Australian Salmon

Australian Salmon fishing reports come from all over Victoria. The bays, estuaries and ocean beaches all produce reports each year.

This fish moves in huge schools. Chopping their way through bait fish.

They are often seen jumping in the air when on a baitfish school. Sometimes known as a “bust up.”

Note the Australian Salmon is not related to the Chinook Salmon or the Salmonoid family.

Scientific Name: Arripis trutta

Australian Salmon Fishing Reports Coverage

Australian Salmon Fishing Report Locations

We record the number of catches of each location when we prepare our Australian Salmon fishing reports. All Getfished Fishing Reports are aggregated from multiple resources. Including dedicated submitted fishing reports, Youtube videos, and more.

Australian Salmon Year To Date Reports

Australian Salmon Bait Reports Year To Date

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Australian Salmon Lure Reports Year To Date

Bait	Qty
Chicken	2
Pilchards	8
Bluebait	4
Prawn	1

Lure	Qty
Metal Spoon	5
Berkley 3 inch Power Bait Minnows	1
Soft Plastic Minnow	3
Soft Plastics	7
Zman Grubz	1
Metal Slugs	1
Madmics Ribbed Fish In Dirty Worm	1

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According to the Victorian Fisheries Dept website, a total of 20 Australian Salmon and/or Australian Herrings is the daily bag limit per person

The minimum length to legally take an Australian Salmon is 21cm.

The Year to date fishing reports for Australian Salmon top locations have included:

Cunningham Pier, Barwon, Kilcunda,Vic, Blairgowrie,Vic, Frankston,Vic, Mt Eliza,Vic, Corio Bay,Vic, Cunningham Pier,Vic, Geelong Waterfront,Vic, Port Welshpool,Vic, Barwon River Ocean Grove,Vic, Patterson River,Vic, Gunnamatta,Vic, Rosebud,Vic, Barwon River Ocean Grove, Kilcunda, Venus Bay, Inverloch, Lakes Entrance , Merimbula, Pambula, Geelong Waterfront, Coronet Bay, Gunnamatta, Corio Bay, Lorne Surf Beaches, Bancoora Surf Beach, Jan Juc Surf Beach, Moggs Creek Surf Beach, Wild Dog Creek Surf Beach, Ferguson St Pier Williamstown, Lakes Entrance Surf Beaches, Marlo, Bemm River, Tamboon Inlet, Williamsons Surf Beach, Lime Burners Point, Frankston Pier, Tanboon Inlet, Mallacoota, Shallow Inlet, Cornet Inlet, Newhaven Pier, Bemm River Channel, Mallacoota Surf Beaches, Mornington Pier, Marlo Surf Beach, Bullock Island Lakes Entrance.

While in surf fishing its not uncommon to target Australian Salmon along with species such as Tailor, it is common for fishers on the bays to be targeting species like Bream and Snapper and literally stumble upon the Australian Salmon as they bust through the area.

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ustralian Salmon Suggested Tackle

Based on our collated 2022 Australian Salmon Fishing Reports top Bait has included:

Chicken, Pilchards, Bluebait, Prawn.

In 2022 lures that have been reported to be effective include:

Lures Metal Spoon, Berkley 3 inch Power Bait Minnows, Soft Plastic Minnow, Soft Plastics , Zman Grubz, Metal Slugs, Madmics Ribbed Fish In Dirty Worm.

Off a beach full surf tackle including a rod 10 feet or more. This gets your bait out into the channels and holes where the salmon lay waiting to munch smaller fish. On some occasions you’ll see the salmon inside the breakers, riding them in.

Off piers, kayaks, boats – and even beaches – spinning a 6 to a 9-foot spinning rod is ideal.

Land-Bases Australian Salmon Fishing Hotspots

During Winter surf beaches really are the top locations for Australian Salmon fishing. Locations like Kilcunda have produced good Australian Salmon catches consistently for longer than I’ve been fishing for them (going back to the nineteen seventies.)

In Port Phillip Bay the following locations, according to historical Australian Salmon Fishing Reports. produce results regularly as they move through the bay chasing down schools of bait fish:

• Queenscliff
• Altona
• Sandringham
• Mordialloc
• Patterson River mouth
• Frankston
• Mornington
• Rye
• Blairgowrie
• Sorrento
• Portsea

Australian Salmon Fishing Quick Tips

How To Catch Australian Salmon

These fish fight well so at least a 15-30 lb mainline if braid. You may prefer going heavier for monoline in the surf.

A 40lb leader is usually how I rig. Depending on fishing in the bay or from a surf beach. eg: You may prefer to go lighter in a bay.

I recommend a 5/0 hook. Choose circle, beak, bait holder etc. I choose chemically sharpened. 112-gram star sinker is my personal preference. However, rig for the conditions. You can go lighter from a boat, or pier etc.

Use berley. The schools move fast through an area. So berley will keep them around longer as it attracts small baitfish.

With soft plastics use the same kinds and jig weights you would for other marine species such as bream, flathead etc.

Good baits are pilchards, whitebait, bluebait & squid. But don’t overlook bait such as chicken (yes, seriously!)

Legal Min Size: 21cm Bag Limit: 20

Survey Results – Most Popular Australian Salmon Spots

Port Phillip Bay, Western Port Bay, Apollo Bay, Portland, Lakes Entrance Coastal, Phillip Island, Gippsland Lakes, Barwon River Estuary, Lake Tyers, Warnambool / Port Fairy, Mallacoota Inlet.

What Do I Need To Catch Australian Salmon?

The Australian salmon is not a true salmon and is not related to the famous salmon species of the northern hemisphere (the salmonids).

This fish is found in large schools and can often be spotted breaking the water surface, known as a “bust-up.”

It’s common for seabirds to flock around Australian Salmon schools at this time and the birds are often used to locate the schools of this species.

The Salmon schools often move through an area quite quickly. So targeting a school may require moving with them. Obviously easier to do in a boat.