Welcome to the Cairn Curran Fishing Guide. Cairn Curran is a large water catchment 150 kilometres or 1 hour and 45 minutes drive from Melbourne towards the rural township of Newstead. Cairn Curran was built in the 1950s to provide irrigation and domestic water supply to surrounding areas. It also acts as a spillway to the Loddon River which is directly connected.

BECOME A FISHINGMAD MEMBER AND UNLOCK ACCESS TO

Weekly Fishing Reports | GPS Marks | Workshops | Giveaways | Podcasts | Competitions | Forums | Maps | Rigging Tutorials | Sounder School | Exclusive Footage | Tackle Talks | Gear Guides | Kayak Club & Much more….

Become a FishingMad Member

 

Things to do at Cairn Curran Reservoir

Cairn Curran is surrounded by historic gold mining towns Maldon, Castlemaine and Maryborough. The area has done its best to attract families with lakeside caravans and cottages available to stay in. There are 2 caravan parks on either side. It’s also a good location for camping and has onsite toilet facilities, picnic tables and free electric BBQs. However, a watersport is a thing to do at Cairn Curran. This would include, fishing, boating, jet skiing, canoeing, water skiing and swimming. The local sailing club holds events here annually and it’s also a popular location for Duck hunting which is permitted.

Watch our detailed video guide on our top 10 redfin lures below

Fishing the Cairn Curran Reservoir

At Cairn Curran Reservoir you can catch

  • Yellowbelly ( Golden Perch )
  • Murray cod
  • Redfin ( English Perch )
  • Brown trout
  • Silver Perch
  • Tench
  • Carp
  • Roach
  • Eels

Cairn Curran Reservoir is a great fishing destination with deep water that’s full of structures and submerged trees. These trees make an amazing ecosystem for fish species including yellowbelly, cod, redfin and trout. It offers great fishing for the land base, boats, kayaks and jet skis. With anglers having success in both open waters and fishing close to the structure. This means dropping lures, plastics and baits hard up again structure. It’s a great place for trolling lures and flicking shallow diving hard body lures in the shallows. The most effective baits to use at Cairn Curran include scrub worms, yabbies & crickets which allow you to target different species at once. You can also try using power bait, Mudeye and corn kernels. It’s a great location to catch fish with lures. We would highly recommend flicking spinners, soft plastics, metal spoons, hard body lures, blades and vibes. The options here are almost endless so don’t be afraid to experiment. It’s a great method of catching a prized redfin or golden perch. 

The tricky component of fishing Cairn Curran is picking the right rod. We suggest taking multiple rods that allow you to target different fish species. You can go light for trout and redfin or heavy for cod and golden perch. When targeting cod and yellow belly you will need to go heavier. Some great lure choices would include lip-less crank-baits such as Jackall TN series, stump jumpers which can be cast or trolled, surface lures, vibes, spinnerbaits, bassman spinners, large grub style soft plastics, and swimbaits. Cod also does take a liking to large surface lures, slowly worked along with structure. If you’re specifically targeting a big cod then you’ll need to up your outfit. Then, of course, there are carp and plenty of them. They tend to reside in the shallow waters. If you plan on targeting carp from the banks then we would recommend using corn kernels, worms or bread as good bait options. Either on a basic running sinker rig or suspended from a float. It would also be wise to upgrade your fishing outfit to something a little heavier. Perhaps a 3-5 kilo fishing rod coupled with a 3000 size reel spooled with 8-pound line is a good starting point.

Spring and Summer are the best time of year for targeting golden perch ( yellow belly ) and cod. They can be caught at any time of the day but often the last 2 hours of daylight can be the best. Trout are more active in the colder months and redfin ( perch ) are more active in the warmer months. Cod and yellowbelly in summer will seek deeper water where the water temperature is more comfortable for them. Sight casting Capr is a fun activity in the shallows at Cairn Curran. Again you can catch all these different species during any part of the day, though some fish will be more active at Dawn and Dusk.

Fishing Gear Guide for Cairn Curran Reservoir

Good gear selection here would include a light spin rod or a light to medium baitcaster depending on what you’re targeting and how you plan on fishing. For trout, redfin and even yellowbelly a 2-4 kilo or 2-5 kilo spin rod coupled with a 2000 or 2500-size spin reel spooled with 6-10 pound braid and equivalent fluorocarbon leader is a great option. It’s nice and light so you can enjoy the experience but heavy enough to land a decent fish. If you intend to target Murray Cod and Yellowbelly by casting or trolling bigger lures then a medium to light baitcast outfit would be more suitable.

