November is normally a good time of year for us Melbournians; the days are longer and the weather is pretty much perfect (or as close to perfect as we’ll ever see anyway!) At this point on the calendar the local freshwater fishing can be good, with mild conditions also starting to bring a few different bugs out on to the water, much to the joy of the freshwater fish.

The good thing about Devilbend Reservoir is that it’s a fairly close location to Melbourne if you want to wet a line, plus it has some true trophy trout – and it’s also fishable all year round! The reservoir is deep (think 20m+ in the middle) so it provides the local trout with plenty of cold water to retreat to once the shallows warm up during the warmer months. Using this information, target the fish roaming around the shallows during the early hours of the day and once the sun has climbed straight overhead, try to fish the deeper water to target the fish that have pushed down. A proven technique to catch a trout here is to spin a shallow-running hardbodied lure around the weed edges in the morning and then switch to a vibration style lure or soft plastic during the middle of the day.

Karkarook Park Lake, situated in Moorabbin, is an excellent fishing location for the enthusiast or family angler, with regular stockings of yearling rainbow trout. The fishing can be very productive a few days after a stocking, with the newly-released trout going on a mad hunt for food. During this stage, specialist trout baits and berleys are the best way to catch a few fish. A few weeks after they have been stocked the fish normally slow down a bit, starting to forage and find natural prey within the lake in the form of mudeyes, mosquitofish, yabbies and other small critters. If you plan on fishing the area, keep an ear to the ground so that you know when the fish are stocked into the lake and you will know how best to tackle them. At this time of the year the better results come from anglers fishing natural baits like worm and maggots, along with small ‘creature’ soft plastics for the lure angler.

If you are keen to catch a golden perch without having to drive to the Murray, this is the time of year to be out there chasing them locally. Sugarloaf Reservoir in November is pretty high on the list for yellowbelly. Water temperatures are about perfect in the dam at present and the fish will be found hanging around timbered and rocky shorelines. Late afternoon is a good time to try for them, as by this time of the day the water temperature is at its peak and the yellas will move into feeding mode. A good approach is to cast a 1/4oz spinnerbait around the structure and search for the schools. Just remember to keep a tight line to the lure as you roll it back, as this will minimize snagging. Once you have found a school, stay in the area and switch through different styles of lure to keep them interested. Good options are small lipless vibration baits, medium depth crankbaits and jig spin rigged soft plastics.

If you have had some success in these areas lately send me a photo and go into the draw for your chance to win a store voucher valued at $100. Email it to --e-mail address hidden-- and include the angler’s name, species, and the area the fish was caught in.

For up-to-date fishing information, contact the guys at Compleat Angler in Dandenong on 9794 9397 or drop in and see us at 241-243 Princes Hwy, Dandenong, we are open 7 days a week. For our other latest fishing reports and to download information sheets, go to www fishingcamping.com.au.