Caught out as river rises..

Tasmania Fishing Reports
User avatar
meppstas
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:32 pm
Location: Sheffield, Tasmania
Has liked: 903 times
Likes received: 444 times

Caught out as river rises..

Post by meppstas » Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:44 pm

I got caught out when the river rose by 150 mms (6") in reasonably quick time this morning.. I checked the river level before I left home and found it was running at 55 cms, perfect wading height for fishing the upper fast waters of the Meander River. The spin session started off fine with five trout caught and released from nine hooks, then it all went backwards when they let water out of Huntsman's Lake. The river rose and I was caught out with the rise, too make it worse I was on the left side of the river where there was no way out due to it being natural thick scrub. The right hand side was deep water with ten feet high river banks so couldn't get out there either. Thankfully I know this river like the back of my hand, I had to continue upstream sticking to the left hand side of the river for around 120 meters or so, then slowly make my way across to the opposite river bank where I knew I could get out. Once I reached the opposite river bank I wondered what the outcome may have been had I not known this river like I did or been a inexperience river fisher. A six inch rise in water level doesn't sound much, bit I can tell you now, when fishing fast water like the upper reaches, it's quite a lot especially when I is knee deep in some areas and just below the waist in others.

** PS: ** video of the spin session below..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkoSBxqktPg&t=288s

cheers
Adrian
'' Brand Ambassador for Mepps Lures in Australia '' Tackle Tactics, Okuma, Mepps & Platypus lines Pro Team Member

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClk58e ... m8yelCSKCw

User avatar
hornet
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Thu Jan 30, 2014 7:55 am
Location: Melbourne
Has liked: 123 times
Likes received: 258 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by hornet » Wed Mar 24, 2021 9:47 pm

An inflatable life jacket may be a wise investment...could be the difference between coming home or not.
He who has the most fishing rods WINS ! :ts:

User avatar
Sebb
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 3:30 pm
Has liked: 3001 times
Likes received: 1576 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by Sebb » Wed Mar 24, 2021 10:11 pm

Oh wow, thank God you're okay. Sounds like it could be very dangerous.
Is it normal for them to open the gate so quickly like that? And assuming during day time, where very possible people can get caught.
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

User avatar
Tim399
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 10:05 am
Has liked: 251 times
Likes received: 154 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by Tim399 » Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:39 am

meppstas wrote:
Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:44 pm
I got caught out when the river rose by 150 mms (6") in reasonably quick time this morning.. I checked the river level before I left home and found it was running at 55 cms, perfect wading height for fishing the upper fast waters of the Meander River. The spin session started off fine with five trout caught and released from nine hooks, then it all went backwards when they let water out of Huntsman's Lake. The river rose and I was caught out with the rise, too make it worse I was on the left side of the river where there was no way out due to it being natural thick scrub. The right hand side was deep water with ten feet high river banks so couldn't get out there either. Thankfully I know this river like the back of my hand, I had to continue upstream sticking to the left hand side of the river for around 120 meters or so, then slowly make my way across to the opposite river bank where I knew I could get out. Once I reached the opposite river bank I wondered what the outcome may have been had I not known this river like I did or been a inexperience river fisher. A six inch rise in water level doesn't sound much, bit I can tell you now, when fishing fast water like the upper reaches, it's quite a lot especially when I is knee deep in some areas and just below the waist in others.

** PS: ** video of the spin session below..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkoSBxqktPg&t=288s

cheers
Adrian
Glad you’re ok Adrian, and lucky you had the knowledge to quickly make an exit plan. That would’ve had the heart going for sure. I was fishing, wading the north esk briefly on Tuesday when the showers started, but stuck close to the entry point since I didn’t know how the rivers in the area react to rainfall. Decided to make a safety call and not to fish yesterday with the consistent showers all day, not knowing the rivers and being solo. You Tasmanian’s have amazing waters to fish that’s for sure!

