After a pretty slow start to the summer fishing season, we are finally beginning to get the sort of action that makes many an angler smile. The water level is at last constant, the water is starting to clear and the fish are responding.

The area around Casey Road Boat Ramp has seen some good-sized cod being caught in the past week. These fish are mainly being enticed by anglers trolling larger hardbodied lures. The best of the colours is the fluoro hot pink and black combination. Some success has also come on the fluoro green and black. Fish of around 80cm are fairly common, with a fish of just over 1m also being caught.

This area has also seen a few fish caught on spinnerbaits cast into the timber. Although this tactic is a little slower, there is still a fish or two on offer for the patient angler.

The Murray River around its confluence with the Goulburn is still fishing well. The fish being caught in this area are a little smaller than those around Casey Road, but they seem to be keener to take both baits and lures. Bardi grubs and yabbies are good baits to start with. Trolling is also working well.

The Edward River around Mathoura is also fishing well. Bait is the way to go here, and golden perch are biting well on shrimp. The best tactic is to bob your baits around the snags and roots. This is paying good dividends, with fish of up to 50cm being caught in this fashion.

Martin Auldist reports that the Edward River downstream of Stevens Weir is still low, but that there is enough water for small boats. He and his brother Tom recently caught a number of small Murray cod there on both baits and spinnerbaits.

Just this week I fished the Wakool River around the train bridge at Wakool. It is great to see some flowing water back in this river, and the fish seem happy too. For the day I caught eight Murray cod, all around 45-55cm. All were caught on spinnerbaits, with plenty of near misses as well. The green and yellow skirts were by far the best, with red and black also worth a few casts. The fish caught here were coming out of the weed beds when you cast just past them. I have also heard reports of a few golden perch being caught in this way as well.

The Waranga Basin is still fishing very well for redfin. Good numbers are being caught on baits of live shrimp and small yabbies. The places to try are Harrimans Point and near the inlet wall.

All is looking good for some great late summer fishing in the Echuca area over the next couple of months. Good fishin’ to you all!

For more information about fishing in the Echuca area, call in and see Garry at Gone Fishin’, 109 Annesley Street, Echuca, or call him on 03 5482 4291.