While the weather hasn’t been the best, there have been reasonable reports coming in of salmon off the beaches, bait fishing or spinning. Wild Dog Creek Beach is still a favourite spot, but there have been some good reports from Johanna Beach as well. One local told me that he had caught salmon up to 3kg regularly.

Out wide, gummies, snapper and big flatties have still been about in good numbers. Snapper to 4kg+ have been regular. I’ve also seen good catches of nannygai. Bald Hill and Blanket Bay reefs have been very productive for the gummies in 40-50m of water. There have been good reports coming from Cape Paton in the same sort of depths. Zachary Paton sent in a photo of a surprise catch he got off Cape Otway – a sawshark.

We have also seen a lot of kingfish turning up off Cape Otway, with many good catches. Sizes reported are from 60cm (just legal) to 80cm+. So far they have been caught on knife jigs, stickbaits, live baits and your big soft plastics like the ZMan HeroZ. They’re not too fussy as yet. As well as the kingfish, schools of small tuna to around 10kg have been sighted busting up off Cape Otway. This is very early, so hopefully it’s a sign of a good season to come.

King George whiting are still being caught in good numbers off the Bumbry Reef and off the Waterfall in that 8-10m mark. There have also been good catches of whiting in Apollo Bay Harbour. Pipis remain the best bait on a running sinker rig.

•If you’re coming to Apollo Bay for a fish, be sure to pop in to get all your bait and tackle needs, as well as an up to date report. Call us on (03) 5237 6426, or check out our website, www.surf-n-fish.com.au.