The Pelican's Pick
Friday, 13 June
You know when Nikki (Purple Patch Fishing) goes fishing she’s almost guaranteed to catch a few huge bream! Last weekend was no different, while she was fishing in the Nicholson for the Nicholson Angling Competition. She caught this beauty of a 44cm bream on a curl tail soft plastic worked along the edge of the river. After a quick measure and photo, Nikki released the fish back into the river. Nikki explained in her post that “winter fishing in Gippsland isn’t for the faint hearted, if the cold windy and wet conditions don’t put you off, casting for hours without a bite may. But every now and then when you least expect it a Gippsland monster takes your lure. And that is why I keep coming back.”
Now that’s the winter spirit!
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Along the Coast
Calamari have been on the chew around Lorne. Land-based anglers are finding their winners during low light, with natural coloured jigs worked slowly over weed beds. Offshore, drifting between Lorne and Cumberland River with green, brown, or pink jigs have also produced a well-earned feed. Baited jigs under a float are also worth trying on calmer days.
Anglers heading offshore from Warrnambool have managed to land quality snapper. Another standout catch from the deeper waters was a hefty gummy shark weighing over 20 kilos. Tuna fishing out from Warrnambool continues to reward keen fishers. Barrels are lingering and feeding well when conditions allow. There’s plenty of action out there!
With the Hopkins River now settling into its winter regime, large numbers of estuary perch have moved downstream, and soft plastics have been working well. For those nearby targeting bream, one proven winter tactic is to use a 1/12oz jig head with a small paddle tail plastic and retrieve it slowly along the bottom with subtle twitches of the rod tip.
The Glenelg River has been producing quality estuary perch and bream, particularly around the shacks in the lower reaches. Both bait and lure anglers have reported success. For this location, try use heavier leaders and shorter, more powerful rods.
Heading to Port Fairy, garfish have been active around Pea Soup Beach. Successful fishers have been using floats with small pieces of pipi and prawn as bait.
Further west to Portland, land-based anglers have reported solid catches of mackerel along the breakwall last weekend.
Salmon numbers have been solid coming out of Lakes Entrance. Aim to fish larger baits and lures to give those bigger fish a chance to bite. If you’re bait fishing, go for a consistent berley trail to keep the school hanging around and actively feeding. If you’re on lures, some fishers are adding a gel-based scent to increase catch rates.
Around the Bays
As we dive into winter, squid are out to play in the bays! They're really firing near Mt Martha and Rye, especially off the piers, and many anglers are taking home a full bag. Black and red jigs have proven successful in securing some ripper squid. There’s also been good whiting action out of Rye, giving some anglers a bonus while chasing their squid.
Snapper are on the chew at Mornington Pier! These winter reds are a welcome surprise for anglers toughing out the colder mornings. Further along the bay, at Tassels Cove in Mt Martha, one angler landed a nice snapper from a tinny just outside the Martha Cove Marina. This fish took to an old yakka strip on a flathead rig.
Off Patterson Lakes, afternoon salmon have been active in depths of 10m, with squid as bait and a running sinker rig doing the trick for locals.
Lagoon Pier in Port Melbourne produced a surprise catch recently with a massive 40cm rock ling landed from the end of the pier, certainly a memorable catch!
Over at Portarlington, anglers fishing in 4-6m and out from the pier have landed solid flathead and big King George whiting, making it a great mixed-bag spot this time of year.
Up at the top end of Western Port, the big winter squid are prime, especially when fished one hour either side of a tide change. Stockyard Point has been fishing well into the night on the rising tide, and anglers working the evening high tides around the Lang Lang boat ramp have had promising returns.
One very lucky angler was rewarded with a 21kg gummy late Sunday night in Western Port! For those chasing gummy shark in Western Port’s shallows, prawns have been a productive bait, just be sure to hook them through the tail in a straight line to prevent spinning in the current.
At Corinella, the salmon are still on! A steady berley trail of crushed pilchards has been key to keeping them biting, and they’ve been responding well once the trail is established.
Inland
Big redfin have been firing hot at Lake Fyans, with soft plastics doing the damage for those working the structure. This is a great winter option for anyone chasing a feed or just some hard hitting fun on lighter gear. A few big brown trout over 1.5kg have also come out of Fyans lately.
Rain over the King’s Birthday long weekend has sparked fresh hopes for trout anglers! Rising water levels in lakes and cooler conditions have helped liven things up, with some great early winter fishing reported across the state.
Trout have been productive at Dartmouth, with plenty of healthy fish showing up according to reports from local trout enthusiasts. Trolling lures or casting spinners are both great options for this time of year. A reminder that Victoria’s trout closed season began on Tuesday, June 10, so most rivers and streams are now off limits to trout fishing until the season reopens in September. You can find more information on our website here.
Lake Bullen Merri has been a recent reliable spot, with fishers catching tiger trout and smaller rainbows on a range of bright, flashy lures. There has been consistent action for people trolling and down-rigging.
Murray cray fishers have been out in numbers although the wet long weekend kept a few at home in the warmth. Those who bravely ventured out were rewarded with several fishing parties impressed with the number and size of crays, including several in the 10-12cm slot. If you’re keen to give it a shot, consider the Goulburn River upstream and downstream of Nagambie, and the lake itself. The Ovens River near Bundalong is another spot popular with campers keen to enjoy a fireside chat and a cod fish while they let their cray nets soak for a bit.
Bass in Blue Rock continue to provide winter action for anglers in the east and day-trippers from Melbourne. There’s been some impressive fish amongst them and a few PBs for those rugging up. Worms are a great option and plenty of bass are being caught from the bank.
There are still a few redfin coming out of Eppalock, and the odd yella out of Hume and Eildon by those fishing bait or amongst the trees. Eildon’s big cod remain a target for keen casters with most success on calm evenings or in sheltered bays out of the elements. In the daytime, Eildon is also worth a shot flat-line trolling bibbed hard-body lures or Tassie Devils.
Tight lines – Mr. Percy!