With the southern bluefin tuna season in full swing there has been a lot of happy anglers heading back to the cleaning tables with plenty of good-sized tuna ranging from 10-30kg.

With the SBTs are albacore up to 25kg and for some happy punters returning with mahi mahi (dolphin fish) ranging from 8-13kg. The mahi mahi have been caught around the horseshoe on the continental shelf with depths ranging from 280-500m with the best lures being the Williamson Jethead lures, Black Magic jetsetter lures and Silstar 10cm trolling Christmas tree lures.

As well as the horseshoe area, there has been a lot of SBT and albacore coming from the east along the Continental Shelf with depths varying from 160-300m and with reports of good fish on the 800m drop-off.

There has also been good catches of tuna and albacore coming in from the shallower waters between Lawrence rock and Cape Bridgewater in depths from 50-70m which is a bonus for those who like to stay in closer.

Although no 100kg+ tuna have been caught and landed out of Portland this season there have been sightings, hook ups and guys reportedly being spooled while out trolling, so it should only be a matter of time before a barrel sized fish is landed.

Along with skirted lures, the X-Rap 30 bibbed lures and Killer Vibes have been catching well with colours varying from day to day, so it always pays to run a variety of lures and colours until you work out what is working and what the fish are feeding on.

Feel free to give us a call anytime so we can help you out with GPS marks, lure choices and colours as local knowledge is always an added bonus when you’re fishing in unknown waters.

For those not chasing SBT there has been some good catches of mako sharks between Lawrence rock and Cape Bridgewater ranging from 40-95kg along with good sized flathead and the odd gummy shark coming off in front of Cape Bridgewater between 60-100m of water.

Off Cape Nelson lighthouse there has been a mixed bag of fish in the 40-60m of water including snapper, blue morwong, nannygai, coral perch, and flying gurnard.

Good catches of whiting for those fishing in and around Point Danger and Blacknose have been coming in depths of water from 3-15m.

Between Blacknose and Pivot beach there has been some good catches of salmon and the odd whiting. Fishing along the north shore whiting have again been coming from this area along with good catches of pike and snook with the odd snapper, trevally, garfish, squid and gummy sharks.

Land-based anglers fishing off the Lee breakwater have been catching barracouta, salmon, whiting, calamari squid and snapper along with the odd gummy shark. In and around the harbour trevally, whiting, snapper, calamari squid, salmon and mullet have also been appearing at the cleaning tables.

Although at this time of year the fishing generally quietens down, the mornings, evenings and the change of the tides are usually the best times to drop a line in.

For those chasing bream the Fitzroy and the Surrey rivers are good options to flick around a few soft plastics and bream lures.

So if you’re thinking of heading to Portland give the boys at Portland Bait and Tackle a call on 0355235213, we are open 7 days a week from 7 till 7.