With the onset of daylight savings and the days getting warmer, the fishing has also heated up with some of the warmer weather species starting to show.

Although weed has been present along the length of the beach, this seems to be coming in and out with the tide. The clearest time to fish seems to be the last couple of hours of the run-in tide, and the first couple of the run-out.

The McLoughlins Beach and Woodside Beach areas have been good for salmon and flathead during the day, when the weed has not been a problem, with some gummy sharks taken when the weed has cleared after dark. Most fish have been taking bluebait, squid and blue surf poppers. Some anglers have been bitten off in this area while fishing at night, more than likely they would be from seven-gill sharks.

Loch Sport, Golden Beach and Seaspray have also had problems with weed, at times. There have been some nice fish starting to show up, with a snapper of 5.5kg landed recently at Golden Beach. Gummy sharks to 1.2m have been taken during the night using bluebait and squid. Salmon and flathead have been caught during the day on bluebait, squid and the trusty blue surf poppers.

This time of year is generally the best time to land a seven-gill shark from the beach all along this area. These sharks can be up to 2.1m in length, they prefer larger fresh baits like salmon fillets and the heads of these fish. A wire trace is a very handy thing when you are chasing these fish.

The Grange, which is reached by boat from Paynesville, has been producing very nice gummy sharks in the 1.2m range, which have been taking eel baits. This area can also produce some large salmon, at times, and can be worth the trip. There have also been patches of weed all along this stretch of beach and it is reaching the waters around Lakes Entrance.

Lakes Entrance and Lake Tyers have been producing salmon in the 1kg range using whitebait, bluebait and red and blue surf poppers. Some anglers have also taken fish using smaller metal lures on light gear. The weed has again been coming and going with the tide.

Hopefully, in the next month the weed will completely clear. It causes major problems, as it is a fine, matting weed that chokes the guides on your rod and weighs your line down and makes it almost impossible to continue fishing. Meantime, fish the times where weed is likely to be minimal and expect some great fishing.

CAP

Seven-gill sharks are common at this time of year.