Al Castro and Jim Gillians with a sample of their bronze whaler catch from Fisherman’s Beach at Torquay (Picture: Carter Ryan).
Off the Beach
On Saturday evening, Jim Gillians, Al Castro and Carter Ryan arrived at Fisherman’s Beach Torquay and set up some serious tackle, hopeful of catching a shark or two.
They hooked six as it turned out, all were tempted with generous baits of tuna and squid in an action-packed session that began following the 11.00 pm high tide change, and lasted until around 2.00 am.
They released two of the four bronze whalers that they beached, keeping the other two that were in the most manageable size range for transporting, and for prime flake.
Fishing an evening high tide from Jan Juc earlier last week, Tony Ingram and Col Simmons had no trouble catching several salmon. Most were a little on the small side, and – as usual – they sacrificed some for bait as the tide began running off toward dark, hoping for a gummy shark or two.
First contender would have been around the 6 kg mark, followed by another slightly smaller. However, after being wiped out from what was obviously a fair size shark, and with nothing doing after that, they called it a night.
Kevin Wild with his redfin catch, and a sack full of yabbies from Tullaroop Reservoir.
Maryborough Angling Club member Mark Wilde with a 63 cm brown trout from Lake Purrumbete.
Freshwater
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that Tullaroop Reservoir continues to produce good catches of both redfin and yabbies and has sent me pictures of some of his remarkable catches from here. And last week, he and club member Stephen Eales made a promotional video of the great fishing to be found here.
Kevin also reports that on Friday, he and 20 odd club members made the trip to Camperdown’s Lake Purrumbete where redfin were the main catch with soft plastics and live minnow both being effective.
The largest redfin, which measured 39 cm was taken by club member “Patty” while club member Mark Wilde (no relation to Kevin) took the largest brown trout measuring 63 cm.
Maryborough Angling Club member “Patty,” with a 39 cm redfin from Lake Purrumbete.
Frank Benvenuto’s 50 cm bass from the Werribee River.
Werribee River Bass
Fishing above the Werribee River weir, over several evenings last week, Frank Benvenuto, as usual, had no trouble catching several bass up to 40 cm, all of which he released.
The big surprise though, was a 50 cm whopper that fell to a D-Style Reserve Minnow, which – unlike most of the lures Frank has used of late – runs along the surface.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
After a break with his family in Queensland, Andrew Johnson and his long-time fishing partner, Dennis O’Brien headed out off Clifton Springs last week after the whiting.
Things were a little slow to begin with, but after making several moves, they found a good patch of fish in around 7 metres of water off McAdams Lane. And it was here that they took their respective bag limit catches of quality fish, the biggest stretching the tape out to 44 cm.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that whiting were the most abundant catch last week, and there were some good ones among them, the biggest measuring 43 cm.
However, squid have been slow said Rod with clients reporting numerous sightings of these succulent cephalopods, but which – of late anyway – have been somewhat reluctant play ball.
With good weather early last week, Harley Griffiths and Stan Owen made an early start off St Leonards, heading out into 20 metres of water to catch the morning high tide change, hopeful of catching a snapper or two.
They caught three as it turned out, all nice fish around the 5 kg mark, and they probably would have caught more had it not been for a shark, possibly a bronze whaler, stealing their next fish and shutting the bite down.
Offshore
Tuna are about offshore, but not that easy to catch as Adamas deckhand Simon Werner can attest. But on the way out through Port Phillip Heads to do some bottom fishing on Saturday, clients had a double hook-up.
They caught one tuna of about 15 kg, dropping the other which appeared to be around the same size.
On the other hand, said Simon, Australian salmon to 2 kg or so are abundant in The Rip, and – for most of the time anyway – are eager to take lures and provide good fishing, particularly for clients on charter.