Fly Fishing | New South Wales | Swampy Plain River (lower)
Waterway Type

Catchment
Target Species


Fly Fishing Highlights
- Legendary Kosciuszko mayfly dun hatches
- Summer hopper fishing
- Cold clear flows through summer with active trout
Target Species - Seasons
brown trout | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
rainbow trout | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Note: species & seasonal information is indicative at the time of publishing.
For authoritive information visit https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational or other relevant jurisdictional authorities.
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Fishing
The best fly fishing is often in the warmer months when flows out of the dam are quite high. Getting nymphs with a fair bit of weight down deep to trout lying behind gravel banks or along rock walls, where the flow is slowed somewhat, is a very productive way to pickup some surprisingly large trout. An indicator rig with a long length of tippet to achieve depth is a common approach, but dry dropper is also effective with a large, buoyant dry on top often attracting the very aggressive rainbows to the surface.
Late afternoon and evening hatches of caddis and Kosciuszko mayfly can be prolific on this water in summer and early autumn, where at times it would seem that every fish in the river is feeding off the surface. Larger buoyant caddis or sedge patterns are great for caddis while a large March Brown dry fly is a popular goto for Kosi dun feeders. In softer water, don't be afraid to go smaller and more subtle including smaller cdc caddis patterns and mergers such as a Shaving Brush.
Summer hopper fishing can also be a highlight, with fish often happy to rise through fast current to take large hopper patterns off the top. There our plenty of yellow winged locusts around so foam patterns such as the Madam X Hopper are perfect for the turbulent flows or a large stimulator. Rubber legs reputedly make a difference in drawing more fish up.
In high flows you are often fishing across varying current speeds, so mending is critical to reducing drag.
Access
The Swampy is a very popular river for drifting, providing access to many stretches of water that are flanked by private property and difficult to wade to in higher flows.
There are a few options without a boat too, however with one of the most popular stretched being just below the dam wall, off the Alpine Way on the north bank. A track loops around and follows the bank for a while providing access to some good water.Below this access becomes more difficult without a boat.
The Bringenbrong Bridge over the Murray River on the Alpine Way can also be used to fish back upstream from the end of the Swampy.
Note: access information is indicative at the time of publishing.
For authoritive information visit https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational or other relevant jurisdictional authorities.
Flies
Madam X Hopper | brown trout rainbow trout | #8 – 12 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Stimulator - yellow | brown trout rainbow trout | #10 – 12 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
CDC Sedge | brown trout rainbow trout | #10 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Goddard Caddis | brown trout rainbow trout | #10 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
March Brown | brown trout rainbow trout | #10 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Blow Fly | brown trout rainbow trout | #10 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Shaving Brush | brown trout rainbow trout | #12 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Copper John | brown trout rainbow trout | #12 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Copper John - green | brown trout rainbow trout | #12 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Hares Ear Nymph - tungsten bead | brown trout rainbow trout | #10 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
Flashback Pheasant Tail Nymph - tungsten bead | brown trout rainbow trout | #10 – 14 | jan | feb | mar | apr | may | jun | jul | aug | sep | oct | nov | dec |
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