Trelly's Fishing Report

Bellarine Peninsula, Queenscliff, Surf Coast, Lake Eildon, Shepparton Lakes, Goulburn River, Shepparton Region Channels, Waranga Basin, Loddon River/Cairn Curran, Campaspe River / Lake Eppalock, Bendigo Family Fishing Lakes

Geelong

Some wild weather over the past few days has really stirred up some of the local fishing with the land based structures producing some cracking reports. Queenscliff Harbour has been a stand out spot for anglers this week as its keeping anglers well protected from the wind and has got some sensational fishing on offer. Silver trevally, pinkie snapper and salmon all holding in good numbers in most parts of the area, casting in the main channel has been holding good numbers of fish and they’re more than willing to eat both soft plastics and bait. Anglers fishing in boats have also been finding plenty of quality fish too and once again soft plastics proving dynamite.

Bellarine Peninsula

Reports of Snapper still continue throughout the outer harbour with Clifton Springs through to Portarlington remaining the top locations to throw a line. Anglers fishing with bait are still having some great success with some snapper now reaching up to 7kg in weight with plenty of smaller fish amongst them. Soft plastics are still accounting for a fair share of fish but bait is seeming to be the go, especially for the bigger specimens. With the rough weather that has been coming through it has really fired up the snapper in close with some good reports of fish coming from the rocks. Portarlington boat  harbour has been producing the goods over the past week, Peri from Trellys braved the weather on a very windy Sunday night resulting with a handful of pinkie snapper too 53cm making an appearance. There has also been some reports of snapper to 4kg being caught off the rocks at Portarlington also.

Indented Heads has had some fantastic Squid fishing on offer over the past week with anglers having great success in landing some quality squid. Size 3.0 jigs in white or red have been slaying them with some squid measuring in at 35cm (hood). After this strong blow it may have turned the water a little dirty which isn’t ideal when chasing squid but once it clears up it should fire up again.

Wurdi Buloc

Wurdi Buloc Reservoir is still fishing reasonably well for rainbow trout to the anglers casting hard bodies and fly, although they aren’t reaching any record breaking size they are in good numbers and make a great fishing option if the weather blows up.

 

Goulburn River

The Goulburn River has been fishing alright around Murchison with some Yellowbelly getting caught on scrubbies and small Yabbies around some of the slow flowing water. Around Nagambie has been fishing ok with some good Yellowbelly getting caught while casting spinnerbaits and Jackall TN60’s. Baits such as Scrubbies has also seen some Good Redfin and Yellowbelly getting caught in Nagambie around Chinamans Bridge area and the Wineries.

 

Shepparton Region Local Lakes

Kialla Lakes have been fishing great over the past week with plenty of more Yellowbelly getting caught up to 45cm. Casting Jackall TN60’s and Mask Vibes from the bank has been working well along with bait fishing with Scrubbies. Trolling around the lakes in a kayak has been working extremely well with plenty of fish getting caught in a session. Trolling Jackall TN60’s, RMG Poltergeist and size 3 Stumpjumpers have all been working great. 

Lake Nillahcootie 

Lake Nillahcootie has still been an excellent option for anyone after some nice Yellowbelly. Trolling, Bait and casting lures have all been working great and there have been some reports of nice Redfin mixed in amongst the schools of Yellowbelly. Trolling along the eastern bank has been working well with RMG Poltergeists. For those fishing with bait and casting lures any of the points are great areas to focus on as fish have been schooling up around the drop-offs just outside of the points for all the little bays. Casting small plastics and vibes like Jackall Mask Vibes towards the deeper edges out

from these points has been working really well. Darker coloured lures and plastics are the choice for most people heading over to Nillahcootie with the plan of casting lures around.

Murray River

There have been some good Yellowbelly getting caught around Barmah on Yabbies, Scrubbies and Spinnerbaits. We’re still waiting on the weather to warm up a bit more to really get the Yellowbelly going around Bearii and Barmah area.

Lake Eildon

Lake Eildon has been hit and miss again but there are still some great fish getting caught with alright numbers of Cod and Good numbers of Yellowbelly getting caught around some of the warmer sections of the lake. Cod have been getting caught around Big River arm, The Main arm and the Goulburn Arm. Casting surface at first and last light has been working well in the Goulburn arm, big spinnerbaits around the rocky banks along the main arm are also proving successful as long as there is bait present. Yellowbelly have been getting caught on Scrubbies and black grubs or Yabbie look-alike soft plastics bobbed around standing timber in around 6m of water. 

