Playford Lake in Mitcham: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Look for Playford Lake in the Mitcham part of South Australia. The ground round it is pine and hardwood. It covers about 3 hectares, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is high ground by South Australia standards. The closest town, Glenalta, is 1 km distant. It is 9 km to Adelaide, the nearest city. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Playford Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover perch, rainbow trout and brown trout. Reported species tell you what lives around here, nothing more. The shape of Playford Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 20°C, the coldest about 10°C. It fishes twelve months of the year. Spring runs September to November and autumn March to May, and both fish well. Spring, September into November, fishes hardest, with autumn a close second. Playford Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. The nearest car park is 70 m from the water. You can camp about 600 m away, going by the mapping. A picnic area is mapped about 1.2 km away. Toilets show in mapping about 240 m away. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Happy Valley Reservoir, 9.5 km out. What applies at Playford Lake may have changed since it was mapped.