Fishing at Salt Lake, Murray River, New South Wales

• Overview

  Murray River, New South Wales, is where Salt Lake sits. The bank is 60 metres above sea level. Around 27 hectares of surface means several distinct areas to work. Bank access stretches around 2.7 km in total. Swan Hill is the closest place, 26 km off. After that come Balranald at 52 km and Kerang at 78 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Salt Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public wildlife records from this area list common carp, goldfish, perch and Australian river gizzard shad. Reported species tell you what lives around here, nothing more. The near bank of Salt Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 24°C in February and bottoms out near 9°C in July. Heat, not cold, decides when to be on the water. Spring runs September to November and autumn March to May, and both fish well. Early spring brings the water on quickly here. Salt Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Carp respond to sweetcorn or boilies fished patiently on the bottom near feeding areas. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Lake Poon Boon at 2.5 km is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Salt Lake.