Trolling Tassie Devils, stump jumpers and minnow imitations such as the Daiwa double clutch at different depths is a great way to fish here. We have also had great success fishing with a range of soft plastics & lures. Click here to see our best lures & plastics to catch redfinIf bait fishing Mudeye, live minnow and power bait on a float is a great choice when targeting trout. Other good options include scrub worms and yabbies. I would do so using a very simple running sinker rig with a small hook or treble, and a small pea size sinker.

 

Here are some great fishing locations in the surrounding area.

You may also want to try these fantastic fishing locations which aren’t too far away including,

Cairn Curran Boat and Kayak Access

There are several boat launching facilities. The most popular is located at the picnic point. A single-lane launching facility that is sealed. Do take caution when launching here as it is quite steep. Kayaks can be set up in the car park at the picnic point and wheeled down alongside the boat launching ramp. You can see the Cairn Curran boat and facilities map here.

Fish Stocking at Cairn Curran

Cairn Curran Reservoir has been stocked with over 1 million fish since 1990. This has included trout and in recent years natives including Murray Cod, Yellowbelly, and Silver Perch.

 

Recommended baits Cairn Curran Reservoir

Bait Choices

The video below demonstrates the best baits for trout and how to rig them correctly.  

  • Scrub worms
  • Powerbait
  • Yabbies
  • Mudeye
  • maggots
  • Corn

Recommended lures Cairn Curran Reservoir

The following lures and soft plastics are highly recommended when fishing at Cairn Curran.

Soft Plastics

  • Stump jumpers
  • Spinnerbaits
  • Bluefox spinners
  • Daiwa DR joint minnows
  • Jackall TN50/60s
  • Berkley powerbait grub
  • Daiwa Presso minnows
  • Tasmanian Devil Blade
  • Bullet lures 5-0 minnow
  • Bullet lures 3cm lure
  • strike tiger nymph
  • Nories Wasabi spoon
  • Rapala countdown floating minnow
  • Pontoon 21 paco spoon
  • Daiwa Double Clutch
  • Tasmanian Devil lure
  • Gulp 3-inch minnow
  • Zman 2.5 inch grub
  • Zerek fish trap
  • eco gear ZX40
  • Savage Gear Fathead crank shallow diving
  • Squidges biotough grub

 

Targeting Yellowbelly at Cairn Curran Reservoir

Golden Perch

Yellow belly is a beautiful freshwater fish found in this system and with a rich food source available the yellowbelly here grow to good sizes. Curltail and paddle tail soft plastics in black colours are standout choices so are soft vibes, blades, lipless crank-baits such as Jackall TN50 and TN60s.  Other favourites are the reliable stump jumpers and spinnerbaits. Soft plastics work best on a 1/8 or 1/4 jig head slow-rolled or jigged along any structure. Even tie your boat or kayak up to trees and work the soft plastic adding noise by tapping the butt of your rod or by hitting the jig head into the timber. This brings out the predatory nature of the yellowbelly. Take advantage of down scan and side scan technologies on your sounder and spend some time moving between the structure to find the fish. Other lures can be worked amongst the timber but in general work well in open water being slow-rolled or trolled.

A light spin rod around 7 feet in length in 2-4 or 3-5 kilo paired with a 2000 or 2500 size reel. Spooled with 8-12 pound braid and an equivalent fluorocarbon leader. Light to Medium baitcaster combos is also a very popular choice when targeting Yellowbelly with spinnerbaits and larger lures. Good bait rigs include a paternoster rig with a small sinker at the bottom or a running sinker rig with scrub worms or yabbies.

Targeting Murray Cod at Cairn Curran Reservoir

Murray Cod

Murray Cod have been stocked here in recent years as part of the VFA’s target of 1 million by 2020 and target 10 million by 2022 campaigns. Building a state of the art self-sufficient hatchery in Arcadia. Murray Cod is Australia’s largest freshwater fish that grows to impressive sizes. Cod are ambush predators that love the cover of structure so make sure you concentrate your efforts on any visible structure including logs and submerged trees. They will also seek shelter in deeper holes and rock ledges. Cod are most active in low light conditions such as sunrise and sundown. A medium to heavy bait caster rod is needed when targeting these large and powerful fish. Good lure options for Murray Cod include hard body lures, surface lures, spinnerbaits, swimbaits, shads, lipless crankbaits, paddle tails and curtail soft plastics cast towards structure or trolled.

