Ballarat

BALLARAT Shane Stevens

Every year during the winter months there are generally a few big trout that get caught. We hear of the odd one or two down south around the Camperdown at Michael John ventured back to Moorabool a few days later to try their luck again. The boys used the same method, a mud eye suspended under a float. The only difference this time was the weather – it was a bright, sunny winter’s day. This didn’t matter as Michael reeled in another magnificent brown trout of

Jakey Young landed this ripper from Lake Wendouree casting Ecogear Powershad soft

plastics with his dad Ben. Image courtesy of Ben Young.

Lake Purrumbete or Bullen Merri, which gets anglers’ tongues wagging, but generally not around Ballarat.

However, this year has been very different. Over the past month or so there have been some absolute rippers caught, all within 25km of Ballarat. Moorabool Reservoir, which I include in my report pretty much every month, is now one of my favourite waters to fish, due to increased fish stockings by Victorian Fishing Authority and also the quality and size of the fish it produces. A couple of rippers have been caught out there that I know of, nudging the 10lb mark.

Werribee angler Joe Ferretto has been catching some trophy browns, fishing mud eyes suspended under a bubble float for bait. Joe said one of the keys to his success is pick the worst day weather-wise, put on your warm clothes and wet weather gear and be prepared to put in the hours. Joe said when he heads to Moorabool in the middle of winter he rarely sees another angler; he just sits there by himself and toughs it out.

On a recent trip Joe landed four browns for the day, the biggest being a 71cm, 9lb 8oz female. He then followed it up with a 7lb 2oz male and a couple of other smaller browns around the 5lb mark. Certainly an awesome day’s fishing.

Joe and one of his mates spawning cycle, they will now just focus on feeding once again. With a bit of warmer weather and warmer water temperatures the insect activity will increase and so too will the urge for the trout to feed.

Jakey Young has been well tutored by his father Ben on how to catch trout on Lake Wendouree, and recently Ben and Jakey were casting Ecogear Powershad soft plastics from the shore. Jakey latched onto a ripper nudging the 5lb mark, and after a good tussle Jakey landed the brown trout. A few photos were taken by Ben and the fish was released for someone else to catch.

Craig and Matt Mitchell accompanied by Andrew Wright have been fly fishing Wendouree out of a drifting Nathan Angee has been catching some lovely brown trout from Hepburn Lagoon casting lures from his kayak. Image courtesy of Nathan Angee.

9lb, measuring 69cm.

The fishing at Moorabool will only improve over the next two or three months. As the water levels slowly rise over new ground, the trout will move into the shallows Matt Mitchell nailed this lovely 48cm brown trout fly fishing from Lake Wendouree.

Image courtesy of Craig Mitchell.

Michael John landed this monster brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir on a

mudeye. Image courtesy of Joe Ferretto. boat. The boys generally fish Wendouree on Sundays during the winter months as part of a winter fishing competition run by the Ballarat Fly Fishers Club, the ‘Len Walker Trophy’. The boys are willing to battle the elements and generally are rewarded for their efforts. On a recent trip, Matt and Andrew managed to latch onto a nice fish each. Matt’s was a 48cm brown and Andrew’s was a 63cm brown. Unfortunately Craig missed out for the day, but he was happy being the photographer. Matt and

and forage for food. We will see a few insects start to hatch, and the trout will feed on them too. I am so excited by the prospect of excellent fishing; we have enjoyed some great spring fishing over the past few years. And there’s also the anticipation of tangling with one of these big browns that reside in Moorabool.

Lake Wendouree has started to produce some nice-sized brown trout, both land-based and from boats. In general, Wendouree, like most other waters in the district, has been pretty quiet. The trout have finished their Andrew caught their fish on Magoo/Woolly Bugger fly patterns stripped pretty fast, as I mentioned out of a drifting boat. Certainly exciting times ahead on Wendouree.

Hepburn Lagoon is full and overflowing, and the brown trout are biting out there. Nathan Angee has been getting amongst them casting lures from his kayak. Hepburn is one of a number of waters that have been opened up to boating in the district, with restrictions in place, over the past couple of years. It’s certainly a win-win for anglers. Nathan said he has been using small hardbodied lures, with the most successful pattern being a Nories Laydown Minnow. He said he’d caught a few and had many more follow the lures up, including some big ones that he’s hoping to hook into at some stage. wet flies recently to catch some nice sized brown trout. He added that as the temperatures increase, he will start targeting the trout with specific insect patterns. As an example, in a couple of months the mayfly will be up and about, so a mayfly pattern will be a good choice.

Tullaroop Reservoir continues to fish well for both rainbow and brown trout. Anglers have been catching them casting lures from the shore and trolling lures from boats or kayaks. Fly fishers using smelt patterns have been getting in amongst them as well. The water level is steadily rising over new ground, and trout will be mooching in the shallow bays, feeding on flooded-out worms, grubs and so forth.

Overall anglers, we have very exciting times ahead of us around the Ballarat

Werribee angler Joe Ferretto landed this magnificent female brown trout from Moorabool Reservoir on a mudeye suspended

under a float. Image courtesy of Joe Ferretto.

Tom Jarman has been walking the shores of Hepburn, fly fishing with some success. Tom mentioned it’s not easy at the moment but if you’re put the hard yards in and cover plenty of water you will eventually catch one. He has been blind flogging district, as we move into the best time of the year if you chase trout: springtime.

The water levels are rising in all our lakes and reservoirs, and all waters have been well stocked with trout over the past few years by Victorian Fishing Authority.