Two of New South Wales's best-known freshwater lakes were built in the late 1950s. Lake Jindabyne filled the valley of the Snowy River, and some 40km distant, Lake Eucumbene arose from the Eucumbene River.

The original townships were situated right on the riverbanks, and the locals were relocated to where the new towns stand once the dams were filled. At very low water levels, the remnants of the original townships are visible above the waterline.

The damming of the Snowy River spelt its end, and it has had little flow since - definitely not enough to sustain a decent recreational fishery. In recent times, the NSW Government pledged to revive the Snowy River to its former glory (or as near to it as possible), and to this end it has retained a higher level in Lake Jindabyne to feed water down the Snowy. Considering the intensity of the drought in 2003, the government no doubt wished it had kept its mouth shut!

Even this area - perched so high in the Alps - has been at the wrong end of Mother Nature's big stick. The drought turned the Alps into a tinderbox, and the pre-ski-season fires devastated much of the countryside and no doubt the wildlife therein. Estimates of 60,000 kangaroos perishing in the fires are a bit mind-boggling, especially when one sees how many are lying on the roads as roadkill.

It pays to keep your eyes peeled when driving at night. The roos are big scrubbers and the wombats are hard to see, too, and are fast on foot coming from the roadside vegetation. These creatures are capable of taking out the front end of your car, and if you're unlucky enough to have one exit the rear, you can say goodbye to your boat-trailer axle!

LIE OF THE LAND
I fished both lakes right at the end of the snow season in mid-October and experienced typical weather for this time of the year - unpredictable. Cool, crisp mornings on the water, and by 10am the winter woollies are usually peeled off. Plenty of sunblock protection is the order of the day in this area. While a day might be overcast, there is very little dust in the air at 1000m above sea level to filter the UV, and you will easily burn.

After enjoying two days of the sort of sunny weather you'd kill for down south, it turned to mud on the third with sleet, 60kmh winds and snow that melted as it landed. The waves in these big lakes are dangerous to even larger boats. If caught out on the lake a long way from the ramp, there are usually plenty of coves and bays that will provide enough shelter to limp home.

The trailerboat launch areas are good quality with ample parking. Lake Eucumbene's water level was very low due to the drought - but even so, the launch area was hard and suitable for normal sedans. There is cabin accommodation at Buckenderra, which is a holiday lodge with peripheral services on the high ground, including restaurants for those not doing their own thing in self-contained cabins. Fuel and groceries are also available here.

APPLES AND ORANGES
The landscape of Eucumbene is aeons away from that of Jindabyne. Eucumbene sports massive boulders piled into heaps around its edges and throughout the water - remnants of a glacial ice-age. It is those in the middle that you have to watch out for, and while marker buoys indicate shallow water, it's a general warning for that area, and rocks may be encountered 100m away from them.

Lake Jindabyne was near its capacity at the time of writing, and small-boat launching could be done anywhere there was access to the water. One of the good points about Jindabyne is that the township lines its shores.

The Snowline Caravan Park not far from the town centre has shore frontage for tying up boats overnight, and it has neat and clean self-contained cabins. The concreted public boat ramp is next door, and a service station, tackle shop, bar and restaurant is just behind the tourist park.

Just as the seasons vary, so does the fishing - and consequenty, you have to employ different techniques and strategies to get the job done.

SUMMER OPTIONS
Hot, bright, cloud-free days drive fish to the cool depths. The surface temperatures could easily maintain a barramundi population, so fishing deep during the day is imperative. Although the warmer months encourage a larger population of insect life, salmonoids will not rise to the occasion unless it is dawn or dusk. Deep-diving lures are needed, and even then you'd be wise to invest in a downrigger.

Diligent use of your fishfinder is also a prerequisite to finding the thermoclines around which trout tend to congregate. From there, it's a short mathematical equation, and your lure will be going past their open mouths!

Summer months can be frustrating for the lure-only angler, so if you're not averse to a bit of baitfishing, mudeyes can bring these fish undone when nothing else will. Towed behind a cowbell teaser and lowered on a downrigger, you can easily bag out while others swear and curse. Small, soft plastics such as Squidgees are also worth jigging down into the depths, as well as behind cowbells or off a downrigger.

WINTER WARMERS
This is the busy time of year on the roads with tourists pouring into the region to ski at Thredbo and other venues. If contemplating a trip during the snow-season months, book accommodation around these lakes well ahead or you might be left out in the cold.

The waters are so much cooler during this time and you will be able to polaroid fish on the surface and along the edges. Wet flies are the go for the daylight hours, and if there is any insect hatch, try some dries along the margins.

The lakes will be at their lowest levels in the winter months, awaiting the snowmelt that will have them peaking around November and December. It's all downhill from there. Don't discount thermoclines in winter, as they will still hold fish and the food they are chasing.

Being a seven-hour drive from both Sydney and Melbourne in the summer months, the Alps are a good long-weekend getaway for the trailerboat fishing family. Coming into this area during the winter months, especially via the mountains at Thredbo, drivers are advised to check road weather alerts for ice and snow on the road and carry chains if need be.

The trout and salmon out of these cold waters have a clean, fresh taste and eat well when cooked in a portable smoker. Stow one in your boat and be rewarded many times over.