Eildon

Best time of year for natives

EILDON Peter Burtchell

My compliments of the festive season to all. To those readers who have been affected by this year’s devastating floods, baitfish exposed as they traverse the once higher bare banks in search of feed. With so many Murray cod and yellowbelly resident in the lake, baitfish will have no other option than to school up to provide some protection from their predators. Finding these schools of baitfish around the main lake’s banks will be key to a successful angling session this season. The rivers will run harder than normal, which will attract schools of yellowbelly up into the headwaters as feed is pushed downstream towards them. Bait and lures will both prove very successful amongst these feeding fish throughout December.

Trout will remain active this summer if the La Niña conditions continue. They can be caught both by flatlining lures in the main body of the lake, and spinning for them along the river headwaters, where the cooler incoming waters will remain.

During late October and into November it was great to watch the feeding action of both smaller bait and larger fish come alive across the surface of the lake. Two or more sunny days in a row had provided the right conditions for all manner of insects to hatch. The hatches provided a great reprieve to anglers, who had found it hard to entice the previously dormant yellowbelly and juvenile Murray cod.

Summer is the best time to target both Murray cod and yellowbelly at Lake William with a late spring brown.

my thoughts are with you and I hope your recovery is progressing well.

Here at Lake Eildon we have been eagerly awaiting the warmer weather after a colder than normal spring, which suppressed the normal native fish activity. Yellowbelly and juvenile Murray cod remained dormant throughout much of spring, which should lead to some great fishing this December as the dormant natives catch up on their annual warmer water feeding. With a full lake, the fishing conditions will be very different this summer as most of the larger trees are now metres underwater, leaving Eildon. Fishing in the main body of the lake first thing in the morning and after 5pm in the evening will

The Captain (Dave Cross) with one of the larger Murray cod that remain active all year round.

Relax and enjoy delicious food and warm hospitality.

Open for breakfast from 6am 7 days a week

(Closed Mother’s Day) Coffee Light meals Pastries Cakes Bread 10 Main St, Eildon Victoria 3713 03 5774 2362 0438 881 629

Steve stuck to targeting trout during the colder than normal spring.

away from home. If visiting Lake Eildon you can opt to stay in one of the floating apartments (Boatels), hire

a houseboat or fishing vessel, visit the Megabass Elite Pro Store, or book a Megabass Elite Pro Fishing Tour with one of the many leading Australian Fishing guides operating from Jerusalem Creek. For more information on all of the activities and attractions that Lake Eildon has to offer, visit jerusalemcreek.com.au, give them a call on (03) 5774 2585 or email info@ jerusalemcreek.com.au.

Andrew with a rare cold water yellowbelly.

enable anglers to avoid the jet ski, wake and speed boat wave action. During the day, finding one of the secluded inlets and coves or venturing up the rivers will provide some great reprieve for the boating action. • For more information on fishing Lake Eildon, contact the Jerusalem Creek Marina & Holiday Park, a friendly, family-orientated annuals cabin park and Houseboat Marina, that makes the perfect home