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It’s almost autumn and trout fishing in all rivers of the northeast Victoria alpine region continues to be excellent or better this week, with good numbers of brown and rainbow trout being taken on bait, lures and flies, according to reports. As well, all lakes are full and producing rainbow trout to 3.5 kilograms, although the average fish taken is around 1.25 kilograms in weight.

Mt Buffalo
Lake Catani at Mt Buffalo is at full capacity this week and producing rainbow trout to 750 grams, average 450 grams, on a variety of size 18 to 20 dry flies and small to medium trout imitation rapalas and celtas or similar. This water is ideal for canoes and belly boat fishing as it is deep and less than four hectares in surface area. A word of advice: even when fishing this water in summer, one needs to carry warm clothing as the lake is 600 metres above sea level and it gets cold up there, including on hot summer days. Also, Lake Catani is surrounded by a light to medium cover of snow in winter but provides excellent fishing for the well-prepared angler. Entry fee to the national park where Lake Catani is located is $10.00 per vehicle, but is well worth the investment.

Bogong High Plains
Rocky Valley and Pretty Valley reservoirs continue to fire well and both are producing rainbow trout to 1.5 kilograms, with a few brown trout to around 500 grams taken from Pretty Valley over the last few days. Trolling is the most productive method to use in Rocky Valley if one wants to reach the really big specimens that live in the deepest part of the lake, with rainbow trout reaching a whopping four kilograms and more being taken by determined anglers this summer.

Fiona Pond (formerly Mt Beauty Pondage)
Fiona Pond is full this week and continues to produce rainbow trout for anglers bait fishing the deeper water along the raised northern shoreline. There’s also good fishing on offer when the trout are rising around dusk among the reeds at the southeast end of the lake, when they will readily take a size 16 to18 Greenwell’s Glory or similar dry fly.

Kiewa River
The Kiewa River is providing absolutely amazing fishing opportunities the season. At around 3.00 pm a few days ago a lady and her husband called in, seeking some information on the best place to fly fish for the remainder of the afternoon. I directed them to a section of the Kiewa River upstream from the Tawonga caravan park and in just two hours they caught and released seven trout to 750 grams and missed almost as many again. According to what they told me later, all fish caught were brown trout and some fell for a weighted size 16 black nymph on a tandem rig while others took a size 18 red humpy and several were taken on a size 14 Greenwell’s Glory. Folks, you’ve just gotta get up here and experience the fishing for yourself to believe it!

Upper Mitta Mitta River
The upper Mitta Mitta River from Glen Wills downstream to Anglers Rest and beyond continues to produce many brown trout in excess of a kilogram in weight, some smaller, for fly fishers during the afternoon in particular, with medium-sized lures such as rapalas and tassie devils doing well throughout the day, as are drifted hopper baits.

Bundara River
The Bundara River at Anglers Rest is running nicely and producing brown trout to 450 grams, many smaller, on a variety of size 16 to 18 dry flies and small lures during the day, with larger specimens being taken at dusk or just after dark.
Cobungra River: The Cobungra River is almost a twin to the Bundara River and is fishing in a similar manner this week.

Victoria River
The Victoria River at Dinner Plain is running a bit low but producing some nice brown trout on dry flies during the late afternoon at the moment, although few fish are to be seen rising at any time, with only a few miserable and spasmodic hatches of snowflake caddis to respond to.

Lower Mitta Mitta River
The lower Mitta Mitta River from Mitta Mitta to Eskdale is fishing extremely well this week although trout tend to be a bit small, averaging around 350 to 450 grams in weight. The trout, mostly browns, are responding to all methods of fishing, with some good rises occurring towards dusk, according to reports.

Snowy Creek
The Snowy Creek is producing brown trout to around 400 grams on average although fishing can be a bit challenging at times during the main part of the day as fish become hard to find, hiding out under banks and grassy overhangs. However, long-trotting live drifted bait will often reach them with deadly results.

That’s all for now, more next week from,
Geoff Lacey

Angling Expeditions Victoria
P O Box 20
(82 Kiewa Valley Highway)
TAWONGA VIC 3697
Tel: (03) 5754 1466
Fax: (03) 5754 1991
Email: info@anglingvic.com.au
Web: www.anglingvic.com.au

Click here for the previous Geoff Lacey Report.