Peeling back the mystery of Nagambie Lakes by Peter Jung

In many ways the last 6-12 months has seen the focus on the waterways around Nagambie go from almost non-existent to in the spotlight. Most of this spotlight has been produced by the Go Fish Nagambie event that is happening at the end of April. However, there has been a considerable effort by local anglers, the Nagambie Angling Club and the VIC Fisheries Authority to develop and create an ever-improving fishery for everybody to enjoy.
Far be it for me to think that I could possibly give you a complete insight into what the area offers, so I roped in some local knowledge. Sunny Martins, Paul Thomas and Bailey Thomas have spent many hours developing an understanding of the waterway and unravelling the mystery of the Nagambie system. The tips, tricks and techniques that follow are based around some time spent on the water with them and observations and thoughts based around similar fisheries.
OUR FOCUS
The heart of the Nagambie system is the Goulburn River. This waterway provides the water to fill the various backwaters and Lake Nagambie itself. The area I would like to highlight is the 11.5km section between Lake Nagambie and the Goulburn Weir. I am sure many of the techniques to follow will work outside of this area, but the beauty of this section of the waterway is that the fishing can be as diverse as you want to make it.
FROM NOTHING TO SOMETHING
The Nagambie area is a true stocking success story. Looking at VIC Fisheries Authority stocking records, stocking began in 2006 and has significantly increased since then. Nagambie Angling Club records have informed fisheries that the stocking work was successful and with the Target 1 million Project the area should continue to be seeded with fish.
Talking to Paul about the success of the stockings was very interesting. He explained to me that catching a native species (Murray cod or golden perch) would have made front page of the local paper prior to 2006. It would have been as rare as a donkey walking down the main street. Now, it is becoming a premier fishery and with the stocking and continued assistance of the local anglers it will only get better.
ACCESS
Access by boat is reasonably limited. There is a 'pay to use' boat ramp facility at McNamara Point at the Nagambie Lakes Regatta centre and a couple of dirt launching areas at Chinamans Bridge and Kirwans Bridge. The latter is only suitable to launch smaller craft and the pay facility is suitable for all craft.
Once you are on the water the biggest thing to be aware of is the speed limits that are in place throughout the area. There are a number of 5 knot zones sprinkled amongst the 20 knot and unlimited areas. There is plenty of structure below the water to catch the unsuspecting visitor, so be aware and adhere to the speed limits.