Keen Cowra angler Tim Carman says despite low water levels in the Lachlan River the much sought after Rainbow trout are surviving.
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Mr Carman, who is a member of the Central Acclimatisation Society (CAS) and assists NSW DPI Fisheries work with stockings of both Native and Trout species within the Cowra area, has responded to concerns expressed by Sydney angler Paul Cropper that low water levels had destroyed fishing spots between Wyangala and Darbys Falls.
"The fishing is extremely tough at present with very low water since the river was open to Trout fishing on the October long weekend but the fish are still there and the water, while it is uninviting and murky, is still cool enough for them to survive," Mr Carman said.
Rainbow Trout, he said, can survive and in water temps up to 25 degrees celcius if there is decent oxygen present in the water.
Brown Trout, which have proven even harder to land than Rainbows in recent decades, are a little bit hardier in adaptability with water temperatures.
While Mr Carman admits the Lachlan is nowhere near as good as it once was for trout fishing the catch rate of native species is improving.
"The Lachlan river from before the new dam was built in the 1960s was an excellent trout fishery with cold water flows right through the 80s and 90s until the cataclysmic crash of the millennial drought that wiped out the fishery," he said.
"In my own personal view (Mr Cropper's) opinion that every trout is dead in the Lachlan river is a tad wild after a no doubt disappointing opening trout weekend for Mr Cropper."
Historically NSW water would often give the Lachlan a flush before the season opening. This no longer occurs.
Releases from the dam are currently very low due to low irrigation demands.
Mr Carman, alongside DPI and the CAS, has spent a considerable amount of time increasing trout stockings into the Lachlan, a move he believes is starting to reap rewards for patient anglers.
"Slowly the trout fishing has improved," Mr Carman said.
"It is nowhere near the fishery it once was but there are some exceptional fish to be caught.
"This year we have stocked 14,000 Rainbow Trout Fry into the Lachlan river and in recent years we have had an allocated number of Salmonoid species provided by DPI's Dutton Trout hatchery at Ebor and their excellent staff.
"Cowra's branch of the CAS annually receives 12,000 Rainbow Trout Fry and 12,000 Brown Trout Fry which are released into the Lachlan river. Wyangala Dam also receives 10,000 Rainbow Trout Fingerlings which Cowra CAS helps stock by spreading the Fingerlings out from a boat over various areas of Wyangala Dam."
Native fish from the Narrandera Fish Hatchery, including Murray Cod, Goldern Perch and Silver Perch, are normally stocked in the new year.
For the first time last season Cowra CAS also received an additional 5,000 Rainbow Trout Fingerlings (larger than Fry size) which were also released into the Lachlan river.
Wyangala also had the good fortune of receiving 200 ex brood stock Rainbows released into Wyangala Dam. These fish, which were provided by Dutton Trout Hatchery at Ebor, ranged in size from 1.5 kg to 5kg.
"As Mr Cropper pointed out the trout fishing in the Lachlan in recent times has produced some quality fish and could improve even further if we had more stable flows but a fisherman's thoughts and whimsy demands on this are considerably lower down the page with the allocations that come from NSW Water."
Mr Carman said anglers striking out with the trout should look to a fishing plan B when the river water level is down and head to Wyangala with its excellent amenities where they can chase some fantastic Murray Cod and Natives on the Fly.
"They are great fun on 8 to 10 weight Fly rod and big heavy flies or on various lures," Mr Carman said.
A release of Rainbow Trout fingerlings into Wyangala Dam was scheduled for this week.