Good rains early in December saw another good flush of fresh water wash down the river.

This was just as we were seeing the river clear itself of the muddy colour, and then the summer rains washed more alluvial soil into the system.

In the short term this created the need to once again fish the middle of the river targeting the saltwater wedge that lies beneath the fresh top. With the fantastic mouth that we have at present the sea’s tidal effect quite quickly clears the river of the fore-mentioned dirty water.

The far upper reaches of the river above Moleside Landing (52.5km) through to Dartmoor (75.2km) and higher has been producing some serious bream action. Some of this section is not boat-able from around the 65 km area but land-based access is gained by bush tracks and good old fashioned hiking. Some of the guys that frequent this section of the river mainly chase eels, and have been getting a by-catch of bream just under 2kg.

Most use scrub worm, rabbit, whitebait or spew worm for bait. Lure fishers should have a ball but be prepared to lose some gear amongst the fantastic snags that are abundant up there. This is heaven for canoe and Hobie users with easy access at Pines Landing (56.5km).

Bream have also been prolific at the estuary especially down around the Holloways Drain area, they feed off the natural food sources of pod worm, black shell and cockles. Dion Vale and Steve (Pig) Bacon told me that they could see where the bream had been eating the pod worm beds creating holes in the sand.

Their theory was to cast into the tide movement and get their lures to gently drop into the pod feeding holes. Quality polarised sunglasses was essential and the retrieval of their lures was very slow and gentle. Interestingly they also told me they hooked quite a few cockles which suggests that they actually habitat certain areas within the estuary itself.

Geelong’s Jason Bird and Dale Pattison from Bairnsdale recently spent some time here trying for the mulloway, which proved very fruitful. The boys fish around Sandy Waterhole for a couple of mulloway, several perch and bream. The next day they fished Sapling Creek hitting the double digit figures with mulloway. The best being 92cm and around 7kg and another cunning one breaking Jason off as he stared wide-eyed at a monster sized fish.

All fish were caught on soft plastics in a variety of worm patterns.

Over January I reckon the mulloway will be best in the same section as the boys targeted. The past couple of years they have hung around the section between Dry Creek (11.8km) through to Sapling Creek (26.3km). Other areas will of course see fish taken but this section has been the most consistent.

Remember the speed restrictions on the river especially around the boatsheds and landings at Nelson and the South Australian sections. The wash put up by some boaters does create damage to the boats in these unique moorings. Also another issue that arises each summer is the Transit Channels that are well marked in both ski zones – 20m on the portside bank.

These are there for slow boat traffic and you can’t anchor and fish in them in daylight hours. Do yourself a favour and save the aggravation, read the signs at the boat ramps around town and go and enjoy your day on the beautiful Glenelg River.

Call us at the Nelson Hotel 08 87384011 for any information on what is available around Nelson. The Tourist information centre in Nelson can be contacted on 08 87384051.

Mighty mulloway are on the agenda in January at Glenelg.