The old year is gone and we now look forward to what 2022 has in store for us ... but if it's anything like the way 2021 ended, it will be an absolute blinder.
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It was a mixed bag of reports this week with some opting to wait for calmer weather and others taking the punt, but those that did bite the bullet reaped the rewards.
SALTWATER
The amazing year of shark fishing has continued this past week with some great captures off Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Portland.
Last week Jubby from our workshop headed out with good mates Wal and Darrian off Warrnambool for a bag of nice gummies, a nice snapper and some big slimey mackerel.
Fishing down near Childers Cove in their favourite spot proved fruitful in a short amount of time, landing over 10 gummies in about two hours.
Now the boys are stocked up with some great bait in the slimeys and also a brilliant feed of shark for all their families to enjoy.
Myself, Nate, Timmy and Xavier from the Tackle Shack headed out after work on Thursday for a nice bag of snapper and nannygai caught off Warrnambool.
The plan was to fish plastics and jigs, but Xav had other ideas, bringing some pilchards and snapper snacks.
After finding a freshly dead cuttle fish on the surface the boys prepared that and sent it down.
Soon after Xav was hooked up to our first decent snapper.
Then Timmy caught a decent arrow squid, and that too made its way onto the hook, and another snapper was in the boat.
After a quick shift in spots we landed a good nannygai and another and another.
I was feeling a bit second-hand on the front casting deck while fishing a soft plastic when I got thumped and fought a decent pinkie to the boat.
We ended the night with a unbelievable sunset which glassed off.
Other great captures late last week and into the new year were Scott Addinsall's giant silver trevally measuring 62cm.
Scotty said when he hooked it he thought it might have been a rat king as they had caught some that day also.
Not a common capture in this part of the world at this size, but certainly a very welcome one.
He also caught a big school shark and some king fish with good mate Brandon Dorman.
Kings to 102cm were on offer for the boys casting sluggos and squid strips.
ESTUARIES
The Hopkins River looks on the mend with some nice coloured water in the system and some nice captures.
Tim Treloar and Michael Hunt fished a few hours on the weekend catching some nice fish just under the kilogram.
Casting gulp soft plastics the boys caught numerous fish with the best 10 going a smidge under 8kg.
It seems as though they are both on rock walls and the shallow flats also which makes it a great time to get out and about.
The Glenelg River is also fishing well for mulloway and estuary perch throughout the river.
Fishing live mullet has been producing some nice mulloway down the bottom section of the river for those that are putting the time into them.
The estuary perch have been widespread, common at this time of year.
After they come down to spawn in the cooler months they typically move back upstream as far as Dartmoor and beyond.
It's a great challenge to suss out what they are going to feed on and where, but when you do it can be brilliant.
Surface lures for the perch would be my go-to especially early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
Casting as close as you can is something you'll need to do and will result in a few lost lures, but to consistently catch fish and entice the bites you just need to.
Beefing up your leaders to eight or 10lb means you'll have a bit more room for error when you hook the fish of a lifetime.
This weekend doesn't look all that great for offshore fishing, except maybe Sunday, so time will tell. If you are heading out stay safe.
Until next week tight lines and best of luck
