After a slow start to summer, the fishing has picked up right through as we approach our Autumn season.

Bemm River this year has excelled with flathead which has never been much of a targeted fish in this area. Most anglers have had no problem in bagging out on flathead on a daily basis. Some of the better fish recorded were up to 4.2kg. These fish were caught in the channel and on the sand flats mainly on soft plastics and live prawn.

Most anglers release these larger fish as they are breed stock. With the nights cooling off the bream have now become the dominant fish with excellent catches.

Various clubs and competitions have seen bream weighed in up to just under the 2kg mark. There are still good luderick to be caught; they are not as prominent as they have been but make an excellent fighting fish, with reports of some weighing in between 1-2kg.

Tailor are still being caught throughout the system. Surf beaches are still producing quality salmon and tailor with still the odd gummy being taken. In the past couple of months, weather permitting, some of the locals have ventured off Cape Conran and fished back towards the Bemm Inlet with some massive hauls of flathead and excellent gummy sharks.

Unfortunately this is a sport for only those who have vessels equipped for offshore fishing. At time of writing the entrance remains closed with the lake level at about half, which makes it great for safe boating and fishing close to the shore. The mouth of the river is also accessible and fishing has started to pick up in this area.

The prawn season is late this year, due to the late closing of the entrance but is really picking up now where most people will get good bait prawn as well as good ‘human fodder’. We expect the prawns to run approximately another moon.

The Bairnsdale RSL club recently stayed at Bemm River Holiday Accommodation and enjoyed an excellent and productive weekend. The heaviest fish was won by Matt Coco with a flathead weighing in at 3.22kg (this fish was released after it was weighed in), Ian Pedder won the heaviest bag (which comprised 2 fish), junior section was won by Jess Dyer with a tailor and Karen Pedder won the ladies section with her 900g bream.

Bemm River is proving to be the ‘hot spot’ in Gippsland for the angler once again. Pick up the phone or email for your bookings now at www.bemmaccommodation.com.au , phone on (03) 5158 4233 or email us at --e-mail address hidden--