Escape The Snow Storms - Go Fishing Instead

As I write this, there's been a lot of coverage in the news about the freezing cold weather in the US - massive amounts of snow dumped on Washington, snowfalls in New York, and now a Dallas snow storm is also brewing.

All I can think at the moment is that I'm glad to be in Australia in summertime, where the sun is shining, and the fishing is plentiful!

As promised, following is a list of some of the best freshwater fishing spots in my home state of Victoria, the best fishing rods and tackle to use, as well as what kinds of fish you're likely to catch:

Victoria River

Starts at Dinner Plain near Mt Hotham and flows through rugged country to the Cobungra River.  The Victoria is a small stream and casting can be challenging because of trees.  Downstream access is via a dry weather only road.  A 4WD vehicle is advisable.  Brown trout are a feature during high water.  Beware of brown and tiger snakes; wear thigh waders at all times.

Kiewa River – Mount Beauty

A popular waterway for trout anglers seeking brown and rainbow trout, it combines magnificent scenery with excellent fishing.  Access on both sides of the river.  One of the best stretches is from Dederang to Mount Beauty, with brown and rainbow trout to 1.25kg, but most of the trout, mainly browns, average 450-500g.  In Summer heat, it pays to fish the fast water and shaded areas.

Eildon Pondage

Victoria’s most popular freshwater fishing destination.  Boats are banned, but the pondage is accessible to everyone.  Regular releases of rainbow and brown trout to 3kg ensures ample fish, especially at Riverside Drive, Bourke St, and near the bridge separating the upper and lower pondages.

Fort Courage

About 20km downstream from Murray and Darling Rivers’s junction at Wentworth, NSW, Fort Courage is a caravan park on the Murray.  The excellent boat ramp has one of few registered fish cleaning tables along the river.  Expect to catch Murray cod and yellowbelly.

Otway Ranges

Between Cape Otway and Princetown are two large estuary systems, the Aire River at Hordenvale and the Gellibrand River at Princetown.  Both rivers produce large brown trout.  The Gellibrand also has a large population of river blackfish and estuary perch.

Lake Hume

Highly regarded for redfin, Murray cod, yellowbelly and trout.  Anglers require a licence.  Most anglers fish for redfin among the trees, but there is good fishing for yellowbelly and Murray cod near Tallangatta.  Redfin are caught around fallen timber and dead trees.  Trolling is popular for cod, yellowbelly and trout.

Bundalong

The junction of the Murray and Ovens River at the east end of Lake Mulwala.  The area has a reputation for bigger than average Murray cod.  Also expect to hook yellowbelly, trout, carp and redfin.  If you have a boat and want to catch Murray cod, slowly work your way through some of the dead trees casting spinnerbaits, or find the old riverbed and troll along the edges.

Swan Hill

This is cod country.  If you are into Murray cod, yellowbelly and redfin, it’s a great place to try.  As well as the Murray, the Neimur, Wakool, Edwards, Little Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers are within 40 minutes drive.  The best fishing is upstream of the main bridge.  Popular spots include the willows near Murray Downs and Pental Island.

Tol Tol

About 5km east of the Soldier Settlement town of Robinvale and accessible via dirt track.  Boats are launched over a low-lying section of riverbank using a 4WD.  About 3km upstream is Belsar Island, and halfway between the island and camp is a pumping station at Millers Bend.  All well known areas for cod and yellowbelly.

So if you're in the Northern Hemisphere experiencing extreme cold and snowfalls, then maybe you should consider a trip Downunder to the sun, sand, surf and fishing!  And if you're already in Australia, then I hope this gives you some great tips on places to go fishing, as well as what you should be taking on your next fishing trip.

Fisherman Vs Goose (Who Will Win?)

This was supposed to be a nice day out fishing in calm waters, with a couple of friendly (or so was thought) birds tagging along for the fun of it.

But then suddenly it all changed... watch the video to see the hilarious conclusion!



Thanks to Fishing Fury for this find!

