A small alpine lake near Kiandra in Kosciuszko National Park, open to trout fishing all year, with brook trout and rainbows and fish that rise into the evening.
Three Mile Dam is a small alpine lake in Kosciuszko National Park, listed with Kiandra as its nearest town, and the reason to drive up is a chance at a brook trout.
Think of it as a single piece of still water with no parts to choose between. The fishing classification covers the dam; the creeks around it, including nearby Eight Mile Creek, are separate waters you should check in the current NSW guide before you fish them.
The easiest trip is a summer evening from the bank for brook trout and rainbows. NSW DPIRD classes the lake as a general trout dam open to trout all year, which in practice means there is no closed trout season to plan around; bag, size and licence rules still come from the current NSW guide. Pick a site from the access card, set up on the shore with the breeze coming at you, and wait for the rise. Trout can be seen rising here into the evening.
Know before you go that many of those rising fish sit well beyond a cast from the bank. That is why the second trip is an early-season session in spring, working the margins with a slow wet fly while fish are still cruising the edges. In our experience that is the better bet for a first brook trout than chasing rings you cannot reach.
A cold-month visit is open to you under the classification. As with any high-country trip in winter, check the park’s current road and weather advice first, and keep it to the middle of the day.
In our experience a high lake like this earns its drive in summer, when the country lower down the range is hot.
Check the current NSW DPIRD freshwater guide, pick a site from the access card, and plan to be on the bank when the light starts to go.