LAKES Bullen Merri and Purrumbete, in the Western District, are firing for large brown trout to about 3kg.
Doug Lucas of Colac, who regularly fishes both of these lakes, suggests that early morning and late afternoon are the most productive times for these trout, which have been taken on the troll with Tassie Devils and Loftys.
Anglers fishing land-based areas at Hoses Rocks on Lake Purrumbete have also been successful using both bait and lures.
At Bullen Merri, anglers fishing from the bank have been successful on rainbow trout to 1.5kg or so using Berkley Powerbait.
Meanwhile, with more than 5000 fish, both brown and rainbow trout, being released into Eildon Pondage over the past few weeks, and more to come, trout prospects at Eildon look good.
Gary Constantine, of Eildon Bait and Tackle, reports that anglers fishing the Eildon Pondage have recently taken browns to 2.7kg and rainbows to 2kg in a variety of locations, on both lures and on bait.
The top locations include the Centre Bridge and in front of the footy field.
Among the most productive lures is the 5cm floating Rapala, which has been a stand-out.
Those fishing with Berkley Powerbait have also been rewarded with quality fish.
Fishing on Lake Eildon has been a bit slow, says Gary, with anglers putting in long sessions trolling Tassie Devils doing best of all with rainbows to 1.5kg or so the main catch.
Native fish have been slow, but anglers trolling deep running lures, like the Stump-Jumper, in the smaller sizes have been picking up the occasional Murray Cod to 60cm.
Brett Torossi, of Billfisher Tackle, reports that recent good weather has encouraged a good many anglers on to Port Phillip and Western Port, and not in vain either.
Southern calamari have become an increasingly popular target species during the colder months, says Brett, and there have been enough to go around.
The inshore reefs between Black Rock and Beaumaris Bay have received plenty of attention, but the squid keep coming, as they have in the southern reaches of Port Phillip, off Sorrento and Queenscliff, where some really large specimens are beginning to show.
Whiting have also been taken in the lower reaches of Port Phillip with the largest fish coming from the most tidal areas around Queenscliff, on the Bellarine Peninsula, and off Sorrento and Portsea.
Shoals of Australian salmon have been widespread on Port Phillip too, turning up in places as far apart as Black Rock and the Corio Bay inner harbour, and with the calm weather we've had of late, they are fairly easy to both locate and to catch.
Most of the salmon are around the kilogram mark or a bit smaller, but now and again, a fish of twice that size pops out of the mix to test somebody's tackle.
Brett mentions that Australian salmon, the target of most beach fishermen along the coast, have been patchy with Gunnamatta the most consistent venue.
Best results are to be had there toward the top of the tide using bluebait, which is sometimes used in conjunction with a surf popper.
A number of anglers have been fishing Corinella on Western Port, which is a notably productive area for mulloway and large gummy shark, but without much joy, says Brett.
Add to that the numbers of juvenile school and gummy shark ready to take large and juicy baits here, and another degree of difficulty is added to the event.
Snapper have not figured prominently in anglers' bags as would be expected for this time of year, but soft plastics enthusiast have caught pinkies to 40cm or so at various inshore locations on Port Phillip and in Corio Bay around the Geelong Waterfront.
However, the larger snapper that usually make their presence felt in Corio Bay from around the first week in June, did not show this year, and with the falling water temperature yet to bottom out we may have to wait a while longer.
