Reel Life

By Kevin Tyler

Jun 9, 2022

Rug up warm: The elements aren’t co-operating. Photo by Megan Fisher

In the past you would wear jackets, jumpers and fleece-lined clothing to cope with the weather we have been experiencing in the first week of winter this year, but fortunately technology has stepped in and today’s winter gear is much lighter and more comfortable — just like what you would wear going to the snow.

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Yes, we can keep warmer and dry while we fish this time of year, but you still must find the fish, and so far this week our down-filled clothing has been any help on that front.

Those I have spoken to said it had been a poor week for results.

The only exception has been trout imported from cold climate countries. They have become more active, and fishing Dartmouth, Eildon and the High Country for them has been worth the effort. Usually during the warmer months, the trout would be restricted to the early hours of the day from sunrise to 9am, then late afternoon until sunset.

Now the chill in the air means you can fish for trout just about all day.

Trolling a Ford Fender trailing either bait worms, mudeye or a lure is getting good results, and you can keep warm and dry while you fish.

This method works well at both Dartmouth and Eildon — both rainbow and brown trout will take the bait, so to speak.

With recent rain, the level and flow in the rivers and streams in the north-east make them off limits.

As far as cod and yellowbelly go in our neck of the woods, results have been patchy. If you land your bait or lure in exactly the right spot (the fish’s mouth) you might do all right, but most anglers report little luck.

Lake Mulwala is still empty of water and the old river bed is about the only flow of water through the lake. The lake was emptied to remove or at least reduce the amount of weed in the lake when it is full.

You might like to try your usual spot, but it might be some time between bites.

I did hear of a minor flood warning for the Honeysuckle Creek upstream from Arcadia and Violet Town.

South at Queenscliff, Rod Lawn from Adamas Fishing Charters said it was also patchy in his neck of the woods, with some pinky snapper still on the bite off shore and at reefs inside the heads. Rod said silver trevally and squid were also biting, mainly on the ebb tide, but salmon had moved on, as had whiting. Both have moved on to warmer pastures, and won’t return until late spring.

Rod said out wide off Point Lonsdale, some bluefin tuna were being sighted but enticing them to bite was taking a lot of work — even cubing was not particularly successful.

Speaking of tuna, better results were being had along the west coast in the Portland and Port McDonald areas.

Rod said his region had also suffered from bad weather, and he was getting mixed results.

Once again we are in for another weekend of bad weather, so be prepared, it will not be any better north of the border. John Liddell at Eden said the boys from Freedom Charters were restricted to the days they could leave the jetty due to rough seas.

When they did fish, they boated the usual haul of snapper, morwong, flathead and other table fish.

At Narooma, Graham Cowley said his son Nicholas told a similar story, but fishing inside the lake provided a reasonable option, with bream and flathead being caught around the oyster leases.

Well folks, let me wish you a happy long weekend; if you are going away, drive safely, and I hope the weather is kind to you.