My head is spinning! There’s so many options. Do I pack the spin rod and hit one of the local creeks for trout? Then maybe call into Lake Lyell for a crack at a bass on the way home? Do I pack the boat and head up to Windamere for a day on the golden perch? It’s a tough life…

It really is a great time of year to be on the water somewhere, and with camping conditions the way they are, why not stay a few days and get in before the summer heat and rush. Those extra few days can make all the difference to catch rates, even local guys can benefit from it. Instead of rushing your day you can kick back relax take in the changes that happen on the water, start moving with the rhythms, make adjustments, work on some patterns and experiment. A few consecutive days fishing local waters is so much better than half a dozen or more day trips.

Adjustments might need to be made when fishing Windamere this month. Fishing pressure does have an affect on fish, no doubt about that, so dropping down a line size or two helps. Keep an eye on the leader though and inspect it after each fish and change if necessary. Downsizing lures can be important and if using hardbodied lures, opt for silent models (no rattles) or something a little different, something the fish may not have seen or heard. The acoustic footprint of a lure can, in my experience, be recognised and avoided in heavily fished waters. It’s just a theory, and I am not saying they remember it for days, years or months, but when a fishery is getting hit really hard, it pays to think along these lines.

Soft plastic lures and skirted jigs have definitely got many advantages when it comes to shut down and pressured fish. If you have a backyard pool, or know somebody who does, do yourself a favour and jump in the water get somebody to cast a lure and retrieve it while you go under. It’s quite and incite and it blew me away just how noisy some hardbody lures are, even those without rattles. Of course this can be a major advantage at times.

With pressured fish, softly softly is the best approach. Back off well before your spot move in quietly, use your electric motor or if the breeze strength allows it drift in and if you know the spot turn the sounder off. Lighter outfits and line will allow you to cast further and putting a bigger buffer zone between the boat and the fish makes a lot of difference. Some anglers even keep caught fish in a livewell onboard, and release them away from the spot later on. It may seem a bit extreme, but on those really tough days when the conditions seem really good and you’re not catching fish ,theses little tips will help.

Early mornings and late afternoon sessions on our trout and native fish will become more important as the month of November wears on. Cloud cover can extend the bite periods but most of the time, its early starters and late finishers that will fair best.

Bait fishing can extend those bite windows, especially on the golden perch, and a small live yabby gently bobbed in the trees at the right depth is rarely refused. As far as lures go, slow rolling soft plastic grubs in those same trees can also be deadly. Trout are very mobile and generally speaking are a lot more pelagic in nature, so if you have caught them or have seen them early in the morning, chances are that they will be quite a bit deeper by the middle part of the day.

I mentioned earlier about packing the spin rod for a walk on one of the local streams, and with options such as the Fish, the Duckmalio, and the Campbells rivers close by, it’s always very tempting.

Why not stay a few nights in one of the local villages like Tarana, Rockley or O’Connell. Access to the rivers and creeks from here is only minutes away, and rest assured, village life is very laid back and the beer and coffee is always good. The locals are very friendly and the scenery is to die for at this time of year.

Fly fishing these very same rivers and streams can also be very productive, and the best part is the insect hatches need a little sun to start, so you can generally get away with a little sleep in. Afternoon thunderstorms can build up during the day at this time of year, and the termite hatches during this time can be incredible, the trout just go absolutely nuts on them.

Catching fish can actually be a little hit and miss and quiet frustrating but it’s a great event to witness in any case.

Hope to see you on the water soon. Until then, tight lines!