Corio Bay
This week the elementary school lagoon was a good fishing option considering the dangerous conditions we have experienced. The lagoon offers some protection from the wind and several species have been well caught lately, including large winter snapper, flathead snapper and bream.
The inner harbor, particularly on land, continued to produce marlin catches in all the usual spots such as boat ramps and small piers, and bream also made an appearance.
Bellarina Peninsula
The Bellarine Peninsula had a good number of squid present and willing to attack the jigs when conditions allowed the boats to go out. Queenscliff Boat Harbor remained a favorite spot for soft plastic anglers chasing silver trevally; It is preferred to fish at high or low tide. Don’t forget to bring a squid jig, as the port usually has good squid as well.
Williamstown
TAILOR!!!!! Lots of tailor are being caught in the Warmies at the moment and many anglers are doing well there, whether on metals or heavy bodies on the rocks. If you can fight through the crowd, you will have a lot of fun catching these energetic little sport fish. knit chef
There are still good numbers of squid around the weed beds. Yamashita sutter jigs in 3.0 in orange or pink have worked well. Pinkies are still being caught in the deteriorated grounds between Point Cook and Williamstown, with the fish averaging around 35cm.
Warrnambool
Head west and the fishing around Warrnambool is on fire. The Merri and Hopkins rivers fish fantastically for big brown trout. These rivers are exempt from the trout closed season and offer trophy fish throughout the winter. Larger, shallower diving lures, between 80 and 100mm, have proven to be the best. Don’t be put off by dirty water and cast to the top of pools, rapids and any moving water where fish will be waiting for an easy meal.
nelson
Anglers headed to Nelson to fish for mulloway on the Glenelg River and were rewarded with a good number of big fish. Fish exceeding the minimum limit of 60cm were common and some fish were well over one meter. Live mullet fished on the bottom were productive, as were dead baits such as sardines and squid. Bream fishing was also good and easy to access for those without boats. Using shrimp, worms or even just bread will produce bream from the boat ramp or anywhere on the shore near the kiosk.
Lake Bolac
Into freshwater, where Lake Bolac was still the hotspot for big rainbow trout. Using powerbait or salmon eggs in orange or yellow was a prominent method for targeting fish potentially weighing 3kg.
Toolirook Lake
Fishing from the wooden jetty at Tooliorook Lake near Lismore was also productive for fish of around 2kg. Out of town, Trelly’s Geelong’s Peri Stavropoulos headed to Kingscliff in New South Wales with teammates Fez and Josh. Fishing aboard Unleashed Sportfishing with Jason Hedges they caught around 30 kingfish to 15kg and 2 amberjacks to around 30kg.
Goulburn River
The river looks great, however it has been fishing very poorly, perhaps due to the amount of flows and inconsistent water levels? But I guess we should keep trying, there’s always a chance. Areas to try would be Murchison East, Toolamba to Arcadia and Undera, and probably bright colored baits and lures such as color 9 Old Mate. Shepparton Region The good news is that all canals are filling up, meaning canals such as the Stuart-Murray and Catternach canals are fishing very well early for Atlantic salmon to 65cm and brown trout, focus on the bars fall from where the channels come. Outside of Weir and right where they enter Waranga Basin, Google Maps Earth will help you find Drop Bars and access to the road, number 55 Tassie Devils (pink), and natural colored soft plastics are the best way to get them. Due to the amount of grass in Lake Victoria, fly fishing has been the best method for obtaining small rainbow trout; another way is to drive the Tassie Devils beyond the grass. The eastern main channel is full again, it might be worth casting some Bassman Spinnerbaits around the Euroa/Shepparton Road area and towards Invergorden for some cod. The Murray River is still very unpredictable, surface fishing has been really calm, the most success has been with Swimbaits and Deep Divers, working them as slow as you can, not a huge number of fish but enough to keep you interested , practically the same. Same goes for Lake Mulwala, I can’t stress it enough, WORK YOUR LURES AS SLOW AS YOU CAN! Lake Eildon Lake Eildon has probably been the standout fishery over the last few weeks, with the majority of fish catching cod and also a good number of trout. The best method is to troll along the headland from Goughs Bay to Big River Arm and In the Jewish Creek area, troll a mix of size 1 Stumpjumpers, small RMG Poltergiest’s and Tassie Devils for a chance at cod, yellowbelly , redfin and trout.