Ballarat

Wendouree trout are biting

BALLARAT

Shane

Stevens The fishing around Ballarat and district has been a bit hit-and-miss over the past month, with inconsistent reports filtering through. This is likely due to the weather, in particular the persistent rainfall due to the La Niña weather pattern affecting the southern hemisphere.

Our lakes and reservoirs are continually filling and overflowing. This has affected the water clarity in reservoirs, including Tullaroop Reservoir, which has been my favourite and most productive fishery throughout 2022. I am hoping when the reservoir stops overflowing, the water will clear up and the trout will start snooping around the shorelines once again.

For those anglers who chase a feed of redfin and yellowbelly, the water clarity will not worry you guys. When the warmer weather sets in, we should see both species on the bite once again.

Lake Wendouree has been the standout fishery around the district over the past month; all the extra rain hasn’t affected the lake at all. The water is crystal clear, and water temps in general are lower than other years at the same time, and the trout are on the bite. Anyone can basically pull up anywhere around the lake at any time of the day and see a trout bouncing around feeding on whatever insects are around. A big pat on the back must go to the Victorian Fishing Authority for the stocking program that is in place for Wendouree.

Lake Wendouree is a destination point for anglers from far and wide. It’s amazing to see the number of anglers fishing around the 6km of available shoreline, and the three boat ramps that are generally full of empty boat

trailers parked. It’s a real testament to our fishery.

Tom Jarman, one of Australia’s premier fly fishers, has been fishing Wendouree religiously over the past few months, from both the boat and the shoreline, with excellent results. Tom generally starts his fishing days off mid-morning through to the mid-afternoon. He likes to start off his sessions using nymph fly patterns, then varies his flies and retrieves depending on what flies he is using. Tom has been landing some magnificent brown and rainbow trout, mainly on nymphs with a slow figure-8 retrieve. He

commented that the browns we have in Wendouree are some of the most colourful ones he has come across whilst fishing Australia and through the world.

Vern Barby, another gun fly fisher, has been spending plenty of time in fishing Wendouree, resulting in excellent catches of brown and rainbow trout. Vern has fished Wendouree for nearly 50 years, and he said he’s never seen the lake so alive. There are fish jumping everywhere. Admittedly, there are a lot of little stocky rainbows bouncing around, but it’s awesome to see, and they are eager to eat your fly

as well. All sits well for us moving forward and they grow up.

Dennis Fawkner is another fly fisher who is regularly found around the shores of Wendouree. He has been catching some very nice-sized brown trout, and I have witnessed this myself recently. Dennis was fishing around midday, on an overcast day – excellent conditions

for Wendouree – when he landed a nice brown trout around the 50cm mark, then a smaller rainbow, and lost a bigger one at his feet, all on a subsurface Tom Jones/Emerger type pattern. Dennis said he couldn’t believe how good the fishing has been on Wendouree.

Wendouree will continue to fish well, especially when the

mudeyes really start to move around. They have been a bit later this year than normal, possibly due to the cooler weather.

Mudeyes are a staple diet for both the trout

Tom Jarman with a beautifully marked brown trout from

Lake Wendouree. Image courtesy of Tom Jarman.

Wendouree has been producing some ripper brown and rainbow trout, like this one caught by Vern Barby, whilst fly fishing

from a boat. Image courtesy of Vern Barby.

Tyler Ridgwell with a mid 40s brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir, which was caught on a small hardbodied lure. Image courtesy of Tyler Ridgwell.