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Another week has passed and you could hardly tell we're only a week out from summer based on the weather! As a result, reports are slow to come in but with a good forecast showing for next week, things should pick up very quickly.
Offshore, reports have been very quiet. There was only a couple of fishable weather windows which presented during the week; Saturday glassed right off which the forecasts didn't predict. A few crews did get out and have a look for some early season kingfish, but were met with no success. Reports are that the water is still green and cold, which won't be helped with this week's south-easterlies. Snapper and gummies were caught though; we are lucky in the south-west to be able to chase kings in close and then duck out a couple of kilometres (or even closer) and drop some baits down. Portland's Lee Breakwall has been the hotspot this week, with reports flying in of snapper over 70cm landbased. Of course this has drawn a few crowds, and anglers have been parked bumper to bumper along the wall! Often these fish bite best with a strong headwind, which is also the least comfortable to fish in. Times like these mean the wall is quieter and easier to find a spot on, despite the fish biting better than a calm day. Most anglers will rig a medium-heavy surf rod with 5/0-7/0 hooks on a paternoster rig and star sinker. Baits of squid, salmon, mackerel and mullet are all worth a go. Persistence is key; there's a lot of people fishing for a relatively small amount of smart fish. Portland's harbour has also been seeing a few squid caught around the seagrass beds and reefs; any pontoon or jetty with shallow weedbeds is worth a cast or two. The Warrnambool Breakwater has also been going very well with good catches of snapper and whiting coming in. Fishing light is the key here; there's no need to fish with heavy lines and big baits when all you're likely to be catching is pinkies, whiting and salmon. A bream rod (1-3 or 2-5kg) with 8lb leader and fresh pippies is perfect. Berley is a handy advantage too; we find the Hookem Flash pellets are ideal for whiting fishing. Killarney also experienced a solid salmon run last week; with the fish biting very well for a couple of days before disappearing and not being seen since. The fish were right in on the beach and included models to over 2kg so if they turn up again, it'll be well worth getting out there.
In the rivers, we are still seeing a few trout taken but as the weather and water temperatures warm, these fish will become much less active except for in deeper water and in the low light periods. A number of nice redfin have been caught this week though; with Charlie Beggs and Jase Linksens finding a few in the creeks up north, and Lake Gillear also producing a few locally for those casting the edges. The star of the freshwater remains Rocklands Reservoir, with plenty of golden perch and Murray cod still coming in. One Tackle Shack customer was targeting redfin up there last week, bringing back a good bag of redfin plus several yellowbelly into the 45cm range, and even releasing a couple of Murray cod all taken on small ice jigs and worms. The lake is fishing as good as ever, and is well worth the trip either for the day or a weekend camp on the lakes edge. The Hopkins is the place to be for bream, although reports are thin. Jubilee Park and the pass are the best areas, and a few anglers have also ventured up to Tooram Stones in the boat to find spooky, but catchable fish.
If you manage to get out and enjoy the sunny, calm weather promised on the forecast; let us know how you go! Send us your reports via Facebook, Instagram or email (fishing@richardsonmarine.com.au). We're still running our weekly award for best catch, so score yourself some prizes courtesy of Daiwa Australia. Best of luck and tight lines.