It’s that time of year when Lakes Entrance goes crazy for the holiday season. As the weather patterns settle in, it won’t take long to see many anglers taking advantage of warm weather and long evenings.
Local town wharfs have been fishing reasonably well, with anglers catching a rage of species. Quality bream have been caught on light weighted fresh prawn or crab profile lures like Cranka Crabs, and lightly weighted soft plastics in curl-tail and creature patterns. Light line has been the key – with how busy this town is right now, the fish become rather spooky. Fishing a 3-6lb leader or main line is a must.
It’s a risky game when fishing in close to pylons and boat hulls. One wrong move and you’re busted off. These tactics have accounted for most of the fish captures along with some quality silver trevally, which can make an absolute mess of light tackle around wharfs.
The many sand edges around Cunningham Arm and North Arm have produced quality flathead over the last month with fish up to 60cm+ caught regularly. Most of the flathead have been caught while targeting bream with minnow pattern hardbodies. Anglers have started to solely target these larger flathead, throwing 4” soft plastics in minnow or fish patterns with consistent results.
Over the last month, consistent schools of King George whiting have been found. Work the weed off Kalimna. A good number of anglers average 10 or more fish a session. The best way to target the fish locally is to use an extended paternoster rig baited with either fresh mussel or worm. Then cast onto the edges of the weed beds.
The lake has been extremely productive with quality bream and flathead caught. The best results lately have come from the higher reaches of Nowa Nowa Arm working the bank side snags and weed beds. Try minnow pattern hardbodies such as Nories Laydown Minnows, or ZMan Slim SwimZ along the edges on 1/32-1/16oz jigheads. Work these with a combination of slow hops and pauses.
Late in the day when the prawns are becoming active, a few bream have been taken on surface lures worked over shallow weed and sand flats. A key to success when fishing the higher reaches of Lake Tyers is to use high abrasion leader material that is slightly stronger – the barnacle cover snags make short work of leader around these snags.
Baitfish have been productive throughout the whole lake, especially in the top of Nowa Nowa. Quality bream and flathead have been caught around Mill Point and Long Point. Glassies and prawns have been the best, fished either non-weighted or on ball sinkers, allowing the bait to drift and act natural as it moves through the water column.
The surf has been fishing well, but extremely patchy. Only a few beaches have consistent success. Lake Bunga Surf Beach and Pettmans have produced the best results lately with quality salmon landed. With the fish scattered, the best approach is to spin a 20-30g metal in a silver or baitfish pattern. This allows the angler to cover large amounts of water in a short time.
With the water warming in Lakes Entrance, all manner of fish species are around. Plenty table size snapper have been caught on the 6-mile reef along with morwong, pike and flathead mostly captured on traditional bottom bashing techniques. Fresh squid, pilchards and tuna fillets are great baits, with micro-jigging starting to take off on our reefs. Plenty of reef fish have been caught on Lucanus style jigs as well. The gummy shark fishing has been reasonable, working the back of the surf beaches.
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It’s a risky game when fishing in close to pylons and boat hulls. It doesn’t take long and you’re busted off.
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Quality bream have been caught on light weighted fresh prawn or crab profile lures.
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Bream are around in good numbers this month.
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Bream have been taken on surface lures worked over shallow weed and sand flats. A key to success when fishing the higher reaches of Lake Tyers is to use high abrasion leader material.
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