The Goulburn’s flow has been reduced and the expectations are for some great fishing. Anglers will welcome this, as the past few months have been difficult to say the least. The feeder streams have still been the angler’s saviour with some streams continuing to fish well while others are tapering off.

There has been a significant drop in the lake from around 32% last month to 26%. The inflow to the lake is 400 megalitres and still the fishing continues to be consistent with the odd trout up to 3 pounds taken from Jews Creek on Tasmanian Devil lures. There have been some reports of rainbow trout taken in the Big River Arm on scrubworms and Power Bait. Deep diving lures have also been producing trout.

Brown trout have been taken to a kilo on scrubworms and Power Bait. One report indicated that lures have taken some nice trout in the 3 to 4 pound range with a few ‘bust-offs’ occurring.

Flyfishers have also had some good fortune. On calm windless evenings, trout have been rising to midges. Size 18 and even 20 dry fly imitations have worked best.

The Goulburn at the time of writing is just starting to flow at 1500 megalitres with an oxygen content of 14.0 ppm and a water temperature of 10 degrees. The fishing has been slow with the only worthwhile fishing along the edges and in the backwaters using bait and wet fly patterns fished down deep. The evening rise has been a non-event, apart from the odd report of small Baetis spinner hatches producing the odd rise.

The Goulburn River and tributaries upstream of the Trawool Bridge to the Eildon pondage, but not including the pondage, will be closed to all hook and line fishing from midnight on June 13. Please report any illegal activities to Fisheries Victoria on ph.133 474.

The Rubicon is flowing low but the fishing has been hard going. This can be attributed to high fishing traffic. Still, bait fishermen using worms and Power Bait and flyfishers drifting a dry fly during the day have taken some nice trout. From late afternoon til dark, a few trout have been rising to mayfly duns and spinners. The best fishing area has been around the Tumbling Waters picnic area.

The Acheron has been consistent throughout the month with bait fishermen having the most success fishing earthworm, scrubbies, maggots and Power Bait.

For the flyfishers, Baetis and Caenis black spinner hatches have been small. These hatches are occurring late in the afternoon and into dark. I recommend size 16/18/20 Wonder Wing Black Spinners.

Lure fishermen using small spinners have taken brown trout from a pound to one and a half pounds. Flyfishers are finding rising trout feeding on beetles from late afternoon til evening. Best imitations have been a size 16 Red Tag – its accounted for rainbow trout to a pound in weight.

ESSENTIALS

FLYFISHINGNymphs - Size 12/10 gold Bead Head Nymphs, weighted Flashback Nymphs, Pheasant Tail Nymphs, weighted black Seal Fur Nymphs, and brown Seals Fur Nymphs. Caddis - Elk Hair Caddis, Goddard Caddis and Creel Caddis.

Mayflies - Size 18/16 Rusty Brown Para Duns, Pale Morning Duns, Iron Blue Duns. Size 16 Red Spinners and black spinners.Wet fly - Size 10 l/s Clouser Minnows, size 10/8 Matukas, Woolly Buggers and Damsel Nymphs.

BEST GOULBURNBAIT - earthworms, scrubbies, mudeyes, Power Bait and Maggots.

BEST GOULBURNLURES Mepps spinners, Tassie Devils No. 6, 22, 38, 44, 49 and 63, Celtas and Lazers, Min Mins, Wee Wobblers, Strike Pro Pygmy-205/71, Raider 10 and Maniac 7.

SOFT PLASTICS - Glitter Minnows, Nippers, Swim Minnows and Power Frogs, Floating frogs, Atomic Grubs; long tail Minnows, Wriggle Tails, and Bullheads, Squidgy fish.

Neil Mann with a wild brown trout taken on a weighted nymph pattern.