Well the weather over the weekend didn’t dampen the spirits of 120 anglers that entered the Eildon action big fish competition and by all accounts they had a cracking time catching over 400 fish for the day and a half event. Max and the Eildon action crew did a fantastic job with the time and support they had, and many of the contestants are already looking forward to next year’s event. Congratulations and well done to all involved. The recent stockings of 5000 Rainbow trout averaging 180gm and 300 brown trout averaging 3kg certainly contributed the success of many anglers as well.
Brown and rainbow trout are taking local and homemade doughs, power bait in rainbow, pink, chunky cheese, and sherbet, lure wise assorted krocs were working, and with the overcast conditions the purple Tassie devil did well. The best areas to target were in the lower pondage, being Bourke st, nursery corner, riverside dr, the floating jetty and near the gate.
Up in the lake, anglers are having quite a bit of success with most species being caught at the moment, towards Bonnie Doon and the Delatite arms yellow belly and red fin are being taken from the banks on scrubbies and yabbies as well as on the troll using large bibbed lures such as Oar gees, stump jumpers, and jakalls in a variety of colours. The best yellow belly that I’ve heard of for this week went 58cm and was taken on a motor oil soft plastic amongst the trees. Goughs bay and the Goulburn arm Murray cod up to 95cm are taking purple spinner baits cast at the rocky out crops and large yabbies from the banks. Brown trout up to 2lb are taking Tassie devils, spotted dog rapalas, and other small hard bodies.
Down the Goulburn river small but feisty brown trout are taking scrub worms and maggots, while near Alexandra some of the larger previously stocked rainbow trout up to 12lb s are still taking assorted power baits. The smaller rivers are also doing well for anglers using small hard bodies, celtas, and soft plastics, and the fly flickers are picking up some nice trout on nymph, ant and moth pattern flies.
Catch you next week
Gazza
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.