The fish continue to respond to a variety of hooks and baits across the East Gippsland region, giving anglers plenty of encouragement to get out on the water.
Lakes Entrance: Off the beach, gummies are taking pilchards, bronzies are hitting fresh slimies, snapper are chasing squid strips, and salmon are active on poppers, with flathead also in good numbers. Offshore, swordfish are being landed. Within the lake system, good-sized flathead and bream are widespread, particularly along sandy flats. There are also ongoing reports of mulloway being taken in the lakes.
Lake Tyers: Prawns are still present, although becoming scarcer. Around Cameron’s Arm, anglers are finding bream and tailor along weed edges and drop-offs. Nearby surf beaches are producing snapper, especially around tide changes and low-light periods.
Mitchell River: The area around the Old Butter Factory is yielding the odd mullet and bream, with anglers finding success using vibes worked slowly along the bottom, particularly in calmer conditions.
Tambo River: The Cliffs are producing bream, while Johnsonville is also fishing well, with bream responding best to fresh prawn presented lightly in clear water.
Nicholson: Bream are active from the highway bridge down to the river mouth, with local prawn proving effective.
Metung: Tailor are taking metal slugs and soft plastics on faster retrieves, while good-sized bream are being landed around jetties and structure, particularly when fished lightly or after dark.
Paynesville / Hollands Landing: Flathead are being caught consistently on soft plastics and lures over sandy flats and drop-offs. Nearby surf beaches are producing Australian salmon on squid and other natural baits.
Marlo: Bream are active throughout the system, with Frenches Narrows fishing well on sandworm. Estuary flats are producing flathead and King George whiting, while the Yeerung River is also yielding quality bream in calmer conditions.
Bemm River: In the lake, flathead are actively chasing hardbody lures, while bream are responding to both plastics and hardbodies, particularly around structure and drop-offs.
Mallacoota: Flathead are feeding well on soft plastics and diving lures throughout the inlet. The system is also producing solid bream, taking fresh prawn around snags and jetties.
High Country: As crickets and grasshoppers become more active, trout are keying in along grassy banks. Matching this food source can significantly improve success. Move quietly along the bank and observe before casting, as trout are often seen cruising beneath grassy edges waiting for insects to fall.
