Warrnambool Fishing Report 18/09/2026

The days are getting longer, and those anglers who hang the rods up over winter are starting to crawl out of their hideaways. Fishing has been top-notch across just about every type of waterway lately, so anticipation for a great spring and summer is certainly building.

Saltwater

The local tuna bite is still going strong, with some excellent fish being caught surprisingly close to shore. Gun anglers Xavier Ellul and Luke Gercovich couldn’t resist getting stuck into them again recently and enjoyed one of those sessions they’ll remember for a long time.

The boys landed six fish from seven shots while casting big surface poppers around dolphin balls, including an exciting double hook-up. Judging by the videos, there aren’t many sights more impressive than a rampaging barrel tuna launching at a surface lure right beside the boat!

Casting to fish of this calibre isn’t something that can be done with just any tackle, and quality gear is essential. The boys prefer rods around 8ft or longer, rated PE8-10, giving them the combination of casting distance and serious pulling power required. Gone are the days when anglers needed short, broomstick-style rods to put pressure on big tuna. Advances in modern rod technology mean you can now have plenty of fighting power without sacrificing casting performance.

Reels in the 18,000-25,000 size range from Daiwa or around 20,000 size from Shimano are well suited to this style of fishing. The new Quantum Cabo 8000 also shapes as a great budget-friendly option, boasting 16 seals and an IPX8 waterproof rating. Heavy leaders around 200lb are another important part of the setup, particularly when fishing around dolphins and schools of tuna where lines can easily come into contact with other fish.

With tackle becoming more capable, these fish can often be landed in just 15-20 minutes, making successful release much easier. In the early days of game fishing, battles with big tuna could last hours, leaving fish completely exhausted by the time they reached the boat. Modern tackle allows anglers to apply more pressure and shorten the fight, giving released fish a much better chance of swimming away strongly — a positive for the future of the fishery.

Elsewhere, local whiting anglers are beginning to get back into the action following a very slow winter. Port Fairy has been one of the better areas, with anglers fishing from the bank picking up some quality whiting while targeting trevally.

Z-Man Finesse Worms matched with the Y-Ting jighead system have been particularly effective across a range of species. They’re also a great option when you don’t have bait handy — simply pull one from the tackle box, tie it on and start fishing. Small hops along the bottom followed by plenty of pauses have been producing the most bites. The Y-Ting jigheads are designed to stand the plastic upright off the bottom, presenting it perfectly for whiting and other species to pick up. Add a little scent to the tail of the plastic and you’ve got an extremely versatile combination.

Estuaries

The Hopkins River continues to produce some quality bream, with the better fishing seemingly shifting towards the upper half of the system as it gradually clears following the recent floodwater.

Koroit and District Angling Club held its second competition of the season over the weekend, with some excellent fish weighed in. Stella McNaughton showed up the seniors, landing a cracking 1.115kg bream to take out top honours.

The better fish were caught around Jubilee Park and further upstream through the Pass. This could indicate that some fish have already spawned and are beginning to move back up the river, while others may be preparing for a later spawn and could remain in the area for another few weeks.

It was a busy weekend for local fishing competitions, with another two clubs also hitting the water. Allansford and District Angling Club headed to the Curdies, where Slick Pemberton landed the heaviest fish overall with a 997g bream. He narrowly edged out Trish Hill, who took out the ladies section with an impressive 939g fish.

Over at the Fitzroy River, Warrnambool and District Angling Club held its second competition of the year. The girls showed the boys how it was done, with Sarah Gloury taking top honours after landing a quality 1.133kg bream. Jessica Lane wasn’t far behind with another excellent fish weighing 1.067kg.

The heaviest bag went to gun angler Lewis Holland, who weighed five bream for a total of 4.176kg, narrowly pipping Sarah by just 50g.

If you’ve ever thought about joining a local angling club, get in touch with any of these three clubs through their Facebook pages and join in the fun. The competitions are friendly and welcoming, and they’re a great way to meet other anglers, make a few mates and learn plenty along the way.

Freshwater

Lake Tooliorook continues to produce some excellent trout fishing, as Andy Joosen discovered recently. Andy landed a couple of solid trout while trolling the lake and casting around the weed edges.

The lake has now been fishing exceptionally well for a number of months. Plenty of anglers expected the action to slow by now, but the trout just keep coming. Anglers from across Victoria have been travelling to the small town of Lismore for their chance at a trophy fish.

Part of Tooliorook’s popularity has come from the traditionally renowned trophy trout fishery at Lake Purrumbete being relatively shallow and proving difficult over the past couple of seasons.

Lake Bullen Merri is also well worth the trip, with plenty of quality salmon and trout being caught recently by both bait anglers and trollers. The tiger trout and salmon have been particularly feisty, adding another element of excitement when you never quite know which species is going to grab your bait or lure next.

This Weekend

This weekend is shaping up nicely for fishing right across the district, so grab a rod and make the most of it.

The Warrnambool Offshore and Light Game Club is holding its annual Junior Fishing Classic this weekend, open to kids under 16. It’s always a fantastic event, with plenty of prizes on offer and, most importantly, plenty of smiles from the next generation of anglers.

And remember, simply by sharing your fishing report you can go into the draw to win a Daiwa Australia prize pack valued at more than $500, which will be drawn at the end of the financial year.

On top of the major prize, each week’s Golden Fish Award winner will receive a free Daiwa lure or packet of soft plastics thanks to Daiwa Australia.

Sounds easy, right? Well, it is!

Until next week, tight lines and best of luck.