Trellys Fishing Report
Bellarine Peninsula
Snapper are still dominating reports with the fantastic season we are having continuing to get better and better, the outer harbour still remains the area to be with most parts producing great reports. Clifton Springs through to Leopold in the shallower water is holding a fair share of smaller pinkies to about 40cm with a few bigger fish amongst them also. Casting soft plastics such as the Powerbait 4” Nemesis or Gulp Turtleback worms have been most effective and bait is sure to find plenty of fish too. There is also plenty of other species on offer such as snook, flathead and whiting in the same areas and will eat similar lures and bait.
Fishing the channel between Clifton Springs and Portarlington has been holding the bigger fish with the average being around that 4kg mark with reports of much larger fish amongst them too. Fishing the tide change has been key with fresh Calamari proving as the number one bait. Fishing at night on the lead up to high tide has seemed to be the best time to fish.
In close to Clifton springs there is still plenty of squid on offer between the boat ramp and Hermsley road, anywhere between 2.5 to 4 metres of water being the best depths with Gan Craft jigs absolutely smashing them. Whiting are still biting well right around the peninsula and St Leonards still holds its title as the #1 location to be with bag limit captures being very achievable.
Queenscliff
Inside the Queenscliff harbour this week has seen some fantastic fishing for snapper, trevally and salmon. Casting soft plastics and working them around the structure and deeper holes has been most effective, once again the turtleback worms are proving to be the best. Adam from Trellys got down for a fish early in the week landing a variety of species and a silver trevally that measured at 53cm.
Barwon River
The Barwon River has cleared up from the previous rain and the local redfin are fired up and hungry. Anywhere from Queens Park right through to Belmont have been fishing quite well with small hard body lures working a treat. There is still plenty of carp on offer too in the same areas with corn being the bait of choice.
Shepparton Local Lakes
The Local lakes around Shepparton have been fishing ok for Yellowbelly for those who are giving them a go in the early morning and late afternoon. Kialla Lakes have been a bit tough for land-based anglers but those who are able to get out on a Kayak have found some good Yellowbelly to 45cm while trolling hardbodies and vibes down the centre of the lake. In Lake Victoria there have been some nice Yellowbelly getting caught while casting shallow running hardbodies above the weed beds in the centre of the lake. The weed cutter only managed to scrape the top off most of the weed so shallow running hardbodies that only go to around 1m deep are the go.
Waranga Basin
Waranga Basin has been fishing ok with most fish, both Redfin and Yellowbelly, getting caught while trolling 50mm-70mm hardbodies that run around 15ft deep. There have been some ok numbers of Redfin getting caught but most fish are pretty small. There are however a few bigger Redfin getting caught while trolling near the boat club, along the wall and near Harrimans point.
There have been some good Yellowbelly getting caught at Waranga Basin by anglers focussing their efforts around the few rocky points and rocky edges. Trolling along these edges with lures such as 55mm Codgers and size 2 or 3 Stumpjumpers have been producing Good Yellowbelly. Casting Jackall TN60’s and Mask Vibes are also a great option when targeting Yellowbelly out of Waranga Basin.
Shepparton region Channels
The Channels around Shepparton have seen some nice Yellowbelly to 50cm getting caught. The Main Eastern Between Nagambie and Arcadia has been going well although it is flowing pretty hard. Casting lures such as Ecogear ZX43’s in the back eddy’s below drop bars has proven to work well. When bait fishing, worms have been the bait of choice throughout the channels over the past week.
Nagambie
There have been some ok numbers of Yellowbelly getting caught out of Nagambie over the past week. In the main river the best sections have been around the Willow trees however most Yellowbelly have been getting caught in the shallower backwaters and downstream near The Goulburn Weir while casting small spinnerbaits like Bassman Shorty’s and Pirate Single Colorado spinnerbaits.
