Well, just like that, it feels like winter has hit—and boy, is it cold out there! But the chill hasn’t stopped the diehards from heading offshore in search of rampaging bluefin tuna, which are frequenting the area this time of year. And for those who prefer a more relaxed afternoon, the estuaries have also been fishing well, offering great alternatives closer to home.
This past week has been full-on with anglers chasing bluefin tuna, and the action has been red hot. Local fishos have landed some impressive barrels trolling both skirted and hard-bodied lures. Jamie Malone and Brenton Crowe scored a couple of solid fish—one tipping the scales at 103kg, while the other was prematurely released boatside with a Bonze Exocet still hanging from its mouth. Peter McCallum and his daughter Caitlyn teamed up to land a cracking 107kg tuna—her first! Caitlyn took the helm and steered like a pro while Pete battled the fish to the boat in just over 30 minutes. After a nerve-wracking wait for a second boat to assist with the lift, the moment the fish hit the deck made it all worthwhile. Another first-timer, James, landed his first big tuna while fishing with mate Mark. The pair called us early in the day to see if someone could weigh their catch. We got the scales out, and the fish came in at a hefty 120kg gutted. It was taken on a winged skirted lure trolled behind a Bonze spreader bar off Port Fairy—these setups have been deadly lately.
If you're keen to target bluefin on spreader bars, keep in mind they pull a lot of water. A minimum of a 24kg setup is needed to troll them effectively without dragging line. You can run the spreader bar as a teaser or with a rigged skirt on the center line. Most anglers opt for the rigged skirt since many strikes come right off the bar. Some even upgrade the center line with a heavier leader to eliminate weak points entirely. Hard-bodied lures are also doing damage, with Halco Laser Pros, Nomad DTX Minnows, and Samaki Pacemakers in squid and redbait patterns getting the job done. Many tuna are sounding deep below bait schools, and this is where deep-diving lures shine. Consider switching to single hooks—unlike trebles, they’re more likely to lodge securely in the mouth rather than tearing free from the cheek or face. Running a mix of skirts and divers is the best way to cover both bases and all depth ranges.
The beaches have been going well for those after something a little more relaxed. The Killarney area still has some nice late season snapper and whiting going in close. Tim Vincent headed out with Stephen Ryan and Ty Matthews with Steve landing a ripper pinkie at 47cm, on a Gulp Turtleback in very shallow water. There’s also lots of whiting in the same areas, on the edge of the weedbeds, with pippies and live clickers/nippers being the best baits for those. Shark fishing off the beaches will start to heat up too as the temperatures drop; the offshore winds this weekend look great for this.
The Glenelg River still has a few mulloway running for those dedicated anglers willing to put the time in. Mark Gercovich is one of those anglers, being rewarded with a nice fish taken this week trolling a Daiwa Steez Current Master hardbody. The Hopkins River is still fishing well too, especially upstream at Allansford where there is an abundance of bream this season. Possibly they have moved up, and stayed, with a lack of flows this year? The best estuary fishing to be had at the moment though is at Yambuk, both in the lake and the lower Eumeralla River. Some of the winning fish in the recent WDAC Easter Competition came from here, and since then, other anglers have been out finding a few in this waterway. Connor Cassar sent in some pictures of a great bunch of bream he caught out there on a recent trip.
Typically in May we begin to see a few trout reports come through, however since last year’s drought and large numbers of cormorants on the smaller streams, it’s been a very slow 18 months on the trout. Lenny Grahek sent in a photo of a lovely brown he caught from one of the local rivers, so the fish are definitely still there to be caught. However with ultra clear water, low pools and an abundance of aquatic vegetation built up; it’ll be one of the slowest trout seasons in recent memory potentially unless we get a good flush of rain.
This weekend is looking fantastic to get out for a fish; not too cold, offshore winds and low swell. See you out there, and if you get onto a few fish, don’t be shy to send those photos in to us!