Click logo for more info.

The rivers of the alpine region are absolutely awash with trout at the moment, although many tend to be in the 400-450 grams in weight range. Fly fishing last weekend produced a lot of action and heaps of captures, but only two fish were worth keeping. After a photo both were released unharmed, of course. By the way, where are the snakes this year? There’s none to be found around the rivers or even squashed on country roads. Storms are predicted for this weekend which will affect fishing and if there is lightning with the storms then any fishing activities are definitely not advised under any circumstances.

Bogong High Plains
Rocky Valley Reservoir at Falls Creek is 100% full and fishing well, with rainbow trout the main quarry. Mudeyes presented on a size 8 bait hook under an almost full bubble float will do well at the moment, as will Tassie devils retrieved at mid-depth and deeper. Pretty Valley Reservoir is also full and fishing is excellent. Shore-based fishing is ideal here as selected banks afford casting into deep water. The inflow stream, Pretty Valley Creek, is very wide where it flows into the reservoir and holds many large rainbow trout and brown trout in summer, especially in the more sheltered bays on the far side. The outflow stream is small and flows over large rocks and holds many small brown trout that respond well to a variety of small dry flies. Almost none of the fish are keepers and because of its size and characteristics, this water is not suitable for bait or lure fishing in summer.    

Bogong Village
Lake Guy at Bogong Village is partly full and fishing is possible from a boat, but the banks are too steep and muddy for any serious shoreline fishing. The inlet streams are both running a bit high but dropping slowly this week, with excellent fishing results by anglers using al fishing methods. If it rains to any extent on the weekend these streams will rise quickly and become slightly discoloured which may affect fishing results for the better.

Kiewa River
The Kiewa River at Tawonga is running nicely this week, having dropped quickly after good rain last weekend. There have been some excellent caddis hatches recently and tea tree beetles are active everywhere. Combined this week with good weather, these developments are encouraging trout to rise freely throughout the day, which in turn is attracting many anglers to the area.

Ovens River
The Ovens River around Bright and Porepunkah is producing mostly rainbow trout and some browns in the runs during the day and pools towards evening, according to reports. Bait are best presented unweighted, cast upstream and allowed to drift a little way downstream in the current before slowly retrieving. Trout often strike at that point, on the turn of the bait. The upper Ovens River, from Harrietville to Germantown, is producing many rainbow trout to 450 grams which are rising relatively freely during the day.

Victoria River
The Victoria River at Dinner Plain is fishing extremely well at the moment, according to reports, with rainbow trout to 750 grams rising during the day to a variety of dry flies. There have been numerous hatches of snowflake caddis in recent days, with numbers of trout ignoring the risk and boldly exposing themselves to dine on this opportunistic feast.  

Mt Buffalo
There are no recent fishing reports for Lake Catani available at the moment, but the lake is 100% full and fishing is always excellent in summer. A canoe is always good to use when fishing the lake to reach deeper waters where monster trout lurk. If you fish this water in the coming weeks please email a report (irrespective of fortunes) to info@anglingvic.com.au and include any photos. 

Upper Mitta Mitta River
The upper Mitta Mitta River around Glen Wills has been fishing extremely well in recent weeks, although many rainbow trout caught tend to be less than half a kilogram in weight. At the moment, workers are busy poisoning English Broom, a noxious and fast growing bush that has infested the area. They are doing this along the river from a large rubber boat, in order to kill as many bushes as possible. The work is not affecting fishing in any way other than spooking trout in the immediate area, which unfortunately cannot be avoided.
  
Bundara River
The Bundara River at Anglers Rest is fishing well with many pan sized rainbow trout on offer at the moment. The river is fairly shallow and water clarity is excellent, so a careful approach and long casts will get the most fish.

Cobungra River
Anglers fly fishing the Cobungra River near Anglers Rest recently experienced some of the best action they have had for some time, according to reports. Many rainbow trout were active in response to numbers of localised caddis hatches close to the banks as well as a smattering of beetle falls during the afternoon. However, most trout caught were not much more than 450 grams in weight with only a few considered keepers, which were also released.                                                    

Lower Mitta Mitta River
The lower Mitta Mitta River from Mitta Mitta to Eskdale is in excellent condition and producing pan-sized rainbow trout in good numbers, according to reports. Best bait is mudeyes drifted under an almost filled bubble float. Unweighted drifted scrubworms are still getting a few as well. Take your own bait as in summer it is usually difficult or impossible to obtain any locally. 

Snowy Creek
The Snowy Creek at Granite Flat is running slightly high and slowly dropping. It is producing rainbow trout to around 400 grams in weight, according to reports. There have been some good but localised caddis hatches between Walsh’s Road and the dry weather road (name escapes me) adjacent to old sawmill site in recent days.

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

Angling Expeditions Victoria
"The Trout Fly Fishing Specialists”
PO Box 20
(82 Kiewa Valley Highway)
TAWONGA VIC 3697
Tel: (03) 5754 1466
Fax: (03) 5754 1991
Mobile: 0409 241 762
Email: info@anglingvic.com.au
Web: www.anglingvic.com.au

Click here for the previous Geoff Lacey Report.