The Pelican's Pick

Friday, 8 August

With redfin biting in recent weeks, it’s great to see anglers reaping the rewards! Donnie and Amanda braved a foggy morning for some fishing fun at Lake Fyans, and it paid off. Rugged up and armed with Ambush yabby lures, they landed a solid haul of reddies, with the best going 48cm. Safe to say dinner would’ve been an absolute treat!

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Along the Coast

Now that’s what we call a ripper weekend in Victoria! What began with a few foggy mornings turned into a stretch of blue-sky days. Can we even go as far as saying Sunday was t-shirt weather? As we inch closer to the end of a long winter, we're hoping the improving conditions encourage more people to get out and enjoy the water.

Down in Portland, it’s been buzzing with activity. Fishers are chasing a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s the sharks that have been the standout. Smaller gummies are being caught near the breakwater, while the bigger gummies and school shark are being landed offshore. A few lucky anglers are also starting to hook into some quality snapper.

For those heading towards Gippsland, if you’re not chasing salmon, the bream and flathead are on the chew. If you’re targeting bream, solid reports are coming out of Lakes Entrance, Lake Tyres, Paynesville, and Hollands Landing, where fishers have had success both on the boat, and the jetties, using prawn as bait. If flathead is what you’re after, catches of this brilliant table fish in Lake Tyres and off Eastern and Golden Beach have been frequent.

The salmon are still firing this week throughout the Surf Coast and in the Gippsland region. Lorne Pier continues to deliver on the salmon action, and around Gippsland land-based fishers are having a ball with schools active in the Marlo channel, while squid baits are doing the trick in Loch Sport, and metal lures are producing results in Bemm River.

Around the Bays

The bays have been busy, with fishers even heading out in the early fog to beat the traffic. King George whiting are still providing consistent action, while large flathead up to 50cm have been caught off Altona. Around Point Lonsdale, both salmon and snook have been active.

Mordialloc Pier has been producing the goods, especially for Dan, who’s been consistently landing 10–20 garfish per session using size 12 hooks, a 1.8g running sinker, 2g bobber and prawn for bait.

The real highlight this week has been the large winter squid, stealing the spotlight across both bays. In Port Phillip Bay, land-based fishers have had great success from the piers at Rye, St Leonards and Blairgowrie, while those fishing from boats have found the shallows off Mount Martha, near the rock jumps to be highly productive.

Over in Western Port, squid bags are both full and heavy, with anglers still targeting the weed beds using bright lures. It seems the snapper have never left Western Port, as they’re still on the bite!

Inland

The Eildon Pondage has been productive on these foggy mornings, with anglers landing some solid brown trout on surface lures.

For those chasing redfin like Donnie and Amanda, there’s plenty of action to be found across the state. Green Lake, Lake Fyans, Karkarook Lake, Lake Guthridge and Lake Eppalock are all producing, while Upper Stony Creek and Toolondo have had their share too, with reports of reddies over 50cm.

Lake Bullen Merri has been attracting attention too, with some impressive tiger trout being hooked by fly fishers. Meanwhile, in the Gippsland region, perch and bass have been on the bite.

Murray cod are still around despite the cold weather slowing them down, with cod in and over the slot limit being caught in the Goulburn River between Nagambie and Shepparton on cheese. If you prefer lures to bait, smaller cod have been caught trolling diving lures in Gunbower Creek.

There are also reports of small rainbow trout being caught in Lake Victoria at Shepparton. No doubt those fish are from our school holiday fish stocking. Powerbait or small spinning lures will give you the best chance at catching these fish.

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Tight lines – Mr. Percy!