Are you heading to Lake Eildon but don’t have a boat to go fishing? Get a self drive boat hire and give yourself every opportunity to catch your Murray Cod PB!
The Lake:
Lake Eildon is an expansive man made lake covering over 138 square kilometres. At its peak it can hold just over 3.3 million megalitres. Yes…. that’s 3.3 million megalitres!
Lake Eildon is approximately 2.5 hours from Melbourne which is the perfect distance to get your family and friends out of the house for the day to chase the mighty Murray Cod.
Lake Eildon is not only famous for its Murray cod but also its trophy sized yellow bellow and trout.
Hey, if you don’t catch one, think of the quality time you get to spend with the people you care about. You can’t put a price on that!
Getting There:
Jump on the Maroondah Hwy and head East. The first place I recommend you stop is Healesville. There are plenty of coffee shops, a Coles supermarket and plenty of boutique shops to check out.
There is also a Beechworth Bakery as you head towards Eildon on the right hand side. It gets great customer reviews from Trip Advisor and Google. I am also a fan of the large bakery so it’s well worth a look.
Now continue East until you arrive at Eildon Township. There is a bait and tackle shop in town run by Craig. Craig will be able to sort you out with the right bait and tackle and provide some advice on where to fish.
Once you have everything you need you can head to the Jerusalem Creek Marina where you can collect your boat rental. Don’t forget to get yourself a bag of ice here to keep your food, drinks and fish fresh!
What Fish Are There?:
Murray Cod – Murray cod is an iconic Australian freshwater fish and is one of the largest native freshwater fish species. With a distinctive prehistoric appearance, it can grow over 1.8 metres long and weigh up to a huge 113 kilograms. Although not known for its eating, the predatory behaviour makes it one of the most sought after fish in Australia. It is often seen as a trophy fish and the taxidermists love them!
Yellow Belly – Yellowbelly, also known as Golden Perch, is also a freshwater fish native to Australia. It is clearly identifiable from its distinctive golden-yellow coloration on its belly. If you are looking for a premium eating fish then this is the fish for you. The white flesh is firm and sweet.
Trout – Australian trout, including the Brown and Rainbow varieties, thrive in cool, pristine freshwater environments. Renowned for their delicious taste, they attract anglers from far and wide. A good friend of mine smokes the trout he catches at Lake Eildon and then freezes them. Having smoked trout with dry biscuits and cheese is certainly a delicacy and I look forward to my free fish every year!
Carp – Australian carp is an introduced species to the ecosystem. It really wasn’t the smartest introduction of a species due to its prolific breeding and destructive feeding habits. Despite being considered pests, some anglers enjoy carp fishing for their large size and fighting abilities. They are a pest, but I can tell you from experience that children especially don’t care what they catch, as long as they have the excitement and anticipation of a fish on their line.
There is no closed season for fishing at Lake Eildon. You can bait fish, troll and spin all year round. The rivers and estuaries around Lake Eildon including the Goulburn River are closed between June and September.
Boat Hire:-
The boats for hire at Lake Eildon are 4.4 metre 435 Scorpion Savage boats fitted with 50hp Evinrude motors. These boats are extremely stable with flat decks making it perfect for trolling, lure or bait fishing.
The boat comes with a bimini top, front casting platform, a Lowrance Fish finder (I definitely need one of them) and 12 volt charging sockets.
The service provider Peter, has extensive knowledge of the area and will provide you with the local knowledge so you can catch more fish.
The boat has a maximum licensed capacity of 4 persons. If you need more, there are 2 boats available so you can hire them both and compete against one another. The losers buy dinner!
All safety equipment as required by A.M.S.A. for both Hire Drive and Commercial Passengers is onboard.
A valid Marine licence is required for all boat hire options to safely operate the vessels. A briefing will be conducted on the safe operation and safety equipment prior to your departure.
What Do I Need To Bring?:
We suggest you bring the following items for your boat hire adventure at Lake Eildon:-
- Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
- Flat soled comfortable shoes
- Appropriate clothing including a warm jacket as the temperature can drop quickly when you are out on the water
- Plenty of water and other drinks 🙂
- Snacks
- Fishing rods, and tackle – you wont need heaps of tackle. The biggest concern is casting lures into the structures, you can always go and get them out… done this a few times.
- Lures – I like pink tassie devils for trout, and prefer brighter colours for the cod. Cod are a predatory fish and hide in the shadows so I figure they might come out for something bright and shiny! Doesn’t always work though.
- Bait – Scrub worms and yabbies seem to work the best for trout, but if you are chasing the mighty Murray Cod then try cheese, chicken/chicken nuggets.
How Do I get OnBoard:-
The easiest way to hire a boat at Lake Eildon is to become a member of the MatesBoat™ community. MatesBoat™ offers several self drive boat hire options and even a charter service with a local guide.
To find the latest pricing and check availability, register here and check it out!
