With the cold weather settling in, energy levels have dipped — and so too has angler traffic. Fewer fishos are braving the elements, but those who are, are finding some quality fish on the chew.
Shark fishing continues to dominate offshore reports, with good numbers of gummy and school shark being landed. Peter Goode and Tim Brown ventured offshore from Portland in search of a gummy or maybe even a tuna. While the barrels didn’t play the game, they still managed a great session. Goodie landed a solid school shark while bottom bouncing, along with a mix of reef species. Tim pulled in a surprise catch — a 17.46kg thresher shark, a rare but exciting addition to the day. Although they hooked a barrel, it unfortunately didn’t stick. Those near-misses only fuel the desire to get back out there. Most of the tuna schools seem to be tracking east, but Portland and Port Fairy are still producing — the challenge is finding them and matching the hatch. The key is running a lure (skirt or hardbody) that mimics the bait in both colour and size. Pilchards are the primary food source at the moment, so blue and silver skirts in the 6–8.5” range are your best bet.
One major theme this season has been fish lost to old wind-on leaders. Many anglers have had the same leader on their reel for years, thinking it’s still good — until it isn’t. The serious barrel chasers stick to a golden rule: one fish per wind-on, then replace it. It makes sense when you think about it — Dacron stretches and weakens during a fight, and saltwater doesn’t help. If you stick to this rule, you'll boost your chances of landing the next one — or at least you won't be blaming your gear if you don't. Saltwater may be great for the fish, but it’s tough on gear. Thoroughly rinse and maintain your reels after every saltwater session. A few simple steps can keep your investment running smoothly and looking sharp for the long haul. When you think about the huge amounts of money that anglers will spend on fuel, accomodation, boats, insurance and tackle (I know, scary!) - would you really want all that money to be wasted by a lost fish due to a blunt hook, snapped leader, busted crimp or jammed drag?
The trout fishing has been excellent this week thanks to the big dump of rainfall we had a couple of weeks ago. This rain helped bring up water levels, flushed out built up weed and algae, improved water quality in stagnant pools and exposed a whole lot more food to the fish. The trout responded well, and although fishing pressure has shot up, there's been some great fish caught. Flynn Collins and Darcy Rivett were straight up the Merri, keen to enter our Winter Trout Comp - and the boys landed some nice fish in the 35-45cm range casting hardbodies. George Serra also landed a nice one in the Merri at Woodford on a Daiwa Double Clutch. Max Fry has also been giving the trout plenty of attention, and he's currently leading the Trout Comp biggest fish category with a 49cm brown trout. Certainly a nice fish, but if you're out trout fishing this winter, you're crazy not to enter - after all, you wouldn't want to land that 65cm beast without your measuring tape! All you'll need is one of our free Tackle Shack/Richardson Marine measuring stickers (available in store) to measure your fish, and send in a photo. We also have a best photo award, with a Daiwa product visible, and all $50 purchases trout related in store go in a third draw.
Lake Bullen Merri has been fishing well this week too. Anglers have been travelling near and far to sample some of the excellent tiger trout fishing on offer. These fish have settled in very well over the last four years in the lake, with fish of all sizes to be caught. These tigers seem more aggressive than the other salmonid species present in the lake, and often very close to shore. Landbased anglers have been doing well casting soft plastics (3" minnows), spoons and long-cast hardbodies like the Double Clutch range. The cold, windy days often fish best. Trolling with a flatline or downrigger is perhaps the best way to catch a few, and you'll also have a better chance of a rainbow trout or chinook salmon on the troll too.
With some nice northerlies this weekend and low swell, Saturday is looking like a great day for a fish whether it's inshore or offshore. It's also a perfect weekend to beach fish, whether it's sharks or salmon. If you get out there, send us in your pics, and best of luck!