Peter Caught this chunky 46cm Yellowbelly off the bank on Scrubbies earlier in the week. Peter also caught a 53cm Cod minutes later on Scrubbies as well.

Below Laanecoorie Weir there are some good numbers of Yellow Belly being caught. If bait fishing the standout bait has been shrimp with a running sinker rig.
If casting lures try small hard bodies such as your RMG’s or Australian Crafted with a slow retrieve and you’re in with a good chance. Some of the fish being caught in this area have measured upwards of 50cm. A lot of these fish are full over eggs and spawning currently, so remember to practice catch and release.
Around Bridgewater there have been some good numbers of Yellas being caught. Some standout lures are your Bassman Jawknockers(mumblers) in 3/8oz. These mumblers are proving to be a great option for anglers when fish are a little finicky as they really cause disruption in the water. Alternatively Jackall TN60’s have been a great option, work these lures slow. Recommend having scent on your lures to increase the bites, Dizzy scent in Yabby UV has proven to be a killer over the last few weeks. 

At Serpentine the clarity has dirtied up a little but the fish are still biting, with fish being caught on small hard bodies such as Profishent Chainsaw.
Fishing tight against structure bobbing worms or shrimp has accounted for some good numbers of Yellow Belly throughout the Loddon in all areas.

Lake Cairn Curran

With temps in the lake starting to push around that 20 degree mark it is worth starting to have a crack at this lake, from the bank or from the boat. There have been some decent Yellow Belly caught around Welshmans Reef and Picnic Point from the bank, using small yabby tails or worms have seen some good numbers caught. 

If fishing from a boat it would be worth starting to grub up against a tree there's been a few lucky people who have got multiple fish off the same tree. Still not many reports of redfin being caught with the action slow.

 

 

Bendigo Pro-Staffer Karen with a nice Golden Perch caught Bait fishing from the bank with worms.

Campaspe River / Lake Eppalock

Campaspe River - The river is still relatively dirty but we have still seen some cracking fish caught in the area in the past week. We have also heard multiple reports of snakes out and about so keep your eyes peeled as the scrubs and grass are very thick out in this area, since all the recent rain. It would be worth investing in a pair of Hunters Element Gaiters, the only gaiter proven to protect you from snake bites and available instore.The wall at Eppalock spillway has seen some nice sized yellow belly being caught some measuring in at the 50cm mark. Hopefully the water capacityincrease and we see the water spill over the wall this year, if we do it will definitely be worth a fish. Further upstream around Aysons reserve and the Elmore Weir there have been some good sized reddies caught as well as some healthy Yellow Belly, bait or lures have proven to be the best. With scrub worms the best bait and vibes or spinners proving to be the best lures. Cheaper options such as the Profishent vibes have gone almost as well as the Jackalls in this area lately, they’re a much better option if fishing from the bank.

 

Lake Eppalock is still on absolute fire with some great fish being pulled out!!

Water temperature is on the rise with reports of it reaching as warm as 23 degrees. The quality of fish coming out of this lake have been second to none with some reaching up to 70cm mark! Local angler Jack caught an absolute stonker coming in at 67cm caught on a ZX43, while pro staffer Justin scored a very very fat and healthy 57 on a Jackall Mask Vibe. These lures are both great options for this lake! Anglers have also started to do well on Jackall TN60’s in silent these fish have been rather fussy and a lot of anglers are getting a lot of follows, so fish slow and stick it out until the last few hours of light scent is also proven to increase the hook up rate with UV Ghost being a favourite. 

Whether you rather cast lures or use bait both have been successful. Small yabbies from the bank are the standout with anglers getting good numbers from the boat or from the bank. Redfin have slowed right down over the last few weeks with reports being just “small ones”.

 

 

Bendigo’s Family Fishing Lakes

All the family lakes have seen some stocked trout being caught mainly on powerbait, however Celta spinners have also been a great option.
Around Kennington Res there has started to be some good sized redfin being caught around 30cm on spinners or plastics.