With many anglers coming out of the winter hibernation, now is the time to do the maintenance or upgrade of all rods, reels and lines.

For me it’s a year round chore, but for the occasional angler it’s critical to go over all gear and get it right. Why risk the chance of that fish of a lifetime with a dodgy line or a reel drag that’s a bit scratchy? Just a few minutes of preparation and maintenance can be the difference between landing a good fish and having the sad story of the ‘one that got away’.

With some good fish on offer throughout the region and the weather improving, days getting longer, now is the time to do the homework and be on your game when the opportunity arises.

Once again the redfin are playing nicely at Fyans and not a lot of pressure on them as yet. Gudgeon and minnows have done well fished in open areas or the edges of weed beds.

Trolling seems to have dropped off a bit of late for reddies but the trout are now starting to rise so the flat line trollers have done well early and late in the day. As the sun gets high, mix the lures up a bit with a couple Tassie Devils and a couple of deeper diving lures like StumpJumpers, Rapalas or the ever-reliable Daiwa Double Clutches.

Working soft plastics in the shallows and around structure and weed beds is also doing well on both species.

Mudeye under a float has also produced a few fish around structure and drop offs.

It’s prime time for Wartook as well, with the next month or two being ideal for the early morning rising fish that frequent both open areas, the wall and the shallows. Before too long we will see some insect hatches and the surface action will increase with rainbows and browns both going into a feeding frenzy on the tasty bugs.

At times they can be hard to tempt but as always it’s important to ‘match the hatch’. Trolling a mix of lures in both the bright and dark colours is my tip finding the most productive at the time, as these trout can be very moody and selective, mixing it up is critical to finding success.

Redfin should come on the chew very soon, too, providing a feed and maybe a trophy as Wartook hold some monsters during spring.

With mixed results of late there is a bit of transition from lures to bait occurring and with the big fish preferring gudgeon over mudeye, it’s best to source the right bait from the lake itself. Bait traps set overnight should supply enough bait for a days fishing. Minnows are virtually non-existent in the lake now but if they can be caught elsewhere they are dynamite bait. Mudeye are still nailing a few fish and will in the coming weeks be the best option. Working the shallows, drop offs and structure with surface lures has also done well on the trout.

Many new release rainbows and browns are willing to hit anything presented but should be released to grow out and preserve the fishery.

There’s a few smaller redfin around now but the bigger fish will come on when the water temperatures rise in late spring.

It’s leading into exciting times as the redfin are only a couple of degrees water temperature rise from coming on and I think this lake will produce very well for anglers prepared to do the hard yards and hunt down schools. As I’ve mentioned before, a quality sounder, preferably with side imaging, will help to locate the schools and stay with them. Gudgeon bottom fished in the 3-5m depths around trees should also nail a fish or two, both trout and reddies.

Bass will once again be targeted as the water temperatures rise and there should be some nice fish taken this spring and summer.

Plenty of carp populate the lake and provide good fun for the young anglers. Worms or corn fished on a running sinker rig will give hours of fun and help eradicate these ferals.

To date there is not a lot to report as the water is still in the 6-7°C and the natives haven’t woken from the winter slumber. It shouldn’t be too long before they start to fire and with the massive stocking program provided by Fisheries, there is going to be some quality fish over the warmer months.

Given some lovely golden perch were taken earlier in the year prior to winter, it’s going to be a great fishery once again.

Redfin will be a great by-catch once the water temperatures rise.

Cod of various sizes will also be targeted once the season opens again in December.

While I’m fortunate enough to have a sponsor supply me with these, I can’t stress enough the importance of having a good pair of polaroid sunglasses while fishing or boating.

My choice are the Spotters brand and I’m happy to report they are now available in Horsham at Webbcon Marine. Not only do sunnies reduce glare, they also prevent damage to the eyes but also are critical while boating the region’s shallow lakes allowing you to spot dangerous stumps, logs and snags.

They also give you the advantage of spotting cruising fish in the water column, increasing your chance of a catch.

With a great massive and ever improving range of quality fishing rods, reels, boating and safety wear get down and have a look at the Spotters range at Webbcon.