So, I was asked the question, “What are your top 5 tips for fishing Nagambie?”

As always, these questions are hard to answer when it comes to fishing, because things change from week to week, and this leads into my first tip…

1. BE READY FOR CHANGE

This is a tip you take with you to most waterways, but even more so with Nagambie. Water systems change from week to week depending on the weather conditions, water level and flow and the behaviour of the fish. You need to always be adaptable to the situation and realise that things can change.

Here is a short few rules to go by:

Cold change, low barometer, cold water from Eildon – in these situations you will find the fishing to be very slow. The Golden Perch will shut right down and the cod will as well. Your best chance of landing a fish in this situation is to use bait, or fish your lures extremely slowly. The shallow margins of the lake will fish the best and most likely in the afternoon, especially if there is a bit of sun. You need to expect the fishing to be tough, so don’t give up because everyone has the same conditions.

Warm weather, stable pressure & sunny – this is perfect for active fish, especially if there is a warm week leading up to the event. This is where you want to be casting and trolling and trying to cover as much water as you can. If you’re fishing around a lot of other anglers, try to find a good area and stay there until you have covered the water. The shallow margins out away from the main river channel will fish best early in the morning and they will be good to work as they will see less pressure.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH

Do a research trip! Nothing beats visit the lake and spending some time fishing before competition day. If you want to have a chance at winning the comp, do your research. Spend some time on the lake so you understand how the system works, the kind of structure and test different techniques and try to come up with a plan for the tournament. That’s my second and also an extremely important tip.

3. FISH SHALLOW AND DEEP – WORK OUT WHERE THE FISH ARE FEEDING

On the day the fish could be feeding shallow, or they could be feeding deep… maybe even both. Whatever it is, you need to work it out. Early morning I would start in the shallow and see if it works. Chances are you’ll find fish on first light and then after the sun rises you may find they could go off the bite. This is when you might need to find water deeper than 3m and fish in those areas. Once you figure out a pattern, stick to it for the event as this will give you the best chance are taking out a prize.

4. WORK HARD FROM THE BUZZER

I know this is an obvious one, but it is critical for success! Don’t stop… keep fishing and fish hard. Be up well before the start of day one and on the water ready to implement your plan. And then fish flat out for the entire duration of the competition. The more time on the water fishing, the more chance of encountering that $80K cod.

5. GO NATURAL

My last tip and this is more leading towards the competition is to use natural presentations. If you’re a lure caster I’d still be throwing spinnerbaits and hardbodies, but swimbaits will come into play. With so many lures being thrown around you will need to use something as natural as possible and Carp imitation swimbaits are hard to beat. They aren’t the easiest lure to fish but working them in the shallow margins and past the standing stumps is where they come into play.

The other options which is as natural as you can get, is to use bait. In a competition like this using large yabbies, bardi grubs and shrimp is a great option. Not only will you catch numbers of fish but you’ll be in for a good chance at the winning cod.

Bonus – Enjoy the event

As a bonus tip for GoFish Nagambie, make sure you have fun! This event is all about sharing and enjoying this passion we all have for fishing. Start a new conversation with someone, share your stories or if you caught a fish, help someone out if they are struggling.

Fishing is all about having fun and enjoying your time on the water!