Now the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer the fishing has been getting even better in the Wimmera. Trout and redfin are still biting well and now the native fish are also starting to become more active.

Keen yabbiers are also doing well with a number of lakes and swamps across the region producing some very decent catches.

Whether you are into bait, lure or fly, trout, redfin or natives there is plenty happening down this way at the moment.

This awesome lake has been a favourite of mine lately with some excellent trout fishing on offer. I love this lake as it is an easy drive from Horsham and the scenery, boat- and shore-based access, water clarity and the fishing is excellent.

The browns and rainbows stocked last November are growing very rapidly and are now up to the 1.5kg mark, and are in magnificent condition and full of fight. I haven’t heard of any redfin getting caught as yet.

Trolling lures, baitfishing with mudeye and powerbait and casting soft plastics is working very well. However, I have mostly been fly fishing here and it has been great. I like to fly fish the north or west banks and the trout have been fairly easy to catch right throughout the day. There hasn’t been a lot of rising activity but you can often spot the trout cruising along the sand banks, which makes for some great visual fishing opportunities.

A number of flies are working well at present but the more popular ones have been Mrs Simpsons, Woolly Buggers, Weirs Ruffys and mudeye patterns. I have had most of my success on Black Emu Bugger flies and Fuzzel Buggers.

This great little lake has been very popular with some very decent rainbow trout up to 1.5kg being taken, along with the occasional good redfin to 1kg as well.

Land-based and boat anglers are getting among the action whether they are into bait, lure or fly.

Baitfishing with mudeye under bubble floats or Powerbait on running sinker rigs in particular is working very well on the rainbows; as is flyfishing with wets such as Mrs Simpsons and Woolly Buggers. The best fly fishing has definitely been in the evenings and after dark as the trout come into the shallows looking for bug mudeyes.

Large amounts of slime around the shoreline has made things a bit difficult at times and it can really foul up your line. One way to get around this when baitfishing from the shore is to grease your line with a good floatant; your line won’t sink down into the slime layer as much.

The fishing has been getting better in the river with some yellowbelly to 1.5kg being taken along with a few redfin, carp and catfish. Baitfishing with worms, small yabbies and peeled yabby tail is the way to go with the evenings producing the best fishing.

Good locations have been above and below Horsham Weir, lower Norton, Quantong and around the wail area. The section of river at Dimboola has probably been the best with a number of yellowbelly being caught; along with loads of carp.

At Jeparit there has also been a few yellas as well as some very nice redfin to a bit over a 1kg on gudgeon and trolled lures.

This lake has been very popular with trout and redfin anglers. It is producing great fishing from the shore and from boats. The great thing about this lake is that bait, lure or fly works equally as good.

There has been many browns and rainbows averaging around the 1kg mark taken over the last month or so, with the occasional bigger brown to 2.5kg. There are much bigger browns in here but they are pretty smart at this water as it does get fished fairly heavily.

Baitfishing with mudeye under bubble floats is producing the majority of the trout at the moment with the best fishing to be had early in the mornings and in the evenings.

This time of year produces some very good fly fishing at this waterway, particularly once the big mudeye start to become active. The best fly fishing is in the evenings and after dark and popular flies include the Craigs Nightime, Mrs Simpson and Woolly Buggers. The bigger than average trout taken at this lake are usually taken on fly after dark – it is a deadly fishing method at this water.

Good redfin to 1.5kg are being taken mostly on soft plastics bounced along the bottom or by baitfishing with small yabbies and gudgeon. Trolling lures will also work well on the redfin with Rapala Shad Rap minnows in perch or silver shad, which are my favourite redfin lures at this water.

The fishing has been steadily improving with the warmer weather. Decent browns to 2kg, along with some redfin and rainbows around 1kg being taken.

Most anglers are taking the trout trolling lures, such as Tassie Devils or by baitfishing with mudeye under bubble floats. A few good catches of redfin are being taken but there has been heaps of small reddies about this year. Casting vibes or soft plastics around any structure or reedy areas is working well; as is trolling various diving lures. The gold or pink StumpJumper has been very popular on the redfin for some time now.

Land-based anglers are doing well from the wall and near the boat ramp. Boat anglers have been doing well all over the lake but the north end has been the most popular for the larger trout and redfin.

Fly anglers love this lake and there has been some great fly fishing on offer lately with many trout rising right across the lake early in the mornings before the wind picks up. Casting to these rising trout with beetle patterns, Weirs Ruffys or small Mrs Simpsons will usually do the trick.

Walking the banks looking for trout feeding in the shallows can also be very rewarding at Wartook for fly anglers, particularly now the lake is steadily rising over new ground. Good flies have been black Woolly Buggers and Mrs Simpsons and the shoreline below the fire track has been a good starting point.