Darcy Scott with two more snapper from Corio Bay.
Andrew Phillips with one of Wednesday morning’s snapper that were taken off Point Richards.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Making a 4.00 am start on Wednesday morning, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck anchored up just north of the Point Richards, No 5-channel beacon – where they both had been previously successful – hoping for a snapper.
They caught two as it turned out, each around the 4.5 kg mark, and both at very first light.
Heading out from Avalon on Thursday morning, Darcy Scott came across neighbour Alex Andjelkovic who was into the snook (usually referred to as pike), off Point Lillias:
They’re great bait for snapper, especially when freshly caught, so Darcy botted one in exchange for a snapper that he had yet to catch.
Darcy got his pike, and – fishing on the west side of the Wilson Spit – caught three snapper of 3, 5 and 6.5 kg; his legal bag, less the one he gave Alex in exchange for the pike.
Shane Bastin with a chinook salmon and a tiger trout from Lake Purrumbete.
George Vlahogiannis with a 66 cm snapper that he caught from the Mordialloc Pier at around 5:00 am on Thursday morning using a pilchard for bait.
Making a move on the whiting despite a strong easterly pushing against the outgoing tide on Thursday, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien were faced with a slow start off Curlewis.
A couple of moves put them in the bite zone, but with wind against tide it was a tough road toward their respective bag limits. But they got there, and were back at the ramp by 3.30 pm.
On Thursday, Steve O’Keefe found the fishing challenging off the Swan Island grass beds, for squid in particular, with patches of heavily discoloured water going past.
Looking for more variety, he headed over toward the South Channel where there was bird activity aplenty. So, he put out the ever-reliable white occys that got Australian salmon to 66 cm, and probably 3 kg, eager to party.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head was shy of clients until it calmed off on Sunday afternoon.
Squid were about, but the wider marks fished best because of the discoloured water in close, but that didn’t deter the whiting, with the biggest fish stretching the tape out to 44 cm.
Flathead were the main catch though, most being taken on the drift in 12 metres or so, mainly off St Leonards.
Wayne Bastin with a pair of nice browns from Lake Purrumbete.
Tony Missen of Airport West with a 3.5 kg brown trout that he caught on a mudeye under a float from Lake Purrumbete.
Freshwater
Kevin and Amber Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club tried their luck on Tullaroop Reservoir where their biggest redfin measured 45 cm with most fish in the high 30s.
And fishing with worms, Amber brought up something quite heavy that turned out to be an extremely large yabby that finished up in the landing net. And, it wasn’t alone: Good enough reason, said Kevin, to bring a few yabby nets on their next trip.
Wayne Bastin and son Shane fished Lake Purrumbete last week catching brown trout to 3.4 kg and tiger trout to 1.8 kg, releasing some; a very productive trip despite having to battle a somewhat stiff breeze.
These were all taken on mudeyes fished beneath floats, offerings which also tempted quite a few redfin.
Rhiannon Atkinson of VFA has organized 10,000 Australian bass for Lake Bullen Merri tomorrow; a welcome addition to the 5000 stocked last year.
Their expected time of arrival is 2.00 pm, but should you wish to attend, give Rhiannon a call on 0407 987 016 to narrow that down.
Kenny asks:
Geoff, I’ve heard that large estuary perch can be caught from the Barwon River estuary, but nobody I’ve asked seems willing to provide any information.
Can you assist? Have kayak, will travel.
Kenny, under favourable conditions (and that may not be for a while, due to current heavy rainfall), estuary perch to 50 odd cm have been caught from the Barwon River estuary, and – since you have a kayak – you are halfway there because they inhabit the tributaries draining the Wallington Wetlands.
One of these enters the estuary just upstream from the Ocean Grove boat ramp. Another enters a little further to the west, almost, but not quite opposite the Sheepwash boat ramp.
Estuary perch also inhabit the Barwon River between Lake Connewarre and the Second Break, accessible with your kayak from Tait Point via Staceys Road, Connewarre. From here you can launch your kayak and proceed 700 metres or so up the north-west arm to the river entrance on your right.
The entrance is very shallow, but there is a kilometre or so of productive water that you can fish upstream from here.
They respond either to live-baits like small mullet or bass yabbies, or to lures like the 50 mm black and gold Squidgies, on which onetime Barwon Heads angler Jamie Behrens caught a good many to 52 cm.