Weeks of dry weather have been broken by some good storms at the time of writing this report.

Our rivers and impoundments have remained low and on the whole have sustained some temperamental fish. The Darling has remained very murky following a period of rising water levels so the fishing has been very tough in this part of the world lately.

The Lachlan River has remained low and produced a few fish for those prepared to persevere. Native fishing on the Macquarie has proved tough for many who have tested the waterway recently. A few good cod and golden perch have been taken but there have been some long waits between fish.

April and May herald the onset of Autumn and should mark an improvement in the fishing conditions. The native fish in the Lachlan and Macquarie rivers start to feed up prior to Winter. The Darling River natives start to hit their straps around May and then are at their best through the cold months.

The Darling River has remained relatively low and very murky for a few months. The water has remained very warm and has produced some tough fishing conditions. Anglers fishing with yabbies, shrimp and prawns have taken the occasional golden to a kilo but the fishing on the whole has been very slow.

Locals are expecting the fishing to remain tough until the weather and water start to cool down. The Darling River natives tend to become increasingly active as the water cools through May to September. As the days start to shorten and the temperatures begin to drop, it will be time to start focussing on catching fish in these parts.

The murky river means that bait fishing will be the most effective technique over the next month. Bobbing yabbies, shrimp and prawns around the timber is a favoured technique by locals at this time of year.

The Lachlan River has remained low for much of the past month. A few storms around the Cowra and Forbes area have pushed some useful runoff through the system but we are in need of much more of the same.

Bait and lure anglers have reported a few good sessions punctuated by a few very quiet ones. Anglers fishing around the timber in some of the deeper sections of the system have reported golden perch to 1.5kg and cod to 5kg. Yabbies, shrimp, worms and lures such as spinnerbaits and deep-divers lures have performed the best lately. AusSpin spinnerbaits in purple have produced some good fish for anglers prepared to give them a go.

As the temperatures start to drop this month and next the fish will become increasingly active as they feed up for Winter. Baits and lures worked around the timber should bring a few native fish undone.

I have fished the Macquarie river several times over past months and have found the going pretty tough. I targeted fish mainly with lures and did not come across many over 50cm. Bait anglers reported similar results with small numbers of barely legal Murray cod falling for grubs, shrimp and yabbies. The ample timber in the river proved the best areas to target.

The fishing has to improve sometime soon and I am predicting this should happen as the Autumn weather arrives. The shorter days and dropping water temperatures are a good sign to the fish that it is time to start feeding up for the lean times ahead.

Anglers fishing grubs, yabbies and worms those targeting the timber with spinnerbaits and deep-divers should hopefully encounter improved conditions this month.

It has been a nice change to see some good storms producing quality runoff. Driving through the area a few weeks ago I witnessed some of the best runoff I have seen in the past three years with creeks and stormwater drains nearing flood levels. More of the same will do wonders for pushing our rivers and impoundments back to the levels they sustained four to five years ago.