The river is still running high around Mildura making lure fishing very difficult in the main channels.

Fortunately though, the rising river and flows are starting to slow down, which will mean a drop in levels hopefully by the end of the year.

Yellowbelly activity has picked up around Mildura due the warmer water temperatures and as the sun continues to shine more and more of these fish will be caught particularly below the locks and weir structures. It is not unusual to see yellowbelly activity at a high this early in spring, but the large river has meant good breeding that means we are set for a bumper yellowbelly ‘season’.

Fishing with bait around most places near Mildura has been a good method to pick up a yella or two lately. Baits that are working the best are shrimp and worms even though live shrimp are still difficult to find but the warmer weather should bring them out.

Backwaters have been producing some good yellas particularly around snag piles and in eddy currents. A well-cast lipless crankbait or small hardbodied lure has seen a bag of yellas caught in no time at all lately. Tying up to a snag to throw lures into the bank and slowly retrieve is still the best method.

Murray cod season is officially closed and even up to the very last day of open season very few cod were reported caught on lures. The handful of reports that have been made have been smaller models of fish caught on baits such as grubs and yabbies. Hopefully once the water starts to fall back into its banks, after cod season opens, we should see a cracker of a cod season.

Spring time means warmer weather which will bring the yellowbelly out around Mildura’s hotspots. Spring time is a great time for targeting yellowbelly as they make their way upstream and start to school up below the weir structures.

Redfin should also come on the bite and are fun to catch on light gear using soft plastics and blades.

Most anglers around Mildura will be waiting for summer when the cod season to officially opens again. By then, waters should be back in their banks and we should see a Murray cod season like no other.

Summer should also take surface fishing to a new level especially in the shallow waters of local billabongs and creeks. Fly casting is a great method of surface fishing as you can present really small lures in hard to get spots. Flicking surface lures, like the Koolabung Codwalker, is another popular technique to use in low light when the weather warms up.

In the meantime Mildura anglers are gearing up for a spring and summer time yellowbelly frenzy in the beautiful sunshine Mildura has to offer at this time of year.