With the cooler weather starting to set in, it is a good time to evaluate our techniques to get the best results for the time we spend fishing.

A lot of our keen anglers like to try up in the narrows, the area around Picnic Point. This area is known as a breeding ground for cod with its abundance of timber and fast running water. It is suited to casting lures and bait fishing; best baits are scrubies, yabbies and grubs. You will lose some gear but this is where the fish are!

Moving downstream, the area near Barmah and the steep banks near circular bend provide good water for yellowbelly, either trolling or angling. The area between Cape Horn and the Goulburn mouth can be good with many fallen trees giving habitat to cod.

The Goulburn, up to Stewarts Bridge, can give up some great fish provided they are not regulating water levels, which can turn fish on and off like a light switch. I particularly like to flick lures in this area as it can be rather shallow at times with lots of structure and often flows slower, which are ideal conditions.

Between the Goulburn and Echuca are some great bank fishing spots with plenty of road access for those without a boat. If trolling just watch water levels as there are some sand bars when water levels are low.

Downstream of Echuca are some of my favourite spots. Now that speed boats have hibernated, the water below the Five Mile boat ramp and to Wills Bend is excellent for trolling, flicking lures or angling with plenty of scope for all anglers.

Below Deep Creek, the waterway is wider all the way to Torrumbury and provides plenty of scope for all types of angling. In the deeper water, using big lures produces some big cod at this time of year.

The Gunbower Creek has been a little quiet of late with the odd yellowbelly and cod taken mainly by the bait fishers on scrubies and grubs.

The Campaspe continues to be good this season with its gentle flow into larger holes. It is ideal to angle or flick lures and don’t forget your surface hoppers as they provide great sport. Still getting reports of redfin in the channels on yabbies and worms so there is plenty of scope for all anglers.