The Pelican's Pick
Friday, 5 December
The snapper bite was hot, hot, hot on the weekend! WIRFAB leader Jo hooked into a couple of 70cm snapper around Western Port over the weekend. That in itself is a marvelous effort, but what made the day was this whopping 11kg big red measuring 1m! This stunning fish is almost certainly over 20 years old, and has likely come from one of the strong year classes we recorded in the early 2000’s. A definite PB for Jo that will be hard to beat! She’s no gatekeeper and shared that she caught this cracking snapper on a single gamakatsu 7/0 with a squid ring, 60lb leader, 20lb braid during a mid-flood tide in around 17m.
What a ripper fish and some great information for those wanting to head out and target snapper in Western Port this weekend!
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Along the Coast
There’s some crazy fish coming out of Lake Tyers, and we’re here for it! Anglers have been reeling in colossal duskys, mega estuary perch, and gigantic bream. This fishery is thriving, which is also great news for those looking forward to targeting some prawns over the warmer months, too!
Lakes Entrance is a bream fishing haven, and the waterways are currently busier than peak-hour traffic - anglers keen to wet a line won’t be disappointed. Bream are opportunistic feeders so try mixing up baits like sandworm, prawns and chicken.
Torquay is the perfect place for a holiday with nice cafes, delightful beaches and epic fishing! Torquay got hit with some hardcore tuna fishing this week, and it is expected to continue through the weekend. Topwater lures are generating an aggressive bite and giving anglers an extra-large serving of excitement! Snapper schools are in the area, and further inshore there’s good catches of flathead and whiting.
Portland has plenty on offer for land and boat-based anglers, with snapper schooling up in the area and decent sized gummies ready to tackle fresh chunks of pilchard. The breakwater is reporting stunning catches of Aussie salmon, squid and enough whiting to feed the family.
Around the Bays
Can’t decide where to go fishing? Don’t stress! Port Phillip snapper have been firing in all areas! From Werribee to Black Rock, and Portarlington to Queenscliff, fishers have been setting new PB’s as mature fish are schooling up around the 15–20m mark. Peak hours have been from midday onwards, perfect for those looking for a Sunday sleep in!
Queenscliff fishers have been bagging out on snapper quicker than they can launch the boat! It’s easy when the bait fishing is so good! Squid and trevally are perfect to cube up for bait or take home for a feed. Use smaller chunks and you’ll be sure to reel in plenty of flathead that hang around the sandy flats.
The Patterson Lakes area has a good combination of both estuary and saltwater fishing. Anglers targeting the river are hooking into some class mullet and bream. There’s reports of Aussie salmon schooling up around the mouth hitting pilchards and squid strips and snapper further offshore for boat-based anglers.
Western Port maintains its stellar reputation of being a consistent and reliable fishery, with anglers reeling in plenty! King George whiting have been everywhere, with the most success being had around shallow banks and channels on fresh squid cubes. If you’re after something bigger, gummy shark also frequent these areas and are easily convinced to bite on oily bait.
Inland
We are officially 12 days into cod season and the quality of fish getting caught is immaculate! What’s even better is the dedicated anglers who are handling these super fish with respect and returning them to the water to swim another day!
Gunbower Creek is a 60km anabranch of the Murray River and there are some absolute river monsters getting around. With plenty of camping spots and many cod being over the one-metre mark, Gunbower Creek has got everything you need for a tranquil weekend on the water, peeling some line and enjoying the bush.
Lake Eildon, Lake Hume, and Lake Eppalock are the star performers this week, serving up the hottest impoundment fishing in the state. Yellas are biting hard, with spinners doing damage in shallow areas with built up structure. A big shout out to OzFish, after having deployed over 70 large logs and stumps into Eppalock, anglers are now reeling in the reward! Murray cod are chasing a charcuterie board of cheese with cheddar, mozzarella and blue cheese all working well! For lures, opt for large swim baits that mimic natural movement that aren’t too aggressive. Use darker colours to create a defined silhouette.
The cod rivers in the northeast of the state are continuing to produce quality fish. While they might not be as big as the monsters found in our stocked impoundments, these clear-water cod look amazing, and the thrill of watching a cod race out of its snag to chase your lure (or fly!) is second to none!
Large numbers of trout are continuing to be caught in the cooler streams around Eildon. Rivers like the Delatite, Howqua, Goulburn (below Eildon) and its tributaries all hold good numbers of brown and rainbow trout, with fish averaging around 25cm in length, but it’s not unexpected to land fish over 40cm. This time of year is perfect for fly fishing with dry flies, but those who prefer to throw minnow shaped lures, small spinners or soft plastics will also find great success. Try walking a few hundred metres from your parking spot before starting to fish, and you’ll find fish that aren’t as pressured from other anglers.
Tight lines - Mr Percy!