I remember my first taste of large-water, freshwater fishing, which was at the Hume Weir. I had been staying in a caravan park near Wodonga with a family, and I was invited to go fishing in a boat. It was like saltwater fishing in Port Phillip Bay, where I was taught to catch flathead. The rigs were the same: a two-cork rig with worms as bait.
We were on to redfin, and apart from the size, the fishing was the same.
I had not enjoyed redfin fishing like that since a trip to Nillahcootie in 1993 with my then-fishing mate Brett Wells, or as he was better known, Freddo.
The word getting back to me is that the Hume is again fishing as well, with redfin on the bite in great numbers.
The good thing about Hume is that, like Eildon, the variety of species that can be caught is the same: trophy-sized trout, yellowbelly and cod.
I also remember the Hume being one of the first large dams built in the region. It is one of the largest dams in our state.
There was a road that used to go over the retaining wall, and car racing used to be held on the surrounding road.
The next-biggest dam is Eildon, which is also fishing well.
Trout are starting to come on the bite as it cools down. The best spots for trout at Eildon are deep near the wall, the boat harbour and the river arms.
The best way to catch trout is to fish with a fender, trolling a lure or bait, as you would at Dartmouth.
For cod, at the river arms at Eildon, use deep-diving lures during the day or surface lures at dusk.
I like the waters near the former Fraser National Park for catching yellowbelly, particularly the structure and the rocks along the trees and banks. But I also like the river arms.
Redfin can always be caught among the tree line near Jamieson, Bonnie Doon, Peppin Point and the old concrete galleon near Peppin Point. But as they say, fish are where you find them — if you don’t have a line in the water, you can’t catch a fish.
Fishing in Dartmouth is improving as the temperature drops. I like Dartmouth; it is one of the nicest places to fish. Trolling a fender with bait or lure is a surefire way of catching a trout. The best time is at dawn, but they will become more active later in the day.
I mentioned Nillahcootie earlier; it was one of the best redfin spots. But the floods of 1992 took care of them. Following the flood, the redfin disappeared, but one thing led to another, and now it has a more yellowbelly and is still worth fishing.
Waranga Basin is also worth fishing at this time of year. Trout can be caught near the inlet channel, and minnow-style lures are good for them. Some redfin can still be caught near the water pumps at Harrimans, the kite flyers ramp and the old quarry.
You can also catch yellowbelly and a rare cod at the basin.
In and around Shepparton, Kialla Lakes, Victoria Park Lake and Craigmuir Lakes are worth a look, but they are only sometimes good places to catch fish.
The rivers are also worth fishing, the Murray, the Goulburn and the Broken, plus Broken Creek, Boosey Creek and Honeysuckle Creek, while yellowbelly and small cod are on the bite.
So now, as it cools down, get ready for the start of cray season; unlike yabbies, freshwater crayfish prefer cold water — yabbies prefer warm.
It’s time to get salty and go down south. Rod Lawn from Adamas Fishing Charters said saltwater fishing around Port Phillip Heads is as good as it has been for a long time, with snapper, whiting, flathead and others on the bite.
Rod said the only issue was seals, which were making things tough, taking fish as they were being caught.
Rod said fishing off Barwon Heads he was catching gummy sharks around the dive wrecks and blue-eye trevalla. Fishing in Western Port Bay, snapper were biting along the shipping lanes off Hastings, steel works and submarine.
Gummy sharks were also biting off San Remo and Cowes in the deep water.
North of the NSW border at Eden, John Liddell said stormy conditions were still affecting the fishing as far south as Green Cape and as far north as Boyd’s Lookout. He said there was only a little action off the shelf.
Further north at Narooma, Graham Cowley said that they, too, were facing stormy weather, and most fishing was being done onshore off Montague Island and inside the lake where there were bream and flathead.
Stay safe on the water and the roads and take care of flu and COVID-19.
Until next week, good fishing.