They call our area of Gippsland the Riviera, and it has been living up to its name sake, clear sunny days and starry nights making it feel like paradise.

As a lot of readers would be aware it is not only the great weather that brings visitors to the area, it’s the time of year that the whole estuary system becomes an angler’s paradise. Prawns are emerging in numbers from the protection of the lakes and creeks and gather in numbers along the sand flats that form the Marlo foreshore, for as they mature they select an outgoing tide on their run to the ocean, repeating their cycle of life.

With the prawn run on many fish species enter the system to feast on the abundance of prawns. Big schools of bream have entered and can be found throughout the whole estuary. Anglers have reported catching good size bream above the highway bridge at Orbost, making the platforms along the Snowy River ideal places to fish.

Anglers fishing the platforms have reported getting good mixed bags of bream, luderick, mullet, trevally, estuary perch and tailor. Best results fishing the Snowy are on live and frozen prawn, crab, pipis and sandworm. Other reports of anglers getting good size bream fishing up near Lake Corringle using local shell, black crab, live and frozen prawn and sandworm.

Several other anglers have reported catching plenty of good size bream and mullet up the Brodribb River near Lake Curlip, and fishing from the Tabbra Jetty using frozen prawn and sandworm. Another good spot seems to be the Brodribb boat ramp and the Marlo jetty, using the same baits.

Luderick are holding along the rock groins and mud banks throughout the system, best results using sandworm, shrimp and small live prawn. Estuary perch are holding on the snags and structures throughout the system. Best results using live prawn, sandworm and lures. Big schools of salmon and tailor can be found down towards the entrance, best results fishing the incoming tide either casting or trolling lures.

The surf beaches are firing; schools of salmon and tailor are patrolling the coastline, giving anglers plenty of action by either spinning with light tackle or bait fishing with surf rods. Best results are to be had using bluebait, whitebait, squid and pilchards always in conjunction by a popper.

For those who prefer to use light tackle there are plenty of bream, mullet and flathead in just out from the wash.

Offshore waters are fishing well as anglers have reported catching plenty of flathead, gurnard, squid, barracouta, pinkie snapper, morwong, kingfish and gummy shark.

At this stage the warm current we had expected has not arrived, delaying the arrival of striped tuna and marlin, but hopefully by the time you read this addition everything will be in full flight.

The kingfish will be smashing lures, the mako shark will be in abundance, and the marlin will be dancing.

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