With summer approaching, excitement is building as anglers begin stocking up on the essentials. A few keen fishos have already been sneaking out during the recent small weather windows—and the results have been excellent.
Offshore
Snapper have kicked off the season strongly, with far better numbers showing compared to this time last year. Anglers fishing fresh baits on the bottom have been rewarded with some impressive fish. Leigh Anderson landed a standout snapper last week at 5kg and 72cm while fishing with Rhooky. Good fish have also been taken a little closer in on jigs and plastics.
Wayne Sleep has been putting in the work with Palms Slow Blatt jigs in 30–40m of water, finding fish by using the sounder to locate likely ground and bait patches. Light, slow-tapered rods are essential for slow-pitch jigging, allowing the lure to work with long, slow lifts rather than the aggressive action used for kingfish and pelagic jigging. Slow-pitch gear generally ranges from PE1–4 and loads right through the blank, giving the jig its subtle flutter. This technique is not only deadly on snapper but also highly effective on nannygai and even flathead across sandy patches.
If you’re keen to give slow-pitch jigging a try this season, drop in and we can point you in the right direction.
Shark fishing has also been excellent, with good numbers of schoolies and gummies, including some large females. Pleasingly, many anglers have been carefully releasing sharks carrying pups, some with more than 20 inside. Knifejaw have also been caught in the deeper water, with Nathan Coverdale landing a beauty while targeting gummies. Their powerful teeth are no joke - Nathan had another fish bite clean through a 9/0 hook.
Big nannygai have been mixed in with the snapper schools too, with several over 50cm reported. They’re a superb eating fish with firm white flesh and are very easy to prepare.
Closer in, Portland has seen a fantastic run of squid. Big calamari have been caught along Nunn’s Beach and under the Water Tower, with many anglers regularly bagging out on both baited and artificial jigs worked over reef and weed beds.
Estuaries
The Glenelg River continues to fish brilliantly and is quickly becoming a must-visit destination for Estuary Perch. These “southern barra” have been firing, with fish caught on a mix of techniques including weedless-rigged soft plastics and metal blades worked along the edges. Bait anglers have struggled slightly due to the recent dirty water, giving lure fishers the advantage.
Janaka Kandage has almost become an honorary local with the hours he has put in, and it finally paid off last weekend with his long-awaited 50cm trophy perch. He and Michael Malone found excellent numbers of quality fish, with that milestone perch the highlight.
Small mulloway are also showing up in big numbers. While some anglers see this as an annoyance, it actually points to strong spawning success and bodes well for future seasons. Some fish have been under 30cm—tiny, but still a mulloway for first-timers!
The Hopkins River fished well two weekends ago before the mouth was manually opened. The Warrnambool and District Angling Club held a competition the Sunday prior and saw great numbers despite the wind and rain. Twenty-five anglers caught, weighed, and released more than 80 bream.
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Heaviest fish: Ricky Bolger, 1.051kg on a Bloodworm Grub
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Ladies: Nadine Oborne, 915g
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Juniors: Flynn Collins, 662g on a ZMan 2" Motor Oil Grub
Most fish were tight to the banks, with many jumping during the fight. Some appear to have finished spawning while others are still carrying roe - once they wrap up, the river should really fire.
The Curdies has slowed slightly with recent dirty water pushing fish deeper. They’re still catchable, but patience is key. Slow-sinking lures such as Duo Bivi Vibes or lightly weighted plastics can tempt fish holding in the deeper sections. Focus on the lower half of the system until the water clears and fish return to the banks.
Freshwater
Rocklands Reservoir has been busy with anglers chasing spring yellowbelly and bass. Some cracking fish have been caught both trolling and casting lures like the 13 Fishing Jabber Jaw and Berkley Money Badger. Many anglers are also using live-scope to target the endless timber throughout the lake.
Yellowbelly and bass to around 55cm have been reported, along with the odd Murray Cod. For those casting, working the points with a steady retrieve has been producing consistent results. We’re lucky to have a fishery of this quality only a couple of hours from Warrnambool.
Looking Ahead
This weekend’s forecast shows manageable swell, though the wind may be challenging at times. If you’re planning an offshore trip, the Warrnambool Offshore & Light Game Club’s Snapper Challenge is scheduled to run from 5am Saturday to 5pm Sunday, weather permitting. Weigh-ins are Saturday 8pm and Sunday 5pm at the clubrooms. Entries close at 5am Saturday via the club website (wolgfc.com), and all competitors must be current financial members.
If you get out for a fish this week, send your photos through to our Facebook or Instagram pages. We’ll happily share them—and every shared report goes into the weekly draw for a packet of plastics and the yearly draw for a massive Daiwa Australia prize pack.