The cold uninviting winter may have made things difficult for boaters and land-based fishers, but the long term benefits are already showing.

The water has been very muddy for much of the time due to the ongoing flow coming down the Tarwin River and to a lesser extent Screw Creek. There has been plenty of food also being washed downstream and good fishing should continue for quite some time.

The pleasing numbers of Australian salmon are still putting a smile on the faces of fishers and on a recent visit to the local boat ramp I came across three visitors from Moe in Daryl Smith, “Booga” and George Stipkovich who had just returned from a day out on the water.

They had a very nice bag of salmon that were all around the 1kg mark and taken on white soft plastic lures. The fish were ideal for boning out, filling with stuffing and then sewing up before being put in the oven for about 40 minutes. When they come out the head, tail and cotton thread is removed and the boneless fish is ready to be eaten.

Land-based fishers have been doing very well near the bathing boxes where salmon are in very good numbers along with silvers and flathead. There have also been quite a few very big sting rays which give a great work out on the light gear but as a rule they are released to swim and fight another day.

Many boaters and land-based fishers will miss the yellow marker that was just out from the steps leading down to the beach but for some unknown reason was removed by authorities.

Further up the inlet near Stevies Gutter the there have also been good numbers of salmon taken on lures. Natural baits have also been effective such as whitebait and strips of pilchards. Mixed in with the salmon have been silver trevally, flathead and a few whiting which are also making an appearance.

The Tarwin River is starting to pick up and as it has cleared there are reasonable numbers of perch being taken on Bass yabbies and a variety of lures. The run-out tide has been the best time to try your luck and maybe the first of the run in flow.

The five Surf beaches at Venus Bay have also been very productive where salmon have been making up most bags. Harry Anderson and a mate did very well just before this report and they caught nine very nice torpedo fish on number one beach on the run-in tide just on dusk.

There is no reason why the good fishing should not continue and with any sort of luck there will be flathead, gummy sharks and maybe even the odd mulloway will make an appearance.