The Wimmera region is enduring one of its biggest heat waves on record, with 40oC days being the norm for the past few weeks. As a result, the fishing during the day has been slower than usual. Come evening and after dark however, there has been some top fishing, particularly in the Wimmera River and at Taylors Lake. Golden perch and catfish action has also been providing a lot of excitement over the last few weeks.

The trout waters have been very quiet due to the hot weather but I am sure in March, when the weather cools a little, our quality trout fisheries such as Fyans and Bellfield will be well worth the effort once again.

The water levels in the Wimmera River are now the lowest I have ever seen them but some good fishable water remains in the deeper holes around Horsham, Quantong and at Riverside. Some very nice golden perch to 4kg have been hitting spinnerbaits, small lures and Hogback spinners cast at the many snags, with a few silver perch and redfin being caught as well.

The river has been fishing well in the early mornings and evenings, but my best fishing results have came while fishing after dark.

I have been using peeled yabby tail, worms and small yabbies, and catching some nice golden perch to around 2kg, many carp, a few redfin and heaps of catfish. I have never seen the catfish as thick as they have been this year; there is definitely no shortage of them from tiny to some quite large specimens. The best fishing has been on the full moon, and the fish are biting right through the night.

Let’s hope we get some rain soon though, as the river is extremely low at present.

In the Glenelg the redfin fishing has been very good around the Fulham area, with some good bags of reddies being taken on soft plastics and small lures cast or trolled from small boats and canoes. Walking the banks casting at the snags is also very effective here, but look out for snakes.

The reddies have been averaging around 500g, and the occasional bass has also been caught in this area. The river just downstream of Rocklands Reservoir has been fishing well for redfin and a few massive eels.

The river at Cherrypool has also been fishing well with redfin hitting small minnow lures and spinners and taking baits of worms and yabbies. The best fishing here has been early in the morning and in the evenings. Bait anglers are getting a few river blackfish, tench and goldfish, mostly on worms.

The fishing in Taylors Lake has really fired up over the last few weeks, but with the low water level and large amounts of weed the fishing hasn’t been easy for new comers to this water.

There are a few areas where the weed isn’t too bad, and anglers fishing these areas in the evenings and after dark are scoring a lot of nice golden perch and redfin. Most fish are being taken on spinners such as Hogbacks, Ondex and Celtas cast near the weed beds.

On some evenings the fish have been smashing gudgeon and minnows up on the surface, making for some very exciting fishing. A few anglers have also been doing well baitfishing with yabbies and gudgeon, but it is so much more fun casting spinners around at these fish.

The Murray cod have been very quiet here over summer, with no recent reports coming to hand.