EILDON Peter Burtchell

Cooler temperatures increase the distance that sound travels. This provides an advantage for the angler who tentatively listens for that familiar surface-breaking action that large, surfaceyour chances of hooking into that fish of a lifetime.

Anglers trolling for trout are generally distanced from the Murray cod anglers, with the former targeting the open waters and the latter hugging the banks and inlets of the lake. This provides an opportunity to find a nice, quiet space to concentrate

Daniel and son with a nice, healthy Murray cod.

feeding Murray cod produce during winter.

Many anglers prefer this time of year for chasing trophy Murray cod as there are minimal ski boats and jet skis on the water. Another benefit is the big cod are finding it harder to find prey, because the smaller fish in the lake are hibernating. This increases your fishing skills on where the fish will be.

One seasoned campaigner, Kate Norman, knows the tactics of these larger fish very well. Kate was out of action during most of summer and autumn with the birth of her first child, but she made up for that lost fishing time with a cracking fish on her Charlie was excited to catch his first ever yellowbelly.

first return to Lake Eildon. Kate was a presenter at this year’s Victorian Fisheries Authority’s Codference place went to an overall 256cm of fish caught over the 7-day event by Simon Lowe and daughter Haylee. Ravi and son enjoying a day on the water.

Average rainfall is predicted for this winter, so anglers will need to be prepared with rainproof and warm clothing for when the lake turns rough. The rain will keep the rivers running hard with the spawning trout heading upstream, and smelt and other species following the current into the lake, providing a much-needed food source for the larger winterfeeding Murray cod.

In the July report we will be covering the Lake Eildon Fishing Challenge and Lake Eildon Cod Masters events. This year has seen an increase in the number of great Australian businesses funding the events, which have now become an annual tradition for many anglers. The organisers and

Kate Norman enjoyed her return to Lake Eildon.

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where her talk about location preparation and how to target these fish in safety was well received. Her angling set-up is just as impressive, with a Venom Swim Bait rod, Concept A3 reel with Custom Gomexus 120mm Handle, and Megabass Vatalion as the attraction.

Late autumn saw an influx of school holiday visitors to the lake, and many young anglers joined their parents in the Easter Fishing Competition hosted at the Jerusalem Creek Marina and Holiday Park. The competition was well supported by the Victorian Fisheries Authority, who provided showbags for all competitors. 60 anglers in total participated, with a total of 23 fish caught. First It was not all about winning though – it was time in the outdoors, connecting with nature and having fun that took centre stage. Due to the popularity of the event it will again be hosted during the winter school holidays from 2-10 July. To sign up or obtain more details of this familyfriendly event, simply send an email to peter@ equipmentstrategicservices .com.

June is both the beginning of the Murray cray and trout fishing seasons. Murray cray abound in the lake, with many anglers opting to use drop nets to bide the time between their planned fishing session in order to catch one of these amazing crustaceans. The young fella awaiting the next hit.