Summer is well and truly on its way and that means Murray Cod season isn’t far off reopening and if the local systems keep performing the way they have, we will have a great start.

But November is a magical time for golden perch and we will see plenty numbers coming from the local rivers and dams.

This is the month when we start to some real consistency in water temps and the goldens will become very active and very accessible to any angler who puts a lure or bait in the right spot.

The fish will be in their usual haunts around heavy structure but you can afford to be a little less accurate with your casts because in the warmer water these natives will quite often travel a few metres to nail a lure.

Dark purple seems to be standout when it comes to lure colours. Small willow-blade spinnerbaits and 60mm hardbodies will do the trick.

Bait fishos will have success with worm, grubs and small yabbies.

The stream season opening has come and gone and as usual there were bucketloads of anglers on the river around the Denison campground.

The river will fire up towards the end of November and we should have the odd hatch happening by then, so be sure to carry a few dry flies with you if you’re planning a river session.

The lake is by far the best option for any angler, with huge numbers of rainbows being reeled in along with some cracking browns.

The water rose throughout October, bringing the fish in very close to the shore, which translates into great land-based fishing.

Bait has been the most productive and as is to be expected, artificial baits are accounting for the majority of the rainbows while fresh worms and grubs fished unweighted have accounted for the browns.

Natural-coloured 5cm-7cm Rapalas have been doing well on browns and rainbows but it is very hard to go past soft stickbaits or paddletails at this time of year.

Stand well back from the bank when casting be cause there are plenty of big browns cruising very close to shore at the moment. Be sure to fish your lure right to the edge.

This really is a great time to be in the mountains chasing trout. You can literally fish from sun-up to sundown and catch fish throughout the day.

Images

1

During Murray cod closed season, and any time of year really, it’s a very good idea to remove the hooks while the fish is still in the water to minimise the stress placed on it.

2

Caleb Craig with an early season rainbow caught drifting a nymph on one of the faster runs on the Eucumbene River.