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Lake Purrumbete is an extinct volcano crater lake and even though it is described geologically as a shallow crater lake it is over 60 meters deep at its deepest point. Because the lake relies entirely on water captured within the bounds of its own catchment rather than run off from surrounding area as is the case with most lakes the water is generally very clear. A lot of the shallower shore areas are inundated with week and as the drop off is very abrupt care is suggested if wading.

Location

Purrumbete is located within the Victorian Otways northern district just before the town of Camperdown on the Princess Highway. It about a 1.5 hour drive from Geelong.

For detailed maps search Purrumbete on Google Earth.

Open season

There is no closed season on Lake Purrumbete

Services and facilities available

The town of Camperdown is well services with a range of shops, restaurants, pubs etc. Once your at Purrumbete proper
the only facilities you will find are all located at the Lake Purrumbete Caravan Park. Accommodation is available in well appointed cabins or at powered and un-powered sites. Day visitors are also welcome and there is plenty of boat and trailer parking. There are 2 boat launching facilities and fish cleaning facilities. One of the ramps is concrete and dual lane and with reasonable water levels it comfortably handles boats up to 6 meters in length.

Target species

This is a well stocked lake with fast growing populations of Quinnat Salmon ranging from 1 to 15 pounds, very respectable brown trout and rainbow trout that can reach double figures.

Food chain and fly suggestions

The reason that the fish are fast growing is that the lake is crawling with food sources including bait fish, damsel nymphs, caddis lava, midge pupa and mudeyes. It also has good beetle and ant falls.

Bait fish / smelt

There is an abundant population of bait fish including galaxia, minnow, bullhead (or gudgeon) and redfin fry and if there is a fracas on the surface you can just about bet that fast moving salmon or bows are pounding a concentration of bait fish that they have corralled toward the surface. It is always worth putting a fast and accurate cast into the melee or better still just in front of it and retrieving at a rate similar to the estimated speed of the engulfed school. That of course can be anything from a relatively slow figure of eight right through to a fast roly poly.

Damsel nymphs

Many of the shallow margins have good weed beads providing habitat and cover for damsel nymphs. Fish are hard to see amongst this weed but if there are damsels on the wing you can bet that there are damsels and trout in the weed. If you have already worked out a damsel that will take fish on the day three of them of the same size or different sizes is a good option alternatively you can mix it up a bit whilst you work out what going on.

Caddis nymphs

Around the weed beds you will also find good hatches of stick caddis in the spring and summer months. It pays to fish a half a meter or so below the surface so intermediate and slime lines are a good option. Slow figure of eight or slow hand drawn retrieves with a few stops generally work best but on some days you will need to rip flies either hand over hand or roly poly to get fish fired up.

Midge pupa

Midge are around all year and when there are obvious hatches often signalled by swallows actively feeding and touching the surface your likely to find both midge and damsel nymphs around. Damsel nymphs are carnivores and one of their dominant food sources is midge. Fish a team of damsels or mix it up a bit with a midge type team. Sink tip lines are good for midge fishing and retrieves are often just keeping in touch or very slow draws or figure of eight.

Mudeyes

Mudeyes are the nymphal stage of the Dragonfly. There are two families that are particularly important to freshwater fisher folk in Australia.

Most fly fishers will have one or more flies that they use to represent mudeyes and whilst mudeye hatches are not big on Purrumbete it@#39;s always worth having an intermediate line and a team of mudeyes ready to go particularly if your fishing into the evening during January and February .

Beetles, ants and hoppers.

On warm spring and summer days there is a lot of terrestrial activity around Purrumbete. Match the 'hatch' with your favourite imitations. I like foam beetles and foam ants and of course my yellow winged hopper.

Early season.

Traditional English type flies work well early in the season and just some of the flies that have gained a reputation. Have a look at my lake fly box for some options.

Default team for Purrumbete.

If the fishing is tough and all else fails I generally defer to a team made up of a root beer coloured flash Harry or small brown woolly bugger on the top dropper, a dunkeld or silver surfer on the middle dropper and a gold bead head damsel bugger or Magoo on the point.

Techniques

Whilst you can access quite a lot of the bank of Purrumbete on foot the best option is by loch style fly fishing from a boat. Not only will it save you stepping off a drop off into the abyss but a boat and a good drogue will give you plenty of access to the weed beds and the drop off's and.

Hot spots

Always keep your eye open when fishing Purrumbete. With its big population of bait fish and hungry salmon and bows it's not unusual to see surface activity.

Areas that do seem to have concentrations of fish are the shallower water to the right of the caravan park, manifold and homestead bays, Rainbow and Horan's points, the deep water around the quarry and any of the drop off's particularly in front of the windmill, shag rocks and along the northern shoreline.

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