You may think it is strange to focus on a NSW waterway in V&TFM. Good point, but I bet you’ll find plenty of Victorians in Merimbula this January. It is a popular holiday location and I thought a few tips might help you find some fish.

Merimbula Lake fishes well year round, but the warmer months offer some great fishing for a host of species. If you fish the right soft plastics, you could catch just about anything.

I reckon a Shimano Stradic Ci4 2500 on a Shimano Nexave 702 spin rod spooled with 4lb hi-vis Fins braid is about as good as it gets. It will handle bream through to big mulloway if you are good enough.

Keeping it simple is the way to go. Run a rod length of 4-10lb Nitlon DFC as a leader.

It is joined to the main line with a back-to-back uni knot or a slim beauty. The slim beauty is better, but a little harder to perfect. Just tie your jig head on and you’re ready to fish.

If you fish the channel on the ebb tide and start about a kilometre above the highway bridge, you will be able to slowly work your way toward the entrance.

If you use an electric motor and fish properly, it will take you anywhere up to six hours (a full tide) to complete he drift.

Just bounce plastics along the sand or over the weed and you will find success.

If you fish a Squidgy 100mm Bloodworm Wriggler it will be hard to go wrong.

Bream, flathead, trevally, mulloway, whiting and the list goes on.

Squidgy Flickbaits are a great option to keep up your sleeve.

If you manage to land a big flathead (70cm plus) please release her.

She will be a “she”, and she holds the key to the fisheries future.

Pop in and see Ron, Gail and the team at Tackleworld Merimbula.

They love their plastics fishing and are happy to share local knowledge.

If you fish plastics along the channel in Merimbula Lake, you never know what you may catch or who you might bump into.