The Redfin was initially introduced to Australian waters in the mid 1800s and have since spread and become common in most Australian rivers and lakes. The hardy species is easily identifiable as they have brightly coloured red lower fins and tail. The Redfin is a predatory fish that hunts smaller fish and usually very active when temperatures are high (day time) and thus lures could be very effective towards catching them. It is considered as one of the more popular species of fish that anglers love to tackle as they put up a good fight and they are one of the most delicious freshwater fish in Australia. As mentioned earlier, many of Australia’s inland waterways are teeming with Redfin including small creeks, dams and most FFLs (Family Fishing Lakes) such as:
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Lake Eildon
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Rocklands Reservoir
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Waranga Basin
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Lake Hume
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Lake Purrumbete
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Loddon River
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Lake Eppalock
When you plan a fishing excursion it is important to abide by the rules with regards to the limits on bag and size (bag limits relate to how many fish you are allowed to keep, whereas size limit refers to the how big size of the fish needs to be in order for you to keep it). Other rules that should be adhered to is that during certain seasons some types of fish are ‘off limits’ – closed season (for more info go toor visit www.dpi.vic.gov.au/fishing).
Essential Gear
Image copyright Department of primary industries (Fisheries) Victoria. http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/
Image Source: http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/
Using the right gear is a critical factor towards catching good sized Redfin. Light spinning rods, different weighted sinkers (the heavier they are the faster the bait sinks) and attractive lures (red lures are said to attract Redfin more than any other coloured lures), swivels and a minimum 3 Kg line will be the basic gear that you will need to catch a decent sized Redfin (please do bear in mind that Redfins are known to weigh even up to 10 Kg, however on average these fish range between 5 and 11 inches in length and in general weigh around 2kg). For additional success, try throwing some burley into the water, although burley is recommended; please ensure that you adhere to the rules of the fishing spot (certain fishing spot management do not allow the use of burley).
Although targeting your casts close to water vegetation, brush piles, drift wood and other places that make good hiding spots for Redfins to ambush pray, hitting snags can be a real problem, thus learning how to cast lines properly and accurately is essential before attempting to target ‘congested’ areas. Redfin commonly eat smaller fish and based on this fact, targeting areas that are ‘hot spots’ for small fish would be a good idea as Redfins usually lurk around spots where smaller fish congregate. Last but not least, always remember that catching Redfin is an art form that can only be perfected over time and due to this – in order to become a good angler – patience becomes the most important element.
