The Pelican's Pick
Friday, 13 November
Winner winner, silver for dinner! It was all smiles when Ollie reeled in this cracking silver perch!
Camping by Lake Tchum with family for the weekend, Ollie’s fish was the best of the bunch alongside smaller rainbow trout caught by others.
The bites didn’t stop with worms being the clear bait of choice for the weekend. It was a true reward for effort with Ollie enjoying his hard-earned catch for dinner!
To be our next Pelican’s Pick star, submit your photos to pelicanspick@vfa.vic.gov.au, and share your fishing story here or show off your catch from this week in the comments below!
Along the Coast
While it’s been reported that the tuna may have moved on from Lakes Entrance there’s still plenty of fish to be caught! Behemoth snapper are being reeled in on the regular using fresh baits. Squid, mullet fillets and trevally chunks are securing quality catches! With vast offshore reefs these snapper can be found almost anywhere! Sound up areas with structure and cast away!
Port Welshpool is gearing up for an active weekend with the predicted bite window opening up! Gummy sharks and pinkies are the most favourable catches of the week. Flatties and squid are in mix with land-based anglers likely to reel them in from the jetty. Be sure to have your tackle box packed with a variety of options for a chance to take home a nice mixed bag.
Low light conditions are an angler’s dream when fishing the Barwon River. Bream are smashing crank baits, crab imitations and light soft plastics. Cast towards structure and bank edges, then during the retrieval make short pauses to entice a bite. If fishing more brackish waters switch to bait such as bass yabbies and sand worms.
Why go buy fish and chips when you can catch your own in Port Fairy! Class gummy sharks are on the chew and these specimens are perfect for a feed! Oily baits are doing the trick to land them on deck. Both offshore and land-based anglers are getting in on the action - you just need to have your line in the water for a chance!
Around the Bays
Fishing the top end of Western Port is as productive as ever and it’s serving up a good session on the water for anglers. Silver trevally are actively feeding on squid and pilchards as catches become more consistent now we are moving into warmer weather.
Big catches of snapper are being landed around Eagle Rock. The bite has been most active around tide changes with oily baits working well. Anglers casting out pipis are reeling in whiting and trevally. Many are finishing up their session with a fresh feed instead of doughnuts with the optimal target depth being around 10m.
San Remo is full of squid and many fishers are getting their bag! Whether you’re collecting fresh squid for bait or for a feed there’s plenty to go around! The jetty is the perfect spot for a land-based session. The current can be strong in this area so have a size 3.5 – 4 jig handy. During daylight hours visibility can be high, use blues, pinks and greens to stand out!
St Kilda snapper are hungry and ready to eat! Soft plastics are the snack of choice. Be sure to use lightweight jig heads when fishing shallow waters. Squid are a popular catch from the pier and can easily be found by using white glow jigs in low light conditions. Flatties are biting on pillies and mullet.
Inland
It’s non-stop cod action at Lake Eppalock with plenty of healthy fish being caught! Trolling, bait fishing or casting lures, this lake has opportunity for every angler! Trolling along deep edges with size 2 tumpies is producing consistent bites. Bait fishers are finding that yabbies are the go-to bait, so make sure you stop in at your local tackle store on the way to the lake. Spinnerbaits are perfect if you’re aiming to reel in both a cod and yella near the sticks.
The Steavenson River continues to produce stunning brown and rainbow trout. A location for all anglers from experienced fly fishers to young kids trying to catch their first fish, there’s a reward for all who are keen to have a go! Small spinners, worms and dry flies are enticing fish to strike!
The bass at Blue Rock don’t stop when it comes to devouring soft plastics and surface lures. Paddle tails and surface poppers in realistic colours are getting big bites! Fishing along the banks amongst the sticks is proving to be most effective for catching a range of bass and some quality redfin bycatch.
It’s rod-bending chaos at Rocklands Reservoir with football shaped yellow belly and large Murray cod feeding on yabbies, bibbed hardbodies and spinnerbaits. The res contains significant structure throughout the system, so anglers equipped for the task will easily find the sweet spots. If fishing seems slow keep moving and target different areas because covering ground will yield positive results.
Tight lines – Mr. Percy
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