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Get out and chase those trout
  |  First Published: August 2012



There has never been a better time to get outdoors and chase the trout in our local lakes than right now.

Sure, we are still in the depths of winter and the mornings can be quite frosty but don’t let that deter you as there are some quality fish out there just waiting to be caught.

While the January release of estuary perch in Lake Bolac are still putting on weight, some thumping rainbows nudging 4kg are being taken by boaters and bank anglers alike. The local minnow plus Powerbait in pink seem to be doing the damage here.

Deep Lake at Derrinallum has rainbow trout in two release sizes falling victim to mainly bait suspended under a float. Fish of 1-2kg are taking Powerbait, earthworm and mudeyes.

Lake Tooliorook has the same sized rainbows as Deep Lake. These fish are biting on local minnow, Powerbait and soft plastics.

Once again, a seemingly unlimited amount of redfin averaging 800g are on hand keeping the angler entertained whilst waiting for a trout bite. The reddies are responding to most methods but certainly love a lure trolled close to the bottom.

Lake Bullen Merri has rainbows to 1.1kg taking Powerbait during the day with many anglers successfully switching to local bullhead gudgeon after dark. The best method working at present is to fish both of the above baits unweighted.

Lake Purrumbete has brown trout from 2-4kg and rainbow trout to just over 1kg falling to winged lures flat line trolled close to the weed beds that ring the lake.

Gellibrand River

With the Gellibrand River mouth open plenty of sea run brown trout are about, with trolling a wide variety of lures in the lower reaches quite successful. Beautifully coloured browns from a few hundred grams to 1.8kg are being caught at present

With the closed season well and truly upon us, the Gellibrand River offers up quite a few kilometres of legally fishable water from the Great Ocean Road bridge down to the mouth. Boaters can only travel up as far as the ‘Kangaroobie camp’ canoe launching area, but plenty of fish are caught around here especially on lures either cast or trolled.

The Old Ocean Road track follows much of the river from here upstream to the road bridge giving the driving angler plenty of options to park, walk to the river and fish.

Lake Elingamite

Thanks to recent rains, boats to 4m can now be launched reasonably well at Lake Elingamite. Brown trout averaging 2.5kg, rainbows to 1kg and redfin from 600g-1.7kg are mainly falling to winged lures trolled in 2.5m, which is fairly close to the weed beds that are abundant around the lake’s perimeter.

The author with a rainbow from Lake Elingamite that took a trolled winged lure.

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