THE week of fishing has been eventful for anglers.
On the freshwater scene, Lake Eildon continues to produce the goods and this week hit the jackpot with a 92cm, 16.75kg Murray cod.
On the saltwater scene, King George whiting are the fish of the moment in Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, and yellowtail kingfish are starting to turn on the action at Portland.
Gary Constantine at Eildon says Murray cod to 16.75kg are being caught in the Delatite arm of Lake Eildon, near Ford Inlet, on large yabbies.
There is still plenty of rainbow trout action with fish to 700g being caught trolling pink Tassie Devils at Fraser Park, the Main arm and Jerusalem Creek. Big River arm is producing consistent catches of redfin to 650g on scrubworms fished deep among the timber.
The Howqua River near Murchison is holding reasonable numbers of brown and rainbow trout to 750g, and they are taking small bladed lures. Powerbait, mudeyes and lures are accounting for brown trout to 1.8kg and rainbow trout to 700g in Eildon Pondage. The Goulburn River is producing brown trout to 2.2kg and smaller rainbow trout on scrubworms and lures.
Doug Lucas in the Western District reports that river blackfish to 2kg are being caught in the Gellibrand River on black yabbies. Lake Purrumbete is patchy for rainbow trout to1.2kg on mudeyes under a float.
The Hopkins, Curdies, Gellibrand and Aire River estuaries are steady for bream to about 40cm on black shell, scrubworms and garden worms. Offshore at Portland, anglers are catching mako sharks. King George whiting to 1kg and yellowtail kingfish to 13kg are being caught along the North Shore.
Lee Breakwater has pinkies, squid, King George whiting and yellowtail kingfish. The beach between the Surrey and Fitzroy rivers is a hot spot for mulloway, gummy sharks, bronze whalers and snapper.
In Port Phillip Bay, Brett Terossi says King George whiting are on the bite with good reports from St Leonards, Clifton Springs, Corio Bay, Little River, Altona, and Frankston to Portsea.
Most fish are 30-33cm but 40cm whiting are also being caught on pipi, mussel and squid. Snapper have slowed. Best reports of fish from 1.5 to 3kg are coming from 20m of water off Mt Martha on pilchard and garfish. Mick Kaksa says anglers trolling white occis at Black Rock are catching salmon, yellowtail kingfish to 4.5kg and snook to 1.5kg. Fishermans Wharf in Corio Bay has pinkies, trevalla and silver trevally.
The Maribyrnong River is fishing extremely well for bream to 40cm on scrubworms and bass yabbies. Garfish are well spread around the bay.
In Western Port, King George whiting are being caught along the Middle Spit and Cleeland Bight. The whiting are up to 44cm but averaging about 33cm, and they are taking mussel, pipi and squid. Good numbers of garfish to 30cm are being caught from most piers.
In the Gippsland Lakes, the Mitchell, Tambo and Nicholson rivers are producing bream and flathead on prawn, sandworm and soft plastic lures. It is a similar report at Metung and Hollands Landing.
At Paynesville, tailor are being caught trolling lures, with flathead, flounder and luderick caught on bait.
Lakes Entrance jetties are producing silver trevally. Flathead are being caught on lures from the Kalimna Jetty.
Gummy sharks are biting on squid and fish fillets at Paynesville, and at Lakes Entrance salmon are taking bluebait and surf poppers.
Lake Tyers has dusky flathead taking soft plastic lures at Burnt Bridge, with the jetties producing bream on prawn and pilchard.
At Marlo, the Snowy and Brodribb rivers have bream to 46cm, yelloweye mullet, luderick and estuary perch, and they are being caught on prawn.
Evenings at Marlo are producing gummy sharks on squid, eel and salmon fillets.
