GVFFC

Current River Levels, Temps and Info

Date: Friday May 18, 2012

Three day Goulburn River Level Forecast here :
Lake Eildon Storage:   83.9%
Lake Eildon River Inflows:   1500 Megalitres/Day MLD What does this number mean? 
Goulburn River Level: 250 Megalitres/Day  
Goulburn Water temp:  11.1 degrees Celsius
Goulburn Dissolved oxygen:   7.8 parts per million
Eildon Pondage Level:        30% Subject to change 
Rainfall past 24 hours:        0.0mm 

Purchase your fishing licence online here

Phone:  03 5770 8128 for the latest info on Goulburn River levels. Message updated daily at 9am.
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Model Drift Boat

Ok I give in. over the past three months I have been asked 300x about the drift boat model that sits atop my fly tying bench. While I have been meaning to take a few photos of it to share with people, I just haven't had the time.

So this morning after I did my annual clean of my flyting bench, I grabbed a compact camera off the shelf and made use of the cleared space to snap a few pics in macro mode.

The model is an Original McKenzie Double Ender with transom by Roger Fletcher. Roger not only makes models but also the kits so that you can build your own and his creations span the evolution of drift boat design. It helps that he has written THE BOOK on the subject (Drift Boats and River Dories ISBN -8117-0234-0) which is not only a great read but contains plans for both drift boat models and full size boats.

Enjoy the pics found below. If you wish to learn more about the history and evolution of drift boat design please visit Roger's website and check out his products. He is a great guy and ever so humble.

Cheers
Antony

Typical autumn

The river is now down to 500 and is fishing very well. Tonight was fabulous with fish rising hard from the moment I hit the water at 5pm.

It took an hour to fish less than two pools as there were fish rising as far the eye could see. All fish were taking emerging mayfly or the duns. There were some good heads poking up as the light got low but my best fish was pound and a half brown.

Once again there were some very large duns with the peak just before dark; but there were no kossies in the slower section that I was on this evening.

I haven't seen a weather map but given the clear sky we should be in for more of the same tomorrow. I shall do a rain dance and hope it pisses down all weekend so the 9-5 kill and grill posse don't do too much damage. Couldn't resist a snipe.

All the best should you get out on the water.

Antony

Another good evening...

A lot milder tonight and plenty of caddis out and about as well. Fish rising steadily by the time I hit the water @ 5.00pm. It was definitely better tonight despite the fact that some fish were on emerging mayfly, some were on the duns and some were on adult caddis. Get it wrong and they wouldn't budge.

I have to say that I am really enjoying fishing an 8 foot, medium action 4 weight and double taper again. Just a great time of year to hunt individual fish with a single dry fly. Long may it continue.

Another good day ahead tomorrow. Not a single person in the shop today which hopefully translates to no one on the river when I head out after work.

Cheers
Antony

The Goulburn fished well tonight

I only got out for twenty minutes tonight and it was very cold (fleece hoody....BRRR)..but the duns were hatching and quite a few fish were rising. There were smal grey and pale olive varieties as well as kossies!! Did I mention I am pleased to have the Goulburn back down? The entire river is now wadeable and a pleasure to fish.

I only saw two nice fish but failed to hook these guys as they were sporadic and there were many other targets. Sometimes one just wants to put a bend in the rod and not think too hard.

Tonight we have a clear blue sky and this will mean a cold, foggy start and some decent hatches especially late in the day. There were very few people up on Mother's Day but today saw a definiten increase in the numbers of fly fishers getting about. Even so you could count them on two hands.

Hope this helps you to plan any streamside sorties.

Antony

Should be good.....

Most guide jobs in recent days have been with beginners so we haven't caught as many fish as we would have otherwise expected. The guys with more experience are getting them (as per guide jobs yesterday) although many of the fish have been small.

The Goulburn is at that sweet spot in level and I dare say that the nymphing will be out of this world in the coming days as it continues to drop.

I got out at 5.30pm last night; yes very late and right on dark once all guide jobs had been completed. I drove out our back gate and upriver (passing DarylC along the way) in the failing light to find a nice brown of about 1.5lb rising in close to the edge in behind a fallen tree that was lying parallel to the bank. He was gulping duns and took a small dry just as the rain started. It was good to be back to 8 foot 4 weight Winstons, double taper lines and whisper like presentations after battling huge flows for months.

We have an interesting four weeks of fishing ahead. Things will taper off as it gets colder but there is always the chance of a good fish when the river is at this level. While I know I can flog streamers all day and catch some very large fish at this time of year; for me it is the time for blue wing olives, midges and small nymphs. Great fun on delicate gear and a really nice way to end the season.

The traffic on Rubi has finally died down but after the report in the Weekly Times a couple of days ago this may be but a brief hiatus. I still don't understand the motivation for putting such things in print as it can only result in a negative outcome for all. Worst of all for the fish.

Hopefully the catch rate has decreased to the point where the effort:reward ratio has gone the other way and people cannot be bothered. Certainly if we get some serious rain that raises the river it will send those folks scurrying elsewhere.

Better run as there is a lot to do around here at the moment. Bring a fleece and rain jacket if you are heading up today.

Antony