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Hot Fishing Continues
  |  First Published: June 2011



The Ballarat and district’s fishing action has really heated up with anglers reporting catches of trout and redfin from most waters.

Hepburn Lagoon

Hepburn Lagoon is currently the best fishery in the district and is producing plenty of rainbow trout up to 1kg on all methods. This lagoon is only 20 minutes from Ballarat, but has seen anglers travelling from all over the state to get some of the great fishing action.

On a sour note we have had quite a few irresponsible anglers catching and keeping every fish they catch. If you see any irresponsible anglers then call 13fish or 133474.

Fisheries Victoria have in this last month been releasing trout in the Ballarat district with Hepburn Lagoon receiving 5000 rainbow and 5000 yearling brown trout and Newlyn Reservoir receiving 5000 yearling brown trout. This is great news for fishing in the district.

Lake Wendouree

The lake is full of water and full of weed and most importantly, full of healthy plump rainbow trout. I have been out fishing Wendouree a few times with excellent results; catching rainbow trout between 25-30cm fly-fishing out of the boat. These rainbow trout were released into the lake only 6 months ago as 3-4cm fingerlings, so they are growing at an amazing rate.

The lake is currently very difficult to fish, as the weed growth that has helped the fish and aquatic life grow has nearly covered the lake, leaving only a few pockets of clear water. The Ballarat city council is currently harvesting the weed from the lake to allow shore based water activities and will then move out into the main lake.

Lake Fyans

This is my favourite lake and it just keeps fishing well for both redfin and trout. Shane Jeffrey’s and son Ben have been casting hardbodied lures and catching plenty of trout and redfin with young Ben a notable 1.5kg redfin.

Lake Wartook

Lake Wartook up in the Grampians will see plenty of fishing action over the winter months. Access to the lake was cut off due to the floods so the lake has not seen any angling pressure for nearly 5 months.

The roads are now open and many anglers will be making this their number one destination over June.

Lake Ellingamite

Lake Ellingamite at Cobden has been fishing exceptionally well. Gordon Thompson has been having a ball down there catching redfin and trout. Gordon has been catching brown trout up to 3kg on mudeyes suspended under a bubble float in about 4m of water and redfin up to 1.5kg on yabbies below the boat just suspended off the bottom.

The water level has dropped here and only small craft are able to get out through the shallows to the main part of the lake.

Lake Purrumbete

Lake Purrumbete continues to produce trout and redfin with Brian Rivett catching trout on mudeyes under a bubble float and as many redfin as you like on local minnows suspended just of the lake bottom.

The winter fishing in and around the Ballarat district will be fantastic and certainly one to remember. Best bets over the coming months include Hepburn Lagoon, Newlyn Reservoir, Cairn Curran Reservoir, Tullaroop Reservoir, Deep Lake, Lake Bolac and Lake Ettrick.

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