The lower reaches of the Hopkins River have many different structures to target fish such as bream, estuary perch, mulloway, salmon and mullet. These include mud flats, sand flats, weed beds, numerous rock walls, shallow reefs, tree lines and man-made structures that litter the bank.

For such a small system the Hopkins punches well above its weight for the size of fish that call it home. Bream to 40cm, estuary perch to 50cm and mulloway to 100cm are all a realistic chance when fishing in the Hopkins at different times of the year.

During the summer months, the fishing can be red hot with both estuary perch and bream able to be targeted on top water lures such as OSP bent minnows, Tiemco Deruzze, Jackall Pompadours, soft shell cicadas and unweighted soft plastics.

This is the most fun and visual fishing that you will have, and also some of the most frustrating as they sometimes push your lure along without eating it.

Nice long casts are the go-to as the fish won’t have seen you before committing to eat the lure.

The beauty of fishing top water in the summertime is that the fish are on both rock walls and the flats. But don’t just think that you have to fish surface in the summer as Cranka crabs, soft plastics and baits will all work just as well on the local population of bream and EPs. Both live crabs and Cranka crabs will need to be cast right in tight in the summertime, or if you can target single structures in slightly deeper water and the bream will be looking for barnacles and crabs to crunch off the rocks.

It’s not just bream and EPs that are caught during summer, but the schools of mulloway that move in and out of the system following the millions of mullet which take up residency in the Hopkins.

Fishing for these can be a battle, but that’s why they say they’re a fish of a thousand casts. Persistence, patience, dedication and a bit of luck is all what is needed to be successful while chasing mulloway.

The average size in the Hopkins over the past couple of seasons has been far better than any other river around the area. It’s just there’s less of them, so when you get one it’s a great achievement regardless of the size. Live mullet, cut mullet, clickers and salmon fillets are all worth a try – even the humble pilchards should get a few takes.

To target these hard-fighting kings of the estuaries, you will need to beef up your gear and use 6-10kg mono or the equivalent in braid with a 20lb leader.

If you want to cast some lures and soft plastics for them, then here’s a few that have produced the past couple of years: Daiwa Double Clutches in both 75mm and 95mm in the black gold, ayu, lazer ayu and the lazer wakasagi are all standout colours. The great thing about these lures is that they can be both trolled and cast at mulloway with equal success. Soft plastic options are Zman 2.5” Grubz in motor oil, 2.5” slim swimz in motor oil and bad shad, Westin Shadteez 4” and the Berkley Gulp Turtleback worms. Fish these on slightly heavier heads from 1/12oz-1/4oz.

Scent on these plastics is essential; the most productive I have used is the procure mullet, which stays on for longer and the fish really seem to eat it hard rather than just eating the scent off the plastic.

During the colder months, the fish can sometimes be impossible to land as they are in between spawn cycles or the water quality isn’t at the optimum quality.

Usually, finding fish in the deeper areas or around the 3-5m mark off a shallow ground will give you the best chance of locating the schools.

Using your fish finder in the colder months is a must due to how closely they hold to each other. The sounder narrows down the field and makes it easier to work a school, especially if your fish finder has charts.  

The preferred technique seems to be casting blades and heavily weighted soft plastics through the schools searching for the active schools. Strikepro Cyber Vibes, Ecogear Vx35 and 40s, Ecogear ZX35s and the Berkley Shimma Vibes will work on the given days.

Small hops along the bottom are the standard retrieve, but as long as the lure is vibrating on the way up it will catch fish.

Baits in the colder months such as cut mullet, shrimp, glassies and prawns are all worth a go. Anchoring on the drop and casting out off it will be your best option for targeting the schooling bream.

In winter, mulloway tend to be a bit harder to catch due to the flooding of the rivers which usually pushes the majority of mullet out of system. And it’s not until the flow stops then they will pick up again. Soft baits such as cut mullet and squid will be on the right track.

Fishing the lower sections and chasing the high and low tides will be your best chance to land the fish of a lifetime.

Hopefully this will help you make the most of each season and put you onto some great fishing in the next year.

Until next week, tight lines and good luck.