As most of us get ready to "put the blinkers on"in preparation for, hopefully, a
good wet and runoff.....
Spare a thought for the unsung hero of the Sweetwater,
the mighty Saratoga, which, in my opinion is a far greater adversary than the iconic barramundi. (See also
Insights Link)
Early morning sees you fishing the top water across the lilies, pandanus nd snaggy areas of the billabongs/rivers with a floating line and poppers, gurglers and all manner of weedless flies. It's also been noted and discused that they will take an abridged verson of the trout fly known as the Chernobyl Ant.
 |
| Chernobyl Ant. |
As the day wears on and the sun gets higher in the sky the fish, as always, will move into shaded cover and deeper in the water column. This is the time where being a fly fisher and actually hunting fishing rather than just dragging a lump of rubber or plastic around comes into its own.
 |
| A beautiful midday 'Toga. |
At this time I'll switch to a weighted fly (still on a floating line) and begin a clock ray method where I'll start at 3 or 9 o'çlock to the bow of the boat and systematically work my way round until I end up at 3 or 9 o'çlock. Failing this method I'll switch to an intermediate (slow sink) line to get further down into the water column.
 |
| Dorothee Williams casting into the lilies for a 'toga on Corroboree Billabong |
When it comes to Saratoga
the lilies are you friend as they will often hide under the pads awaiting poor unsuspecting insects and frogs.
 |
| Saratoga water |
Saratoga are dirty fighters and will take advantage of every missed opportunity an angler gives them from darting in around the lilies, jumping and even trying to dislodge the hook by grabbing a snag or lily stem and doing their charactoristic snake roll which looks just like a python throwing a loop over its prey.
 |
| Keep them out of those weeds if you can. |
 |
| Weedless weighted tarpon toads for Saratoga |
Never underestimate the mighty Saratoga..
Eugene
Jäger Flies
No comments:
Post a Comment