As we head into spring, many anglers are looking forward to the oncoming warmer weather and all the fishing that goes with the new season.

For those surf fishing, there have been good catches of gummy, school and seven-gill sharks and the odd snapper and trevally along the north shore between the Fitzroy and the Surrey rivers and Discovery Bay at Swan Lake.

There have also been good catches of Australian salmon from 1-3kg at Shelleys Beach, Crumpets and Bishops rock.

In the harbour, anglers are still finding plenty of mullet, trevally and haddock along with the add whiting and grass whiting. There appears to have been a good influx of small salmon from the 60m depths to the harbour. This is usually a good indicator of the food chain happening which should increase the number of catches in and around the harbour.

The canal has also been fishing well for anglers with catches of mullet, silver trevally, tommy ruff, salmon and bream.

Fishing the Lee Breakwater, catches of calamari squid, the odd gummy and school shark, barracouta, snapper and salmon have been the main catches but it won’t be long before the larger snapper begin to arrive as past records show with the snapper usually ranging from 2-10kg.

For those venturing out on the water when the weather is favourable, there are still plenty of good catches to be had out on the 60m water between Lawrence Rock and Cape Nelson lighthouse with feeds of blue morwong, jackass morwong, knifejaw, flying gurnard, snapper and gummy and school shark.

Further along Cape Bridgewater in depths between 50-100m there have been good catches of flathead and the odd gummy shark.

Mulloway should also begin to start showing up along the north shore, and the best method for these fantastic fish is to fish a running out tide and use fresh well-presented baits. The best baits are mullet, squid, salmon and garfish. Other nice fish coming in have been snook and lythe off the reefs.

Anglers freshwater fishing have been getting good results at the Fitzroy River as well as the Surrey River with the best technique being bladed lures, soft plastics and prawns. There has also been some good sized redfin being landed at Bridgewater Lakes and Dartmoor

For keen water watchers the arrival of the southern Wright whales have been keeping many a local and a tourist alike watching in fascination as these behemoths of the deep come into Portland Bay shallows frolicking about off Nuns Beach, Lee Breakwater and along Dutton Way. These wonderful super fish can be seen here for the next couple of months.

For all your latest fishing and weather reports, give the boys at Portland Bait & Tackle a call on 0355235213, we are open 7 days a week from 7 til 7.