27th June 2016
Winter has arrived here at Rainbow Pines in a big way with snow last week and Selwyn Snow Resort in full operation. That said the weather has for the most part been quite good when you consider the time of year.
Other good news is that we have seen a rise in water levels in the past few weeks, now back to 38% from a low point of 36%. Temperatures of the water do not lend themselves to any form of swimming or water sport given they are a chilly 9 degrees currently and you should expect this figure to drop a little further as the chill of Winter takes hold.
You can and should expect cold conditions if you venture up this way to catch a trout this time of year but with some careful planning you can be well prepared for whatever conditions eventuate. We suggest ‘layers’ of clothing as this allows for adding or removing of items as required and it is a great idea to always start with thermal underwear and don’t forget your beanie!
Many daylight hours through this time of year present great opportunities to catch a trout. Watch carefully the weather forecasts and plan your trip on the more stable days. Take for example today the Lake at present is like a sheet of glass and if you were out on the water you could almost guarantee a trout or two for dinner.
With this in mind those who have been willing to have a go on the water in past weeks have been doing well with flat line trolling. There have been a good number of very healthy Rainbows around, and although not always big it is common to catch great fish in the 35 – 40cm range. These fish are healthy and will give you a fight well above their weight generally because the condition on them is so good. Pink and orange coloured lures are the best especially during the bright sunshine hours.
Brown trout are about too, mostly in the 45 – 55cm range but not always in great condition. If you land a Brown that looks very dark or maybe even ‘black’ it is best to return them to the water until they have been able to gain some better condition. We saw a 45cm brown caught today and it was in top condition with that great orange ‘salmon’ coloured flesh (YUM). In addition Mick weighed in a very nice 2049 gram Brown recently so there are some very good reasons to come for a visit and catch a trout.
Land based fishing has been ok too if you spend the time, Scrub worms and pink (yes pink) powerbait is certainly worth a try. Who says Winter is not for fishing, it is always worth coming to Rainbow Pines to catch a great trout…we hope to see you here soon.
Happy Fishing!