There have been some good size bream in the middle reaches of the river. Many of them are probably spawning so take only what you need and consider the future of our stocks.

Fish a little bit away from the bank so as to place your baits in water that’s not all fresh. As I’ve explained in previous reports the further up the river you go, the fresher the water will be on top. The bream prefer the saltier estuarine waters that are pushed up the river by the tides. The depth of the fresh will depend on how much rain we’ve had and how long it’s been between good downpours.

Up river, you’ll find plenty of structure and quite an interesting bottom. Look around with your fish finder and take note of what you’re seeing.

Just around the corner from Saplings Creek you’ll find a hole that is 60ft deep. Just down from Battersby Landing there’s another similar hole of around 50ft. A search around the northern bank, a couple of bends up from Currans Creek, you’ll find Potters Rock, a submerged reef that years ago took its toll on some unsuspecting boats.

What you’ll find here now is that all of these dangerous structures are marked. There aren’t many but Parks have marked them.

Fishing-wise I advise you to move around to try different spots and techniques. And don’t disregard the estuary and boatsheds around Nelson and Donovans. These areas are always worth a try.

Once again, crab has been the best all-round bait although another good locally sourced option is fresh river whitebait. They’re quite easily caught in legal haul nets (see page 56 of the 2005/06 Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide for information about these nets and their use) with a 12-volt lights hanging in the water to attract the fish. I can send out information on the nets and lights – just email me at --e-mail address hidden--

Estuary perch reports have been filtering in again. We are seeing more and more soft plastic lure fishers having a crack at perch, flicking their offerings in and around all sorts of structure.

If you have access to shrimp they are certainly a great bait, flicked unweighted into fallen snags. Dusk and dawn are fantastic times to chase perch, and remember if you catch one that you want to release, do so when you’ve finished your session or you run the risk of spooking the school.

Mulloway have been reported up around Reed Beds and Currans Creek. Live mullet under a float has worked well. Josie and Abba Richardson have had a very successful all year at Reed Beds fishing mullet under a set float rig, just off their shack. That’s not bad action when you can sit in front of a heater watching TV and still catch good fish!

Trollers have found brighter coloured lures more effective in the dirtier water. And don’t be afraid to get those lures down deep.

If you want to try trolling live baits then I suggest a little extra weight so you get the bait down into the saltier water around the 6ft mark. I had one winter trip a few years back when I killed all of my mullet by fishing in water that was too fresh.

We have a leg of the 2006 Vic BREAM Classic Series here on October 14 and 15. Contact Bill Hartshorne on 0409 823 070 or Stuart McKinnon 0417 0363 040 for more information or to register.

These competitions are restricted in numbers and it’s nearing full now so be quick. Check out the details on www.vicbreamclassics.com.au.

It’s been a very cold winter and you’ve had to be keen to get out there and have a go. I’ve been impressed with those of you who have ventured down. Surely, the coldest is now behind us. Information packs on the area are available free of charge from us at the pub. Call us on (08) 8738 4011 and we’ll pop one in the mail.