User avatar
meppstas
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:32 pm
Location: Sheffield, Tasmania
Has liked: 903 times
Likes received: 444 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by meppstas » Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:23 pm

Thanks guys, I'm taking this further with the Inland Fisheries seeing as they have Anglers Access entry points on this river & many other rivers across the state. I went through the IFS angler access brochures and there's really no warning about rising water from Hydro or irrigation dams. There's no warning signs at all on this river. I know the upper reaches of the Mersey River below lake Parangana used to have a couple of warning signs below the dam wall. I knew I would be okay here as I fish this river on a regular basis, the upper reaches I fish are the closest to the Huntmans Dam so the first lot of water that's released is always the worst. Once you're down a kilometre or so it's not all that bad and there's plenty of open area to get out. I'm more concerned about what may happen to those who don't have the experience of fast water fishing the rivers that have a regulated flow on them.
Tim399, it's a good thing you didn't head back to the South Esk as it rises very fast from heavy rainfall, the Sth Esk at Fingal hit the 6 meter mark & over 5 meters at Avoca.
cheers
Adrian..
'' Brand Ambassador for Mepps Lures in Australia '' Tackle Tactics, Okuma, Mepps & Platypus lines Pro Team Member

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClk58e ... m8yelCSKCw

User avatar
Tim399
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 10:05 am
Has liked: 251 times
Likes received: 154 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by Tim399 » Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:33 pm

You are onto something good with the signage, it could save the life of anyone that is not familiar with the water system. It seems to be human nature (or at least the culture of recent generations), to be too excited to fish the water in front of them rather than read a sign, but a simple warning at a car park/entry point could be the difference between someone returning home or not.

User avatar
meppstas
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:32 pm
Location: Sheffield, Tasmania
Has liked: 903 times
Likes received: 444 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by meppstas » Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:36 pm

Sebb wrote:
Wed Mar 24, 2021 10:11 pm
Oh wow, thank God you're okay. Sounds like it could be very dangerous.
Is it normal for them to open the gate so quickly like that? And assuming during day time, where very possible people can get caught.
All good Sebb, I'm not ready to float away yet, still have a few more years left in me.. :-D This river has a small Hydro Turbine on it but the lake mainly used for irrigation purposes, they can open it at any time of the day or night..It's all remotely done from Taswater as far as I know.. Had I been there the day before it would have been fine as the river sat on 55 cms all day. I fish the lower reaches of fast water when it's running at 70 cms and it's not a problem, one still has to take it slow and easy at that height, it's just this long two kilometre rocky stretch of water below the dam that one can get caught out.. the picture below is cut out of the Angler Access brochure where the IFS have added a new access to the river below the dam..
I still think a 10-15 minute warning siren should be installed..
cheers
Adrian..
Meander River. 01.jpg
Section of the Angler Access Area below the dam..
'' Brand Ambassador for Mepps Lures in Australia '' Tackle Tactics, Okuma, Mepps & Platypus lines Pro Team Member

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClk58e ... m8yelCSKCw

Lightningx
Bluefin
Bluefin
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:21 pm
Has liked: 72 times
Likes received: 976 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by Lightningx » Thu Mar 25, 2021 4:15 pm

Glad you’re ok mate!
Like you said, lucky you knew the river very well.

Charles7
Rank: Cephalopod
Rank: Cephalopod
Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2018 5:59 pm
Has liked: 98 times
Likes received: 102 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by Charles7 » Fri Mar 26, 2021 2:49 pm

This isn't a danger I'd ever associated with fishing before. Being a pretty weak swimmer I would've been very, very nervous if I were in your position.

User avatar
Sebb
Rank: Premium Member
Rank: Premium Member
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2016 3:30 pm
Has liked: 3001 times
Likes received: 1576 times

Re: Caught out as river rises..

Post by Sebb » Sat Mar 27, 2021 10:38 am

Goulburn river below the dam here in Vic constantly opening and closing. A lot of peoppe wading and fishing there. I too have been there many times and never thought of that.
Imagine in the drink in fast water, wader full of water, etc.
------------------------------
A fish is a fish :ft:
No fish is worth a life, stay safe

Post Reply

Return to “Tasmania”