Lake Eildon
Lake Eildon has still been producing great numbers of Yellowbelly and Cod. Murray Cod have been mostly getting caught around Dawn and Dusk while casting surface lures in the shallow bays and flats around the main arm, Jerusalem creek, Big River and the Goughs bay areas. The Yellowbelly around Bonnie Doon and the Delatite arm have still been going off with plenty getting caught on all methods. Trolling 70mm divers around the many rocky points has worked great with locating fish, once found it’s a great idea to hang around and throw some lures at these points such as Jackall Transams, TN60’s and black grubs. Adding scents such as Gulp Gel and Dizzy scent to your lures adds that little bit extra which has been helping to entice some tentative bigger fish.
Loddon River
The Loddon River is still fishing well with catches from Laanecoorie to Serpentine occurring on a regular basis. Bait fishing below the weirs has been a very productive way to fish with fresh shrimp or scrub worms proving to be the best bait. If lure fishing around Laanecoorie or Newbridge try using small vibes such as your Jackall TN60s with a bit of yabby Dizzy Scent to try to increase your chance of a bite. Around Bridgewater try using small spinnerbaits, the fish are a little bit finicky here so make sure you fish slow as there's a lot of follows. Over the next week the weather is meant to really heat up and this could really get the fish on the chew so stick to these areas as they could really start to produce.
Around Serpentine the fishing has been great with a numerous number of anglers reporting some good catches of yellow belly, the average seems to be around that 40cm mark. With most being taken on silent vibes or soft vibes such as your Jackall Mask Vibes or your Zerek Fish Traps. However still a lot of by catch Murray Cod being caught in this river, make sure you practice safe handling and release of these beautiful fish.
Cairn Curran
Bait fishing is still the absolute go here! With some Golden Perch starting to measure close to that 60cm mark. This lake is known to hold some stonkers and with the warmer weather starting to come through, the fishing should just continue to improve! Bait fishing from the bank with scrub worms or yabby tails has been very productive.
In the afternoons the fish seem to move out a bit deeper with reports of some anglers being able to get them around the trees. Either try to use some soft vibes like the Jackall Mask Vibes if that isn’t successful try to use the Berkley black grub.
Have also started to hear some reports of some redfin starting to be caught in the lake with some measuring around the 30cm mark. These fish however can be hard to find, try using scent and casting plastics such as your Daiwa Bait Junkiein particular the 2.5” minnows.
Campaspe River
It seems every time the river starts to finally clear up more rain comes! The river is still a little dirty but there have been some good catches recently. A few yellow belly around 40cm have been caught around the Elmore Weir on small spinnerbaits such as the BassmanYellaman. Around Aysons Reserve there have been some good fish being caught on fresh shrimp close to the banks. Water temperature should increase with the warmer weather over the next week so definitely worth persisting.
Lake Eppalock
The lake is still producing some trophy sized Yellow Belly, have seen some of these fish measuring up to 70cm in length!!
Stick to the rocky ledges and cast Jackall Mask Vibes and slowly roll them back. The retrieval speed on these fish seems to work better when fishing slowly. With the weather warming up these fish might start to move from the shallower ledges and out onto the trees. It’s worth trying to cast TN60's around the trees. If you're sounding up fish near the trees it would also be worth trying to use gulp grubs to try and get them out, this is a very effective way to get good numbers when the fish are switched on. Pro staffers Justin and Karen were able to get out over the weekend and managed a couple nice fish casting Jackall Squirrels and mask vibes. It helps to run scent on your lures, make sure you apply evenly and reapply regularly. 
Redfin have been rather quiet currently and most of the reports that have come in are small in size. Try trolling around small stumpys in size 3 until you find a school then try casting plastics or vibes into them.
Bendigo's Family Fishing Lakes
The standout lake around Bendigo currently is Lake Weeroona, there has been some monstrous carp being caught under a small float with a bit of bread or corn the most effective way to entice them to bite.
Crusoe has had the occasional stocked trout, which have taken a liking to power bait.
Tom Thumb has also had stocked trout and reddies that have taken a liking to celta’s specifically in brighter colours.