Fishing Tobacco Lake in Gannawarra, Victoria

• Overview

  Out in Gannawarra, Victoria, sits Tobacco Lake. It sits at 82 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to about 8 hectares — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Gannawarra. Kerang sits 17 km from the bank. Then Cohuna, 38 km, and Barham, 39 km. Not far off: Round Lake at 0.8 km, Little Lake just 1 km, Little Spectacle Lake at 1.7 km, Lake Meran just 2.1 km and Great Spectacle Lake at 2.3 km. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Tobacco Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records collected within a few miles name Murray cod, perch and common carp. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Tobacco Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 9°C to 23°C. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. Levels swing with the wet season, which moves the fishing about. April and May steady things again after the summer heat. The season on Tobacco Lake follows the weather closely. Warm rain lifts activity; cold rain flattens it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A toilet block sits 1.3 km away. Great Spectacle Lake Complex Wildlife Reserve (hunting) runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. For the carp, bait a margin spot and sit on it; corn and bread still work. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Round Lake, 0.8 km away. Rules at Tobacco Lake are worth checking on the day.