About time, we all cry – the brown trout season is open again.

For me this will mean the chance to get back to some favourite waters not visited for a while. High on my list will be Arthurs Lake – hopefully the water is clearing and we can have a crack at some fat early season trout.

The past four opening weekends we have seen trout tailing here – I remember one season where they were tailing with half the lake frozen.

Last season there were even fish rising to spiders and grubs flooded out with rising waters. I’m predicting that we won’t be so lucky as last year, but one thing I will predict is some awesome wet fly fishing here on the opening weekend – the rougher the weather the better. My favourite patterns are the Muz Wilson Fuzzle Buggers in black and deep olive fished on a sinking line with a fast retrieve.

Arthurs is very high again, and with the pump over the hill to Great Lake no where near as efficient as it once was, we can expect levels to stay high till early summer. This will mean more good lure and wet fly fishing in water of 1-2m deep, especially on each side of Brazendale Island, Cowpaddock Bay and Seven Pound Bay.

Again this water will be reasonably popular, and fish it in a very similar way to Little Pine Lagoon. There are a few deeper holes around the north eastern corner near the northern wall – concentrate here with deep retrieves.

The water is always dirty at Penstock in the early months of the season – dirty water from Shannon and wind disturbed substrates are the usual suspects. It won’t worry the fish though – they are well used to it.

While the season never closes for this water, plenty of anglers will hit Great Lake on opening weekend. As with the past three months, concentrate on the windswept shores, especially if the wind has been blowing onto for a few days.

The brown trout are in terrible condition on the shores at Great Lake, and I don’t expect this to change until the balance of rainbow stocking to brown trout removal is sorted out.

Deep fishing on the weed beds around Becketts Bay and McClanaghans Island will give up the fat fish though.

If you fancy a walk and know how to look after yourself in the wilderness, then the fishing in the lakes beyond the locked gate at Augusta could be great.

This isn’t for novice walkers, but those who know and love the wild conditions often find some terrific fishing in waters such as Double Lagoon, Botsford, Kay and waters further out.

The western lakes can be wild in the early weeks of the season, but also rewarding.