Targeting Trout at Cairn Curran Reservoir

Trout

We recommend you read our guide on how to catch trout which details our favourite lures, baits and techniques. You can follow trout stocking timelines by reading the Victorian trout stocking guide as part of the target 1 million by 2020 and 10 million by 2022 initiatives. When targeting trout with lures we recommend using shallow diving hard body minnows, metal spoons, spinners, Tassie devils and soft plastics which are also very effective on trout. If your bait fishing, then Mudeye, scrub worms, power bait, yabbies and minnows suspended from a float or a running sinker rig are great options when targeting trout at this location. Trout are more active in cold conditions with most catches on the first and last light of the day. We recommend targeting trout with a 1-3 or 2-4 kilo fishing rod coupled with a 1000, 2000, or 2500 reel spooled with 4-8-pound braid and equivalent fluorocarbon leader. If there are larger trophy size trout around then you can go heavier moving up the scale to a 3-5 kilo class spin rod spooled with fine 8-12-pound braid and equivalent fluorocarbon leader.

 

Targeting Redfin at Cairn Curran Reservoir

We recommend targeting redfin with a light spin outfit. This will make the experience more enjoyable and improve your catch rates. A 1-3 or 2-4 kilo fishing rod coupled with a 2000, 2500 or 3000 reel spooled with 4-8-pound braid and equivalent fluorocarbon leader should be perfect. Redfin respond well to lures and soft plastics so do check our guide on the best lures for catching Redfin When using soft plastics, we highly recommend curl tails, minnow imitations, and paddle tails in both natural and bright colours. Rigged with a jig head that’s 1/8 through to 1/20 in weight. The most effective way to use these is to cast towards visible structure and slow roll the soft plastic with lifts and pauses for the retrieve. Shallow diving hard body lures, blades and vibes are also very effective in this system. So are traditional spinners and Tassie devils in bright colours. Metal spoons also play a role allowing you to cast great distances and targeting the bigger size reddies. Just remember they are quite heavy and very prone to snags in small inland systems like this one.

Targeting Carp at Cairn Curran Reservoir

Carp

There is a large volume of carp however they are fun to catch. You can learn more about catching carp by reading guide to carp fishing around Victoria. When targeting carp baits such as corn, bread, and maggots work great with a running sinker rig with a pea-size sinker. So, does suspend baits using a float and even unweighted baits. You can also target carp with hard body lures, soft plastics and fly but this is a difficult technique that generally requires sight casting in shallow clear waters. Most however will stick to targeting them with bait. For rod selection, a 3-5 kilo rod coupled with a 2500, or 3000 size reel is suitable. You can also fish heavier or lighter if you like. We like to target carp on sundown, in the warmer months when you see carp swimming along the edges or jumping out of the water around September-November during their spawning season. European carp must not be returned to the water. 

A simple effective rig is to thread a small running sinker through the mainline (shown in blue) around 8 pounds. Then tie a medium swivel to the end allowing the sinker to run up the mainline freely. Then tie on the other end of the swivel 50cm of 8-pound fluorocarbon leader (shown in grey ). I generally use a size 6 bait keeper hook or size 10 long shank which is perfect for corn kernels or scrub worms, or treble style hooks for baits like bread.

Running sinker fishing rig

If your getting snagged up than you can also use a flot rig. Attach a quill or bubble float to your mainline. Thread the line through and adjust the length using a size 6 bait keeper hook or size 10 long shank keep your bait suspended at a good depth. Ideally cast down breeze which will stop the float from coming back to you. If you’re not getting bites then adjust the line depth and If necessary add a splint shot to add weight.

Float fishing rig

As with all rural areas always be mindful of snakes. Always carry your Victorian fishing license, FishingMad encourages ‘catch & release’ of all native species to help maintain the water quality within the lake however European Carp must not be returned. Images of fish supplied VFA and DEPI. All images and videos shown on this page are Fishing Mad originals. Thanks for reading our Cairn Curran Fishing Guide. If you feel this location guide is missing key information or needs any corrections made, then please let us know by emailing our team at enquiries@fishingmad.com.au with specific details in the email. Please also feel free to share any fishing pictures you have from this location with us. Thank you