It’s hard to believe we are into a new year already. Time sure flies when you’re having fun. The much needed spring rains we wanted never came and as a result our waters are hovering at around 5% of capacity. There is still some good fishing to be found in the Wimmera though, and the waters that we have left have been well worth a fish.

The fishing in the Wimmera River is at its best at this time of year, with golden perch, silver perch, Murray cod, catfish and redfin present. The best areas have been around Horsham Weir, at Riverside and nearby at the Big Water area.

Some very nice golden perch and a few Murray cod have been hitting spinnerbaits and lures fished slowly around the snags. Baitfishing with yabbies and worms has been producing good results in the Horsham area, especially towards evening and after dark. The catfish have been going well on the full moon, with worms and peeled yabby tail fished unweighted the way to go. Some very nice goldens and a few Murray cod have also been taken after dark.

The water in Rocklands Reservoir is very low but there is still good bank and small boat fishing on offer at the wall area. The main catches here have been redfin of 300-600g, along with the odd larger fish of 1kg. Drifting with gudgeon or yabbies has produced the best results.

The fishing hasn’t been red hot but the anglers putting in the hard yards are doing well. Many carp have been caught on worms fished on the bottom, with some of them being real thumpers.

Trolling or lure casting with small lures is also working well here. Only the occasional trout is being caught at the moment.

The redfin fishing in Lake Bellfield has been very good, with large numbers of small to medium-sized fish being taken by bait, lure and fly. Trolling from an electric powered boat is the most popular method of getting a bag of reddies here at the moment. Good lures include Tassie Devils, Stiffy and Rapala Minnows and StumpJumpers.

Small to medium-sized rainbow trout have also been showing up, with the odd bigger rainbow to 1.6kg being taken too. The best trout have been caught early in the mornings on mudeyes fished under bubble float rigs. Good catches can be made right across the lake, but during the hot summer days the best trout fishing is in the deeper, cooler water at the wall.

I have been spending a bit of time fishing Lake Fyans lately and the fishing for redfin has been good. The reddies have been averaging 500-800g, but other anglers have taken some much larger ones to nearly 2kg.

Drifting with baits of gudgeon, yabbies or large scrubworms fished on a paternoster rig has been working well, but the weed is starting to become a bit of a headache.

Fishing with mudeyes under bubble floats has been good for the occasional big brown trout to 3.5kg and some good redfin. Fly anglers have also taken a few large browns, mostly after dark on Mrs Simpson and Craigs Nightime wet flies fished dead slow.

The trolling is now very difficult due to the weed, but on one of my latest trips I found a few areas where the weed wasn’t as bad and I managed a nice 3kg brown trout and a few reddies for my troubles. The trout was in magnificent condition and full of fight. I haven’t caught such a healthy and feisty trout since Toolondo had water in it.

The water here is low but small boats can still be launched with care at the south bank.

The fishing at Lake Wartook hasn’t really improved over the last month, but some nice brown trout to 2.5kg have been taken by those prepared to put in the necessary time and effort. The average catch rate is one trout for every two day’s of fishing effort, which isn’t exactly brilliant. On the upside, more than a few 2.3kg trout have come out of here over the last month.

Trolling with Tassie Devils and baitfishing with mudeyes has produced the better results lately, but the trout will most likely go a bit quieter as we get more hot summer weather.

The Wartook redfin have been few and far between, with mostly small fish being taken on trolled lures.