NSW
The heat is on for November! ALBURY/WODONGA
Connor Heir
November is usually the time when fishing really starts to fire up. As the days start to lengthen, we are pleasantly welcomed with warmer conditions
Hume at our back doorstep, there is no better time than now to be out there chasing these fish. The start of this spring was a little bit inconsistent with finding yellowbelly, but we are starting to see areas become more consistent and producing better
like myself, here are three ways to locate yellowbelly while impoundment fishing. TREE HOPPING Tree hopping is where you fish from tree to tree, either in shallow water or deep water. You just fish them vertically by dropping lures down the sides of
a bit more discoloured in comparison to the rest of the lake, but don’t let that deter you from casting into it. Fish can actively be feeding in these zones, and the clarity of water won’t stop them from finding your lure. In previous years when finding fish this way, I’ve found blades to work really well in these zones. Just about any lure should work if the fish are active, but at times fish can be keyed into feeding on a particular bait so switching it up can also be the key to success. TROLLING There’s nothing wrong with the old-school approach of towing lures around. In the case of yellowbelly fishing, you’ll typically be using hardbody lures, and I have found that trolling is a good way to locate an area where the yellowbelly are. If I catch a fish I will stop in that area, and then begin to cast lures. Of course, trolling isn’t the only way to locate fish; you can find them by casting a
A carp caught while fishing for yellowbelly. Sometimes all you can do is laugh!
A nice-size trout caught on light spin gear. them, and rolling them back up. Most of the time, soft plastics are the best lure to do this with, but it doesn’t hurt to occasionally change it up to a vibe or a blade, especially if the fish are a little bit shut down. Don’t get too caught up on the one tree. Allow between three to five drops per tree, then move on. The more trees you can fish to locate fish, the better. WIND-BLOWN BANKS Wind-blown banks are banks that have been copping the waves breaking onto them, often providing food to be segregated into these areas. A lot of the time the water may appear to be
A beautifully-coloured brown trout from the river below Lake Hume.
A handful of Lake Hume gold. to fish in as we make our way towards summertime. These warmer days really do start to work their magic on fishing, particularly for impoundment fishing for yellowbelly. In previous articles, I’ve written a lot about how November is commonly the best time of year to fish for yellowbelly. Increased water temperatures really do help with how active these fish become, and having Lake 78
NOVEMBER 2022
numbers of fish. Sometimes yellowbelly can be difficult to locate and dial in on; it’s like you have to crack a passcode to figure out how to catch them consistently. With persistence and trial and error, you will catch onto them. The use of technology can be a massive advantage with locating yellowbelly, and it can often take much of the guesswork out it. However, if you are mostly tech-free
A solid model yellowbelly from Lake Hume. Fish of this size start to become more common during November.
bank. However, it’s quicker to troll through. With these techniques in mind, you can usually pick up a fish with a bit of trial and error. Be persistent and keep casting, and sooner or later you’ll get the results you’re after. All the water that has been let out of Lake Hume over the past few months has given the river below the dam wall very high flows, with good numbers of solid trout being caught. If trout fishing is something that interests you, be prepared for an epic fight as these fish are built extremely well and grow to very respectable sizes for Australian waters. So with so many great options in our region, it’s time to make it happen. Best of luck to all fishing!
