Coxs River Trout Fishing.

[John Sheridan]

I just saw this very nice video on Youtube and now I wanna do it

Trout Fishing Best fishing ever, SO many fish! it's crazy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgWJZRR6y7k


Just wondering if anyone here has done any trout fishing on the Coxs River.

Would like to chat about it '



Cheers.

[sailfish]

Yep, only been there a couple of times though. It seemed good the 1st time during the drought because everywhere else was so sad. Anyway, the beginning of the season past after the drought had broken, there had obviously been a lot of water through. A lot of the old debris cleared out and bankside vegetation laid flat. Not many fish, in fact I didn't see any within kms of the Dudawarra bridge and then only the one very small fish. I spent the afternoon down at sandy hook and spotted a V across the shallows but no active feeding there or within quite a distance up and down stream. Well fishing can be like that sometimes a complete blank day. Maybe dislocation due to flood. I know lakes Lyle and Walace had got pretty toxic over the big dry so I hope it wasn't a water quality issue. In any case I'll give it another go next season. I know some of our local water has been recovering so it will probably pick up nicely again. I have a 7' 6" 3 wt now that I think is about right for the Coxs, certainly my 5wt is way over gunned and frustrating to fish in there. It can be pretty tight fishing.

OK, I just watched the video, pretty encouraging isn't it! I think it is further down stream in the National Park. It was uploaded in Dec 2010 so that's where all the upriver fish went last season then. I can see a down river trip comming up in my future.

Regards,
Ken

[ninjapuppet]

Yeh this pAst season was pretty ordinary at the coxs. I went fishing on the coxs about 4 times but only caught a 30 cm trout near the intersection of harrys and coxs.

[Size 11]

G'Day John
I've fished the Cox's a few times over the years.
Duddawarra bridge (as mentioned by Sailfish) is one of my favorite spots on the Cox's, but I've never caught any decent sized fish there, but I have caught numbers. Ninjapuppet said he caught a 30cm fish, and that would be as close to the biggest I've ever caught there as well.
I prefer to fish the Fish river or Duckmaloi river, but access is limited.
Can't wait for the season to open again.
Cheers Jez

[John Sheridan]

What is the size limit for the trout and also when is seasons start and end ??


OHH I guess you need a Fishing licence as well right, if so how much is it ?

Thanks.

I guess when that Video was taken was a good season or at least they lucked out and picked the right place

Cheers.

[Joel]

"best trout fishing ever" does not belong in a topic associated with NSW.

Fishing for spawning trout is for kiwi's and yanks.

[sailfish]

GENERAL TROUT STREAMS (Coxs river above Little river junction.)
Fishing season:
Saturday morning October long weekend to Monday night June long weekend.
Permitted gear:
1 attended rod and line with no more than 2 hooks attached. Bait fishing allowed.

Licensing info is here http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/rec ... icence-fee. You can get a licence online. Note that fishing laws apply and the penalties are severe. Different restrictions apply to different waters, do your homework. http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/rec ... des2/guide

I cannot understand why anyone would fish for spawning trout. Why eat such tasteless mush when you can wait till the same fish in colour and have a most wonderful culinary experience? Why do people kill large flathead that have turned tough as an old boot and are all breeding females producing thousands of young new fish every year that are a much better table proposition?

Regards,
Ken

[climberman]

sailfish - parts of the coxs (below the little r) and the wollondilly (and kedumba and a few others in the aea I think)are not classified trout streams and as such are open to fish for spawners through winter. You'd need to check on where the classified boundaries are.

Why ? - because it's fun! I sure as *&%$#! don't eat 1 puffteenth of any fish I catch, salt or fresh.

[sailfish]

sailfish - parts of the coxs (below the little r) and the wollondilly (and kedumba and a few others in the aea I think)are not classified trout streams and as such are open to fish for spawners through winter. You'd need to check on where the classified boundaries are.

Why ? - because it's fun! I sure as *&%$#! don't eat 1 puffteenth of any fish I catch, salt or fresh.

Yeh I was talking about the take everything, freezer brigade, not C&R.
While you can legally take spawners from certain parts, I see it as futile because they are not worth eating then.
It should be obvious that it is better to let them replenish stocks and only take them in prime condition when you can enjoy the meal as well as the catch.

