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Top fishing – for now!
  |  First Published: December 2008



Boy, don't we need some rain! In East Gippsland we have one of the lowest rainfall totals on record for this time of the year. Our rivers have dropped significantly over the past month and are flowing at near summer levels. Luckily they are still flowing at spring temperatures. However, without rain soon the rivers will quickly warm up and fishing will deteriorate.

Mitta Mitta River

The top end of the Mitta Mitta River, above the Bundarra River, is producing trout up to 1kg. The trout are responding well to flies, with good hatches of caddis flies of an evening, and a lot of beetles around during the daytime. The odd mayfly is also making an appearance.

Bait fishers continue to do well using worms. Lower downstream in the Hinnomunjie area, fishing is good for small browns. Mick Rosenboom, flyfishing in the evening, caught and released 16 fish to 600g on a caddis pattern.

BundarRa, COBUNGRA

Bundarra River is quite low and very clear. Fishing is just fair with a few smallish trout being landed. We really need some rain for the Bundarra River to fire.

The Cobungra is also low and clear, and the fishing is poor. That could change over the next month as grasshoppers start to appear. The Cobungra River is usually one of our beat grasshopper rivers although, again, it could do with a good drink.

Livingstone, VICTORIA

Livingstone River is fishing OK in the Cassilis area. The browns are only small but they are in reasonable numbers. Fishing here should also improve when the ’hoppers get going in the next month.

Victoria River is low and clear. Bait fishers are picking up a few fish to 500g upstream of the Victoria River Falls. There are a few good deep pools in this area, but further upstream the river gets very shallow and is badly silted.

Gibbo, PINCH

Gibbo River has dropped over the past month and is easily waded. There are plenty of small rainbows being caught, plus the odd brown. The lower Gibbo River is worth keeping an eye on when the ’hoppers appear, although it can heat up pretty quickly.

Pinch River is a tributary of the Snowy River. To access this river you need to drive north along Barry Way, following the Snowy River. Turn left where the road crosses the Pinch River and follow the river upstream for a couple of kilometres to the end of the road. Most fishing is done upstream from this point, although fish are present in the lower section.

The Pinch River is a smallish river about the size of the Gibbo River. It normally holds a good population of brown trout plus a few rainbows. It is regularly stocked and the growth rate of trout is good, with fish up to 2.5kg, though the average size is much smaller.

Mick Rosenboom fishing the Pinch River. Note the size of the river and the clarity of the water. Back casts can be a problem, but it is a great little flyfishing river.

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