The question of where to fish is being raised because all spots are fishing so well. Eildon is the most popular because of the variety of fish and the number of locations. Cod, redfin, yellowbelly and trout are all being taken by anglers who spend time at Eildon. It is one of the region's most accessible waterways and can be fished from the bank or a boat. Eildon is close enough to Shepparton for a day trip, but is also great for camping or cabins, and there are a variety of eateries close by.
Even at low levels, there are plenty of boat ramps making boat launching easy. The Goulburn is also fishing well from Seymour to Shepparton, and also to the Murray. Fish the snags using bait such as chicken, cheese, worms and grubs, although the cost of grubs is pretty steep. As the weather cools, shrimp and yabbies are becoming harder to locate as bait; they are the best bait to use for redfin, which are on the go at Eildon as well as at Waranga Basin. I saw on the news recently that redfin at Lake Hume were infected with some form of virus which caused lesions on their skin, and it was being recommended that they not be handled or consumed. While this report applied only to fish from Lake Hume, I would be keeping a close eye on all redfin if I were you, and if you have any doubts, report them to the fisheries inspectors. Contact numbers are available from your tackle shop. There is still no sign of the wattle blooming, which means no start to the yellowbelly season, bit it is getting closer. Some trees are starting to show a slight yellow tinge, so here's hoping.
My old rod-making fishing friend, the late Bob Darley, always said the yellowbelly came on the bite when the wattle bloomed. Let's talk about trout; they are starting to become active as the weather cools. With trout becoming more active, breeding is high on their list of activities and so is feeding — it takes a lot of energy to make little trout, so plenty of tucker is a must. Trout will feed on just about anything that swims or wiggles, but by far the most successful bait is the good old ever-reliable worm — either a big fat scrub worm or a bunch of garden worms. If you can thread it on a hook you will catch a trout. Of course mudeye, grasshopper, nymph, yabby, lures and shrimp all work — but worms never fail. Lake Dartmouth is a mecca for trout, and with the late autumn weather is it a very pleasant place to fish. There is a selection of accommodation to choose from, as it is just too far for day tripping, and camping is an option that I have also enjoyed. Be warned, you will need plenty of warm clothing. It does get cold, and frost and ice are common; I have even seen snow there. You can catch trout at Eildon, Lake Buffalo and in rivers such as the upper Goulburn, Ovens and Kiewa to name a few, in fact just about any waterway in the north-east. Trout are also common in Waranga Basin during winter and even in the Eastern channel. Heading south for some saltwater action, and Rod Lawn from Adamas fishing charters at Queenscliff is still reporting snapper biting both in the bay as well as offshore. He said the inshore reefs around Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove as well as Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean all have schools of resident snapper, and flathead were also biting along the sandy bottom between the reefs. Other action was in the rip on the run-out tide, with schools of salmon feeding on bait, fish and schools of krill. He said when in a feeding mood, salmon would take anything thrown at them — including occy lures, saltwater flies and hard-body minnow-style lures. It is, however, best to use a single hook and not a treble. Things are hotting up at Western Port, with the resident snapper providing anglers with some nice pinky fish among the edge of the shipping lanes. Fresh salmon or squid is the best bait, even whole pilchards will work — but be warned, they are easy for smaller fish to pick clean.
Some gummy shark are on the bite in the deep water off Phillip Island. North of the border at Eden, John Liddell said the fishing was still mainly on the inshore reefs with all the usual suspects providing all the action — snapper, morwong, flathead, gurnard and kingfish. Best spots were around Green Cape and Boyd's Lookout.
Mark from Freedom Charters said there was interest growing in yellowfin tuna, and as soon as the water temperatures were right he would be heading offshore. Further up the coast at Narooma, Graham Cowley said it was a similar story in his region, and most action was around the reefs near Montague Island. Graham reported some tuna action near Batemans Bay, it was yet to move south to his region. There has been another COVID-19 outbreak in our state as well as interstate — it is still not time to let out guard down. Keep taking precautions and stay safe; and most of all, good fishing.
The underdog rises above
Wasagi Gold lure
Under $10
Trelly has to have gear to fish the whole year round, and this is one that is often overlooked.
“Just because it's cheap, doesn't mean it won't work as well as more expensive ones,” Trelly said.
“This is a shallow diver and one of the best barra lures made. It is a bargain, but it can be used any time of the year.”
Cast Away fishing line
$89 for 200 m
Trelly says this is simply one of the best braid fishing lines on the market. Japanese Cast Away PE 8 carrier casting braid is super-thin and will help you cast a mile. Sure, Trelly is a fisherman, but he doesn't exaggerate.
This line is ideal for all types of fishing but particularly good for finicky fish and getting down deep when trolling.
“It isn't cheap, but it won't disappoint,” Trelly said.
