The Pelican's Pick
Friday, 17 October
Rocklands Reservoir Rocks! Damian and his son Riley discovered this to be true after spending the week fishing the Res for the first time and reeling in 21 yellas! The biggest was this 52cm golden pig! The lure of choice was a 3.5inch soft plastic and like a metal detector it struck gold!
What a great way to enjoy the sunshine this Outdoor October!
To be our next Pelican’s Pick star, submit your photos to pelicanspick@vfa.vic.gov.au, or share your fishing story here.
Along the Coast
Sunny beach days are on the horizon and what better way to spend them than fishing along the fantastic coastline of Victoria. Mallacoota is seeing an abundance of flathead being caught using mullet. Black and yellowfin bream can be found on the chew up the river system with sandworms being the bait of choice.
Marlo is swimming with salmon and keen fishers are having great success casting out metal spoons on a high tide. You can also venture up the Snowy River for mammoth catches of bream and estuary perch using shrimp and black crickets.
Inverloch beach has had schools of pinkies come through, while those fishing Anderson Inlet are reporting catches of King George whiting and tailor.
With the weed clearing and water clarity becoming better by the day, schools of salmon have been spotted outside of Port Welshpool, not only attracting anglers, but respectable gummies too! Bags of mammoth flathead are being caught on the drift up the Franklin and Benisons Channel. Anglers are catching more variety than a mixed bag of lollies off the Port Welshpool Jetty with whiting, leatherjacket, flathead and calamari hanging around the pylons, no need to cast far!
Lorne Pier is a fishing favourite to wet a line and have a cracking time! There are heaps of whiting and squid in the area. Catch for a meal or use it as bait to target something bigger like the large snapper and gummy sharks to be found offshore.
Around the Bays
It’s heating up this week and so are the Warmies with more than enough Aussie salmon to go around and bag out! Soft plastics or oily baits like pilchard will do the trick!
Want to catch a snapper this weekend? Grab some squid or pilchards and dip your line into Port Phillip and Western Port, it’s a feeding frenzy for both fish and angler! Target depths of 5-10m in areas like St Kilda, Patterson Lakes, Queenscliff, Hastings and Corinella. For those not getting stuck into the snapper action are bagging out on quality gummy!
Barwon Heads is offering up plate sized trevally. Target the area at dawn and dusk equipped with oily bait such as slimeys or squid and you’ll be in for a chance.
Anglers are also reporting good catches of King George whiting and squid at St Leonards.
Inland
The yella fishery is absolutely thriving with lakes and reservoirs across Victoria receiving plenty of action, and there’s no sign of it slowing down! The spike in temperatures this week will see perch moving to shallow banks for a feed. Spinners, soft plastics and vibrating jig lures are providing the best results. Head to waterways such as Lake Hume, Eppalock, Eildon and Rocklands Reservoir.
Kennington Reservoir is the place to stop and cast a line, with fun to be had for all the family as trout are actively chasing powerbait. Anglers fishing the Campaspe River are seeing good numbers of redfin and even an unexpected monster brown trout. Crusoe Reservoir continues to spoil anglers with golden perch, redfin and even tench.
The Goulburn River tailrace between Eildon and Seymour is fishing well as the water flows reduce. Large brown and rainbow trout are being caught in the calmer runs and backwaters, with shallow diving lures and well-presented flies accounting for some quality fish landed. The smaller tributaries of the Goulburn continue to produce good numbers of pan size and smaller trout for those that enjoy fishing these ‘twig waters’. Keep an eye out for snakes if you’re walking these streams – they're becoming more active as the weather warms up.
The cod closed season continues, protecting and ensuring the future of the fishery. While we give the cod a break in most waterways, our year-round cod fisheries remain action packed! Cairn Curran, Eppalock, Nillahcootie, Eildon Lake and Pondage are fishing well with thriving populations of Murray cod. Cast out the classic chicken and cheese combo or opt for swimbaits and bibbed lures.
This Sunday is National Gone Fishing Day! With over 245 stocked waters across Victoria and great fishing along our coasts and in the bays, no matter where you are, there are plenty of places to cast a line! We’ve also got a list of events you can attend on the day.
Tight lines – Mr. Percy!