The Dangers Of Shark Fishing (Croc Fail)

Recently in the Northern Territory, Australia, two fishermen had just caught a shark at the beach. Little did they know something else was also hunting that same shark...

Check out the video below for a laugh, and find out who wins!

Teaching Children To Fish Is Good For All...

Summer holidays are perfect for parents to introduce their kids to fishing. It is one of the best ways to bond with your children, as long as your heart is in the right place. The experience of catching a first fish is more memorable than a computer game score. Years later, the youthful anglers will remember who they were with on the day they trapped their first fish.

Schooling children how to fish can be a great challenge for both parent and child. For some parents, the biggest challenge may be convincing their children that, unlike computers, fish do not react to an on/off switch.

Two must follow rules apply when fishing with kids - always keep it safe and keep it simple. Remember you cannot teach a youth everything. Some areas of fishing, such as tying a knot, need more than basic determination - there is also a little something called co-ordination.

Do not start out by trying to teach your child how to bait a hook. On the positive side, there is casting. It�s fun and keeps kids entertained. This means spinning should not be passed over as an option.

Locality has its share of importance in terms of results and safety. If you're going to be around the coast, I recommend you locate an estuary. If you�'re inland, go for a lake. These waters are by and large somewhat safe, offer straightforward access and on some you will discover fishing platforms.

Estuaries are the breeding ground for many types of fish and the majority of the time you can count on catching mullet and salmon, sometimes garfish, trevally or bream. In lakes, the species you catch will depend on wherever you are. It could be trout, redfin or maybe yellowbelly.

Fishing Tackle

There aren't many issues to worry about with tackle requirements for kids. �Combo� outfits take the anxiety out of decision making and contain all you require. A high-quality estuary or lake combo unit is about 3kg and comprises a matched fishing rod and reel (usually spooled with line), a selection of little sinkers, split shot, swivels, a couple of quill floats and hooks from No. 8 through to about No. 4.

Rigs

Fishing with baits generally use three basic rigs - the paternoster, running sinker and float.

Bait Made Easy

Bait that occurs naturally in the environment you're fishing in is always the best to use. In freshwater, mudeyes, minnows and scrubworms suit trout, but for local fish such as yellowbelly and Murray cod, shrimp, bardi grubs and yabbies cover nearly all situations. In saltwater, sandworms, bass yabbies, mussels, pipis, pilchards and squid will be enough for most species.

Sourcing Bait Part 2 - Freshwater Fish

Ok, last time I covered sourcing bait for saltwater fish, today is all about sourcing good bait for catching freshwater fish. Combined with the right fishing lures, I'm sure this will help you have a great time catching even the most cunning of fish.

Minnow: Small bait traps are ideal in rivers and lakes. Add a little berley (breadcrumbs) in the water and inside the trap.

Mudeye: The dragonfly nymph, mudeyes are found in dams and impoundments with good vegetation under the water, particularly around the edges. Drag a mudeye net through the weed.

Yabbies: Top bait for fish such as redfin and Murray cod and even bream. Find a dam or waterway with holes burrowed in around the banks. Tie a string around a piece of meat, cast it out a few feet from the edge and let it settle on the bottom. Bring it up slowly as the yabby with clutch the meat; place the net under the yabby before lifting it out of the water.


Shrimp: Favourite bait in rivers for Murray cod, redfin, trout and yellowbelly. Take a leafy gum branch and place in an old drum near a weed area. Shrimp will use it as shelter and grip the gum, which you can then remove.

Other

Alternative baits can be sourced from the supermarket. Canned corn and cheese will take carp. Raw chicken and rabbit meat will attract silver trevally and yellowbelly.

Berley

Berley is any plant or animal tissue or extract that is placed in the water for the purpose of attracting fish. Berley must not be used to attract fish for any purposes other than as part of a fishing operation. You must not use more than 10L of berley to assist in the taking of a shark.

I hope these tips for sourcing good bait will help you in your next adventure out on the water, and best of luck catching those fish!

