Although we are now heading into the winter months, the great run of nice weather we‘ve had in Melbourne over past few months continues. 

There has been a welcomed late run of good sized snapper in 14-18 metres of water between Sandringham and Carrum.  These fish are between 3 and 7kg and are in excellent condition.  The area around the P1 buoy and the Gasso mark have been fishing really well. The most productive bait at the moment has been fresh squid and they can be found in good numbers in close over the inner reefs.  It’s worth a stop on the way out to get a few squid, as fresh bait will always out fish the frozen stuff.  And if you happen to miss out on the snapper, you can always have a good feed of calamari when you get home. 

In close on the inner reefs the pinkies have been around in good numbers.  Best baits have been strips of squid and bluebait. For the lure brigade, the ever reliable Berkley Bass Minnows and Gulps are the way to go.  In the same area keep a look out for the salmon schools as they have been showing up fairly regularly now, and with fish up to 4kg amongst them they are great sport on light tackle. 

For the land based anglers, now is the time to head for the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers, not just for the bream but the mulloway.  Yes, the jewies are on the chew and there are some excellent fish being caught at the moment with regular captures over 10kg. It’s only a matter of time before we hear of one over 20kg.  Live mullet fished under a float is the preferred method. That rig covers a lot of water as it moves with the tide.  It’s also a good way to keep track of where your baits are if there is a few anglers fishing in an area. When mulloway take a bait there is no mistaking it for something else. They are brutal and once hooked will sustain long runs, finding any flaws in your tackle.  So make sure you’re not under-gunned and your knots are up to scratch.  The best time to chase jewies is after dusk and well into the night. Some of the best fish are caught after midnight. 

So get out the warm jacket, beanie and thermos of coffee and spend some time down there. The rewards could be well worth it!

(Slide) Shallow reefs have been producing pinkies on baits and artificials.