Winter is now here, cold frosty mornings are now coming more common.

There is only one positive with this and that it’s Murray cray time.

Shepparton is not well known for bumper craying, but if there’s a boring footy game on TV it can’t hurt to throw a few pots in the river and see how you go.

There are many deep 6m holes at our doorsteps and plenty of uncharted waters when it comes to craying.

The Broken River is also an option with land-based craying unheard of, but there is plenty of deep drop-offs just an arms length away. It’s a great way of craying without a boat.

Whenever I go craying or even yabbying I always head to a seafood retailer and purchase a box of fish frames. Fresh fish frames are dynamite but a little tip is to keep changing the bait. Keep it fresh and it will bring you more success.

If cray fishing is not for you don’t worry because the fishing will still hopefully be consistent in June. May was a month of mixed results; one week the rivers were on, the next they were shut down.

Keep at it but because you will have a good day amongst some average ones. If you love it as much as I do, a bad day fishing is better than a good day of anything else.

Make sure you keep your bait fresh and moving around. Some times a little jig or a twitch of the rod can bring success.

In May the Goulburn was looking nice and clean with the water levels 30-40cms above average. This water level seemed strange due to the reasonably dry conditions in late April and early May.

Hopefully the water clarity is even better so we lure anglers get more success from our days out casting or trolling in June.

The lakes are fishing ok at the moment: the colder weather does shut the fish down like most other places but legal sized yellowbelly are not uncommon during June.

It just may take more cast to entice the bigger ones to come out and play.

I would like to congratulate Warren and Sue hicks on there 15th place at the inaugural Cod Fishing Nationals held at Lake Mulwala in late April.

From all reports Judy showed Warren how it was done. Tony Bennet is a gem when it comes to running fishing competitions and I’m sure this event will become as well known as other national competitions.