There were some good seas and some great fishing to go with it this week, as many anglers hit the water in search of a feed or just some fun.
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All the action was offshore and the beaches though, as the rivers fished tough in the estuaries.
OFFSHORE
School tuna have made a welcome return to both Warrnambool and Port Fairy.
Many anglers have been getting stuck into these awesome, fighting rod rattlers this past week with some like Peter Kavanagh and his mate Jonesy bagging quickly.
These boys were bagged out in 20 minutes from when they started fishing, which is incredible. Sam Powell, Ash Jacob and Chloe Dance all caught fish on Sunday, getting 11 hook ups and releasing the majority after tagging them. Ben McDonald and Jeff Dimech caught multiple fish on Saturday while casting top water stick baits into the feeding packs of fish, pushing bait balls high in the water column.
The reason for them being back is anyone's guess, but a few people I've spoken to have put it down to currents and the amount of red bait that's out there.
This is the same bait that kept the big barrel tuna at Portland for the past few months, so we could see some big fish come into our own ports soon.
Most anglers are trolling shallow diving minnows such as the Zerek Speed Donkeys and Halco Lazer Pros or small skirts like the Pakula Uzis and Fluzis in whites and purples.
But don't think that there is only tuna out there, as other anglers have focused their efforts on the bottom fish and have been rewarded with some great captures.
Isaac Ferguson sent us a picture of a nice gummy he caught on squid, which was one of many sharks caught that day.
There are some nice pan-sized pinkies in closer around Killarney and surrounds and the odd whiting also. At this time of year, the numbers of whiting really thin out, but the size of fish usually increases. So when you find them, they should be a good size.
If your taste buds need a bit of a wake-up call and you love eating crayfish, there's some good crays being taken by fisherman diving and drop-netting along the coast. Remember that you can only take the males, as the females have a closed season until November 15.
If you're unsure of how to find out, put them back as there's a hefty fine if you get it wrong. Tags are still required to be placed on the horns of the cray five minutes after getting it on board or 50m from the bank of where it was caught.
BEACHES
There's been some more action off the beaches this past week, with some good captures of salmon for those spinning for them.
Reports are coming in that you can see the schools moving up and down the beach, which makes it easier to target - especially while casting metals at them. If you're new to that style of fishing, a 9ft graphite rod and a 3000-4000 reel spooled with 20lb braid and a 20lb leader is ideal.
The longer rod gives you more control of your line in the swell and a longer cast, as its used like a catapult to heave out the lure with minimal effort. The 35-65g metals have been the pick, with a set of BKK ranger assist hooks replacing the trebles to give them that bit more attracting appeal.
Best places to look have been East Beach at Port Fairy and Killarney.
Try fishing around the change of the ride, whether it be the top or the bottom of the tide, as long as there is some sort of movement.
ESTUARIES
The estuaries have seem to gone quiet this week, especially the Hopkins where I know of a few anglers who didn't get a bite for a full day's fishing.
It's not uncommon this time of year, as the water really cools down and makes the fish a bit doughy.
Soft baits such as cut mullet, shrimp and glassies are the pick of baits in the winter. There has been some nice estuary perch being caught by Luke and Jedd after dark on soft plastics.
The Gercovich boys headed over to Nelson for a day trip on Friday after getting some live mullet. They caught one small mulloway about 55cm and lost a big one on a livie with the leader breaking between the treble and main hook.
Some nice fish have still been caught by the dedicated ones who put in a lot of time and effort getting the right bait. The fish have spread right out from the Caves all the way to the bottom, so chances of getting one are pretty high still - you've just got to persist.
FRESHWATER
There's still some nice trout being landed by anglers walking the banks along the Hopkins and Merri while casting shallow hard bodies and soft plastics.
Any sort of lure in the 5cm-11cm will get the interest of trout this time of year, but the most popular has been the perch and brook trout in the F7s Rapala.
If you're wanting to cast soft plastics, the Westin Shad Teez and Berkley T Tails in black gold are definitely worth a shot.
Unfortunately, with some strong winds hitting us this weekend, I can't see anyone being able to get offshore. It might be a quiet week coming up.
Until next week, tight lines and best of luck.