G’day fishos. This time of year may be known as wedding season, but – as most anglers would know – it’s also fishing comp season and there’s a few coming up.
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There’s a couple of big ones this weekend, with the Dartmouth Trout Trolling comp being held as we speak. But the big one tomorrow is the Carpathon at Horseshoe Lagoon.
Lavington Anglers Club is running the Carpathon this year, with support from Albury City Council, and it promises to be a great family event.
Go by yourself or take the kids along to be in the running for plenty of prizes, more than $1000 worth.
Entry is free, and there’ll be a sausage sizzle and jumping castle.
Fishing is from 9am-noon, with the presentations to start at 1pm, so get along and catch a carp or three.
The beauty of this comp is that there’ll be a few experienced club members about if you’re not sure what you’re doing, need help tying knots or any other fishy advice.
The next big comp I know of is the TBS Marine Women’s Fishing Classic, which is running on November 16 and 17 this year.
That’s always a great comp, so it might be worth you ladies pencilling that one in.
After that, it’s cod opening time – and that means Mulwala Classic.
Looks like a busy month or so ahead.
AT A GLANCE
Dartmouth (83 per cent) – will probably benefit from that small drop of rain mid- week, so it’ll be interesting to see what’s caught at the trolling comp this weekend.
Best reports are still revolving around fenders/cowbells with either scrubbies or mudeyes behind.
Streams – are looking great and fishing reasonably well.
While the Mitta’s still running hard, there’s been the odd fish angled in the quieter backwaters, and the odd fish is being nailed on lures swinging them around in the current.
Most other streams are OK and I was lucky enough to be with my youngest bloke, Sam, when he picked up his first trout on fly in the Mitta area last Saturday arvo.
Most fly fishos are reporting a lot more insect activity and a little more success along with it.
Rod Cockburn from Compleat Angler in Wagga also did well in the Tumut River on Wednesday, picking up quite a few trout on Yakamito spoons, with the best a 55cm rainbow.
Blowering (60 per cent) – has been going gangbusters for the past couple of weeks, with some great cod coming in angling from the bank and trolling and casting from boats.
Jamie Denslie took the family up for a quick fish last Saturday after having a fantastic weekend the week before.
Mum Nikki landed a 110cm, daughter Chloe a 106cm and young bloke a Tyler 103.5 cm beauty. All were caught from the bank – what a day.
Eucumbene (24 per cent) – is the other hot spot and is definitely the best of the alpine lakes at the moment.
Garry Webb had sons Guy, Timothy, Dean and mate Thomas Abbot up there last weekend and they had a ball, picking up about 60 fish with a quite a few of them over the 500mm mark.
Most were trolled with big minnows such as the Daiwa Double Clutch and Rapala 11cm and 13cm jobs doing most of the damage.
Quite a few were also caught on winged lures such as Tassies, stings and cobras, but those big minnows were more consistent on big fish.
Lake Hume (49 per cent) – was pretty tough on competitors in last weekend’s Leigh Martin Marine Mercury Classic.
Nearly 479 competitors managed 39 yellas for the comp, with the biggest yella of 62cm caught by junior angler Georgie Hickey.
Georgie won the junior section and Brad Walsh, with a 61cm yella, won the seniors.
Best trout was won by Mark Brett with a great fish of 71cm – his first trout. Gonna be hard to improve on your first one, Mark.
Junior trout was taken out by Reece Brooks with a 55cm model.
Anthony O’Keefe caught the biggest reddie at 45cm and biggest reddie by a junior was 39cm, caught by Jack Harris, son of legendary fisho Scott.
Champion anglers for the weekend were Kieran O’Loughlin for senior male, Nicole Brad senior female, junior male Jordan Harding and junior female Georgie Hickey.
The major prize of the Quintrex boat and Mercury motor was won by junior angler Tallen New. Well done, mate.
The comp was really well run again this year and a credit to all those involved.
I think everyone’s just hoping the fish might want to party a little harder next year.