Warrnambool Fishing Report 24/07/2026

The past fortnight has delivered much the same conditions as the previous report, with freshwater fishing continuing to fire, estuaries proving patchy but rewarding for persistent anglers, and offshore fishing producing excellent results whenever the weather has allowed. Here's a closer look at what's been happening across the region.

Freshwater

The Mount Emu Creek, Hopkins River, Merri River and Lake Bullen Merri have all been keeping anglers busy between weather windows. Recent heavy rainfall has pushed fresh water through the local rivers, giving trout fishing a welcome boost.

The Hopkins Falls continues to live up to its reputation as one of the premier trout locations on the Hopkins. Despite receiving plenty of fishing pressure each week, there are still quality fish being caught consistently on both hardbody lures and soft plastics.

Andy Cumming has been enjoying excellent success upstream of the falls, with his loyal dog keeping watch nearby. Casting Daiwa Bait Junkie 2.5-inch Minnows and shallow-running hardbodies into the flowing water has produced plenty of solid mid-sized hen trout that have become noticeably more aggressive following the recent rain.

Daniel Duve finally dusted off the spinning outfit after seeing everyone else enjoying success and headed to Mt Emu Creek. Fishing a shallow-running hardbody, he quickly connected with a long, lean hen trout that couldn't resist the presentation.

It's fantastic to see so many anglers making the most of the local freshwater opportunities, and with the current conditions, there's no sign of the action slowing anytime soon.

Another technique that continues to go from strength to strength is LiveScope fishing for native species. Justin Nowell has once again demonstrated just how effective the technology can be, landing several impressive Murray cod over the magical one-metre mark at Lake Eildon.

Using a Garmin Ultra 16 paired with the LiveScope Plus System, Justin was able to locate individual fish, present lures precisely and determine which presentation each fish responded to best by rotating through different lure styles.

LiveScope continues to divide opinion, but ultimately it's another tool that helps anglers become more efficient. Just like modern four-stroke engines extended range compared to older two-strokes, technology continues to evolve. While LiveScope allows anglers to find fish more effectively, it certainly doesn't make them bite.

Garmin has also just released two new LiveScope transducers, each designed for different applications.

The new LVS42HD delivers the highest clarity Garmin has ever produced, making it an outstanding option for bream, perch, bass and trout anglers fishing at close range. Target separation is exceptional and represents a significant step forward from the already impressive LVS34.

The new LVS44, on the other hand, is designed for anglers wanting superior long-range performance. It will be particularly appealing to cod and barramundi anglers using Forward Mode to search well ahead of the boat.

Both models now feature built-in water detection sensors, automatically switching the transducer into the correct operating mode and eliminating the need to manually turn it off between locations; something that should save plenty of anglers from accidentally damaging their transducers.

Saltwater

Shark fishing continues to be outstanding, with quality fish being caught surprisingly close to shore. Many anglers are finding success less than 10 kilometres from the boat ramp, making for short runs and more time fishing during the colder winter mornings.

School sharks have also been plentiful, helping keep hook sales strong in the tackle shop.

Salty Dog Charters in Port Fairy has continued its excellent run of form, putting clients onto some outstanding gummy and school sharks over recent trips. Plenty of smiling faces have returned to the ramp with quality table fish.

To reduce bite-offs, many experienced anglers are now incorporating a short section of 125lb clear-coated Shogun leader as a bite trace. Unlike traditional wire traces, clear-coated leaders are far less likely to interfere with a shark's ability to detect electrical signals through its lateral line, while still providing excellent abrasion resistance. We have pre-tied paternoster rigs we tie up in the shop for sale to avoid these bite offs.

Running a longer leader between your main line and terminal rig also allows sharks to roll on the leader rather than directly contacting your braid, greatly reducing the chance of costly bust-offs beside the boat.

Along with the sharks, quality snapper up to 75cm have been caught in the same areas. While wire traces are ideal for sharks, they generally reduce your chances of enticing snapper, so anglers targeting both species should expect to lose the occasional leader.

Metal jigs remain one of the most effective ways to target snapper throughout winter.

Slow-pitch or flutter jigs require an active approach, with anglers slowly lifting the rod before allowing the jig to flutter naturally back towards the bottom. This presentation regularly attracts quality snapper and nannygai.

For those wanting a simpler technique, Shimano Lucanus and Daiwa Kohga jigs continue to produce outstanding results. Designed to imitate squid or octopus, they're incredibly easy to fish. Simply lower the lure to the bottom, wind up a couple of metres and leave the rod in the holder until it loads up.

Many anglers are also adding a small strip of squid to either style of jig for additional scent and attraction.

Australian salmon have also been providing plenty of entertainment. The Warrnambool Breakwater is producing consistent catches for anglers casting soft plastics on light tackle.

Coby Brown has enjoyed some terrific sessions recently, landing salmon to 60cm using just 4lb leader, a great achievement on such light gear.

Bait anglers fishing Killarney have also been doing well using bluebait cast into the nearby gutters, with fish approaching 70cm landed from the beach.

While salmon may not be everyone's favourite table fish, few species offer the same level of accessible sport.

Estuaries

The Hopkins River continues to produce solid numbers of both bream and estuary perch following recent saltwater inflows. Large tides and swell have helped freshen the lower system, encouraging fish to become far more active.

Most of the action remains concentrated throughout the lower reaches, particularly around the ski run where large schools have been holding.

These schools can be frustrating, often appearing in huge numbers on the sounder without showing much interest in lures. Persistence is usually rewarded though, as the fish tend to switch on during relatively short feeding periods throughout the day.

Estuary perch are generally less affected by these bite windows and will usually respond to a well-presented lure placed accurately in front of them.

The Glenelg River continues to fish well for bream, estuary perch and the occasional quality mulloway.

Ecogear VX35 and VX40 blades in the classic 435 and 445 colours remain winter favourites throughout South West Victoria. Whether it's the orange belly or the overall tiny profile, these colours have consistently produced fish for years and continue to earn their place in every tackle box.

Fish throughout the Glenelg appear to be gradually moving upstream as the spawning season progresses. Focus your efforts around four metres of water and pay close attention to your sounder. Schools often hold at very specific depths, influenced by water temperature and oxygen levels.

Outlook

Unfortunately, the weather forecast isn't particularly kind for the coming week, with rain expected across much of the weekend. That should see many anglers focusing on the trout streams and estuaries once again whenever conditions allow.

If you get out on the water and enjoy some success, be sure to send us your photos. We'll feature the best catches across our social media platforms, and you'll also go into the running to win a fantastic Daiwa Australia prize as our annual Golden Fish Award winner.

Until next time, tight lines and best of luck on the water.