Plenty of action as anglers take to the waters on Australia Day Fishing Normally quiet fishing spots in the mountains and at the coast were surprisingly busy this week, mostly with anglers who normally would be at work but were all affected by the same "gottacatchafish" virus that has infected the public service and other work places. Good catches were reported from almost all areas. 
Streams filling Thunderstorms pepped up all the local streams. In the higher country the flows were high, clear and fishable. Trout responded quickly, foraging for nymphs and surface food over the day. Dry beetle patterns were successful in some streams but as the sun dried out grasshoppers became the prime target. Favourite streams for hopper fishing include the upper Murrumbidgee, Moonbah, Eucumbene, Thredbo and Yarrangobilly.
Lakes healthy Stream fishing is often the preferred method for fly and lure anglers because of the anticipation of "what's around the next corner" but sometimes lake fishing is more reliable and the fish larger.
Eucumbene, Jindabyne and Tantangara are all fishing well, for trollers, bait, lure and fly fishers.
The most effective approach has been to use flatline early in the morning then lead core line later as the fish go deeper. Try Tasmanian Devils then small hard-bodied minnow patterns and Wonder spoons trolled mostly at slow to medium speed. Good spots include around Anglers Reach in Eucumbene, East Jindabyne and Kalkite in Jindabyne and near the mouth of the Murrumbidgee in Tantangara.
Bait fishers using wood grubs, scrub worms and Power Bait and Power Bait most usefully fish deeper water during sunny periods then shallower areas after dark. Useful areas include Seven Gates in Eucumbene, East Jindabyne at Jindabyne and the basin nearest to the dam wall at Tantangara.
Feast of yabbies This is prime time for a feed of yabbies from the mountain lakes.
Yabby traps cannot be used in trout waters except for a special provision for their use in Jindabyne and Eucumbene, where anglers can legally use five hoop traps each. There is no size limit and up to 200 yabbies can be brought home by each angler. Try fresh meat for bait, or a pierced tin of cat or dog food. European carp flesh can also be used as bait. This is the only occasion in which carp can be used as bait in fresh water.
Coastal offerings At the coast, estuary and offshore fishing is at its height. Anglers reliably report good bags of bream, flathead, whiting and blackfish in the estuaries, with prawns becoming larger each week. Offshore there are snapper in the early morning and morwong, flathead and pig fish bulking up the bags.
Striped marlin have arrived in force on and beyond the 100 fathom line at Bermagui and more blues and blacks are expected soon.