Episode 420: Snowy Mountains Trout With Brendan Spicer

Brendon’s Tips For Targeting Snowy Trout

• There are multiple small impoundments in the Snowy system that are readily accessible, picturesque and hold good numbers of quality trout. Some examples include Three Mile Dam, Cooma Reservoir and Guthega Dam. There are also plenty of rivers and creeks that are closed to trout fishos until the October long weekend.
• It’s important to go properly prepared to the Snowy Mountains. It can get very hot during summer, snowy during winter and early spring, windy at times also. Take care to look out for wombat holes when you’re walking around tussock grasslands and be sure to take insect repellent to ward off the march flies that can bit through layers of clothing.
• These lakes tend to be very clear water, sometimes with a mudline along the windwards shore if there’s a decent breeze. Polaroids are critical for seeing fish and stealth is necessary to make casts without spooking them.
• Use Google Earth to explore these systems before heading to the high country, but understand that most of them experience rapid water level change and may be completely different to the photos online.
• When looking for trout in the lake systems, look for structure such as boulders and drop-offs. Some of the systems have some standing timber and most of them have weed beds that hold plenty of fish.
• Perfect conditions are comprised of a cool, overcast day with sufficient wind to ruffle the water surface and create a bit of wave action. Low light conditions are always conducive to good fishing. The fishing is usually better with the wind blowing in your face, but sometimes it’s nice to have it behind you!
• The majority of feeding fish are within 5-10m of the bank, so making long casts parallel with the banks keeps the lure in the zone for a long time.

Brendon’s Trout Fishing Tackle

• For fishing the lake systems Brendon uses a Messiah Custom Fishing Rods 9’6” spin rod with a 2500 size reel, PE 0.6 line and a 7-14lb copolymer leader. This outfit allows him to make very long casts and approach fish from a distance without spooking them.
• Brendon will use the same tackle for fishing the open parts of the river systems, but will switch to a shorter 6’10” to 7’3” Samurai Infinite rod, 1000-2000 size reel, PE0.6 line and 7-14lb braid.

Brendons Top Snowy Mountains Trout Lures

• The 6g Bluefox Møre-silda spoon is a deadly option for the dams and casts well even into a stiff breeze. There is nothing more to working this lure than a steady retrieve – Brendon has tried lots of different retrieve styles but finds that pauses and twitches most often cause fish to shy away. Occasionally it can work to speed your retrieve up if a fish I following but not taking the lure. Figure out the optimal speed that you can work the lure fast without it blowing out. Celta spinners and Tassie Devils also work and can be fished in the same way.
• The Jackall Colt 65 is a great little hard body lure with an internal weight that makes it cast like a bullet. Once again, the majority of the time a steady, constant speed retrieve is the most effective one to convince trout to bite.
• The Daiwa Doctor Minnow (now discontinued) was a deadly lure for trout in the rivers. The Ecogear MX48 is Brendon’s choice to replace the Daiwa lure. These can be cast upstream at 45 degrees to the current and worked back. Brendon actually twitches these at times when fishing rivers, just to keep in touch with his lure in a fast current. Don’t discount casting across or down-current either. Up current at 45 degrees or parallel to the bank is preferred but you’ll still catch plenty casting across or downstream when there is no other option. Just work your lures more slowly.
• Hand tied marabou jigs on #4 hooks with painted 1/16 to 1/32 heads are lethal on trout. The aim is to cast them upstream at 45 degrees and get them as close to a dead drift as possible, balancing the weight so they don’t hit bottom but do get down into the water in whatever current is flowing.
• If the fishing is tough a soft plastic yabby or a Jackall Spytail is worth a try.