You could always go for a drive up to Cudgewa in the Upper Murray or down to Kiffens Reserve, below Howlong, where there’s a couple of fishing comps being run.

There’ll be a few fishos that already have a headstart on you, but you’ve only got to catch one to give yourself a shot at a prize or two.

The Cudgy Classic has been run for a few years now, and details can be found on Facebook. If you contact anyone involved with the Culcairn Football Club or Morven Fishing Club, I’m sure they’ll put you on the right track.

Alternatively, you could just turn up at either spot and I’m sure they’ll sort you out.

Big thanks to Willow for looking after this column while I snuck off for a couple of weeks. Looks like he did a great job.

I headed to the coast for the first week, where we chased flathead in estuaries form Moruya to Bega, bass in Brogo Dam and whiting on the beach.

But I reckon our most entertaining session was had trying to pull beach worms. Four mates and myself were shown how it was done by a local expert when he picked up about 20 worms in 15 minutes.

We snuck off to another beach to catch 25 really nice whiting on them.

If you haven’t been worming, it’s basically a matter of placing a dead fish in a mesh net and dragging it back and forth through the top of a wave as it’s receding.

The beach worms poke their little noggins up to see what that lovely smell is, and you spot a little “v” in the sand.

You then get right over the top of him and hold a small piece of fish in one hand, coaxing him back up for a chew then try to grab him around the neck as fast as you can with a pair of purpose-built worming pliers before he disappears back into the sand.

Well, five of us tried that for nearly two hours the next day. We got very frustrated, but had a heap of laughs while we pulled one very small worm and a head.

Not sure what they sell for, but that’s definitely me next time.

Dartmouth – is still pretty warm on top meaning lead lines, downriggers or paravanes are the norm.

You simply have to get down to the depth the fish are feeding at.

King cobras and Tassies, along with Slim Minnows and Sexy Shads, have been the best of the lures. The Maccas are still having a chew too, with an unweighted or very lightly weighted scrubby your best bait.

Streams – are great. Plenty of crickets about now too, to join the hoppers as the most productive baits.

Lure and fly fishos are also doing really well, so this is prime stream time before the Easter rush.

You might want to avoid the Mitta this weekend though, as another environmental flow is being pushed down the next couple of days.

Lake Hume – hasn’t changed much in the past week or two.

There’s still plenty of reddies being caught, but you’ve got to be one of the lucky ones to get onto some of a decent size.

Yabbies, worms, trolling and flicking a few blades or vibes about – these techniques are all working. It’s just a matter of getting on top of the right patch.

Cliff Karnatz and his son Hunter did just that during the week, landing over 30 reddies above 30cm with a couple of 42cm models amongst them.

All were caught flicking blades about in 40 foot of water after Cliff spotted the fish on his sounder.

There’s also the odd decent cod coming out of Hume too, with one of more than 800mm this week.

Cod – have been pretty good everywhere.

Mulwala, the Murray above and below Hume, the Kiewa, Ovens, Bidgee, Buffalo and King are all going well, with Blowering the one lake that’s been a bit disappointing.

Water levels are obviously a big factor wherever you’re heading.