Easter is here, and so are the big fish. The past week has delivered some excellent catches across our rivers, lakes and, most notably, offshore waters.
Offshore fishing has well and truly fired up, with reports of large bluefin tuna appearing off both Port Fairy and Portland. This annual run not only brings exceptional fishing opportunities but also a significant buzz to the region, with busy boat ramps and plenty of action on the water. Fish were first spotted last weekend in around 80 metres of water off Port Fairy, and since then, anglers have already begun landing some impressive captures. Proven lures such as the Bonze Exocet in Paris continue to perform, alongside newer options like the Mackenzie Serial Pest in natural colour patterns. With larger baitfish such as redbait and slimy mackerel prevalent, it’s no surprise these jumbo tuna are feeding hard. Bonze spreader bars have also been highly effective, creating surface commotion that can entice even non-feeding fish to strike.
When rigging spreader bars, lure choice is critical. Bullet-style skirts and cup-faced pushers perform best due to their consistent action, while angled-face skirts are better suited to positions like the long corner where they can move more freely. Many experienced anglers are running short traces of around 1–1.5 metres on their skirts, helping improve hook-up rates during those explosive first strikes. With tuna often dumping 400 metres or more of line on their initial run, having the right reel capacity and setup is essential. Increasingly, anglers are opting for braided mainline with a 100–150 metre mono topshot, improving both line capacity and connection angles during the fight.
In other offshore news, Ed Richardson managed a birthday trip aboard a newly completed Stabicraft 2750 alongside Paul Burt and the Suzuki Australia crew. The team landed a quality thresher shark on relatively light spin gear after a 1.5-hour battle which was a memorable way to christen the new boat, and even better, it was all captured on film.
Closer to shore, gummy and school shark fishing continues to produce consistent results, particularly in deeper water. Reports of boats landing upwards of 20 gummies and strong numbers of school sharks highlight just how productive conditions have been along our coast.
The beach fishing has also been great - autumn is perhaps the best time for this! Jono Hogge scored some nice snapper and whiting off the sand at Killarney which is a great evening fishing destination. The snapper come right in close to feed on dark and some good fish to 60cm can be caught off the surf easily during these times on most of our open beaches.
In the estuaries, the Hopkins River has received a timely boost after being manually opened due to rising water levels and signs of upstream algae. Despite this, fishing has remained strong and should continue to fish well over the long weekend.
This weekend also marks the Warrnambool and District Angling Club’s annual Easter Fishing Classic — the region’s biggest fishing event. Anglers will spread out across local systems from the Curdies River through to the Fitzroy, targeting bream, estuary perch, mulloway and trout. The major prize for the heaviest catch-and-release bream is a Garmin Ultra 2 105 fishfinder valued at $2,999, with a wide range of additional prizes on offer thanks to strong support from local and national sponsors. Entries are open both in person and online, and there are excellent opportunities for junior anglers, with prizes available even without landing a fish.
Elsewhere, both the Curdies and Moyne Rivers are continuing to produce quality fish, making for an interesting weekend ahead as anglers weigh up where to focus their efforts.
Freshwater fishing at Rocklands is expected to be extremely busy over Easter, but there’s plenty of fish to go around. Yellowbelly have been biting well and should only improve as we move further into autumn. Live scrub worms and small soft plastics remain reliable options, particularly when targeting fish holding around heavy timber.
Fishing structure can be challenging, with fish quick to return to cover, so slightly heavier leaders are recommended. Unlike some species, yellowbelly are generally not leader-shy, making this a sensible approach. Trolling deep-diving lures such as Zerek Slick Backs and Stump Jumpers is also highly effective, with their diving action helping to deflect off timber and reduce snagging. For added peace of mind, a telescopic lure retriever is a worthwhile investment and can quickly pay for itself.
With increased traffic on the roads and waterways over the Easter period, please take extra care and stay safe. If you’ve captured a great photo on a recent trip, send it in for your chance to win a $500 Daiwa Australia prize pack — we’d love to share it across our socials.
Wishing everyone a safe and successful Easter on the water.