It's great to see some water back in the system following the recent widespread rain events and what could only be described at best as a positive trend away from the drought scenes we have all experienced recently.
Let's hope it continues with some regularity. There is still a long way to go, dams and lakes to fill, along with crops to plant and animals to feed.
With the river systems recovering from sustained low levels, it is probably best to satisfy your angling urges at one of the stocked impoundments that occur along the West of the Great Divide.
A lot of these impoundments have great facilities and help make your visit all the more comfortable and enjoyable. For those of us that have spent a lot of our lives 'roughing it' under the stars, flushing toilets and a warm shower whilst camping is true luxury.
Some of the more established impoundments even have the equivalent of general stores that carry all differing sorts of supplies (including fishing gear) should you forget something. It always pays to ask about recent activity and on what lure. Usually these little outposts will have it in stock.
So popular and successful are some of these impoundments that some anglers have even resorted to blurring out the background of their fishing photo's on social media, so people don't reverse engineer the location and go to their 'spot' and steal their glory. It is a good reflection on the quality of fishing and how well the stocking programs have worked.
These impoundments play a crucial role in local economies and the recreational pursuits of the nearby towns that support them, which seems to be lost on a lot of the decision-makers who legislate their use.
If anyone needs reminding just what these impoundments mean for a region, just visit one during Easter or other public holidays.
With the fickle weather patterns we have here in Australia, let's hope some of those decision-makers realise the positive benefits these impoundments bring to all those around and below them, and then decide to build some more.
Keep an eye out on the Seven network MATE TV channel for our fishing shows. Just search Josh and Jamie in your TV guides.
If you have any questions, reports from your area or if you have some fish pics (and a brief story) that you would like to see here, drop Josh Smith and Jamie Condon a line at joshandjamiefishing@gmail.com or visit www.joshandjamiefishing.com.au
