In the past few weeks, I’ve noticed a change and improvement in the weather – a great sign. I’ll start fishing places such as Albert Park Lake soon for golden perch. We rely on warmer water conditions, because that’s when fish become more active.

Lately I’ve been fishing St Kilda pier in hope of flathead or pinkies. Warmer months are more ideal, but you’ll still pick up a few with persistence. My favourite form of fishing off St Kilda is soft plastic fishing, it’s no doubt a challenge and very rewarding when you hook-up, but it’s an effective style.

Flathead sit on the bottom waiting for prey to swim by. They won’t come to you, so you have to go to them. When I say that, I mean get a lure like 2” ZMan GrubZ and cast it to structure. Flathead like to sit there, because they use it as a form of protection and shelter.

The casting retrieve is simple. Cast your lure of choice and let it hit the bottom – you know it’s the bottom when you your line turns slack. Then give your rod a couple of whips and wind the slack in again. Continue this all the way back to your feet.

On low tide, I like to take my shoes and socks off and wade into the water. St Kilda Beach has a deep drop off, but it’s only accessible during low tide. Cast into the drop for the best chances of hook-up. Both flathead and pinkies sit on the ledge waiting for little baitfish, or your lure, to swim over the top.

In the next month and later, docklands bream will become active. They’re a reliable species in warmer water conditions. The docklands is a very deep fishery and for the bream to push up in the water column, we need water temperatures to rise. I like to sight cast my bream.

With no doubt, the Cranka Crab is the lure of choice, for the simple reason there are a heap of crabs in the docklands. Matching the hatch is your best start.

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Flathead sit on the bottom waiting for prey.