The Pelican's Pick
Friday, 28 November
Everyone, meet Audrey the bream boss!
This 8-year-old superstar was out fishing with Dad in the Gippsland Lakes when she caught this 44cm monster bream! She then backed it up with 11 more, including 5 over 40cm – all on a $20 Kmart rod. Iconic! Two (under 38cm) came home for dinner, the rest were released. The Gippsland Lakes fishing is on fire since being net-free from 2020!
That smile says it all, she’s hooked for life! Keep out-fishing Dad, Audrey!
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Along the Coast
The Hopkins River is starting to fire up with mulloway. As we move into summer, these fish will start smacking fresh squid and salmon baits. Focus on fishing in low-light conditions, such as dawn and dusk, in areas where there are strong currents. Bream can be also found frequenting the area and hammering soft plastics.
Inverloch Beach has got it all for land-based fishers. Those casting out into the surf are reeling in trevally, King George whiting, and some quality Aussie salmon. Oily baits like pilchard or the trusty squid will have either of the three species biting on your line!
Port Albert is the place to go this weekend if you’re looking to catch a seafood platter! Anglers are reeling in feast sized catches of snapper, squid, flatties and gummy shark. It’s making us hungry just thinking about it!
Mallacoota has stacks of donkey black bream on the chew! Bream can be a spooky fish to hook, and anglers need to switch to stealth mode when fishing shallow, clear waters. Use light gear and opt for slow moving lures that closely replicate natural movement to entice these tricky fish!
Around the Bays
Salmon schools are drifting through Port Phillip and Western Port. Keep your eyes peeled for bust ups and swooping birds! When fishing a school, have your oily baits prepared as you’ll be reeling them in quicker than casting your bait out.
The squid fishing has been ink-credible this week in Western Port! Hastings has got squid big enough to feed the family. There’s plenty of whiting, and the flathead fishing has been flat out! Warneet has massive gummies cruising around the channels.
Altona and St Kilda are fishing well for flatties, whiting, and the odd trevally. Off the piers and around the artificial reefs are optimal locations to have a flick, whether it’s for some downtime after work or on an early weekend mission.
The eastern side of Port Phillip is arguably where the best snapper fishing is at, with happy anglers reeling in pinkies to big reds! The stretch between Patterson Lakes and Mt Eliza is proving most productive for both boat and land-based fishers. Schools can be found around 8-15m depth so be sure to keep on the move!
Corio Bay has produced quality fishing the past week. Cunningham Pier is a perfect spot to target deep water close to shore. There has been decent catches of King George whiting and trevally around dawn and dusk. Or head to Clifton Springs and reel in the quality pinkies and squid in the area.
Inland
We have an abundance of incredible freshwater fishing spots in Victoria, but not everyone can access the alpine rivers and mountain lakes. That’s where our urban fisheries are changing the narrative and giving those who live in town the chance to hook into some quality freshwater fishing!
A big shoutout to Matt, who sent through his story of how he caught a 38cm yellowbelly from Albert Park Lake using a black t-tail soft plastic lure. Some other urban fisheries worth targeting this weekend are Ferntree Gully Quarry and Karkarook Lake.
Bendigo is becoming a freshwater fishing capital, with plenty of waterways to target a variety of species! Lake Eppalock has got all and habitat to hide monster cod and bowling ball shaped yellas. Cast out bright spinnerbaits to trigger an aggressive bite! Lake Neangar has got rainbow trout that are devouring Powerbait and worms. If you’re after redfin you don’t have to go too far, Lake Weeroona has got plenty up for grabs!
The fishing in Lake Eildon has levelled up this week, with metre-plus cod being caught in the dark and early hours of the morning, and for those who prefer more respectable hours there’s still plenty of quality cod biting! There are heaps of golden perch about too, and the occasional trout.
Anglers fishing Blue Rock Lake have been reeling in gigantic Aussie bass, some over 50cm! It is one of Victoria’s premier bass fisheries that consistently produces! Aussie bass love getting stuck into worms, stumpjumpers and soft imitation plastics. Vary the type of lure, colour and retrieval speed to land one of these mammoth fish. The lake also holds good populations of brown and rainbow trout thanks to many years of love from our stocking program.
The Glenelg River near Nelson is offering up fishing adventures that’ll create memories to last a lifetime! Anglers are finding estuary perch, Aussie bass and further inland silver perch. These fish love to put up a fight that will have your line peeling! Soft plastics and hardbody lures are both doing damage and fishers are reeling in success!
Tight lines - Mr Percy!