Remember to keep your cool if you hook a beast

Craig Rippon COBDEN

Rod

Shepherd

The Hopkins River is the estuary of choice at present, with solid bream to 48cm being taken on fresh bait. Those in the know are targeting bream and estuary perch in excess of a kilo all over the mud water conditions due to the continuation of good tidal pushes through the open mouth. flats that are accessible for most motorised craft.

Unfortunately, mulloway encounters have been few and far between. Most bream have been taken on lures fished hard to, or paralleling, bankside structure. Come late May as the waters start to cool, these fish will become more prevalent in the middle sections of the river as they begin to school up prior to spawning.

The unfortunate news of carp in the system has continued, with sightings now appearing in the estuary section around Torram Stones.

On the beaches at this time of year it is all about Australian salmon. Logans, Levis and East beach all produce, and you can catch them on the traditional long 12ft rod in the surf. Alternatively, if you want to target these exciting sportfish on lighter gear, Killarney Beach is the place for you.

The flats opposite Lyndoch, below the ‘Toorak’ housing that sits above, are firing at times.

So too is the vast shallows between Mahoneys Road ramp downstream on the northern side (underneath all those houses with great views), almost to the pumping station. This stretch is now firing, with plenty of fish searching the muddied sandy bottom for worms and shellfish.

Shallow diving, bibless or surface popper lures can be either cast or slow trolled here, and I have had great success doing this over the years. Both bream and perch have eaten my lures, along with the odd mulloway (there is presently a school of sorts in the estuary).

Don’t forget Rowans Flats further upstream, as this is also a great place to fish shallow.

Gathering and using bait is also working. If you are keen on setting hoop nets in the shallows, try along the main jetty just upstream of the seafood shop on the Moyne at Port Fairy on a rising tide in the evening. Here you should net heaps of shrimp, plus the odd crab.

Bream will take quality frozen packet prawn baits at times in the Hopkins. If you catch a legal salmon or mullet, please fillet the fish with the skin on, and cut it into strips that may imitate a worm. This is a gun bait, even at the worst of times.

Some solid mulloway have been caught lately. If you do hook a beast that strips many metres of line off your reel, don’t freak out and tighten the drag. This is how many fish are lost.

If you are targeting all three species and are prepared to fish low light hours (the best times) including night time, I recommend using a quality rod with a rating of 3-5kg. A 1000 to 1500 size reel and 8lb braided main line with a minimum 12lb fluorocarbon leader will make a huge difference. Spend the extra bucks and get a rod and reel combo (or two) set up for this scenario, which will follow you to destinations such as the Glenelg. It’s perfect there.

During strong daylight hours your leader will have to reduce back to 8lb, especially if the fish are finicky. But who said fishing is simply catching?