Ken

[climberman]

Yeh I was talking about the take everything, freezer brigade, not C&R.

We're not in Victoria ken !

People who fill the freezer with slabby spawners deserve to get to eat em !

[SteveJ]

I am with Climberman (Climberboy as I know him ) It is fun to catch spawn run trout, they are in prime condition when running and go off. I have no shame about fishing for an introduced feral fish that is stocked and any one who does have an issue with it has not thought about it enough. I have fished the Coxs about 4 or 5 times over the years and have had some great fishing. It is all about timing, no point going before the first significant rain in May, then get into it as quickly as possible after any significant rain from then through winter as the trout run up on the rising water. Pretty much down from Harrys is the go (and is legal), fish globugs and nymphs with indicators (did I mention I don't wear tweed??) . It is a nice little walk in and out, can get *&%$#! cold at night though (-4 last time I was there), my mate was so cold he wore his waders in his sleeping bag (*&%$#! mad kiwi...)

Steve

[sailfish]

I am with Climberman (Climberboy as I know him ) I have no shame about fishing for an introduced feral fish that is stocked and any one who does have an issue with it has not thought about it enough.
Steve

Your statement "not thought about it enough" shows you are not aware that there are many logical and science based arguments around fisheries management issues in Australia that support a very wide range of opinions. Just because someone doesn’t agree with you does not mean they are ignorant. It may just be possible there is a greater knowledge and experience behind an opposing view.

PS. Look up the definition of “feral”.


Regards,
Ken

[Size 11]

I've never fished the Coxs or any stream in spawning season, but last October long weekend at Lake Jindabyne, it seemed as though the rainbows had left their run late.
As we trolled past the camp site, we heard our mate on the shore yell out that he caught a nice fish, and that it had emptied itself all over him.
By the time we got back too shore an hour later, the mate said that he was going to cook the fish for dinner.
He proceeded to unwrap the foil to show us the buck rainbow that had showered him. And was in shock to see that it had turned too black slop.
Previous trips in October to Jindi, were never like this one. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. I will never fish for the spawners again. Too easy.
Prior too this we had always caught nice healthy browns in October.
The fish i have caught in Coxs,Fish,Lyall etc. are no comparison in flesh colour or flavour to fish from the snowies.
Personally, it's only catch and release in the Blue mountains for me.

Cheers Jez

[John Sheridan]

I guess it's a BIG NO for the cox river at any time.

Where in the snowies would be a good place to fish for trout I want the NON spawning big ones if you don't mind, I would like to keep some to cook, you guys seem to think the ones in the snowies are tasty

Thanks for any help, I am just a noob fisherman, camper.


Cheers.

[flyfisher]

Tassie trout are the go, ya can't beat ém.

ff

[John Sheridan]

When you go to tassie do you travel alone or in a group as I am on the main land I guess i will need to go with a group.


I would think there are fishing groups packages in tassie people can do ?

Thanks.

[flyfisher]

I live here John, we are very lucky, all that walking and all that fishing.

Another John FF

[Joel]

John, If you want to catch a big trout in NSW and you want to keep and eat it, you really should go to a commercial fishery where you can pay to catch stocked fish. To me it's no more undesirable from an ethical point of view than fishing for stocked rainbows or browns in hydro lakes.

[flyfisher]

I'd rather fish a creek somewhere than fish like that. Too much like a shooting gallery or a game farm

FF

[sailfish]

John,

I don’t know about fisheries, they are not raised on wild feed that produces the colour and flavour. Fisheries do finish the fish on a more expensive feed to produce that effect but it’s not the same as a wild fish IMO. It may be a good way to start out though. The best trout I have eaten was a wild brown with a very intense orange flesh caught in Wisemans Ck NSW but there have been no trout there through the drought years and still none last season.

