Winter is finally here and although the weather is getting colder, the fishing certainly isn’t. The trout fishing this month alone will be nothing short of amazing. There should also be a bit of native action going on as well as plenty of redfin action.

Casting small lightly weighted 1-2” curl-tail plastics from the bank is still producing plenty of small to medium sized redfin, however not in the same numbers they were a month ago. Hopping small rubber vibes and blades out a little wider is accounting for the bigger numbers and bigger fish. Vertically jigging with ice jigs will soon be the number one producer of redfin in Blowering Dam and most of our southern impoundments as we move deeper into winter. Now is a good time to stock up on them.

If trolling for natives is your thing, Lake Hume is the place to be. Good to very good numbers of golden perch have been caught lately by anglers trolling medium to large hardbodies. It is also pleasing to report that more and more Murray cod are being caught in this lake and they are now a targetable species. Trout have also started to appear more regularly in this lake, although most have been by-catches while targeting the natives and redfin. Trout are now worth targeting themselves.

It’s all about flat line trolling up top this month. Blades and lipless crankbaits has been the standout lures at both Tantangara and Eucumbene. Bait anglers have struggled lately, but this will pick up this month, especially for those that prefer to use dough baits. Big fish are already starting to push into the shallows and are now well in reach for land-based anglers.

The redfin in this lake have been responding to the same techniques as the redfin in its bigger brother Blowering Dam. The redfin have been on average much larger in Jounama Dam. The big resident trout are starting to show up more regularly as well and the trout fishing should continue to improve as we move deeper into winter. Casting and retrieving small rubber vibes, plastics, minnow style hardbodies or blades will be successful this month. Bait fishing with dough baits and wood grubs should also account for plenty of big fish.

There are less than two weeks left in the official trout season, so it’s well and truly time to get your fix if you haven’t already. If you haven’t, no worries at all. Now is the best time to hit the rivers, especially the Eucumbene River. There will be loads of anglers to contend with on the Eucumbene River, but there will be more than enough trout to go around for everyone.

Thanks to the new setup at Denison, anglers now have to park at the campgrounds and walk down to the river. Due to this, the river won’t be as busy as previous years, won’t have as much illegal activity going on and will save the banks from unnecessary erosion and wear and tear. All in all this new car park setup has way more benefits than not having one at all.

If crowds aren’t your thing then the Tumut River makes a great alternative to the Eucumbene for spawn run fishing. The Tumut experiences far less pressure and still gives you the chance of a trophy-sized fish in between loads of smaller fish.

There is some awesome fishing to be had this month. It may be cold, but if you rug up and dress appropriately and brave the elements, you’re likely to experience some of the best fishing to be had all season. I know I will be making the most of it.

• If you want to be even more up to date with what is biting and when, follow me on social media. On top of posting regular fishing reports I share a lot of strategies, technical info and so much more. To keep up to date on Facebook, check out the ‘Mr Freshwater’ page and on Instagram you will find us @insanitytackle.