WITH SPAWNING well and truly past, trout are back in force and are now usually at the top of their game, feeding up big and stacking on the weight quickly.

It’s been quite a time coming but the trout fishing on Lake Hume has been fantastic. It may not be quite up there with the best trout impoundments but we have experienced consistent fishing, something that the lake has missed for almost a decade.

To date all my trips out on the lake have produced at least a couple of trout. I’m yet to get into anything to get really excited about but by the time you read this I hope to be grinning like a Cheshire cat.

There have been a few fish taken up around 3.5kg – sensational fish – but most have been from 500g to a kilo, results of an obviously very successful stocking effort by Victorian Fisheries. In February they liberated browns from 20cm to 25cm and anglers have reaped the rewards.

Going back a few years, traditionally this month was the standout for trout and I can confidently stick my neck out and say that this month should be great. Most fish have been trolled up on cobra-styled lures towed fast. I certainly do not suggest that you tow them so they rotate but it seems critical to really get them kicking along. Best area, as always, has been from the Bethanga bridge to Ebden reserve.

It should be worth a visit just below the Hume in the tailrace. There are some seriously big trout there and this month is the pick for them. The NSW bank on those notoriously slippery rocks is the place to cast.

If it is running high, lead fish will be best to use but if it is at a medium to low level, the redfin imitation jigs and soft plastics, or the Super Shallow Rapala Shad Rap will be best. Most productive time is usually an hour before dark until half an hour after dark.

I’ve just returned from this beautiful pondage for the first time this season and it was awesome. The score was five good browns and a couple of redfin, all on small Rapalas in the rainbow trout colour.

Those massive weed beds that have been missing for a few years are back. Most anglers tend to think of them as more of a nuisance but they create so much food so those big browns are just going to get even fatter.

This month sees the awesome trolling continue, particularly for the last couple of hours of each day, but now is also the time to start fishing live mudeyes under floats. Line of 3kg is more than adequate and it’s best to fish the slightly deeper water adjacent to the big weed beds.

Victorian streams open this month and the Mitta Mitta and Kiewa rivers and Nariel Creek are great waterways full of little trout. Grab the waders, a light spin stick, a few lures or worms and some split shot and you should be in with a great chance of getting into a few.

With some good rain and the snowmelt that should come flowing down soon, these rivers will be high. Worms and lures fished off the main flow should be the best areas to target.

September 1-