Round one and two of the Freshwater Masters began last week with bass at Glenbawne and yellas at Windamere the target species. Round three will be at Mulwala, obviously targeting Murray Cod. (The format is based on teams of two, targeting three species, over three one-weekend competitions – with points accumulating across all three legs for overall Champion Angler and Champion Team, plus prizes for each of the legs. Scoring is based on points per millimetre of fish length – for each angler’s five best fish, and each team’s 10 best fish).

 Out of the 17 boats in the comp, seven are from our region and that goes to show how highly fishing is regarded in this area.

Most of these blokes are good mates of mine so not only do I get all the guff on the fishing, I also get some stuff that would probably or should probably be kept “in house”.

Most of you who know me or read this column know I would never try to embarrass any of my mates, well not without good cause and good cause is well, just because.

There were some very nice fish caught and local angler Adrian George is holding down second place in the comp at the moment.

The boats most of these blokes fish out of are not your big, go fast dedicated fishing boats you see in the comps on the TV, they are your everyday tinnies purchased locally.

Yes, they do have a lot of modern equipment on them and I am happy to say I have had a hand in fitting a lot of them out with electronics and electric trolling motors but all this equipment is available to everyone and won’t break the budget (and Christmas is just around the corner) so if you have the inclination to try your hand at fishing competitions it is well within your grasp.

As I have said before, competitions are not for me as I am your more laid-back fisherman, but too each their own.

You thought I had forgotten about the embarrassing stuff didn’t you? No chance.

Well-known local celebrity and owner of Lake Village Auto, Phil Tokley, not once, but twice put the boat on the waters for the start of the day's fishing, sitting out on the water waiting for the start. No, he didn’t leave the bungs out – he left all his fishing rods back at the camp, as I said not once but twice.

Well done Toke.

Good mate of mine Doug Charlton - who just in case you were wondering should have played cricket for Australia, the only thing that stopped him was skill and ability - (I probably shouldn’t put too much on him as it has happened to many people before him) filled the boat up with fuel only to put the first 10 litres in the rod holder before realising it wasn’t the fuel tank.

These blokes are good mates of mine and don’t mind a bit of stick every now and then and I can expect to get it back one day. The only thing I have on my side at the moment is it’s me who writes this column so I am at an advantage – at the moment.

Anyway, most of the locals are in the top 10 and desirably so. Bringing up the rear (he is not coming last, he is keeping everyone else from being last) is big, bad Merv Hughes. So not only do you get to go fishing and have a great time, possibly win some money and prizes, you may also get to hang with some celebrities.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a local inaugural fishing competition between RIC electrics and Riverina Plaster works. 

This week I received some information from the other fellas that were fishing it and, well let’s say this wasn’t in the story I received the first time: “Harro these were the real fish caught on the Riverina Plasterworks and RIC Electrics fishing comp. The fish they caught were great fish, don't get me wrong, but the weight ratio did not even come close.

"The trip out to the continental shelf took them twice as long as they all got sea sick and were concerned at the size of the waves. At the end of the day Riverina Plasterworks took out the trophy of best boat, best fish and the least people sick.

"There was one call over the radio that Bomber wanted to get a helicopter home as the water was that rough."

Good friendly banter between mates – love it.

Burrinjuck has picked up after last week’s cold spell with some very good pigs landed. Most of these were caught using bibless cranks on the troll. A few schools of reddies are being sounded up, not a huge amount being caught, probably another couple of weeks

Blowering is also picking up but the fish have been on and then like a switch being flicked gone again. Some nice yellas up to 60cm with the trolled bibless cranks once again doing the damage

Haven’t heard a lot from the Alpine waters, couple of reddies out of Talbingo, lot of mud at Tantangara and no reports from Eucumbene and Jindabyne.

Hume Weir is going good again with good numbers of quality pigs and some large reddies being caught; small hard bodies like the McGraths are the preferred lures

Haven’t heard much about Mulwala this week probably due to most of the fishermen fishing the masters. Water should be warming up a bit which will put the fish on the bite.

The river is fishing pretty good, it is flowing pretty fast at the moment, good for the trouties but makes it a bit harder for the natives.

South Coast - some Albacore and Mahi Mahi out deep, some very nice flatties in the estuaries always worth a trip.

Eucumbene 50.5%

Hume Weir 70.2%

Blowering 53.3%

Burrinjuck 77.5%

Jindabyne 66.8%

Tantangara 14%

Talbingo 43.9%

Mulwala 91.5%

Send your pictures to craig@waggamarine.com.au or 0419 493 313.