VIC
Time to take winter walks along the river banks WANGARATTA
Robbie Alexander
With winter comes a certain level of excitement for me, particularly around the
bardi grub will probably be your best option. YELLOWBELLY The region’s yellowbelly will be very hard to find during June as the cold water slows them right down. A
trout here in the Wangaratta region, and it usually fishes OK in June. Winged lures such as Tasmanian Devils trolled behind a boat or kayak are the best up there. Bait fishing off the bank can
A legal Murray crayfish caught last season in the Ovens River.
A pair of crayfish caught last season using a chicken frame as bait. Murray cray fishing, which dominates the fishing scene in the winter months in North East Victoria. Before I talk about the cray fishing, let’s run though what we can expect from the other species caught in this area. MURRAY COD Although I have caught a few Murray cod in June, the cod fishing is generally quite slow. I can only ever remember catching two cod in the Ovens River system on lures in June, and the rest have been caught on bait. In saying that, I rarely go lure fishing for cod in June. Nearby Lake Mulwala is a much better option for
few might be caught by people just drowning a worm and hoping for anything, but on the whole they will be very slow. REDFIN The redfin fishing could go either way this month. Lake Buffalo and Lake William Hovell can fish very well for redfin in June, but not always. Some years they’ve slowed down by June, and other years they’re still biting well. My suggestion is to get up to these lakes early in the month, because if they haven’t slowed down they will soon. TROUT Trout season closes at midnight on the Monday of King’s Birthday weekend, so
opens 1 June each year, and is a popular form of recreational fishing here in North East Victoria. Spiny Murray crayfish are subject to some quite strict rules and regulations to ensure the sustainability
crayfish per person per day, and they have a minimum size limit of 10am and a maximum size limit of 12cm. This is a measurement of their carapace, and I suggest that you check with the Victorian Fisheries Authority
Crampons used by people hiking in icy conditions are invaluable when crayfishing from the muddy banks of the river. They give you a lot of traction and prevent you from slipping over. of this species, which can be vulnerable to over harvesting. At the time of writing there is a bag limit of just two
Recreational Fishing Guide before you head out crayfishing. This will show you how to measure
the crayfish correctly, and if I have made a mistake in this article, or there are any changes are made to the rules, the fishing guide will be up to date. I love crayfishing and look forward to it each winter. It is a wonderful and enjoyable activity, but certainly not a means of harvesting food, as two crayfish does not provide a lot of meat. For me it’s all about the campfire, the wintery weather and seeing those giant white claws appearing from the murky depths when I lift my cray nets up. OTHER SPECIES Probably the most reliable form of fishing in this area during June will be carp fishing. I will be spending a fair bit of time carp fishing in June. The Winton Wetlands and Lake Moodemere are the two spots that I will most likely frequent the most. These places both hold a lot of carp are easy to access. Also, it is quite relaxing to sit in the sun for lengthy periods of time in between winter nibbles on my line.
A relaxing way to spend a winter’s morning at Lake Moodemere. anybody wanting to catch a June Murray cod on lures. If you do want to catch a cod in the Ovens River system during June, bait will be your best option. A bait of cheese, chicken or a 88 JUNE 2023
you only have the first week or so of June to catch a trout in the rivers. After the season closes you can still catch trout in the lakes. Lake William Hovell is the main lake for
produce a few trout here and there, and maybe the odd redfin, however it is the winged lures that usually catch the most fish. CRAYFISH Crayfishing season
Lake William Hovell is worth fishing for trout during June. Trolling winged lures from a boat or kayak is a great way to fish for them, but be careful when kayaking as the water in this sub alpine lake is icy cold.
