Before I get into the fishing news, here’s a blast from the past just to remind anglers what can be caught off Cape Conran.

The first marlin was caught in Victorian waters on rod and reel on 27 January 1961. It was a black that weighed 104lb, measured 6ft 9.5 inches and had a girth of 33 inches. It was caught on 48lb line on a 2.5oz red feather jig. The lucky angler was J.C. Pardew of Orbost and the fish took him 1 hour and 10 minutes to land.

Fishing off Cape Conran is still great and the flathead are there just waiting to be caught. Clive And Lee Hardwick, fishing on the turn of the tide, bagged some beaut flathead. Clive told me that double headers were par for the course.

Gummy sharks, pinkie snapper, trevally and gurnard are also on the go on bluebait and squid

The surf beaches are still fishing well with good catches of salmon, tailor and trevally reported. The best bait has been bluebait. Poppers and Lazer lures have also accounted for a few.

Winter is here and the cold weather has seen the mullet come into the estuary and rivers in big numbers.The Brodribb River has been fishing well. David and Michele Howard caught a mixed bag of bream up to 35cm and mullet on sandworm.

Colin Weir, fishing the Brodribb, has been getting plenty of mullet on sandworm.

Justin Smith caught a mixed bag of mullet and luderick. One of them was around 3lb.

The good rains have come and the entrance is open. The fishing should improve! There’ll be new bream that enter the estuary ready for their spawning run. Other fish such as salmon and tailor will follow the bream and the lure fishing should begin.

For all the latest information about what’s biting where, contact Jim at Orbost Angler on (03) 5154 2440 or 0419 883 218.