​It’s always a great moment at Millbrook when the lakes fill and spill. As that’s happened a lot in the last few years, it’s easy to assume we can take that for granted. But not so. In recent decades, some of Millbrook’s best lakes have become perilously low on the back of successive dry years (remember the aptly named ‘Noughties’?) True, even in the worst years, we’ve always had good fishing somewhere, but it’s fantastic when every lake is brimming. Not only does that guarantee water for this season, it covers next season as well. (Once full, most of our lakes can provide at least 18 months good fishing, even if – heaven forbid – the tap was turned off tomorrow.)      
 
Well, today’s the day. After a pretty good year anyway, in the last 24 hours, August up here has shot past its long-term average on the back of 35mm of rain in the last 24 hours. This was the run-off downpour we’ve been waiting for, the one when heavy rain falls on already-saturated catchments. As Mark says, this is when we’re reminded why we go to the trouble of putting trout-proof screens on lake outflows!
 
Besides water security, these big inflows/ outflows also help water quality by, if you like, flushing the lakes (changing the old water over with new). Meanwhile, lake water which floods revegetated ‘new ground’, not only gives the trout an initial food boost through all the drowning worms, grubs, ants, beetles etc., the subsequent rotting vegetation is much appreciated by aquatic insects and midge in particular, which really boom on this flooded bounty. (Yum, rotting grass!)
 
So, it might have been snowy, icy and wet over the last few days, but at Millbrook, we’re smiling from ear to ear!          

Well, just as Millbrook bookings were booming in mid July, that nasty little virus shut us down for a second time. As we write, we can fish personally for recreation and exercise, but we can’t guide or offer accommodation.

And we hate to say it when there’s only the guides to take advantage, but the actual fishing has been really good! Yes, there’s been the inevitable winter blizzards and quite a lot of rain, but the former haven’t lasted for more than a day or two, and the latter has been steadily adding to lake levels. All other things being equal, trout like rising water, and Millbrook’s trout have been as active as you might expect. Midging trout have been the big deal, but there have been tailers too, and excellent polaroiding.
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Meanwhile the wattle is blooming everywhere, daffodils are flowering, mayfly nymphs are writhing by the handful under the rocks, and there’s just a little less edge to the cold. It’s going to be a cracking spring; let’s hope you can come up soon and enjoy it with us!