Soft plastic? Fantastic! Mitch Wolak with the 89 cm mulloway he caught from the Barwon estuary by the skin of its lip.
Amanda Richards with a good size chinook salmon that she caught from Lake Bullen Merri (Picture courtesy of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park).
Barwon estuary
Last week, Kayakers, Mitch Wolak, Marcus Devlin and Klynt Holwerda, ventured upstream from the Sheepwash on the last kick of flood tide, targeting mulloway with soft plastics.
They had a couple of strikes on the way upstream, and a one good hook-up on a solid fish that lasted a couple of minutes, but with nothing since, their hopes began to fade.
That was until Mitch hooked up once more on the way back to the Sheepwash, and – after a tactical duel on light tackle that lasted at least 10 minutes – caught an 89 cm mulloway that was hooked by the skin of its lip.
Scott Teesdale with one of the kingfish he caught off Port Phillip Heads on Friday.
Jack McTaggart with a sample of his whiting catch off Curlewis (Picture: Peter Clark).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
On Friday evening, Darcy Scott headed out into 8 metres of water off Curlewis where he hooked what was obviously a good size snapper within minutes of anchoring up. Unfortunately, it escaped, but at 8.00 o’clock, a second fish of 7.5 kg wasn’t so lucky.
On Sunday, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien found a good patch of whiting off the south eastern (Point Richards) corner of the mussel farm, and – in fairly strong winds and choppy seas – they caught 22 to 40 cm and several flathead to 48 cm.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that there are also good size whiting to be caught off Curlewis, and among the successful anglers were Peter Clark and his grandson Jack McTaggart who sent in a photo of their catch.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head, reports that whiting have made a welcome return to client’s bags, and that more would have been caught in better weather. Good size pinkies have been caught as well said Rod, but land based anglers fishing from the Fisher Street Breakwater at Portarlington have caught some much larger fish.
Scott Teesdale and a companion had another try for the kingfish at Port Phillip Heads after the previous week’s dry run. This time they caught three of 6, 9 and 12 kg while drifting with freshly caught squid for bait on the ebb tide.
Terry Sheppard with another chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri (Picture courtesy of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park).
Terry Sheppard with a selfie of he and the 1.1 metre chinook salmon that he caught and released ((Picture courtesy of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park).
Freshwater
John Clements of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that since the algal bloom has dissipated on Lake Bullen Merri, some great chinook salmon, mostly in the 3-4 kg range, have been caught, both on baits like pilchards and glassies and on various lures.
The biggest by far measured 1.1 metres in length and probably would have weighed 9 kg. It was caught by Terry Sheppard of Regal Marine who released it for another day. However, Terry did catch another fish of about 3.5 kg that he kept.
Lake Purrumbete is still on song for large brown trout said John, with Johnno Currie weighing in the biggest at 4.2 kg, that he caught using a downrigger.
Lachie Wombell with another good sample of whiting from Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Jason Eastman with a 2.3 kg chinook salmon from Lake Purrumbete.
Australia Day Fishing Competition
St Leonards and Bellarine Pirates Angling Clubs are hosting a flathead fishing competition over the Australia Day weekend from 6.00 pm on Friday until 3.00 pm on Saturday. Prizes include $200.00 for the heaviest flathead plus $200 for the entry tag raffle: Competition headquarters and weigh-in will be at the Clifton Springs boat ramp. .
Entry fee is $10.00 per person and must be paid by Thursday 25/01/18, either by money transfer to Bendigo Bank, account 134873140, along with “FH18 and your name.” Or, by post to PO Box 1070 St Leonards 3223. For more information, phone Phil Walters on 0411 215 146 or email secretary.fish@bigpond.com
Make that two! (Picture courtesy of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park).
Steven Hill with a 4 kg chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri (Picture courtesy of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park).
George asks:
Geoff, I’ve heard there is good land based squid fishing from Bell Reef: Can you tell me where it is please, and if there is anything else to be caught there?
George, Bell Reef is below Queenscliff’s white lighthouse and accessible from the car park at the southern end of Hesse Street. The reef itself becomes sufficiently exposed for relatively safe fishing on tides falling to 0.3 metres or less, but you’ll need to wade out from the beach through a shallow channel to reach the reef itself.
Squid are caught from the Point Lonsdale side of the red port side marker, usually with a baited stem jig fished under a float with rod and reel. However, snapper – and the occasional kingfish – have been caught from the Queenscliff side of the marker by casting into the obvious tidal stream with a sufficiently heavy sinker to hold bottom.