Well the rivers certainly reopened with a bang well before the massive fireworks display over the pondage on Saturday night. Anglers were lining up at access points well down the Goulburn river and the smaller streams that feed into it and thanks to the recent stockings by fisheries many first time and experienced anglers got to have that thrill of fighting and landing that big one. A wide variety of baits and lures were used and generally successful but there were standouts in the rivers, small hard bodies such as the Daiwa double clutch, Rapalas in the spotted dog, and trout patterns, soft plastics and the caddis type flies were a few that I had reported. Bait wise scrubbies, maggots, and even the power bait and local dough worked in the Goulburn River downstream of the pondage.

The pondage is still firing well at the moment with similar lures but you can add in the old favourites such as the gold Kroc and pink Tassie, but the new standout is the watermelon pearl number 132, spider mud eyes and assorted power baits are also working well. Bourke st, cemetery point, the rear of the Eildon caravan park the bridge and footy oval all had good reports over the weekend.

Although the focus was on the rivers and the pondage this weekend the lake is still producing some very healthy brown trout up to the 2lb mark trolling the clown pattern Tassie devil.

With all that said what an absolute cracker of an opening, anglers from far and wide visited our area and a major thanks to fisheries and the target one million program, young and old anglers alike were chasing that big one. On the pondage new anglers were receiving expert tips and advice as well. The tours of the hatchery, the cooking demonstrations and the tackle and trade displays at the Eildon community centre all had huge attendances as well. It was all finished off with a magnificent fireworks display over the Eildon pondage what a great weekend was had by all.

Catch you next week

Gazza

James Anderson
Author: James Anderson

Founder / Director of Lake Eildon Tourism, in operation since 1998 - James is a father of two, has a strong passion for the Lake Eildon area having grown up in Eildon - and today, heads a digital media agency - Turbo 360.