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Pressure in trying conditions
  |  First Published: August 2013



This month, Mallacoota and the whole of the Gippsland area has been getting its fair share of rain with a stationary low pressure system responsible for the wind and rain.

This has been the worst weather so far this year and there’s been enough rain falling to discolour the rivers. The fishing at this time of year and for the rest of the Winter into Spring, anglers should focus on the lakes and the rivers as there is very little action offshore. Beach fishing for Australian salmon is in full swing with good gutters on all the local beaches after the recent big seas.

Whether fishing with lures or bait, a rising tide will see the fish on the bite, you just need to keep moving in and out of the lake because the can fish turn up anywhere in the system. Sand whiting are still being caught in the bottom lake, but with the cold water temperatures, they are not biting like they were a few months back.

Prior to the wet weather, sunny and still days had been the norm and fortunately, I was busy enough to be out there day after day during this period, you’ve got to love it when you get exceptional fishing on beautiful Winter days! This time of year, you still need to really rug up as the start of the day can be freezing. Especially when travelling from spot to spot.

Both the Bottom Lake and the Top Lake have been fishing well for both black and yellow-fin bream with plenty of slot-size (30-55cm) flathead also being caught. Fish have been caught on the margins of the lake with hardbody lures and soft plastics both working well. The real action however has come when concentrations of fish can be found in deeper water with vibes and soft plastics working best.

The average amount of fish caught over a couple of days with three anglers has been around 150. With a few flathead kept for a feed and everything else released. With the vibe fishing, it is necessary to move the lure really slowly, with many of the fish being hooked when the lure is just sitting on the bottom.

The Betka River is still closed to the ocean, with more rain over the coming months; it will be open to the ocean.

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