Your Outdoor Store - Cooma

25/10/2026

16/10/2026

Open fishing season in the snowy mountains!

What an amazing start to the 26/27 nsw river season! I think it’s fair to say that it might have been one of the best openings I’ve seen in a few years. Plenty of fish around including in places that anglers were concerned about regarding the damage the cormorants had possibly done coinciding with low mountain stream levels.

It’s amazing how our wild trout streams can bounce back.

The last couple weeks as mentioned have been fantastic. The only real challenges for myself have been after rains, we have had a couple decent but isolated cells pass over. So some catchments will differ in flows, trying to find the most settled rivers was key to a successful session and having adaptable approaches.

Some catchments really welcomed the rain and fired things up. I encourage you to get out in any weather as you won’t catch em on the couch!

The bugs have been fast tracked with the early spring weather and the fish are rising well!

Lakes

Eucumbene remains pretty slow though there’s still the odd good fish about if you're willing to grind it out off the bank. Trollers and bait fishos are getting mixed results from day to day. I think as per my last report things should only improve from here.

Jindabyne has been high and stable for a month now and the fish are still in close and can still be Polaroided in high numbers.

Though they are very challenging targets. Absolute stealth and a well set trap is what’s required to bring them undone. This can be done with bait,lure and fly.

Tantangara isn’t fishing too bad considering it’s at 9 percent with plenty of small rainbows and respectable browns being caught in recent weeks on all methods. Wild weather days seem to be the better conditions to target these Tantangara wild trout.

Tips.

The first month of the trout river season is always busy. Don’t let that deter you from going out. If you see someone at your chosen fishing location practice good etiquette. Talk to each other and make plans so you have un-fished fished water and you all can have a pleasant experience. That is why we fish and there’s plenty of water for all.

In bad weather events where rivers are blown out a dam wall can be your friend. Try fishing dam affected rivers with minimal flows. These places welcome extra riverside run off and provide a great comfortable opinion. Or even consider the lakes.

For the fly fishers… keep them eyes peeled focusing on the aquatic insect hatches. There’s been big overlaps of mayfly midge and caddis. When you have located a rising fish observe it. And watch closely at what it’s feeding on.

My observations is that mayfly rule over all and clearly the preferred food item at present. The stage? The species? That differs from each fish!

Ash

04/10/2026

Welcome to the opening of the 26-27 Trout Season opening in NSW .
Here in the Snowy Mountains we have some of the best water in the State to catch Trout .
All the rivers and streams are open now as well as our famous impoundments .
The rivers are low due to the lack of water during winter but they still hold fish , when fishing these streams I encourage catch and release . All spinning lures like small Rapalas and Bladed spinners like Celtas will work just fine on a light weight spin outfit .
As far as fly fishing goes a light 4-5 weight rod with and Emerger or Dry fly coupled with a Nymph on a dropper will get fish .
As well as small Wet flies swung down and accross the current .
The Lakes are picking up as the water rises over grass and shorelines , Browns can be seen cruising on Bluebird days , these can be ambushed on Fly or Lure .
Powerbait and Worms cast out on a light spin outfit and set will get you a fish , no more the two attended rods per angler .
Spin fishing with Soft Plastics such as Atomic Yabby patterns are very successful , as well as Hardbodies again Atomic or Rapalas .
Flyfishing shorelines or casting from the boat with and intermediate or sink tip line with large woolly buggers with get you fish , 8-10 ft level leader will aid turnover on the cast . Weighted buggers on a floating line will also work with a countdown approach .
All this tackle can be purchased from Cooma Outdoor Store .
If you need guiding contact me via my website
www.thetroutfitguiding.com
Or 0419682436
We can do Trolling packages as well as Fly and Spinning .
We have two boats in full survey to take you out on the Lakes for a great day on the water .
Cheers Mick Couvée owner operator Troutfitguiding .
https://www.thetroutfitguiding.com/

03/10/2026

Hey Fun Lovers,

What a magic weekend for the opening of the high country trout rivers. We are open all weekend. Drop in and say 👋

We have a word of advice from Mick at

The massive Bogon Moth migration is on , this phenomenon is also making Trout look up at Moth Dry Flies on the Lakes and the Rivers that are opening this weekend .
Tight lines. Mick. 🐟

29/09/2026

Hey Fun Lovers,
Excited much? Long Weekend, bring it on. Drop in and check out our fishing, camping, cooking and everything else gear. All of our quality flys are $2ea. Cheap as chips



Www.youroutdoorstore.com.au

16/09/2026

Hey Fun Lovers,

There have been a few sneaky additions to the store. Check em out!



https://youroutdoorstore.com.au/search?q=Dog+gun

14/09/2026

Hey Fun Lovers,
We apologise for some technical errors last report, we will get our act together 😉

Lake levels
Tantangara 22.28%
Jindabyne 71.31%
Eucumbene 38.1%

Rivers
We have had some very welcome rainfall recently across the Snowy Monaro. All the Mountains streams are blown out and giving the rivers a good flush and giving good passage for the last of the lake run rainbows. Something we have missed out on coinciding with the opening. I’m hopeful there will be fish holding up in the mountain streams for the opening and as the rivers settle provide some great spot and comfortable fishing. While dam affected catchments are also getting a flush from spills could be a good option if rivers are still fast. It’s all looking rather positive in our region at the moment. I look forward to providing regular updates over the season!

Hope you’re all as pumped as me! Need any help? Don’t be shy to enquire.

Ashley Allen

Crazy trout hunter outfitters.