Trellys Fishing Report 24th July 2026
Trellys Fishing Report 24th July 2026
In many areas, we are in a bit of a waiting phase at the moment. Some lakes have risen dramatically, which is a key trigger for the fish to start biting, but in many cases, we are just waiting on a slight increase in water temperature.
There are still a few fish biting around the place, though…
Lake Hume
There have been some nice Yellowbelly caught in Lake Hume this week. While most seem to be getting landed with the help of LiveScope, a couple have been taken right off the bank using yabbies for bait.
Don’t get me wrong, the lake isn’t fishing amazingly well and plenty of anglers are missing out, but those who fish the lake regularly and know their stuff are picking up a few quality fish.
There have also been a few redfin caught as a by-catch for anglers targeting Yellowbelly.
Ovens River
After the recent rainfall, the Ovens River is finally starting to settle. It’s still very high, but water clarity is improving and the level has dropped to a point where I reckon I can find a quiet backwater and drown some bait.
I’m hoping to head out and fish the Ovens this week.
Lake William Hovell
I went fishing at Lake William Hovell late last week. As soon as I arrived, I noticed what appeared to be trout rising and feeding off the surface.
I didn’t bring any lures with me—only worms, as I was just planning on a quick angling session from the bank. I started casting my worms toward the rising fish and quickly caught three small rainbow trout. I then set up my rods properly for a longer session and landed four more!
In total, I landed seven rainbow trout, all small and all on worms.
These trout are part of the 200,000 bonus trout stocked on top of the Victorian Fisheries Authority's (VFA) regular stocking program. Because these bonus trout were stocked at a larger size than standard fingerlings, most have managed to evade being eaten by bigger trout and redfin.
They are too small to keep, but they are great fun to catch. Most were sitting around the 18cm mark.
It's worth noting that these 200,000 rainbow trout were spread across various Victorian lakes, not just Lake William Hovell. I know Hanno Parker has been catching them down at Blue Rock Lake, too!
To find out exactly which lakes were stocked, visit the VFA website at vfa.vic.gov.au and search for "bonus trout stocking."
Lake Moodemere
I fished Lake Moodemere on Saturday morning. It was freezing cold and quite foggy, with the temperature not rising above 4 degrees the entire time I was there.
I managed to catch two carp—neither being overly big—and had a few other subtle bites that didn’t hook up. Both carp were caught on a mix of worms and corn.
When I shared a couple of photos on Facebook, a few locals reached out with their own reports. There have been a few carp caught in Lake Moodemere lately, though not in huge numbers. Most anglers are picking up one or two fish, with mid-afternoon being the best window.
Corn and worms have been the only effective baits I’ve heard of, and no other species have been reported yet. I know carp are a pest, but at this quiet time of year, it’s just good to get out and hook into something while we wait for warmer weather!
Waranga Basin
Waranga Basin has now risen to over 90% capacity! Grassy flats that haven't seen water in two years are completely submerged, which makes me very excited for what lies ahead this spring.
I fished it on Monday and didn't get a touch. The lake was glass-calm—a stunning sight to behold, but sadly the fishing was dead.
I was fishing out at Harriman Point and the water was quite dirty, much dirtier than usual for Waranga. It filled up quickly with turbid water coming out of the Goulburn River, bringing along a fair bit of floating debris. This turbidity should settle over the coming weeks.
Trellys shared a photo on Facebook of a nice redfin caught by Kampbell at Waranga Basin last week. Well done, Kampbell—you did better than I did, mate!
Bring on the longer days and warmer weather!
