The Pelican's Pick
Friday, 18 September
Spring has sprung and there’s no better way to spend a beautiful sunny afternoon than by the water with family.
Luke and his son scored a cracking spot by the Wimmera River and were ready to get stuck into a ripper fishing session! As their worms hit the water the bite was on! With Luke’s son reeling in this cracking yellowbelly!
It’s one of many the pair have reeled in since the start of spring and they are glad to report that the Wimmera River has been fishing great at the moment! After a quick photo the fish was back into the water to swim another day!
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Along the Coast
Portland has an amazing all-rounder fishery and has been fishing consistently for all your bread-and-butter species! Boat and land-based anglers have been reeling in gummy shark, snapper, nannygai, pinkies, salmon and flathead! Baits such as squid, yakkas and pilchards are working extremely well to secure a catch! The breakwater is the go-to spot for land-based fishing with constant bites!
Hopkins River bream are on the chew and they are chasing soft plastics, minnows and sandworms. Between the catches of bream there’s been some class estuary perch reeled in. Fishing shallow edges as we come into the warmer weather will be most successful for those wanting to land a big fish!
The fishing is picking up along 90 Mile Beach with gummy shark flocking to the area like seagulls chasing hot chips! Casting out fresh bait such as mullet, tailor or squid at high tide is reeling in mammoth catches! If you’re after something a bit smaller, cast out metal slugs, as salmon schools continue to cruise along the coast coming off the back of winter.
Lake Tyers is defrosting as we speak and is looking to be a great spring/summer fishing season ahead! Bream are taking the top spot this week, with good fish being landed around the Mill Point boat ramp. Trevally are inhaling soft plastics in natural colours in areas with fast flowing water. As the weather gets warmer dusky flathead will move into the shallows to heat up so be ready with soft plastics and jerkbaits.
Around the Bays
There’s gummy shark the size of jaws lurking around Cowes! They are commonly being found around a depth of 10-15m. Oily fish fillets are the choice of bait this week so be sure to have some mullet, mackerel and salmon packed in your esky ready to go! Fresh is best as it will leave a smellier scent for the gummies to pick up.
Snapper are officially flooding into Western Port and keen anglers are getting swept away with cracking catches! Key locations have been around the entrance of Western Port and up the eastern side. Big snapper have been moving into shallow waters during high tide to feed. If fishing the low tide, target at a depth of 8-10m equipped with squid strips for a chance to peel some line!
The Mornington Peninsula is on all squid fishers must fish list! With long stretches of weed beds there’s plenty of opportunity to snag a bite! Mornington pier is a good spot to park up for a session or launch the kayak further down the coast around Rye. Both are excellent spots to get amongst the action. Pack a range of jigs as squid can’t see colour but they can see contrast. On an overcast day use bright fluorescent jigs and on a clear, sunny day use natural-coloured jigs.
The stretch of water from Altona to Williamstown is giving anglers productive sessions on the water. Quality pinkies are consistently being reeled in on soft plastics and pilchards. Shallow waters are where all the action is giving both boat and land-based fishers the chance to take home a feed!
Inland
Lake Eppalock has a treat in store for anglers willing to put in the work! If you’re chasing Murray cod in this amazing year-round cod fishery target steep banks with chicken and cheese cubes. Yellowbelly can be found holding up near the sticks, dropping a spinnerbait will help attract their attention. Trolling the lake with small stump jumpers will often result in redfin snapping at your line!
Lake Eildon has it all from stunning views to ripper fishing! The smaller cod are starting to warm up and the bite is on! Both baits and lures have been working well so if you’re finding yourself unlucky with a box of doughnuts switch your tackle up and you’ll be sure to get some action! Yellowbelly are starting to make a more frequent appearance and they are loving yabbies and worms! There are still some quality brown trout being caught flatline trolling Tassie Devils, so be sure to target these fish now before they move into deeper water as the lake warms up.
The star of the show this week at Rocklands Reservoir is golden perch! Bowling ball specimens are devouring yabbies, spinner baits and worms especially up near the wall. This year-round cod fishery has plenty of action in store this spring to get your Murray cod fishing fix! Fishing the early morning or late arvo session has been the key to unlocking big bites!
Tooliorook Lake is a shallow, volcanic lake with explosive trout fishing! There’re some big trophies to be earnt while fishing this lake with large rainbows and even bigger brown trout! Tassie Devils and shallow diving hard body minnows are most effective. If you want to bait fish use worms or Powerbait on a running sinker rig.
Tight lines – Mr. Percy!