The trout season might be over in our rivers but anglers in the know will tell you that it’s only just begun at Blowering Dam.

This time of year the most targeted fish would have to be trout but there are still a few cod willing to take a bait or a lure for the dedicated native fishos. The trout can be caught all over the dam with all techniques.

Trollers don’t need lead line or downriggers and Tassie style lures straight out the back is about all you need to target the trout in the lake, although it pays to experiment as the lure of choice varies from day to day and even hour to hour at times.

I normally run a few different lure types, like a Tassie on one rig and a Jackall on the other. If I’m doing no good on these I’ll change to a small diving lure on one rod and some sort of soft plastic on the other. Then if all this fails I’ll start varying the colour of the lures until I get fish.

Bait fishing is another good technique with the best options being wood grubs, bardi grubs, maggots, mudeyes and worms, in that order.

Casting from the bank with lures works well. The water temperature is more to the trout’s liking up in the shallows, making it possible to chase them with ultra light gear. Casting small soft plastics or small minnows like Rapala’s little CD3s or CD5s in rainbow or brown trout colours will give you the best chance.

Other lures will work but I have had far more luck with these lures off the bank then any other and trust me being a self-confessed lure junky, I’ve tried just about every decent lure out there as well as a lot of the cheaper ones I generally steer well clear of.

Fly fishing from a boat or the bank can be very rewarding in Winter and with polaroiding possible for the next few months you’d have to be pretty silly to pack up the fly gear now.

Blind casting with searcher flies also works well with patterns like Mrs Simpson or a bead-head nymph in olive or green worked slowly over weed beds effective.

Cod fishos have been doing well and expect to continue through July by trolling big to very big lures. The action and colour make a difference but any big lure that dives between three and nine metres will do. Every angler has a favourite and will tell you it is better than the others but I believe that the most important thing is to have the lure down in the fishes’ faces as often as possible and this is done by simply sticking to the depth where your lure is occasionally hitting the bottom or the odd snag.

Cod can also be caught casting from a boat or bank with spinnerbaits, crankbaits or lipless crankbaits. Jackall Brothers new Doozers are more of a barra lure than a cod lure but they really work well on impoundment cod.

Bardis, woodies, cheese and yabbies are all good cod tucker if you plan on chasing these fish on bait.

After a four-year, wait anglers are now allowed to target Murray crayfish again and as to be expected after a long break, they’re really firing and a lot of anglers are getting their limit within a few hours.

Remember that you still need a NSW fishing licence to fish for crays and with the easy conditions it’s not hard for some people to catch a lot more than the limit. So be aware that the limit per angler is 10 in possession with a bag limit of five per day. The minimum size limit is 9cm and you’re allowed only one bigger than 12cm. Any crayfish with eggs attached must be returned to the water immediately.

Fisheries officers have been patrolling the dam regularly this year so make yourself familiar with the rules before they issue you with a fine.

The other fish species in Blowering are a bit harder to catch at this time of year but are still there for persistent anglers. The weather can turn nasty pretty quickly so if you’re heading up this way, remember to bring your thermals, beanies and jackets no matter what the current conditions. If you have any questions or would like to fill me in on some local fishing reports, email me.