Lake Varley in Kulin: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Lake Varley in Kulin, Western Australia. The water sits 311 metres up. This is sizeable water at about 7.03 sq km, and a boat opens up most of it. The edge covers about 12 km, enough to hold several distinct areas. On size it sits at the modest end of our Kulin list. Merredin sits 169 km from here and is the nearest stop. Wagin follows at 201 km, then Katanning at 202 km. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lake Varley

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read Lake Varley for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  January is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 23°C, while July sits near 10°C. The season is continuous, with heat as the only real check. Spring runs September to November and autumn March to May, and both fish well. The wet months move levels about, which shifts the fishing with them. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake Varley.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. This one is mapped as intermittent, so a wasted trip is a real risk in a dry year. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Lake Hurlstone, 9 km away. What applies at Lake Varley may have changed since it was mapped.