Jordan Cozzella with a sample of the snapper he caught from Corio Bay lately (Picture: Rowan Cozzella).
Shaun Martin with a couple of the gummy shark that he caught off Indented Head last week using squid for bait.
Using freshly caught squid for bait, Rowan and Jordan Cozzella were among those to catch good size snapper offshore from Clifton Springs.
They’ve had most success between the Point Richards Channel and the munitions pier at Point Wilson said Rowan, particularly when the southerly sea breeze comes in during the afternoon.
With a stiff breeze from the south west on Wednesday afternoon, hopes of a planned trip out on the bay looked bleak for Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck. However, it calmed off toward evening, and – launching from Clifton Springs – they were soon anchored up in around 8.5 metres of water near the Wilson Spit where pinkie snapper were on the bite.
While a couple of these were around 40 cm, they were hopeful of catching something bigger: Not in vain as it turned out for at 8.30 pm they caught one of 5 kg, and followed that an hour or so later with a second fish of 6.5 kg; both were caught on silver whiting.
Chris Stamalos with a 12 kg gummy shark from Corio Bay.
Chris Stamalos with a pair of snapper from Corio Bay.
Chris Stamalos is a magnet for gummy shark, and he’s caught some really big ones, particularly when he fishes offshore from Barwon Heads; but they follow him.
Trying off Clifton Springs last week, his catch not only included two snapper of around 5 kg each, but his legal entitlement of two gummy shark, the biggest weighing 12 kg.
Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien were back on the whiting trail on Sunday, but – apart from the usual, small but legal-size fish that they returned – there wasn’t much doing.
Eventually though, they moved onto one of their formally productive spots in 6.8 metres of water offshore from the Leopold Caravan Park where the early afternoon tide change rang the dinner bell; their final tally of 30 keepers including fish to 43 cm.
Others took whiting as well, as Mike Windsor of Clifton Spring Boat Hire was able to relate: Among them were Frank and Coral Ford who took a mixed bag of whiting and flathead, while Darren Hillier was surprised to catch a blue throat wrasse along with 12 flathead off Point Richards.
A number of snapper were also taken said Mike, with Bernie Dempsey and Chris Lahiff among those to catch them with 3 fish to 4 kg from out toward the No 12 Point Richards channel marker using freshly caught squid for bait.
Kevin Wild catching yabbies at Cairn Curran Reservoir (Picture: Amber Stone).
Yabby feast at Cairn Curran Reservoir (Picture: Amber Stone).
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that pinkie snapper have made a welcome appearance with clients bringing them in over the weekend, along with their usual catch of flathead and some really good size squid.
Among those to do well on the squid last week were Jeff Richards and Bill Pilipasides who picked up a dozen hefty specimens from the outer Governor Reef at Indented Head
before trying for the pinkies, which were a bit on the slow side, but they still picked up several to 40 cm.
Jon Dukker and Stephen Eales with their prize-winning yellowbelly from Cairn Curran Reservoir over the weekend (Picture: Amber Stone).
Freshwater
Kevin Wild reports that the Maryborough Angling Club held a catch and release competition on Cairn Curran Reservoir over the weekend and golden perch (yellowbelly) were on offer.
Largest fish measured 55 cm and was caught by Jon Dukker, Stephen Eales was runner up with one of 54.5 cm, and Kevin came third with another measuring 53.5 cm.
Kevin also caught a pile of yabbies (including some very large black specimens) from Cairn Curran, which were cooked up for a feast.
Members of the Maryborough Angling Club at Cairn Curran Reservoir (Picture: Amber Stone).
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that good size brown trout are still on offer with Tim Beusmans taking one of 2.7 kg. Tim also caught several smaller rainbow trout and chinook salmon, all while down-rigging with Tassie Devils.
Others to do well with the same mix included Ben Moody of Benalla and Jim Cole of Camperdown.
Amber Stone with a 43 cm yellowbelly from Cairn Curran Reservoir.
Rodney asks:
Geoff, on reading your recent fishing columns I get the impression that snapper fishing is better at night than through the day. What are your thoughts on this?
Rod, snapper may be caught both during the day and at night with peak times at dawn and dusk. Likewise, tide changes may also be productive, particularly the afternoon high tide changes during the days leading up to, and over the new moon, which is on Thursday.