The Pelican's Pick
Friday, 29 May
Keen bass fisher Andrew set out for a land-based night mission at Blue Rock Lake in Gippsland to see what he could reel in. Little did he know he was about to have one of his best trips to the Rock!
Putting in the miles walking the bank, the session started off a little slow. Then, like the flick of a switch, the fish turned on and he hooked onto some cracking Aussie bass!
Andrew caught several around the 50cm mark! He reeled in some seriously quality fish taken on a variety of surface lures and swimbaits.
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Along the coast
Portland land-based fishers are getting stuck into some decent Aussie salmon. These fish can be excellent eating if bled and iced immediately whilst ensuring to remove the bloodline from down the centre of the fillet. They are perfect for pan frying or chucking in a nice warm winter curry! The tuna are still running, with keen anglers hot on their heels! Always remember the daily bag limit is 2 fish per person with a possession limit of 2 fish or less than 160kg.
Port Fairy has got some awesome offshore fishing for those looking for a feed! There’s pan sized pinkies devouring squid baits and pillies. If you’re after something bigger, chuck on some bait like salmon or slimey fillets to reel in the mega gummy shark that are currently on the chew!
The jetties around Port Albert have been super productive for bread-and-butter species. Servings of squid can easily be found on pink and orange jigs. There are patchy catches of flatties with cooling temps and the odd pinkie in the mix. After dark it’s all trevally action on cubed pillies.
Mallacoota is still experiencing a visit from royalty on the back end of the kingfish season. Bait and brightly coloured jigs are working magic at reeling in monster fish! The estuary system is fishing well for mammoth duskies and donkey bream. Casting out natural-coloured soft plastics is reeling in class fish!
Around the bays
Corio Bay is holding a large pocket of squid which will only grow as waters cool. King George whiting are still biting along channel edges with pipis being the standout choice for bait. There’s plenty of pinkies around 4-8m depth hammering pillies, creating an ideal mixed bag to end a great session on the water.
Mornington Pier is a pinkie and squid fishing hotspot at the moment. Fishing around tide changes has proven most effective at scoring a catch. Garfish are consistently being caught on prawn and silverfish pieces. But don’t forget your burley is just as important to lure these fish in. Using a fine dust like mix with a strong scent will work a treat!
The whiting are switching on after dark throughout Western Port this week. Fish around high tide as the whiting will push up into the shallows to feed. Be ready and equipped with mussels, pipis and prawns.
Corinella to Tenby Point have been particularly busy with a variety of fish! Pinkies to snapper can be found offshore at Corinella in around 5-8m depth. The drop off at the channel around Tenby Point is full of fish waiting to bite! Salmon are running through the area chomping on fresh squid and creating rod bending chaos! Larger gummy shark are hunting down hooks with fresh oily baits! There’s also the odd flathead lurking in the shallows that are taking a liking to paddle tail soft plastics.
Inland
The timbered bends along the Wimmera River around Dimboola are home to heaps of silvers and yellas. To catch these tricky fish, try a variety of small bladed spinners, bibbed hardbodies, worms and yabbies. Reports are showing that bait is best! Redfin can also be found in slower moving pockets. Cold fronts are stirring up short feeding bursts, so stay consistent and you might just get lucky!
Lake Wendouree is a prime winter fishing spot, so be ready to rug up and put in some hours! Brown trout are offering the most consistent bite around reedy structure. The rainbows are better fished on an early morning session or after light rain. Redfin are always a reliable catch particularly around deeper pockets of water.
The urban lakes around Bendigo are generating family fishing fun! Lake Neangar and Tom Thumb both contain goldens and silvers and are perfect for teaching the kids how to lure fish. Kennington and Crusoe Reservoirs are an ideal spot to fish; both lakes are regularly stocked with natives and trout.
The Lake Eildon cold snap continues to produce! Chunky cod are loving yabbies and swimbaits! Sharp drop offs along the edges of the lake have been optimal locations to score success! The trout are firing and they are responding well to flatline trolling lures. If fishing the midday session target structured areas with spinner baits to entice a yellowbelly to bite!
Tight lines – Mr. Percy!