Winter is well and truly here now, and with the water going cold, all the talk on Ninety Mile Beach has been about the salmon.

I think we have been spoilt for weather this year as it seems really cold now, but I guess we just aren’t used to it yet. The water temperature remained higher than average for a while and gummy sharks were being caught in the first and even second week of May. However, once we got that first major cold front, the gummies were all over.

The salmon and tailor have started a little slow, but now the water temperature is too cold for gummy sharks and we will have to wait for that full moon in August to get another run of gummy sharks off the surf. The seven-gill sharks have been another by-catch as the water temperature has dropped off. They have been caught by gummy anglers at night-time and they are a potential catch through winter, however they are always caught in good numbers in early spring as well.

Australian salmon haven’t been around in huge numbers yet, but some anglers are lucking out and catching 20 odd fish in a session, whilst other anglers are only catching a couple of salmon. The upside is that the salmon have all been pretty good sized with a couple nudging the 65cm mark, but plenty of fish of 50-55cm. These are still excellent fish and average around 2.5kg.

No beach has been fishing better than any other, it’s just the luck of where the salmon happen to be on a particular day, and with 90 miles of beach to fish, its often the a guess where they will be.

I have heard good reports from McGaurans, Woodside and McLaughlins beaches this month, but really that is just the reports I’ve heard and doesn’t mean the other beaches aren’t producing good fish as well.

There are a few tailor mixed in with the salmon as well but most are being caught at night time. Surf poppers have been working extremely well for the salmon, but bluebait has probably been the best bait for the salmon. It’s a good idea to use one of each. The saury-coloured snapper snatcher has been a good rig as well and all you need to do is put a little bit of bluebait, squid or pilchard on the hook.

Now is definitely the time to spin the surf, especially if you want to catch a monster salmon on light gear. Early mornings are usually the best, but it pays to keep an eye on the tides and choose the tides with the most movement and/or fish the tide changes.

For more information, contact Will at Allways Angling in Traralgon on 51748544. You will get expert advice and great deals on fishing bait and tackle., Turn in to Rex Hunt and Lee Rayner’s “Off the Hook” on 1242 to hear Will’s Report on what’s going on in Gippsland!