With the hot and sunny weather of November, it didn’t take long for our raging rivers to drop to more fishable levels, however, the results have been very unexpected.

The local Strezlecki rivers have dropped quite a bit since last month’s report, but they haven’t dwindled down to a trickle like the often do in summer. For the flyfishers, the upper sections of these rivers have almost become unfishable with weighted nymphs. Unweighted nymphs and dry flies are now coming into their own.

There have been some lovely falls of flying ants as well as some caddis and spinners, but as the water is starting to get low, small dries like Wulffs, Coachmans and spinners should do the trick.

Soft plastics have been working a treat for me. I should check to see if I can still cast a fly line – it’s been that long. I hope no one from the LV flyfishing club is reading this or I’ll get shot!

Little minnow style plastics such as Firebait Sprats and Berkley Bass Minnows on 1/28oz to 1/16oz jigheads have been the go. I recently caught one of my best fish to date on one of these plastics from a local creek.

I have heard confirmed reports of bass caught from Lake Glenmaggie. The fish measured 29cm so they are worth going after. The fish fell to a lure. A jighead of between 1/28oz and 1/12oz should do the trick rigged with a little wiggle tail or minnow style plastic. I’m going to have a go at them with plastics over the summer.

Speaking of Glenmaggie, the Heyfield Angling Club held their annual Licola Fishing Competition recently. The winning fish was a 900g brown trout. It was caught at Bellbird Corner on worms. There were a few smaller stocked rainbows as well, but their average weight was down around 300g. This year, most of the fish were browns although one bass was caught – a sign of things to come I suspect. Most of the trout were caught on worms, with spinners coming in as the second most productive fishing method for competitors.

For more information contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on (03) 5174 8544.