Spring is a particularly good time of year for fishing in the Wimmera. The trout fishing is normally is at its best and the native fish waters are starting to fire right up.

Our lakes and rivers are in a lot better shape water-wise compared to last year and some are still receiving much needed spring run-off water.

Lake Fyans is the pick of our local trout waters. It has been fishing very well in spring and this looks set to continue right through into summer. Browns to 3.5kg and rainbows to 2kg are being taken by bait, lure and fly.

Baitfishing with the reliable bug or couta mudeyes under bubble floats has been the best method to take a trout or two here, particularly early morning around any structure such as dead trees and weedbeds.

The trolling has been very good with most of the larger fish being taken this way. StumpJumpers, Rapalas, Tassie Devils and Ondex spinners have been very successful on the trout and redfin, which have been to a whopping 2.5kg.

The best method to take a few redfin here at present is to drift across the lake with baits of gudgeon, minnow and yabbies. The paternoster rig is best for this sort of fishing and it is also worth casting a few lures around while drifting.

Flyfishing is very popular here and the best flies have been large wets such as Mrs Simpsons, Hammill’s Killers and mudeye patterns. The evening and after dark has been the best time to give the fly a go here.

At present the boat ramps are out of the water but small boats can still be launched with care.

Lake Wartook in the Grampians is a very popular trout and redfin water and has also been fishing well. The best catches of trout have been taken by using mudeye under bubble floats along the wall and island areas. Trolling with Tassie Devil lures has also been good.

This lake always fishes best early in the morning and late afternoon. Trout to 2.5kg can be taken here but they average around 1kg in size. The flyfishing has been good early in the mornings casting to rising fish in the windlanes. The best flies have been Mrs Simpsons, Ruffys and Woolly Worms.

The redfin have been a little quiet but they are due to fire up any week now. Drifting with gudgeon or trolling with StumpJumper lures are the best ways to target the redfin here. The lake has an excellent boat ramp and picnic areas.

Taylors Lake is a very popular water close to Horsham. This lake always fishes well during spring and has a good boat ramp.

The yellowbelly fishing here has been good with fish to 2kg taking yabbies and worms fished around the snags. The yellowbelly always bite best here in the evenings and the bank fishing is as good as the boat fishing. Redfin and carp are also being taken here and worms have been the best bait for them. Murray cod are also present but must be released if accidentally caught as we are still in the closed season for them.

The Wimmera River is a very popular mixed fishery containing good numbers of yellowbelly, silver perch, catfish, Murray cod, redfin and carp.

The river has been fishing well during spring with good yellowbelly, catfish and silver perch being taken between Riverside and the Dimboola Weir. The Horsham section of river has been the most productive for yellowbelly, which have been caught up to 3.5kg. The best methods of fishing here have been baitfishing from the bank with worms and yabbies fished close to any structure. If targeting catfish, after dark has been best with baits of worms and peeled yabby tail. The catfish average around 800g but have been caught upwards of 2kg. The best catfish are caught around Horsham, Wail and Dimboola.

Lurefishing has been good in the river, particularly for yellowbelly at Riverside. Spinnerbaits repeatedly cast into the snags have been best. Lures such as StumpJumpers and Rapalas also work well at times, particularly on the redfin behind the Horsham Weir.

The fishing will continue to be good here during spring and will get better towards summer, particularly for catfish.