As we move through winter, I’d like to first dive back to highlight and provide some perspective on extreme events that impacted our waterways, which created much angst and frustration throughout the fishing community.
The Cormorants – As a Kiwi living in Aus, I’m far from an expert on this topic; however, after doing a lot of self-research, talking to experts in the field, and experiencing it firsthand on the riverbank, this is what I can say.
The cormorant plague was a ‘temporary’ devastation to our running waters. In low, clear water, the fish stood little chance, especially in environments with less cover. Anglers witnessed cormorants in flocks of 50–100 birds eating trout whole on the riverbank. It’s been described as a natural phenomenon that happens every 5–10 years, cyclic by nature, when the birds migrate inland—likely in search of food. Cormorants are known to be great divers, exceptionally fast swimmers, and possess a large appetite, making them extremely dangerous predators to our trout.
After a cormorant plague, it’s believed 6 months to 1 year is approximately the rehabilitation phase required for fish levels to restore in our rivers, after juvenile fish have grown fast due to a less competitive environment. Like any fishery after undergoing an impactful event, some fish will survive and thrive under new conditions.
Cormorants weren’t the only birds of mass destruction; pelicans were also out in numbers, like I saw gobbling up spawning-run browns on the Eucumbene River during the 2025 annual run. These fish were easy targets in shallow water when vulnerable—demonstrating spawning behavior.
Like NSW, the ACT also experienced the same low fish numbers in our rivers during the first few months of this year. I recall fishing a small local river in its headwaters on the outskirts of Canberra which often holds a high population of both rainbow and brown trout, hooking and landing just one fish for the day—caught on the ‘trusty’ #14 Adams dry fly from ILFF.
I still had an enjoyable day out testing my new rod, the TRAPER Elite 7’6” ft #3, which was the perfect blend of length and sensitivity—a great match for smaller waters.
Low river levels and warm temperatures – This gave the fish little protection as temperatures soared without receiving adequate rainfall. We only experienced periodic drops of rain; however, they were never consistent enough to raise river levels. You’d have to assume the fish would naturally lay low and become less active, especially after a cormorant attack. Even the larger, rain-fed rivers had receded exponentially, and fish were hard to come by in the best of pools.
Unfortunately, the smaller waters were a sorry sight too, with considerably less flow. Pools were becoming close to stagnant and the ‘normally’ faster, more oxygenated riffles exposed skinny riverbeds. With raised outside temperatures creating a particularly dry climate, I experienced water temperature levels that felt dangerously high when fishing notable rivers.
My mate James and I were also keen to test the theory that fish must be holding up in ‘tight waters’ with overhanging vegetation providing them more protection. We headed into the upper Thredbo River in ‘twig water’, prepared to get scratched up for the day. We scrambled over boulders, bashed our way through wild heath and heather for one small reward: a brilliantly colored brown trout. Further upriver, we ran into a cormorant guarding its pool.
There must be some rivers, perhaps off the beaten track in difficult environments, that the birds didn’t invade, and anglers who’ve put in the miles have been rewarded by finding such places.
The lakes and dams – On the contrary, these fished exceptionally well, with shoreline and boat fishing producing great results. The larger lakes are well renowned for fishing well year-round, with mudeyes, crayfish, and midges often being the staple food source. However, the hopper fishing came alive with reports coming through on social media of some superb ‘terrestrial fishing,’ which continued throughout autumn. The browns are known to cruise the shoreline looking for food, and windblown grasshoppers are always a welcome treat to their already lavish diet.
I’ll report back soon with a post-conclusion of the NSW fishing season and the annual brown trout spawning run. With the season now closed, it’s a great time of year to focus our attention on tackling the lakes and dams that remain open. The Snowy Mountains offer a bounty of superb still-waters, in particular Lakes Jindabyne and Eucumbene. Fishing the shoreline for those large, cruising browns is a method well worth exploring and one I’m looking forward to putting the hours into this winter. For now, best of luck fishing from across the Tasman!
Tight lines,
Matt
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