Trout, sharks, estuaries, and tuna remain the top reports this week following a cold snap that gripped the region. Let’s dive into what’s been bending rods and setting reels alight.
Estuaries
The recent big tides have turned the local estuaries a murky green, which has definitely impacted the fishing. The lower Hopkins River has been fishing well for bream, especially now that saltwater has pushed over the sandbar once again blocking the entrance. Unfortunately for Proudfoots, they’re copping the brunt of the rising water levels. We’ve been holding out for a solid week of rain to flush the system, but time’s running out. That rain is the only real fix to remove the sand and relieve the pressure on low-lying areas.
Tim Vincent fished the shallows down at the danger board, wading and casting blades across the flats. He landed some solid winter bream up to 40cm using the ever-reliable Ecogear ZX35 in colour 445 (black with an orange belly). Bluey also had a cracking session, landing a 43cm bream fishing with Jonathan Hogge off the bank of the Hopkins. As the bream prepare for spawning, they’re actively feeding and putting on condition, making now a prime time to chase bigger models.
The Glenelg River hosted Round 3 of the Vic Bream Classic Series recently, with 51 teams enjoying calm mornings and sunshine despite the recent cold. Fish were holding deep and hard to tempt, but standout performances came from locals Ray and Brandon Dorman, who landed the biggest bag of the weekend — a clean 5kg haul — including a 1.345kg brute! They fished a mix of black/orange blades and Z-Man Slim Swims in green pumpkin around shallow reed beds. Despite tying for total weight with the winners, they finished 2nd on a countback. Team Nomad BKK (Peter Bakaj Sr. and Jr.) took the win with a perfect 10/10 for 7.995kg using prototype Nomad plastics (dropping AFTA week) and Cranka Crabs. The Millerod Prize for biggest estuary perch or mulloway went to Darren Wloch and Quintin Cann for a monster 1.625kg perch. Mulloway were quiet — just a few caught over three days by 102 anglers, with the biggest measuring 73cm, mostly between the mouth and Sapling Creek.
Warrnambool Offshore Light Game Fishing Club headed over last weekend too for a club comp. The EPs were biting well on the edges with many locals having a great time on the perch using suspending hardbodies and soft plastics. Thomas Neal scored fish of the trip with a fantastic 3.6kg mulloway, and also a 44cm fork perch! Some nice bream were also taken, with Peter Sedgley bringing home the prize with a 1.12kg fish.
Further afield, Curdies River is fishing well from Boggy Creek to the lake. Anglers are chasing cleaner water, where both bream and estuary perch are active. Soft plastics and blades remain the go-to, especially grub and paddle tails in motor oil, fished tight to the reeds with subtle bottom hops.
Freshwater
Trout fishing has really picked up this past week, especially in local rivers where some cracking fish have been caught. Ollie Sharp currently leads our Winter Trout Comp with a beautiful 62cm river brown taken on a 75mm Double Clutch shallow diver. He spotted the fish in clear water and twitched the lure along the weed edge. Natural-coloured lures like Ayu and baitfish patterns are working best in these clear conditions.
At Lake Bullen Merri, both tiger trout and rainbows are active along the edges. Tom Scarborough got into a few, including a nice tiger trout from his Stabicraft.
Our Winter Trout Comp runs through July with over $500 in prizes thanks to Daiwa, Abu Garcia, and Black Magic. To enter, simply:
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Send us a photo of your trout with one of our free Freshwater Stickers (available at the Tackle Shack).
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Or spend $50+ on trout gear and receive one automatic entry per $50 spent.
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Bonus entries: Submit a trout photo featuring any Daiwa product to go into the draw for a prize pack valued at over $300!
Saltwater
Winter continues to shine for gummy and school shark. While most focus on the surface, the real giants are cruising below. Tommy Stuart landed his first gummy on Saturday fishing with Joey Bourke and Lisa Davies — a special moment!
Salty Dog Charters has been on fire, putting clients onto some absolute beasts, including a genuine 30kg gummy off Portland. That shark was full of pups, and skipper Dan made the right call to release them after landing the fish. While some may see this as controversial, large sharks like this often don’t survive long post-capture, so they’re better used to feed a few families if responsibly managed. There’ve also been some Mako sightings, adding a bit of excitement. Makos are not only a thrilling catch but are also top-tier table fare. The tuna bite has slowed slightly. Anglers report they’re chasing larger bait like garfish and sauries, making them fast-moving and unpredictable. Blow-ups are short-lived and scattered, so trolling around bait schools can be more effective than chasing surface action. Tuna in the 300m line are showing in good numbers, and activity should pick up soon.
Apollo Bay has seen some monsters recently, with fish over 160kg landed — serious tuna pushing 2m in length. They’re a real challenge to boat, but worth it. We’ve just restocked our Mackenzie skirts, including popular classics and some hot new colours — perfect for chasing both schoolies and barrels.
If you land a nice fish this weekend and want to show it off, send it through — you could score a Daiwa reel worth over $500 just for sharing your catch!
Until next week — tight lines and best of luck!