The Pelican's Pick
Friday, 23 October
The early angler gets the big fish, so Josh from OzFish was on the water before first light fuelled with a whole lot of caffeine and determination for a quick two-hour session in Williamstown.
Josh cast out a big squid ring on a snell rig to just catch the end of the run in tide. Aiming for a steep drop off around 7m it wasn’t long before his reel was screaming!
A great battle ensured as the line peeled. Josh couldn’t believe his eyes when he finally landed this stunning 76cm snapper, what a beauty!
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Along the Coast
The crowds at Lakes Entrance just keep growing and the barrels keep rolling in! Records are being broken quicker than you can launch the boat! These mammoth sized Pacific bluefin tuna are inhaling skirted lures on the troll. If you’re keen to land the fish of a lifetime but you’re unsure where to start, get in touch with many of the local charter operators to secure a spot on the water.
Port Welshpool is giving persistent anglers rod bending action! The jetty is a prime spot to target squid and flathead land based. Those out in the boat are hooking into gummies as well. Squid has been the most successful all-rounder bait, especially on high tide when large snapper are feeding.
The fish are firing up around Apollo Bay with top-notch specimens being reeled in regularly. Snapper, flathead, gummy shark and Aussie salmon are making up a delicious seafood basket. Bait is best with squid acting as the most versatile option. Mullet is another reliable option that is consistently enticing fish to bite!
It’s always a good time to visit Portland and wet a line, and with constant fishing action not many anglers return home with doughnuts. Gummy shark and flathead have been the most common catches, giving anglers reward for their effort! Snapper and blue eye trevalla are being landed on deck using fresh squid, yakkas and pilchards.
Around the Bays
Sandy Point is whiting central with plenty of good catches to be had. Small pipis and bass yabbies are getting results around established weed beds. Across the bottom end of Western Port, giant squid specimens are remaining active. With fast channel flows it is best to use a heavier weighted jig to ensure it sinks down into the strike zone faster.
The top end and along the eastern side of Western Port continues to produce big snapper on a flooding tide. The muddy flats are active hunting grounds and perfect for kayakers to get a piece of the action! Squid strips and garfish are landing quality fish. Meal sized gummy shark are on the chew giving anglers a nice mixed bag to take home.
The fishing around Rye has been off the charts with both boat and land-based anglers hooking into the action. Curl tail soft plastics have been a favourite with flathead this week in darker colours. The squid are responding to brightly coloured jigs especially in bright conditions.
Beaumaris has plenty of snapper waiting to be caught! Aim for a depth of around 5m equipped with fresh squid. To get your hands on some fresh squid, target shallow weed bed areas with a white glow jig. This pale colour stands out in low light conditions. If you’re finding squid in open sandy areas switch to red and black coloured jigs to be in for a chance!
Inland
Cairn Curran Reservoir is mainly known for its superb yellow belly which can be found amongst the sticks but along the banks there’s other species lurking! Casting strike pro vibe lures or size 3 stump jumpers towards deep banks while drifting is proving effective at landing class redfin! If you’re after some Murray cod, trolling the edges is the key to success!
The Goulburn River from Alexandra to Thornton is serving up trout for technical anglers. With varying flows, lure presentation matters and so does patience. Fishing shallow waters may be the most challenging but the most rewarding. Work your way up stream casting shallow diving hard body lures or inline spinners. Retrieve the lure back into active feed zones and wait for the strike!
The weather is heating up and so are the waters of Lake Eildon. Murray cod of all sizes are coming out to feed on both bait and lures. Due to the expansive size of the lake, large cod can occasionally be found cruising open waters. Trolling bibbed lures is a sure-fire way to make their paths cross.
As we move into late spring the fish in the upper reaches of the Glenelg River are energetic and ready to feed. Freshwater catfish can be found in deep slow moving pools devouring scrub worms and shrimp. Catfish can only be kept in the Wimmera Basin with a minimum size limit of 30cm, and a daily bag limit of two fish. If you catch a catfish anywhere else in Victoria, they are protected and must be released immediately.
Tight lines – Mr. Percy!