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Have just spent the last three days in the Styx valley trout fishing with a mate from uni. According to the GPS the water was exactly 101km driving from Armidale and when we got there in the subie that I built for the task...



Once there we got stuck into the first afternoons fishing. Over the next few fishing sessions a total of 33 trout were caught between us with one being kept for dinner. The fish ranged in size from less than half a pound (200 grams) to in excess of 8.5 pounds (3.86kg)

Here is a 6.5lb Rainbow Trout



and a 2.5lb Brown Trout



and of course we got to see some beautiful scenery whilst we were there that was well worthy of a postcard...



Enjoy!!!

you absolute bastard. That looks amazing.

want to teach me how to thow a fly? (yes im serious)

Yeah, No worries, can teach you how to cast a fly - it's actually pretty easy and I taught myself. Basically use your arm to throw the line rather than trying to flivk it with your wrist. Do it in the backyard until you can keep the line in the air, then get a fly on there and head to the water. Is a little more complicated than that of course, but it certainly isn't the 'black art' that it is made out to be in the books. $150 will have you set up with a decent rig too, look for a 6 weight rod, reel and line and about 50 yards of backing....

Oh yeah, should probably mention that I wasn't using fly at all, we were using spinners, soft plastics and small hard body lures. I even had a hook up on a Nilsmaster Spearhead - yes a Barra lure... Got one fish on a small yabbie bodied bass lure too, mostly spinners and plastics though...

looks like fun.the ej l seems to be going nicely then.unlike my ea82t L.

Still not quite there, the thermostat is just a cut open version of the normal thermostat - ie no regulation, which means that slow up hill sections its getting pretty hot and long down hill sections sees the temp gauge back to the C mark.... I assume a thermostat will help reduce the top temps too as it will slow the passage of water. Also it seems to hesitate at anything more than 3/4 throttle, only sometimes though..... I think I have pinpointed it to when the temp gauge is low - so thinking it is overfuelling at wot when the ecu thinks the engine is colder than it is.... maybe??

Your bubbles in the rad might not really be a problem..... maybe.....

That's awesome! I got a Canadian friend who's a mad keen Fly fisher ... I could probably convince him to drive that far from brissie to get some great fishing like that!

These are the details for the place I stayed....

Dinner Flat Cabins
Shirley & Harold Heffernan,
Dinner Flat, Styx river via Wollomombi
Quiet & out of the way S/C cabins. BYO food & blankets. Trout fishing, bushwalking, native animals as well as pets. Close to national parks. Children welcome.

02 6778 1357

Here is some pics of the cabin we stayed in, its the biggest of the three and sleeps 4 singles. The other two cabins sleep 4 as doubles. All have electricity (hydroelectric with battery storage with solar and generator backup designed and built by the owner!!), all have clean running water with gas cooking, gas hotwater and gas fridges and a wood fire in at least two of the huts. If you gave them a star rating they would barely rate a one, but compared to camping they are the Hilton . Harold and Shirley are very friendly and welcoming and could talk to you all day about their spot of the world. They are the only private residence on the entire Styx River which is pretty awesome - they have a total of 9 kilometres of river frontage to the Styx, and there is also a couple of other rivers in there too. There is also some fantastic Bass fishing only another hour away on the Macleay River.

hell yeah that looks sweet as! I can feel a roadtrip coming up!

MechaWagon wrote: Oh yeah, should probably mention that I wasn't using fly at all, we were using spinners, soft plastics and small hard body lures. I even had a hook up on a Nilsmaster Spearhead - yes a Barra lure... Got one fish on a small yabbie bodied bass lure too, mostly spinners and plastics though...

even better, throwing lures i can do I thought you had to fly fish to catch quality trout like that. shows how much i know about freshwater

If theres a road trip on im keen

If its a weekend I can meet you in Armidale and lead you out to the river. Gonna have trouble getting holidays again before the end of the year....

Dam you Ben Dam you. (shakes fist)

Looks like we'll be there the 3/4/5/6 of Feb.

Is there any wheelin' to be done in the area? Need to decide which car to take.

Oh and what's the temp like around that time? One of the guys is concerned it might be a bit warm for trout.

WOW

That spot looks awesome. you said you used spinners, is there enough room behind you when casting to use a fly rod? Seems that all the countrys got rocks or trees alongside all the river banks except TAS I suppose. Couldn't count the amount of fly's I've lost in trees behind me when casting. Unfortunately its the wrong side of the country for a quick trip but I'l definately head that way on my big tour. As with the other folks "very jealous indeed.

Kaffine

btw what's a spinner? Is that fishing talk for a standard reel or something different again ?

Hey Yo

Spinners are use primarily on standard rods with eggbeater type reels, as they are drawn thru the water the 'lure' spins creating an attraction for fish. Usualy spinning is good in clear water. An odd fact I picked up. the clearer the water the brighter the lure/spinner/fly, fish know when its dull that there food should be dull looking.

p.s. the is no hard and fast rules with fishing it's a persentage game or else it would be called 'catching'.

Kaffine