Bluefin tuna a popular catch

Finlay Armstrong with a tuna. (Supplied) 268116_01

Once again this week the bluefin tuna off Barwon Heads has dominated reports with the bite going absolutely ballistic.

Boats trolling lures such as Halco Lazer Pros and Nomad DTX Minnows have been working very well and so too have skirted lures with the aid of a spreader bar or daisy chain.

The 50-metre line has been super productive and where majority of the action is at, with fish ranging between 10 and 25kg.

As the sun comes up the surface fishing has been fantastic for anglers casting stick baits and poppers into the schools on the surface.

Maria Duck Dive Poppers have been very good as a popper and nomad riptides have been a lethal stick bait to throw.

Kingfish have continued to be in good numbers across the coast, although not massive in size there does seem to be plenty out there.

When the fish aren’t seen on the sounder or on the surface, trolling white occy skirts with a fresh squid strip has been working very well and a great way to locate the schools of fish.

When sighted casting poppers into them has been working an absolute treat as well as floating stick baits.

Mako sharks offshore at the moment are still in fantastic numbers with plenty of reports coming in with fish getting up over 80kg.

The 55m mark off Torquay has proved to be quite productive but the biggest key to success is getting away from the hundreds of boats chasing for tuna as a stationary boat attracts them right to you.

Inside the bay has been fishing quite well also with Alcoa pier proving to be a bit of a hot spot over the past week with pinky snapper, salmon, flathead and whiting all in fantastic numbers near and around the structure.

All species are responding well to both bait and lures, a great spot at the moment for a feed of fish.

Calamari still remain in good numbers across Hermsley and Clifton Springs with depths between two and four metres proving very productive with natural colours working very well.

After a bit of rain we have copped over the past few weeks the Otway River and streams will have some nice flow going through them at the moment and could fire the trout up big time. I haven’t heard any reports come in but could be well worth looking at.