If you want to catch big trout, then lake fish tend to grow out much bigger than stream fish. The snowy lakes are good, Jindabyne would be a good start. I am not into lake fishing so can’t help with much advice but most people I know use a boat on these big lakes. If you are shore based, you need to check that the lake levels have been stable for a long time. It requires a long time to develop the bank and shallows echo system that will attract trout to feed around the edges. If the level rises a little, this is good because the flooded vegetation provides rich feed in worms and insects. Trout are vulnerable in shallow water so avoid it unless there is good reason like feed and cover from birds. So night, evening, early morning and very dull days are the main times they can be found around the edges. There is a lot to learn so books are a good start and then you can get guiding which will cost heaps but a you will have fun and learn a lot. When the dragon flies are hatching, a black mudeye (dragon fly lava) fished on the surface at night is a killer. At night, the light of the sky provides a good backdrop to silhouette anything on the surface so the trout can readily see the fly (especially black) and its surface wake. Even a bit of cork tied onto a hook will create wake and entice a fish.

I like stream fishing because it is a lot closer quarters and you tend to see interesting things even on blank days so it’s all good. I wouldn’t give up on the Coxs, obviously that video indicates there can be good fishing but I suspect it’s in the lower reaches which nobody posting has talked about. Other streams in that area would be The Kowmung and Hollenders accessed from Kanangra NP but I hear the lower sections provide larger fish. For easier access, the Fish river should be coming back nicely in the coming season. The upper Turon should also be very good as a lot of work has been put in on it and it was developing very nicely last season. It's a lovely river I like to go to a damsel nymph pattern as my goto fly on these streams. Perhaps you are not into fly fishing, I don’t know but that’s OK too.

Regards,
Ken

[John Sheridan]

I am not obsessed with catching a HUGE trout just ones that's are over legal would be nice. Just enough fish, maybe one a day to have something for dinner, rather than my noodles

Yeah I was thinking of a trip right up the Cox river and back the other side, get nice and deep up river and see what kind of fish are there, my trip will be about 7 days, so ill have plenty of time to go way up river. Have we got hill billys ????

If so I have to practice my banjo playing and piggy squealing.


Cheers.

[Size 11]

Tassie trout are the go, ya can't beat ém.

ff

Was'nt the subject about the Cox's river?(NSW,Australia)
Can I hear a Tasmanian trying to justify an already perfect fishery?
I'll fish Tassie one day, although I have heard off a reliable source, that the locals are stand-offish about the directions to the fishing spots, and can be quite rude at times. (Dont shoot the messenger)
Hopefully the Tassie fisheries stay in as good a condition as they are.
If the fish are still alive, their environment can be fixed. So its not all doom and gloom in NSW.

[flyfisher]

I have heard off a reliable source, that the locals are stand-offish about the directions to the fishing spots, and can be quite rude at times.

Yeah, as a group we are really the most tight lipped selfisfh lot of barstewards that you'll ever come across.



FF

[north-north-west]

Big trout defeat the main purpose - which is a good feed. The best fish are around one pound (roughly half a kg, for the metricly-minded). It's a good size for a meal and once they get much bigger they start to lose the flavour.

[Size 11]

Big trout defeat the main purpose - which is a good feed. The best fish are around one pound (roughly half a kg, for the metricly-minded). It's a good size for a meal and once they get much bigger they start to lose the flavour.

Not so, north-north-west.
The bigger they get, the better they taste salted, smoked or even steaked. The smoked Salmon one buys in the vacuum seeled pack, or at fish markets tastes heaps better than the smaller fish, and they are Huge fish, and closely related to Brown and Rainbow trout.
I prefer to eat my larger trout salted (Scandinavian style, not Sushi)
Smaller trout or salmon are better baked in a camp oven or foil wrapped in the coals of a fire. OR fried. (CRINGE! WASTE!)

[north-north-west]

Salted? Smoked? Fresh caught trout goes in a cast iron pan with a knob of butter as soon as you've scaled and gutted it. There is no better tasting method of preparation.

[Size 11]

Salted? Smoked? Fresh caught trout goes in a cast iron pan with a knob of butter as soon as you've scaled and gutted it. There is no better tasting method of preparation.

WASTE,CRINGE!

[north-north-west]

What waste? Get up, catch a fish, have it for breakfast. Stuff around, catch a fish, have it for lunch. Stuff around a bit more, catch a fish, have it for dinner.

Fresh trout is too good to waste on those buggers who are too lazy to catch their own.

[Size 11]

[quote="north-north-west"]
Point taken. But fried with a nob of butter is the Maccas version of a fish feast and would be B.L.D combined.

[Size 11]

Was'nt the subject about the Cox's river?(NSW,Australia)
Anyway, back to the Cox's!