Pinchgut Lagoon near Nathalia: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Murray River, New South Wales, is where Pinchgut Lagoon sits. The land about it is pine and hardwood. Small at around 2 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Murray River list. The nearest place of any size is Nathalia, 26 km away. Bendigo is the closest city, 129 km away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pinchgut Lagoon

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover common carp, goldfish, golden perch and Murray cod. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Pinchgut Lagoon before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect February to average close to 23°C, with July the cold end at about 8°C. Summer heat is the limit here, not winter cold. Winter here is cool and quiet, and often the most comfortable time out. October and November fish well as the water warms. At Pinchgut Lagoon the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Public data marks it as a cut-off river bend. A campsite is mapped about 290 m away, which makes an early start easier. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Barbers Garden Lagoon is 11 km off. Check the position on Pinchgut Lagoon before loading the car.