The Pelican's Pick

Friday, 31 July

While the Aussies are dominating over at Glasgow, Brandon and his three buddies tried their shot at the gold in the annual Twin Rivers Bream Classic.

No stranger to this competition, Brandon and friends came prepared with all the gear, live bait, frozen bait, and lures. You name it, they had it! These land-based fishers found bream aplenty with everyone getting a piece of the pie.

Brandon found himself not only reeling in the bream, but the group came across multiple schools of big trevally, and although the light gear proved tricky, Brandon walked away with a new PB.

Although the team didn’t make a podium finish, Brandon still had a memorable trip away with fantastic company which is worth just as much!

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Along the coast

There have been consistent reports of big Australian salmon schooling around the mouth of the Snowy River at Marlo, with some impressive fish pushing up to the 4kg mark. These larger models can provide some fantastic sport with light tackle, often going on some drag screaming runs and launching clean out of the water when feeding on baitfish! Fresh pilchards fished on a paternoster rig is a proven option. Anglers should also consider experimenting with brightly coloured surf poppers on their paternosters. The poppers movement in the surf and bright colours imitate small baitfish and can entice any aggressive salmon into striking! Better still, if they're hitting the popper instead of your bait, you'll spend less time rebaiting and more time fishing.

The salmon action continues at Inverloch, where the they’ve been consistently caught both inside Anderson Inlet and along the surf beaches. Anglers working the channels and current lines inside the inlet have enjoyed some excellent sessions on lures, while the beaches have continued to produce solid schools, particularly around the tide changes. With schools regularly moving through the area, staying mobile and covering plenty of water can make all the difference if the fish aren't immediately showing.

Over the west at Peterborough, the mouth of the Curdies River remains open and is fishing well. There are plenty of options on offer, with salmon, silver trevally and bream all being caught around the entrance. Fishing the high tide change has been the standout period. If targeting bream, fish light and present baits such as prawns or sandworms as naturally as possible. Outside the entrance, schools of salmon are often found patrolling the gutters, waiting for baitfish and other food to be washed out on the run-out tide.

Heading east, the Nicholson River is dishing up some fantastic bream. Soft plastics and a bit of luck (or great fishing expertise) may land you in the middle of a feeding frenzy. If you’re feeling like a bit of a mad scientist, keep an eye on the atmospheric pressure in your local fishing spot, fish are extremely sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure, and a sudden drop or consistently high readings is usually a great indicator that the fish will be biting. This weekend is looking consistently high at Nicholson for those interested.

A standout 24kg gummy shark was caught from Lorne Pier this week, highlighting the quality of fishing that can be available from this popular land-based location. Gummies are always a welcome catch from the pier, with the best chances often coming after dark on fresh baits such as salmon, squid or pilchards. Anglers targeting these fish should focus their efforts around the tide changes and be prepared for some serious runs when a big gummy takes a bait. Having a landing net or a plan to safely land a big fish is important when targeting larger species from the pier.

Around the bays

The salmon action has continued inside Port Phillip Bay, with reliable reports coming from the northern reaches including St Kilda and Werribee, with the occasional pinkie snapper also mixed in. Schools have been actively feeding on baitfish in open water, so anglers chasing the species should keep an eye out for working birds and disturbed water. Those hoping to find a pinkie should instead focus their efforts on fishing structure, including broken reef, pylons and rocky edges.

If you’re chasing squid, Queenscliff has been the standout location this week. Target the patchy weed beds while drifting and don’t be afraid to experiment with different colour jigs and retrieves, as squid can be surprisingly picky at times!  Strikes almost always come as your jig slowly drifts down to the bottom, so slow your retrieve, incorporate plenty of pauses and make sure your jig spends time in the strike zone near the bottom. As always, clear water will produce the best results.

While the weather has been pretty wild and woolly this week, those fishing in Western Port have still enjoyed success by fishing the tides and using fresh bait. Anglers willing to stay mobile have been rewarded, so if you’re not having bites after 30-45 minutes don’t be afraid to move on to another location. Those putting in the effort remain a good chance of encountering snapper, gummy sharks and King George whiting. Winter is also one of the best times to target large calamari around the weed beds, with some outstanding sessions possible when you locate a productive patch!

Inland

Up north, freshwater fishing is starting to heat up again as water levels begin to rise with recent rains. If you’re willing to brave the cold and are impartial to sunlight, grab your boat, some gloves, a beanie, and head out to Lake Nillahcootie. Fishing around the margins of this historic lake will likely reward you with some quality yellowbelly, as long as you remember the worms.

Land-based fishers may find their favourite spot is still hard to reach, however fun is still to be had at Nagambie. After a stellar start to the Murray cray season, fishers have reported the crays are once again biting as the Goulburn subsides. Effective baits include the ever-reliable chicken drumsticks and carcasses, however, if you’re not squeamish give lamb liver and chicken hearts a crack - these iron rich and bloody meats are irresistible to Murray spiny crayfish. This season is quickly becoming one for the books but keep in mind their bag and size limit, and measuring devices can be found at local angling stores or ordered for free by contacting the VFA.

North of Camperdown, Lake Tooliorook is producing some monster trout, and in good numbers too! It’s stocked with 10,000 trout a year from the Snobs Creek Hatchery, and these fish have grown over 2kgs and are now being caught by anglers willing to brave the cold rainy weather! Lures that imitate the galaxias baitfish that the trout are feeding on work best, so get out there and catch a monster!

Tight lines – Mr. Percy!