Known for its trophy trout and Chinook salmon, Lake Purrumbete has stood the test of time. It’s Victoria’s premier big trout fishery, along with its neighbour Bullen Merri. Fish up to 15lb are a real possibility and 10lb plus fish are caught more regularly than not. If it’s a trophy you’re after, then Purrumbete is the place to be.

The best time to fish Lake Purrumbete is during the colder months, when the water temperatures cool down and the fish become active, feeding on bait balls and smelting around the margins of the lake.

A 2-4kg graphite spin rod with 2000 or 2500 sized reel is best suited when casting and trolling for trout. Spool the reel up with 6lb braid and fluorocarbon leader, anywhere from 6-12lb. This is also a must. There are some seriously big fish in this lake, and the first hit from an angry trout can pop leaders like cotton. 

Hardbodied lures such as Lucky Craft Flash Minnows and Double Clutches work well, if you want to cast the lake. Tassie Devils are always a popular choice for anglers who like to troll. 

Flat lining Tassie Devils on first and last light is a popular method around the lake’s margins. As the day goes on, the use of down riggers is essential to get your lures down deep, sometimes as deep as 80-90ft. 

Baitfishing with pilchard strips and whitebait is another popular method and well proven over the years. 

The lake can rough up with bad winds and become quite choppy. Small to medium boats need to be careful, because it’s easy to get caught out on the other side of the lake, when it gets nasty. 

Make sure you have plenty of warm clothes and rug up. In the middle of winter, the lake is so cold, especially on first and last light.

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It's taken Mick, from Ray Long’s Fishing World in Geelong, 25 years to catch a trophy trout over 10lb. He caught these two in one morning, both over the magical 10lb mark caught flatlining Tassie Devils. The best one was 5.47kg and the smaller was 4.6kg.