Mark Stewart and son Rilan 8, with their snapper catch off Clifton Springs.
Lachie Wombell with a sample of his and Bob McPherson’s whiting catch from Portland, and the entire shell of a juvenile abalone (inset) that this fish had swallowed (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Like many of us, Mark Stewart has a couple of favourite snapper spots, but after trying these with no return by mid-day on Thursday, decided to go on the prowl with the sounder ticking over.
Fishing had been quiet said Mark, but he wanted to find some action for his 8-year-old son Rilan. However, with the easterly picking up against the outgoing tide, conditions were becoming less than comfortable.
Eventually though, some promising returns lit up his sounder screen off Clifton Springs.
Over went the anchor, followed by their silver whiting baits, the first being taken immediately. That was followed with a double hook-up on their remaining two rods, followed by yet another.
Their three larger fish measured from 75 to 78 cm, and a smaller fish measuring 61 cm was returned. A couple of others were lost through misadventure, but in all, theirs was a pretty good result.
Andrew Phillips reports on two, pre-dawn snapper trips over an historically productive mark, just north east of Point Henry last week.
The first was on Wednesday with Mark Sesar, and that yielded bag limit catches of fish to 3 kg before they went off the bite at around 7.30 am.
The second was a 3.00 am start on Friday morning with Tony Greck, that again produced bag limit catches; their biggest fish this time weighed 4 kg.
Pilchards and squid were the successful baits on both occasions and, which – unfortunately – also attracted some large rays that proved to be difficult customers on their relatively light tackle.
Early last week, before boat ramps on the Bellarine Peninsula were stretched beyond capacity, especially over the weekend, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien went on the hunt for whiting, first off Curlewis where initial pickings were pretty lean.
Not to be deterred, they kept on the move with minimal returns until they finished up back at The Springs where they found some salvation, eventually returning to the ramp with 25 really good size fish between them.
Good size Australian salmon have kept anglers busy on Corio Bay, those that could find them anyway, something which has be difficult with the strong winds and choppy seas we’ve had of late.
But, with the assistance of telephony the news soon spread, resulting in a good many folk picking up these feisty fish, anywhere from Point Henry to Avalon, and on just about any lure presented.
Damon Sherriff with one of several snapper he caught offshore from the Bridport Harbour entrance in Tasmania last week.
Lachie Wombell with one of the gemfish that he and Bob McPherson caught off Portland last week (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Offshore
Historically, there were populations of tiger, or toothy flathead to be caught offshore from Port Phillip Heads, when conditions allowed, but we haven’t seen many of those in recent years.
However, Simon Werner, on the charter vessel Adamas, reports finding a good patch for clients last week, and said they may have boated as many as 40. And, there were some good ones among them, the largest stretching the tape out to 57 cm.
Maryanne Farrugia of Glenroy with a 4 kg brown trout she caught from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).
Charlie Farrugia of Oaklands Junction with a 2.72 kg cheetah trout that he caught down-rigging with a Tassie Devil on Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).
Freshwater
John Clements of the lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that anglers were rewarded with some great fish over the Christmas New Year period. Among them the Farrugia family who always seem to do well.
Charlie Farrugia’s catch included a 3.27 kg chinook salmon and a 2.72 kg cheetah trout, both being taken on a Tassie Devil trolled at depth with a downrigger, while Maryanne Farrugia’s catch included a 4 kg brown trout.
Kevin Wild and wife Amber, both members of the Maryborough Angling Club, along with club members Leonie Jones and Greg Street, fished Lake Mulwala while based at Yarrawonga last week, and over the weekend.
Catching Murray cod of intermediate sizes kept them busy throughout their stay, some were caught on lures, but the majority were taken on baits of chicken and cheese.
Kevin also mentions that club members Don Rayner and Brian Rivett had no trouble taking bag limit catches of yellowbelly from Cairn Curran Reservoir on a recent visit, using small yabbies for bait within the timbered areas.
Charlie Farrugia of Oaklands Junction with a 3.27 kg chinook salmon that he caught down-rigging with a Tassie Devil on Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).
Leonie Jones with a Murray cod from Lake Mulwala (Picture: Kevin Wild).
Portland
Down Portland way, large whiting are by no means rare, with fish to 50 cm occasionally being caught.
Fishing off Blacknose Point last week were Bob McPherson and Lachie Wombell who took a good sample, but somewhat surprising was the shell of a juvenile abalone inside the stomach of one of their larger fish.
With the weather improving toward the weekend, Bob and Lachie headed out wide, where – bottom-bouncing in 500 metres of water – they had no trouble taking their bag limits of gemfish and blue eye trevalla.
Greg Street with a Murray cod from Lake Mulwala (Picture: Kevin Wild).
Tassie
Damon Sherriff, who we featured with his son Jack on 14/12/21 with their catches of bream and snapper from Bridport Tasmania, was out on the snapper twice last week, and on both occasions, took bag limit catches.
Fishing in 10 metres of water just out from the Bridport Harbour entrance, Damon caught his fish, the biggest weighing 5.5 kg, on freshly caught squid.
Vale Eric Box 1932-2021
An occasional contributor to this column, Eric was a true gentleman and a fine example to the fishing fraternity and to all those who knew him: And so, ends another chapter.