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Get reddy for November
  |  First Published: November 2015



The rains are falling but apparently we are still under our yearly average, so that’s not good for the long term.

Still, many kayakers as well as small shallow draft tinnies have been able to launch at Lake Elingamite near Cobden.

So far, I have been able to get out on two occasions with the help of my bow mounted electric operating in shallow drive to propel my 4m bass boat out past the buoys where the lake is at its shallowest.

The trout have been active but the trophy redfin bite has been sporadic. Hopefully, this month the reddies will have switched on, as this lake is known for its huge redfin. There’s plenty of fish from over 1kg to almost 2kg.

But please, don’t get the wrong end of the stick. They are not a common catch but are definitely out there. In fact, it took me over ten seasons on this lake to crack a 2kg, 50cm redfin, but in the meantime I’ve managed many reddies from 1-1.8kg, so the wait for the big one has been well and truly cushioned. In saying that, my first trip out this year in late September netted me a 1.8kg fat redfin plus three one-year-old rainbow trout. Not a bad start in anyone’s books.

Two-year-old brown and rainbow trout far exceeding 2kg have been caught by anglers either casting or trolling shallow to medium diving lures in and around the encompassing weed beds. On the eastern shore, narrow gutters and channels can be easily identified by using polarised sunglasses and its here where many a fish lies in wait to ambush its prey.

Smaller yearling fish are still coming in around a kilo and can still provide some feisty action once the lure’s trebles have securely embedded in the mouth.

Again, this lake is surrounded by sucking, quick sand like mud, therefore bank fishing is basically impossible.

Lake Bullen Merri at Camperdown has been a tad up and down of late but anglers flat line trolling for trout in the shallows have still picked up some solid rainbows to 2.8kg using medium diving lures. Chinook salmon also approaching this size have gone quiet, however I believe this is only temporary.

Bank anglers using Powerbait in chartreus, reds and pinks; local live gudgeon minnow and mudeye all suspended under a bubble float have also caught some solid rainbow trout. The northern shoreline is the place to concentrate your efforts.

Lake Purrumbete has some excellent brown trout with one and two-year-old fish evident. Bait anglers fishing not far from the channel that exits the caravan park boat ramp have managed a few good fish. Mudeye suspended under a float and presented near the weed beds has been successful. This area is known to locals as Horan’s Point. Casting shallow diving minnow lures right up close to the weed has also attracted quite a few strikes.

So far, the season is looking very optimistic and hopefully it should stay that way until late summer.

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