by Peter Jung •
When people talk about fishing the NSW Snowy Mountains lakes, the majority of the chatter is about Lake Eucumbene or Lake Jindabyne. The pre-spawn run in the Eucumbene and Thredbo rivers, the huge amount of fish that are stocked or that naturally recruit in both lakes, and the facilities and access have always been well documented.
I am the first to admit that I have spent many an hour fishing both lakes from the shore and from a boat. I was well aware of Tantangara and the quality of fish in it, but a lack of adventure on my part, and a poor first experience at the dam, meant that I gave it a wide berth. Wind the clock forward 20 years and an opportunity to revisit Tantangara on a work trip was too good an opportunity to miss.
Construction of Tantangara Dam commenced in 1958 across the Murrumbidgee River as part of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, and was completed in 1960. Situated northeast of Lake Eucumbene, near the township of Adaminaby, access is via Tantangara Road from the Snowy Mountains Highway. This is an 18km-unsealed road that takes you to the dam wall itself.
From here access to the shoreline and fishing is via a number of trails and tracks that I will cover in more detail later in this feature. The dam is entirely in the in the Kosciusko National Park and has limited facilities, so if you are intending to check Tantangara Dam out for yourself then you need to ensure that you have everything you need (firewood, food, etc.) and ensure you take all your rubbish and leave the area clean for others to enjoy as well.
Access to the shoreline
There is limited access to the western shoreline via the Quarry Trail. This is a 4WD trail only and also has a closure period (June long weekend to the October long weekend). It takes you along the ridgeline of the western side of the dam and has a number of tracks that branch off it and take you down to the water. The track in general is in good condition, but does have a few low spots that can become treacherous if there has been recent rain, so take care.
On the other hand, the eastern side of the dam has better access due to the quality of the roads and trails that can be used. Pockets Saddle Road crosses the Murrumbidgee River below the dam wall and meanders high above the reservoir itself, taking you towards the top of the dam to the Port Phillip and Tantangara E trails, which lead to the shoreline of the waterway.
Again, care needs to be taken, particularly if there has been recent rain. Low lying areas can be very soft underfoot and you are a long way from anybody coming to help. Once on the shoreline it is generally firm and you can find yourself a prime location to have a fish.
If you continue along the Port Phillip Trail, you’ll find the dam trail. This leads down to where the Murrumbidgee River enters the waterway. This can be a prime fishing location and is a beautiful part of the dam.
Fishing
As mentioned, my first experience fishing Tantangara was a shocker. I had three very cold days there and didn’t even look like catching a fish. I remember thinking at the time that my mate Andy must have caught his 8lb trophy brown trout elsewhere and he was leading me down the garden path. That experience ensured that prior to this visit I did a little bit of investigation into the waterway and how it fishes. I discovered a few key things while doing this.
Firstly, Tantangara’s water levels are prone to quite a bit of fluctuation, particularly when it has large inflows. Earlier this year the rain event that provided many areas much needed drought relief also saw Tantangara reach 75% capacity – a level that I don’t ever remember seeing. Fishos rejoiced because the fish in the lake took full advantage of the freshly flooded areas and the abundance of food they provided. The fishing was exceptional and the fish were in great condition.
As quickly as the dam rose, water releases ensured it fell almost as quickly, and anglers who had experienced the highs now found the fishing very tough, and access to the shoreline treacherous. This is the extreme end of the dam’s water fluctuations, however it definitely pays to keep an eye on what the water levels are doing when planning a trip. Periods where the levels are stable or when a rise has occurred are prime times to head there. Quickly dropping levels are more than likely going to result in disappointment.
The other thing I found interesting was that I couldn’t find any record of the dam being stocked. Natural recruitment seems to be the only way the fish stocks replenish, so dry years around the brown and rainbow trout spawning periods will see gaps in the year classes of fish caught. This hasn’t been a problem in recent years, but it’s something to keep in mind. If it has been very dry, fish numbers will be down and the fishing more difficult.
On this trip the dam had been at 20% of its capacity for an extended period, and rain had ensured a great spawning season for the dam in 2016, so my and Andy’s expectations were high. As we were based at the northern end of the dam, our fishing exploits also began there. Our starting point was at the top end of Mosquito Creek.
Like most of the foreshore at Tantangara there are tracks leading to the water off the main trails. We took one of these once we crossed the creek on the Port Phillip Trail. Although the dam was only at 20%, there was still a lot of shoreline to fish from. In a situation like this, narrowing down where to start is very important.
We looked for areas with steeper banks leading into the water (deducing that deeper water would be along these banks), as there are lots of shallow areas all over the waterway and these deeper banks tend to be like highways for the trout, bringing them within casting distance. We then set about exploring the area on foot using the following methods.
Lures
My preferred style of lure to search new areas like we found at Tantangara are small diving minnows. Most major brands have a lure that is suitable to do this. They just need to be 3-5cm in length and run around 2-5ft deep. My preferred lures are either the Bullet Five-O minnow or the Rapala CD5 minnow (both also have 3cm versions). Both have great castability and a range of colours to suit most conditions and times of year.
Searching an area is not about standing in one place and blindly casting over and over again. It’s about taking a few steps between every few casts and getting a feel for what is under the water where you are casting. This is done by feeling what the lure is doing during the retrieve.
Holding the rod tip low to the water allows the lure to run at its maximum depth. If it’s constantly hitting the bottom then you need to lift the rod tip during the retrieve, so that it runs just above the bottom. If it hits the bottom/weed or structure halfway back and then stops hitting, I then cast again and lift the rod tip where I think it hit, so it just misses it and then lower it again. I am trying to keep the lure in the right zone for the maximum amount of time and in the process painting a mental picture of the area I am casting to.
