In Depth Fishing Report 10/04

Tuna fishing is well and truly in full swing across the South West, with plenty of quality fish already landed. The region’s estuaries have also fired, coinciding with the annual Easter Fishing Classic run by the Warrnambool and District Angling Club. Let’s take a look at what’s been happening over the past week.

Offshore:
Boat traffic has surged across the region as anglers chase the annual run of bluefin tuna, with fish over the 100kg mark already reported. The early weeks of the season are always hectic, and this year has been no exception - Port Fairy boat ramp was packed, with anglers camping overnight to be first on the water.

While there have been some exceptional fish pushing triple figures, the standout feature so far has been the strong presence of fish in the 40 to 70kg range. These mid-sized tuna are not always common in our local waters, so seeing them in good numbers is an encouraging sign for the fishery. Charter operators out of Port Fairy and Portland have been enjoying consistent success, often bagging out on school fish and picking up the occasional larger model.

Most reports have come from 70–100 metres of water off the back of Julia Percy Island, providing relatively equal access from both Portland and Port Fairy. Spreader bars remain a popular and highly effective option, with the Bonze range continuing to prove itself as a reliable producer of big tuna. There’s nothing quite like watching a fish of this calibre charge in and engulf a spread as it’s both effective and incredibly visual.

Surface fishing has also been productive, with quality fish taken on stickbaits. Matching the hatch with lures that imitate local baitfish such as redbait and pilchards has been key. The Daiwa Saltiga stickbait range continues to perform well, offering excellent profiles and colours suited to local conditions without requiring overly heavy tackle.

On the gear front, the addition of Millerods to the range has been well received. From bottom fishing setups through to specialised short switch rods for cubing and pitching baits, they offer high-end performance for serious offshore anglers. We’ve been busy rigging and spooling outfits, so if your gear needs attention, bring it in and we’ll have you ready to go.

Estuaries:
The Warrnambool and District Angling Club’s Easter Fishing Classic delivered strong results across all local systems. Following the opening of the Hopkins River earlier in the week, there were some uncertainties around how the system would fish with changing water levels but it didn’t disappoint.

The Hopkins was alive with surface activity, and the fishing followed suit. While numbers of bream were excellent, anglers often had to work through smaller fish to find the better specimens. Bream to 1.329kg were recorded, taken on both lures and bait. Tom and Wendy Pemberton had success on live yabbies and scrub worms, each landing prize-winning fish over a kilogram.

While the Hopkins typically dominates at this time of year, it was actually the Merri River that produced the standout fish. The lower reaches were lined with anglers chasing a winning fish, with Adam Street taking out the open section with a 1.46kg bream. Sharni Maher secured the ladies’ title with a 1.289kg fish, also from the Merri.

The junior division was highly competitive, with Beau Delaney landing a 1.316kg bream just shy of the overall heaviest. That honour went to Port Fairy local Barry Starling, whose Moyne River fish weighed in at 1.368kg, earning him the major prize.

Outlook:
Weather conditions over the weekend are expected to be poor, but there’s a promising window early next week. Tuesday through Thursday is shaping up well for offshore anglers, with bluefin often firing after a strong blow.

Until next week, tight lines and best of luck on the water.