The Harper River

The question was "do you want to go fishing tomorrow from a kayak on a couple of high country lakes?".

Since it involved sitting down rather than adding to the 75km of tramping I've just done, I said yes.

This Harper business is not to be confused with the Harper Pass I've just tramped. I'm sure the naming is related to same early European explorer Mr Harper. The Harper River pictured here flows into Lake Coleridge.

Definitely view large

My mate and I fished the head of Lake Coleridge where the Harper diversion enters the lake. We mostly trolled spinning lures behind us with fishing rods in rod holders.

Lake Coleridge is glacier fed and on a sunny day is a brilliant aqua colour. Just glorious and so much better than being in busy old easterly blown town. But the wind got up on the lake, not the nor'west but a stiff easterly blowing up the lake.

That's ok, we moved onto Lake Selfe. Lake Salfe is probably the most beautiful of all the small lakes in the area. It was less wind affected and a better choice for the afternoon.

Just the odd bird song, the rhythmic dipping of my paddle, sun and breeze. The body and soul wanted for nothing else.

Not a single fish was harmed and it didn't matter. Just being there was enough.