How To Make Your Own Fishing Lures

One of the most gratifying practices a fisherman can have is to catch a fish using a fishing lure he has created with his own hands.

It is not required to be a great craftsman to make your own fishing lures. If they retain the capability to hoop the couple of required tools, they can have glorious lures. The lures might not quite be professionally perfect, but they will catch fish, and that’s all that matters the most.

And if the angler creates his own lures, he’ll substantially catch more fish in the long run. The reason for this is psychological. An angler who uses a store-bought retard or hop tends to be wavering about cast of characters it around rocks, logs, piles, and rank and file of seaweed.

He spent his own money at the shop for it and doesn’t wish to lose it – even so he knows the most appropriate fish have been held around such obstructions. And alternative lures such as jigs have been most in effect when bounced on the bottom, where they usually get caught up and lost. So, rather than lose his dear lures the discreet angler casts in to safer spots, that enclose fewer fish!

Making fishing lures can be an interesting hobby, generally during the prolonged winter months when fishing is slow. It has even been argued that the happiness of conceptualizing and formulating a lure to capture fish offers as much - if not more - pleasure than the act of fishing itself.

The Tools You Need To Make Fishing Lures

Before you can have any kind of fishing lures you must have the correct tools. If you don’t have the right collection of tools you can’t do a great job, and you may be disappointed with your results. On the alternative hand, if you have been versed with the right collection you’ll find lure-making easy and far more enjoyable. So the most appropriate way to get started is to find the right tools before you begin the creation of your own lures.

Most anglers will already have some of the tools they will need lying around. The rest can be bought or acquired later as the need arises if you prefer.

The greatest singular object indispensable for creating fishing lures is a bench, table, or desk. Fortunate, indeed, is the male who has a basement, den, or special room like a garage or shed where he can have a permanent workbench and assorted electrical tools to work on his hobbies.

After you have such a bench, table, or list you need a vice that will hold still the assorted lures for drilling, filing, bending, and alternative operations. Almost any dais vice of great distance will offer the purpose.

A small anvil is additionally very handy if you wish to have mostly steel lures or collection for such lures. It is used for cutting, bending, punching, and riveting. However, if you get a big dais vice of the machinist’s or application sort you can make use of the anvil aspect found on such vices. Or you can make use of a small retard of iron with a well-spoken aspect as a temporary anvil.

A hammer, of course, is a simple apparatus for any kind of work, and for creating fishing lures about dual or 3 hammers will suffice. If you already have a scratch hammer, you can use it for most lure-making jobs.

Electrical Tools Can Be Used To Make Fishing Lures Too

At slightest dual saws will be needed. If you already have a palm saw it can be used for wooden materials in your fishing lures.

Some kind of drilling device is indispensable for training holes in timber and metal. If you have a home seminar with a cavalcade press you can make use of it for most of the work to be done. It is generally very good to use when training holes in metal. A stable electrical drill is additionally a big assist when training metal, generally if you have to drill most holes.

Pliers, files, screwdrivers and a pointy blade have been the usually alternative necessary collection indispensable for making fishing lures.

With these tools, you can create any series of lures to overwhelm any fish you're chasing. If you want to learn more you can check out this very handy guide on how to make fishing lures.

Introduction To Fishing Lures Info

Hi, my name is Mick Reade, and welcome to my Fishing Blog!

I love to go fishing in my spare time, it's a great past-time and is a very relaxing way to get away from the fast-paced world we are often involved in.

I will be using this blog to share some general fishing tips and information, stories on my own and possibly other people's fishing adventures, and also get into the nitty gritty of sharing tips on fishing equipment, such as fishing lures, rods, tackle, bait, boats, and anything else I come up with along the way!

Fishing lures can be a metaphor for many things in life, and if you get that right then the rest can be easy. That's why I feel it's important to share some information with you on the best types of lures out there, how to use them, when to use them, and which fishing lures are likely to be most successful for particular fish you're trying to catch.

I hope you enjoy my fishing adventures and tips coming up in the future!

Rock on!!