At the time of writing the Mallacoota area was benefiting from two days of steady rain. Here’s hoping for some follow-up falls to get things happening on the fishing front.

Rain at this time of the year is sorely needed to bring about the right conditions to allow successful breeding of the fish within the Mallacoota system such as bream, bass, and estuary perch. They all benefit from good rains and, better still, flooding.

Anyone who has spent any amount of time fishing for black bream realises the movements of these fish all relate to spawning. You will find fish in the rivers and creeks over Winter, then the fish will move out into the lake system around late Spring and by late autumn the fish start moving back into the creeks and rivers. They are looking for the right conditions needed for spawning, such as salinity. Armed with this knowledge you can start looking for concentrations of fish.

Fishing for bream has been challenging over the past few weeks. It has been a matter of moving from one spot to the next, picking up fish here and there. These have been quality bream around 1.5kg.

Concentrations of smaller fish around 400g to 500g mark have been bringing the most consistent action, mostly around the Gypsy Point area. These smaller fish have been biting well on the Firebait Capt Kev Minnow with green the most successful colour.

While guiding in Mallacoota over the past fortnight clients have caught some big flathead using these little lures with 5kg, 4.1kg and 3.7kg fish landed and one bust off on a fish of around 4kg. These have been great captures considering we used bream gear with 4lb Climax Super Braid with 6lb fluorocarbon leaders.

Getting a good hook set needs a bit of luck, then you need to go softly – definitely great fun in shallow water.

Some nice EPs have been caught but persistence on the right snag has been the key with the DOA Prawn a good choice of lure.

The water temperature in the ocean is a chilly 14° but salmon and trevally have been caught on the local beaches. The weather has rarely allowed boats outside to the flathead grounds.