Trellys Fishing Report

Trellys Fishing Report

Trellys Fishing Report 19th September 2025

The trout reconnaissance missions continue. Over the last week I have fished in numerous small streams across North East Victoria to really try and get a firm grip on how the trout season is shaping up. 

I am pleased to say that the trout fishing has definitely improved on last season. The fishing isn’t amazing, but there are certainly signs of improvement. 

Some spots that seemingly had no trout in them at all last year now have fish back in them, although most fish are quite small. 

From what I have noticed, the rainbow trout fishing seems to be bouncing back much quicker than the brown trout fishing. That makes sense to me as rainbow trout are a faster growing species of fish than brown trout. 

I have been catching my trout on small Strike Tiger soft plastics and micro spoons, as well as dark coloured bladed spinners. 

Something else worth mentioning this week is the unseasonally good yabbying that I am experiencing. I have been yabbying three times this month and have had great success each time. 

Usually I would say that it is still a bit too early for the yabbies to be biting, but I can assure you they are. Well, at least they are in the dams that I have been yabbying in near Wangaratta. 

I have caught my yabbies on redfin off-cuts from a feed of Lake Eildon redfin that I kept last month, and also on chicken drumsticks. 

Lake Eildon: 

I saw a photo of a very fat and chunky Yellowbelly caught at Jerusalem Creek in Lake Eildon this week. It is the only report that I have had, but it’s a start. With the weather warming up the fishing will only get better in the coming weeks. 

Lake Nillahcootie: 

There have been quite a few carp caught at Lake Nillahcootie this week, and also a few Murray cod. I know of 2 Murray cod caught off the bank on worms. One was 45cm and the other 55cm. 

I have not heard any further reports of Yellowbelly at Nillahcootie this week following on from last weeks report. As with Lake Eildon, I am sure the Yella’s are about to start biting there any day now. 

Lake Hume:

There have been a few chunky Yellowbelly caught at Lake Hume this week. My social media feed is really starting to paint a picture of improved Yellowbelly fishing up there. 

They have been caught on lipless crankbaits and curl tail soft plastics, fished from a boat. 

Exactly where in the lake they have been caught I am not sure, but there’s seems to be trees in the background of some of the photos.

I was passing by Lake Hume myself last week. I wasn’t fishing, but did see a pile of dead carp at the Ebden boat ramp, so they’re obviously biting well too. The Seagulls and Pelicans said top say “Thank you”. 

I have not heard or seen any reports of redfin being caught at Lake Hume. 

This lake has always been an amazing redfin fishery but in recent years it has really declined. Many of us are waiting with baited breath for the return of the redfin! 

Ovens River: 

I have been bait fishing in the Ovens River in Wangaratta this week. (And the King River just upstream of the junction) 

The target species has been Yellowbelly. In two trips I have caught a total of 8 carp and 1 small Murray cod which was promptly released. 

The Yellowbelly have been playing hard to catch, but the carp are keeping me entertained while I wait. 

All of my fish have been caught using worms for bait. During the closed Murray cod season, pretty much all of my fishing in the river is angling with worms. I may use shrimp later in the spring time when there’s a few around, but that’s about it. 

As I type this report I am getting excited. I am heading west this afternoon to go fishing in Greens Lake and the Waranga Basin. 

I have no idea how much water is even in Greens Lake, or how it is fishing. I will report my findings in next weeks report, whether successful or not.