G'day fishos. The weather predictions aren't sensational for this weekend, but it looks like there should be a few opportunities to sneak out.
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The after-effects of the fires are still being felt in some areas more than others, and unfortunately that includes parts of the Upper Murray.
While some areas have had tremendous regrowth, others will struggle for some time to get back to anywhere near "normal". In those areas, it's still hard to find a blade of grass, a tree that's been spared or signs of regrowth.
We've had some terrific rains right across our region, but those areas just haven't come back yet. There's next to nothing stopping the exposed soil from washing into the rivers and streams.
Quite a few of those streams copped a big dose of ash after initial rains, and we must come to terms with the fact they won't recover overnight.
I know fisheries from both states are well aware of the situation and have plans in place to improve things ASAP, so we've just gotta keep our fingers crossed and help out wherever we can.
AT A GLANCE
Dartmouth (58.5 per cent) - fished well for most last week, with a couple of reports of gudgeons under bubble floats working well.
Gudgeons are quite easily caught in shrimp trap with a bit of bread in them or just a small light.
They make a great bait around the edges in among the timber.
They can also be successful fished unweighted or with a small split shot or sinker out in the open water at depth, if you're not into downrigging etc.
Streams - varied from having a tinge of colour to being high and dirty last weekend, depending on which system you fished.
Most areas will have settled a bit, but predicted rains over the next day or so might not help much.
Flicking all the normal minnow style lures, as well as the Celta/Vibrax style spinners, worked for most fishos too.
Murray - below Albury has been good for some, with yellas starting to get active. Small spinnerbaits and vibes seem to be the lures of choice, but don't forget cod season is closed.
If you get a cod as bycatch, which is a distinct possibility, it should be returned to the water as soon as you can.
There's an odd trout coming in directly below the wall in that current, but if you hook something don't just assume that's what it is.
I know of a couple of yellas, a couple of cod and a carp or two that have had no hesitation in grabbing a lure in that fast water recently.
Eucumbene (36 per cent) and Jindabyne (66 per cent) - have both been rising and fishing pretty well, as long as you get a bit of overcast weather with a bit of chop.
The Webb family gave Euc a hit last weekend and did pretty well, landing 18 fish with the biggest being about 2kg.
Guy Webb, who caught 11 of the 18, was saying shallow minnows in the 100mm range such as the Yakamito Slim Minnows" and Rapalas did most of the damage early mornings and late evenings.
Blowering (82 per cent) - has been OK without being brilliant, with bait from the bank still being as good a method as any of catching a big green one.
Lure fishos seem to be working for them, but there are some big fish up there and that's what keeps us going.
There are a few yellas showing up too, so pack a blade or vibe or two.
Lake Hume (74 per cent) has been its patchy self again this week, with plenty of fishos struggling and others doing really well.
It seems angling around the edges keeps improving, particularly if your chasing yellas, with quite a few reports of fish in the 400-500mm range being caught on worms or yabbies.
Most of the stories we've been getting are from the Murray arm, anywhere between Talgarno and Granya.
Black grubbing around the trees has also produced good numbers, as has sitting off the trees and casting to them.
As we mentioned last week, there's a lot of fish in that 2-4m range around the edges, but the same is applying to the deeper water around the timber.
Most of the fishos that are getting good numbers are fishing in all sorts of depths, but concentrating their efforts in that 2-6m mark.
A lot of smaller reddies are about, along with the odd reasonable fish, and a lot of those are getting caught on blades and vibes with plastics above.