Warrnambool Fishing Report 10/07/2026

Winter is often associated with slower fishing, but this season has been anything but. Excellent conditions and consistent catches have made for some outstanding fishing across both freshwater and offshore, with anglers enjoying success right throughout the region.

Freshwater:
Mt Emu Creek, along with both the Merri and Hopkins rivers, has continued to fish exceptionally well over the past few weeks, producing some beautiful trout. Anglers casting paddle-tail soft plastics have enjoyed excellent results, with the ever-reliable Berkley T-Tail in Black Gold proving a standout, alongside the Fish Arrow Flash-J Shad in both 2" and 3" sizes.

The Flash-J range continues to impress thanks to its realistic foil insert, which creates an incredibly natural flash as the lure rolls through the water. Both the Flash-J and Berkley T-Tail are made from naturally sinking plastic, allowing anglers to fish a slightly lighter jighead than many of today's buoyant soft plastics while still maintaining excellent lure action.

One angler making the most of buoyant plastics is Andy Joosen. Fishing either before or after work, Andy has been enjoying great success on the Merri River using Hurricane Sprat 65s, catching both trout and redfin.

The welcome return of quality redfin has also provided anglers with some fantastic table fish. Ash Rawlings headed to the Merri chasing trout but instead found himself into several impressive redfin. They're undoubtedly one of the most striking freshwater fish in South West Victoria and, fortunately, they're just as good on the plate as they are to look at. Interestingly, our local systems seem to consistently produce larger redfin, with far fewer smaller fish than many other waterways across Victoria. The reason remains something of a mystery, even among experienced anglers, but while they're biting, there's certainly nothing wrong with taking a few home for dinner.

As for the trout, it's shaping up as one of the best starts to a season in recent memory, both in terms of average fish size and overall numbers. Ever since the first dirty water arrived, anglers have been rewarded for putting in the kilometres and exploring stretches of river that haven't seen much fishing pressure.

Geoff and Flynn Collins pulled on the gumboots and ventured upstream from the Emu Creek Junction, landing a quality trout from a flowing section of water. Trout naturally use rocks, timber and current breaks to shelter from the flow while waiting to ambush insects, minnows and other food drifting downstream.

When approaching a new stretch of river, it's worth taking a moment to study the water before making your first cast. Watch how the current moves around rocks and submerged timber, identifying the likely ambush points. Always try to position yourself downstream, as trout almost always face into the current. Casting upstream and retrieving your lure naturally with the flow is generally the most effective presentation. Once you reach the deeper pools below the runs, concentrate your casts around the first few metres below the current, as this is often where the better fish will be holding.

Estuaries:
The Glenelg River continues to produce outstanding fishing, particularly from Donovan's through to the bridge.

Anna Cumming has been spending plenty of time on the water with husband Andy, catching excellent numbers of estuary perch and bream on soft plastics fished deep. Looking for something with a little more pulling power, Anna tied on a Samaki Vibelicious in search of her first mulloway.

It didn't take long before she hooked into a fish that felt more like the bottom coming to life than a fish. After several tense moments, including one close call around the electric motor, Anna patiently worked the fish back into open water. Even after surfacing beside the boat, the mulloway made one final blistering run before eventually sliding into the net. Measuring a superb 94cm, it was Anna's first-ever mulloway and one she'll never forget. After a few quick photos and plenty of celebrations with Andy, the fish was released to fight another day.

Like many anglers after landing their first mulloway, the bug had well and truly bitten. Returning only a few days later, the pair hooked several more quality fish while still catching cricket scores of perch and bream. Andy also managed a nice 64cm mulloway, although the biggest fish won the battle thanks to the lighter leaders they were using for perch and bream.

Closer to home, the Hopkins River has been fishing exceptionally well for both bream and estuary perch throughout the system. Corey managed around 30 fish last Sunday using a mix of soft plastics and vibration lures. Large schools are scattered from Jubilee Park right down to the mouth, although finding the fish that actually wanted to bite proved the biggest challenge. He marked very few fish above Jubilee Park and suspect many have either moved back downstream with the saltwater or pushed further upstream beyond Tooram Stones.

Fortunately, there are still plenty of fish throughout the lower river, including some quality bream amongst the smaller fish. Duo Bivi Vibes were easily the standout vibration lure, while the Hurricane Sprat range once again proved its worth when the fishing became tough.

With the river mouth now open again, fresh schools of mulloway have started appearing on sounders throughout the lower reaches. While photos of captures have been scarce so far, it shouldn't be long before someone connects with one.

Fishing the high tide around the Danger Board has also produced some excellent bream. Graeme and Eva from the YouTube channel T-Rex Fishing Adventures recently enjoyed a fantastic session, landing several fish over 40cm. Their success came from targeting the transition where freshwater meets saltwater which is a prime holding area as the heavier saltwater pushes beneath the freshwater, creating the perfect feeding zone.

Offshore:
Offshore anglers have continued to enjoy excellent fishing for gummies and school sharks, with plenty of freezers receiving a top-up of fresh flake.

Allan Greig headed offshore late one morning during the week and, along with his crew, quickly secured a bag of school sharks. If you've been thinking about chasing a feed of flake, now is arguably the best time of year. With the better tides often falling later in the day and the mornings being bitterly cold, you can comfortably head out at "gentleman's hours" and still enjoy excellent fishing.

A steady stream of snapper has also kept anglers entertained between shark bites, with squid, yakkas and pilchards proving the standout baits.

When targeting sharks, a clear-coated wire trace remains one of the best options. It provides the bite protection needed while being far less obvious than traditional uncoated wire, resulting in noticeably better hook-up rates.

With poor weather forecast over the weekend, opportunities offshore will be limited. Those willing to brave the conditions will certainly earn every fish they catch. Hopefully the weather settles quickly and allows everyone back on the water soon.

Until next week, tight lines and best of luck.