The Eildon district has continued to receive rain and the rivers have struggled to clear.

Those anglers fishing in between the dirty days have had some excellent fishing. As I write this report the rivers are clearing and the month ahead looks promising.

Lake Eildon is sitting at nearly 45%. The latest reports indicate that fishing around Bonnie Doon has been good for brown trout up to 500g along the newly flooded shoreline. Bait fishermen are having the most success using earthworms and scrubbies fished on the bottom.

Boat-based anglers should continue to take care because floating woody debris is still about, just waiting to collect an unsuspecting engine shaft.

Like the lake, the pondage is recovering from the dirty water of previous weeks and reports suggest it’s been fishing well for brown and rainbow trout up to 6lb. Baitfishing with PowerBait and spinning with Tasmanian Devil lures have been the best methods, with Bourke Street and the Nursery Corner the best locations.

The river is flowing at around 130 megalitres and has a temperature of 11.5 degrees. The river continues to battle the dirty water run-off. For a while there, it cleared nicely above the Rubicon and subsequently fished well during some good weather.

The Breakaway had the odd rising trout to sparse hatches of mayfly and caddis throughout the day. Recently, John Guljas and I caught rainbow trout to 1lb and brown trout to 2.5lb on dry fly caddis patterns and smelt flies. The evening rise was short and sharp but produced excellent insect hatches of mayfly, caddis and midge. In that short time many trout were seen rising with a few small rainbows caught and many missed on the strike.

However since then, the rain has again dirtied up the river and the fishing has deteriorated, although it won’t take long for it to clear up once more. Bait fishermen are also taking the odd small trout on earthworms, maggots and PowerBait regularly around Gilmores Bridge.

One of the bigger trout that I caught recently had a tag in it. I recorded the trout’s length, noted where I’d caught it and sent off the details to DPI Fisheries. They’re going to get back to me with when and where it was tagged. This should make for some interesting reading so I’ll share the details with you in a future report.

Flowing clear, cold and fast, the Rubicon is fishing sporadically. The best results have been achieved with earthworms and scrubbies fished in the slower backwaters.

Lure fishermen are also taking the odd small trout on Min Mins and Celtas.

The fishing on the river within the next month should improve as the river drops and the water temperature rises.

This river is also flowing high and fast but anglers who are targeting the slower edges and backwaters are taking the odd trout. Earthworms, scrubbies and PowerBait have been most productive. Most trout have been small half pounders with the odd bigger trout to a pound.

Flyfishermen working weighted nymph patterns have also been successful. The best pattern has been a gold bead head nymph. Try fishing around Taggerty and Buxton.

The upper reaches of the Yea River are starting to clear with some reports indicating that bait fishermen are taking the odd trout up to a pound, fishing maggots under a float.

The Murrindindi River is flowing clear and fast. Bait fishermen and lure casters have taken some small trout. The best baits have been earthworms and scrubbies, while small black Celtas have been the pick of the lures.

The King Parrot is flowing a little faster than normal but producing brown trout to 700g around Flowerdale. The most successful method has been baitfishing, particularly with maggots under a float or earthworms and PowerBait fished on the bottom. Small spinners are also taking the odd fish.