Andrew Johnson with a metre long Murray cod taken from a feeder stream near Policeman’s Paddock near Rutherglen (Picture: Jenny Johnson
Freshwater
Last week’s reference to Andrew Johnson’s trip to Gunbower on the Murray River with family and friends would probably have been relegated to history with a downpour predicted for the district last week. So, they made tracks, finishing up camping in the vicinity of Policeman’s Paddock east of Howlong as an interim stop along the way. But, with daylight to spare, Andrew investigated a smallish creek nearby.
He’d already caught an 80 cm cod at Gunbower, but he somehow felt compelled to free up a couple of rods, some chicken for bait, and to try this modest stretch of water.
And, as sometimes happens, he hooked another cod; a big one! And, when the outcome was assured, called wife Jenny on the phone to bring the measuring tape. which – when laid along the cod nose to tail – measured one metre exactly. Mind you, this wasn’t on the Murray, but in a small creek that most would have overlooked.
Ken Hinks of the Maryborough Angling Club with a 49 cm redfin from Tullaroop Reservoir (Picture: Kevin Wild).
Victorian Inland Charters client Michelle with a 45 cm tiger trout (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).
Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters found plenty of redfin for repeat clients, Michelle, Phil and Craig on Lake Purrumbete last week. All up, after spending time avoiding pods of small fish, they finished up with 112 keepers to 39 cm, which were taken on Baltic bobbers, soft plastics, live minnow and scrubworms.
However, Michelle put her hand up for something different and Michael put out a live minnow on a bubble float rig that resulted in her capture of a 45 cm tiger trout. This initiated more of the same, accounting for two more tiger trout and a couple that were lost when the hook pulled beside the boat.
Victorian Inland Charters client Jack with a 45 cm rainbow trout (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).
Phoebe Coulson 9, with a flathead she caught from Corio Bay last week while fishing with her grandfather (Picture: Tackle World Cranbourne).
It was a similar story on Saturday afternoon for client Nathan and son Jack who also had the redfin coming in thick and fast, eventually keeping 25 of the larger ones for a feed. However, in the last hour of their session, out went the bubble float rig, baited with a minnow as before, and that soon took off, rewarding Jack with a 45 cm rainbow trout.
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club spent some time on the Tullaroop Reservoir with fellow club member Ken Hinks, where – using small yabbies and soft plastics – they took 37 redfin and there were some good ones among these as well, one stretching the tape out to 49 cm.
Kaiden Dwyer 4, with a nice snook from the Jetty at Newhaven (Picture: Stewart Dwyer).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
On Wednesday morning, Garry Ridgeway and Lindsay Robinson headed out off Clifton Springs after the whiting. And, after making a couple of moves, found a good bite off Curlewis on the morning’s incoming tide and were back at the ramp by mid-day with bag limit catches of fish to 42 cm.
Fishing nearby was Dennis O’Brien who took a similar bag limit catch of whiting, as did Steve O’Keefe, and I guess a good many others judging by the number of folk on the water, obviously encouraged by the improvement in the weather we experienced for most of last week.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that squid have been on offer over the previous week, but whiting have been comparatively scarce. Flathead have been plentiful though said Rod, and as usual, saved the day for some.
Damon Sherriff with one of the kingfish he caught on a live slimy mackerel off Tomahawk Island, Tasmania, last week.
Roger asks:
In the past you have been critical of official responses to fish kills. Do you have anything to say about the unmitigated disaster at The Curdies, where, not only fish have been killed, but – from what I understand from media reports – some two dozen dead cattle were left to decompose in one of our premier bream fisheries?
Roger, the very best I can do is fully endorse VRFish Chair, Rob Loats’ comments on this matter via his April 21 media release:
“This is not a small, limited fish kill as stated by DELWP or a natural event as stated by the Corangamite CMA. This is an unmitigated disaster that was foreseen decades ago in risk assessments and catchment strategies ever since. If taxpayer funded agencies cannot respond in an appropriate manner, then it’s time for the current Government to direct funding to agencies that can.”
“The Victorian community deserves better than a premier fishing destination being turned into a drain with shrugged shoulders as the response.”