Waranga Basin not one to be missed

It's time to think about indulging in the great outdoors, admittedly we will be aiming for yellowbelly as the cod season is now closed.

But who cares - it will be fishing and that can’t be a bad thing.

If you have some small yabbies, much the better, but a bunch of worms can be just as good.

The river is still dirty so bait will be the way to go, but don’t discount the effectiveness of using a lure; a jackal style with a rattle in it will work well for yellowbelly; if you do hook a cod it must be released.

Waranga Basin is fishing well and by all reports redfin are still on the chew.

Bait or lures are working well and a hard body diving lure with red on it will get results if bounced along the bottom.

Most fish are small but there is an occasional bigger fish being caught.

Here is a tip: if you hook up do not be in a hurry to reel in. Instead drop a second line down. Redfin gather in schools and you may be able to turn one fish into two.

This time of year you may also find yellowbelly and an occasional trout while fishing the basin.

The trout seem to be around the inlet channel while the yellowbelly gather around structure.

The best spots are around the island, the deeper water near the kite flyers, the back of Harrimans Point, and the old quarry.

But fish are where you find them, so keep in mind that if nothing is happening at one spot then move to another.

Lake Eildon is also worth fishing. And as an added bonus you are still permitted to keep cod if you catch one. And anglers using large deep diving lures are getting results fishing the river arms and also in front of the wall; the Big River, Delatite and Jamieson Arms, as well as the Fraser National Park are all worth a try.

Redfin are biting and fishing the tree line with worms or small yabbies working; you will need to get your bait down around six or seven meters and if there is no result, move to another tree. Repeat this until fish are found.

Trout are also biting but as the weather warns up, the best time to fish for them is early morning and on dusk, trolling a fender with a bait or lure trailing behind.

It is always a sure-fire way of getting results. A clown pattern Tassie devil or a hard body lure in a rainbow trout colour works well, while it is hard to go past a bunch of worms for a bait. No self-respecting trout will give up an opportunity for a feed of worms.

Fish reports from the Goulburn around Nagambie and Arcadia have been patchy, and yellowbelly seem to be active.

Anglers fishing vibes around the outflow from the lake say they are getting some nice fish casting around the snags.

Reports from the irrigation channels have been negative while I have heard that the Broken River around Gowangardie Weir and the lawn cemetery have been reasonable; surface lures seem to be getting best results.

Rivers and streams in the region were re-opened for trout fishing last weekend and so far reports have been slow in reaching me, however the top end of the Ovens around Harrietville is worth a try.

It is reasonably accessible but is flowing a little fast due to the snow melt. Lures are not getting mush interest but bait such as a scrub work or mudeye cast to a likely hole is doing the job.

You won't catch any trophy size fish but pan size is still worthwhile as far as I am concerned.

I have left out the Murray River because of the border closure and we are still not allowed to fish from a boat.

Fishing from the bank for yellowbelly is about all you can do until the closure is lifted. That won't happen any time soon. I had hoped for good news last weekend but we will have to wait another week before there is any hope of a change for the better.

So keep up the good work, wearing your face masks, keeping your hands clean with constant washing and sanitising, social distance and stay home as much as possible.

We are still under stage three COVID-19 restrictions, now is not the time to relax our efforts and hopefully we will receive positive news next weekend.