Trout number 700 for the 2015/16 season caught today. 7/4/2016

Only needing two more trout to reach my target of 700 before the end of the 2015/16 season I headed off to the Mersey River at 4.00pm to see if I could pick up the two required fish. I had three sections of river already picked out that I thought would give up the fish that I needed. I was certain that if one section didn't then one or both of the others would. There was a strong gusty Westerly wind blowing with plenty of cloud about as well. I started off with the black fury (black blade) as I wanted to reach the 700 on the Mepps black fury seeing as these spinners have caught around 95% of my catch this season. They've also done this over the past 50 plus years of my trout fishing as well.

I wandered off through the bush for just on 100 meters before I was in the river having my first cast upstream into a section of river that split into two sections. The first cast was okay, but on the retrieve the spinner became snagged on a small twig under the water. Being shallow it was easy to reach and release it. The next cast no sooner hit the fast water and it was taken by a decent size brown that put up one full on battle all the way to the landing net. This was a well conditioned 560gm brown which was soon released after a quick photo. It was now onto the next section of choice which was a small narrow and shallow (150mms) fast water. Here it only took three casts before a nice rainbow took the little black fury and then darted off downstream. I don't normally worry about dropping a fish or two during a session, but when it counts as an important milestone it does.
This 'bow wasn't giving up without a fight that's for sure as it made several leaps from the river throwing itself every which way trying to toss the spinner. Finally it tired and I had it in the net, number 700 for the 2015/16 season was landed. It was a beautiful solid 450gm rainbow. Which like the brown was soon back in the river after a photo. One more section to fish before I call it a day.

The third section I'm fishing is a 100 meter stretch of fast water which normally gives up a fish or two, I feel it will do that again today. It did take some time before I picked up my third fish for the session, it was another nice rainbow. Not as large as the one caught earlier, but it was a solid and well conditioned 410 gm fish. I was near the end of this fast water stretch when I was onto another rainbow. This one was smaller than the last one but I lost it just before I could slip the net under it. It gave one more head shake and was gone. I had fished the three sections of choice and finished with the result I wanted. It was now 5.20pm and time to head back to the car.

Cheers
Adrian

Solid 560gm brown caught here Mersey River

700th trout caught in this small fast water Mersey River

Trout No 699 for the 2015 16 season Mersey River

Finally trout No 700 is in the net Mersey River