt and along with the calm conditions it was nice to be motoring along and have some air flow past the face as we headed back into BW to chase some Flathead. We did a few drifts over the sand flats around Brooker Bay for nil result and then headed into Woy Woy Bay to find Chris (viper tongue) Bannerman, Rodger and Sebastian baking in the sun high up in the bay and Chris having some success with a few bream.

With time rolling on and a Xmas party to organize Chris and Rodger headed back to the park after a mid water transfer of Sebastion to my boat who unfortunately broke the tip off his rod before making another cast. John and I then proceeded to have a clouser v vampire competition for the next 45 minutes or so before we called it a day and headed for home.

Back in the park quite a few other members had arrived with families in tow for a chat and a feed of fish and chips after another enjoyable morning on the water, although only a few fish were caught the chance to get out there, try a few new or different things and enjoy the company of like minded people is a great incentive to come along to as many club days as you can.

Happy New Year to all and here's to an ever increasing species list in 2013. 

 
Lake St Clair