We’re less than four weeks away from the start of cod season, but if you’re eager to catch one now, head to Lake Eildon.
It is still legal to catch and keep cod from the lake, but all the usual size and bag limits apply.
Some large cod have been caught in Eildon — fish over a metre are not uncommon.
However, one rule of thumb applies: big fish need big bait, so keep that in mind.
The best places to fish at Eildon are the river arms, the wall and the harbour.
While you may catch a cod over a metre, the maximum size you’re allowed to keep is 75cm.
This limit applies to cod caught in rivers and other waterways in both Victoria and NSW.
Fishing in Eildon calls for several methods.
For redfin, you need to fish among the trees with either a jig or bait.
Fish in about five to 10 metres of water; drop your bait or lure straight down until you get a bite.
If there are no bites within 15 minutes, move to another tree.
Keep doing this until you catch fish.
Redfin gather in schools of similar size, so don’t be too eager to reel in a catch.
When you hook one fish, you may catch two or three more, so have a baited line ready to drop on a hook-up, and you can turn one into several.
Fishing for trout is different.
I like to troll a fender trailing a bait or lure.
Be prepared to cover a large area to get results.
You will mainly catch one fish per hook-up, as trout are generally long feeders.
The best results are around creek beds or other structures, such as ledges or large snags.
Another spot to try is Dartmouth Dam.
It is a haven for trout, and at this time of year, timing is most important.
The trout will tend to descend into the cool water in the deep, so fishing is best from first light until mid-morning.
After that time, you will need to fish deeper, using paravanes, sinkers or other methods to get your hook into deeper water.
But don't despair; you can also fish the rivers and streams for trout.
They are not only a great table fish, but a great sporting fish, too, especially on light gear.
You can fish for trout with a wide range of methods, angling baits such as worms, mudeye, grasshoppers, black crickets, yabbies, as well as spinners, minnow-style hard body lures, as well as soft plastics and fly-fishing.
Personally, I like bait casting and using hard body lures, but that is just my preference; sometimes I like to suspend a bait under a float.
Now it’s time to go saltwater fishing, and according to Rod Lawn at Adamas Fishing Charters in Queenscliff, it is snapper time.
Rod said that from now until mid-December, the bigger fish should be on the bite from outside the heads right up the bay to Altona and especially around Mornington.
He said snapper up to 10kg could be caught.
Rod said he was also catching whiting, salmon, flathead and couta, and there were also signs of early kingfish.
Rod maintains that Queenscliff, both inside the heads and outside, is one of the best fisheries in the state, given the good variety of species and the size of the fish.
He said that while Western Port was also producing snapper, it was not as good as Queenscliff.
Meanwhile, north of the NSW border at Eden, John Liddell, fresh from winning a nine-hole golf tournament, said that after the beginning of a ban on the use of fish traps around Eden, there was an increase in the number of large boats netting the region.
John said that not only were the bigger fish being taken, the smaller ones were dying even after being tossed back.
North of Eden at Narooma, Graham Cowley said a lot of good-sized flathead, as well as kingfish and other table fish, were being caught around Montague Island.
Down south at Flinders Island, James Luddington said big flathead and gummy shark were being caught around Lady Barron.
Well, stay water, road and snake safe — and good fishing.