Two to three casts in one spot are plenty, and you should then move a bit further. If I catch a fish or get a bite, I will have a few extra casts and always have a cast there again as I return back to my starting point, because if there is one then others are likely to be there too. A quick tip: if you are getting a lot of follows and no bites, put a few pauses and jerks into your retrieve. This will either fire the fish up or scare them off.
It would be remiss of me to say ‘ignore the large shallow areas of the dam.’ Plenty of fish can be found prospecting the shallows; it is just a matter of adjusting your lure choice to suit. Tassie Devils or spoon-style lures are ideal for this. They have plenty of weight so you can cast a long way, and I rig them with a Mustad inline single hook to reduce their snagability. Long casts and moving between each cast lets you check out large areas quite quickly.
Soft Plastics
Fishing for trout with soft plastics is very new to me and something I am keen to do more often, given the opportunity. Andy was the one who opened my eyes to it. You can fish a paddle-tail or curl-tail plastic using a very similar retrieve to a minnow lure with similar results. The advantage of using a plastic is that the single hook is a little more snag-proof.
I was surprised that Andy’s plastic of choice is a Berkley Gulp 3” Minnow. I am not surprised that Gulp works, just that this model requires the angler to create action when using it. Andy certainly did that and had great results using a strong whipping retrieve.
Bait
The beauty of the areas you try with lures is that they are also prime locations to soak a bait. Use a running sinker rig with the smallest sinker possible. The key is not necessarily casting as far away from you as you can, but more about putting your baits into those highway areas I spoke about earlier. Fish roam these areas looking for food, so there is every chance they will eat your bait.
Another thing to look for is rocks leading to and in the water. These are prime areas for insect larvae to hide, so the fish love hanging around them.
Most freshwater baits will work at Tantangara, from the humble tiger and garden worm to mudeyes, yabbies, bardi grubs and my favourite – the scrub worm. Brown trout don’t seem to be able to resist a scrub worm, and these baits have been the saviour for many anglers on a quiet trip.
PowerBait is a very popular and effective artificial bait. Rainbow trout for some reason will take PowerBait over the juiciest scrub worm you can find.
FlyFishing
I would love to say that I managed to get the long wand out and search the flats during the low light periods with wet flies, or target the numerous fish rising in the areas we fished with dry flies, but time simply didn’t allow me to. I am sure a fly angler would have had plenty of success, and the Murrumbidgee River also lends itself to fly angling.
Gear
As far as a rod and reel are concerned, a 1-3kg, 7ft graphite rod matched with a 1500 size reel is perfect for this type of fishing. Until this trip I had been a huge advocate for using 4lb braid and extra long 4-6lb leaders. I had, however, questioned whether the number of fish that I was jumping off justified the additional sensitivity that braid provides, so I set up an outfit with 3lb spinning fluorocarbon and found that I ended up using it for the majority of fishing. I did not jump a fish off and only missed a couple of hits, so I was convinced this was the way to go.
Be sure to pack warm clothing and wet weather gear, as the weather in the Snowy Mountains region can change very quickly. For example, when we arrived at the dam it was an overcast and warm day – by the time we got to our first fishing spot it was raining and (for this Queenslander) quite cold. A warm fire was definitely required that night and then it was shorts and t-shirt weather the next day.
I took neoprene waders with me and used them first up in the morning. Good footwear is a must for wandering the banks. They keep your feet dry and provide that bit of extra grip that your author didn’t have when he had a slip on what is a very slippery water’s edge. My runners were certainly not ideal.
Where to stay and camping
Camping is permitted on the foreshores of the dam as long as you are 100m from the waterline. There are no facilities and it is requested by all users that you remove all rubbish and ensure nothing is left behind. I wish to make a side note to all anglers and users of the Tantangara Dam, we found the remains of a campsite in which we removed two full bags of rubbish (mainly bottles and cans) and some burnt-out camp chairs. To the people who left this behind, you are not welcome to the area and I hope you do not return.
We stayed at Currango Homestead, which has a number of eco-friendly accommodation options (go to www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au and search for Currango Homestead) and there are also a couple of options at Providence Portal, which is only a short drive from the dam.
I will be back
My second experience of Tantangara Dam will not be my last. After two full days of casting we didn’t even get close to fishing all the areas we had intended, because where we did fish fished so well. We fished the foreshore either side of Mosquito Creek and also ventured down a couple of the tracks off the Quarry Trail. There is a very strong year class of fish around the 30-35cm mark that will provide some amazing fishing over the next few years. There were also enough bigger fish (up to 4lb) to keep things interesting and to test my 3lb main line.
We had another bumper snow season this year, so inflows should be good when the weather starts to warm. In my mind that can only mean the fishing will be good and I need to start organising my next trip to Tantangara Dam.
GREAT LURES TO TRY
Hardbodies
Rapala CD3
Rapala CD5
Bullet Minnow 3cm
Bullet Five-O Minnow
Geecrack Suguri 60
Zerek Tango Shad
Tassie Devils
Pegron Minnow
Soft Plastics
Strike Tiger 2” T-Tail and 3” Curl-Tail Grub
Berkley Gulp 3” minnow and 4” Nemesis Minnow
Zerek 3.5” Flat Shad
ACCOMMODATION
Currango Homestead – www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation/accommodation/currango-homestead
Cool Mountain Lodge (Providence Portal) – www.coolmountainlodge.com.au
Providence Holiday Park (Providence Portal) – www.providenceholidaypark.com.au