Conditions
Saturday afternoon at the Thredbo Diggings camp ground. I started fishing around 3:30 p.m. and wrapped up by 4:45 p.m. I worked roughly 200 metres downstream from the wide, slow section near the campground, staying close to the bank on the inside of a bend. The river was running high and clear with a strong, swift current that made wading in the main flow impractical. Air temperature felt mild at about 10–14 °C with clear skies and steady sunshine. A light but persistent downstream wind pushed through the valley for most of the session.
Life Around Me
I did not spot any insects on the water and there was little sign of life in the riverside brush. No birds came through while I was on the water.
Fish Behaviour
There was no visible fish activity. I did not see trout cruising, rising, or holding in pockets. With the bright sun, fast water, and lack of insects, the fish likely stayed tucked out of the current in sheltered lies.
My Approach
I treated the hour as casting practice more than a serious attempt to find fish. From the inside of the bend I targeted the pressure waves in front of a few large boulders and the softer water in the eddies behind them. I fished a size 14 Parachute Adams and cast upstream and slightly across to my right. Brush on the bank caught my back cast several times, and I struggled to lift the line cleanly into the next cast.
Results
No fish sighted or contacted.
Reflections
I suspect I fished without any tippet material, so I need to check and rebuild that section of the leader before the next outing. I also want to work on picking the line and fly cleanly off the water to start a new cast. Finally, I noticed the fly line looping and snagging on the reel while winding in, likely because I was not maintaining enough tension; I need to figure out a better technique to keep the line spooled tight.