Today AM
Hit the local creek with my new-to-me 2wt glass fly rod with the intention of seeing if the trout are in pre-spawn mode i.e. gathering in pairs and moving into the shallower parts making the bigger fish easier to target.
Ended up seeing a stack of small fish, landed heaps to 25cm and missed/deliberately didn't strike heaps more tiddlers. Also got to watch a pair of 25-30cm jacks at the bottom of a riffle argue it out over who was going to hold the best spot. Never seen that before, so managed to get a couple of short videos. Had a bit of excitement when I reached a large pool that used to hold a serious mumma in previous years (holes have changed since the floods, mostly silted up more now
). The usual smaller fish were moving around in the shallows but I watched a pair of 40odd cm jacks push each other around and missed one when I ripped a baitfish imitation through in front of them. It was funny watching the smaller fish (40 - 150mm) move around the big uns - kinda like sharks and ball of baitfish. The tilddlers were frantic, with the bigger fish somewhat nervous. Was also surprised to pass over what I'm guessing was fallow droppings. I've seen evidence of sambar and seen them in the flesh higher up, but never anything so small.
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PM
Pulled the pin and headed home to pick up the rifle and headed out to some new ground for me about 2pm. Was second guessing myself when I got there and found it to be much drier and rockier than anticipated and the wind switched 180 degrees on the walk down the ridge. Hit the bottom and headed up the gully with the light wind behind me. Not good
Still, I pushed on sure it would eventually swing as soon as the sun dipped behind the ridge above. After maybe half an hour or so the wind died, neither up nor down gully. My confidence increased greatly after I picked up a bit of sign with blackberry patches and dogwood and wattle brush providing cover higher up on the sides and in the minor feeder gullies. Shortly after I bumped a wallaby that crashed off so I pushed on although I was just about to pull up for a spell and a bit of a wait 'n' see. 20m later I heard the familiar
gadump of a large quadraped taking off. I caught movement and just picked up the shape of a mature sambar trotting off with a yearling 20 steps behind. A quick toot on the hind caller stopped the yearling, but unfortunately it was facing directly away from me, not giving me a shot I was happy to take. I propped on the ground and threw up the rifle, but my footing was not great and I was in a very awkward position. After a minute or two of stalemate, I gave another quick toot in the hope of getting it to at least turn broadside so I had an ethical shot. I must have sounded like it's mum telling it to clean it's room as it waited a second before racing off behind the thick brush 50m away. Bugger it!
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Giving it up thinking I'd busted everything I took 3 steps before a flash of movement and another deer turned and bolted. My initial reaction was a fallow, but when I crossed the deep and desperate tracks they were too large for a fallow. Shaking my head and hopefully learning my lesson not to assume they'd all gone (again
) I pushed on slowly through the dogwood and wattle on the side of the gully just above the floor.
Moving on another 100m, I could hear something racing down the opposite side towards me, and shortly after a wallaby charged into view, crossed the floor and up my side passing about 30m behind me without stopping. Briefly pausing in case something big and hungry or angry was following it, I kept making my way to the junction of three minor gullies at the top. Reaching yet another patch of dogwood I heard another deer crash off above me. Still, at least they're here!
Reaching the junction I stopped and found a fallen tree to rest on with a branch in front of me to use as a rest in case something walked across the clearing some 50m in front and below me. Anything with 4 legs was in danger, fox, deer, goat or pig it didn't matter
I could hear something scrunching around on the opposite face, but after hearing it move a few times I'm certain it was a wallaby or kangaroo.
As the twilight turned to dusk I was able to witness the comings and goings and family squabbles of the inevitable gray fantails, scrub wrens, tree-creepers and other small bush birds. Pulling the pin I made my way slowly up the steep face, pausing briefly to backtrack a set of very fresh hind and calf prints which were headed downhill at a run - I'm guessing probably pushed by my arrival earlier.
Reaching home I was glad to grab a beer and take a break as I'd covered a fair bit of ground. Now if only I was legally able to carry a rifle while fishing that creek I'd have it made
