Layla Raduka 5, with the 780 gram redfin that she caught from the Barwon River in South Geelong.
Martinus de Lange with a sample of the 10 bream to 38 cm he caught from the Hopkins River along Mahoneys Road on Friday using scrubworms for bait.
Freshwater
While coaching his 5-year old daughter Layla in the art of lure casting on the Barwon River in South Geelong – with a Z-Man grub in this case – Paul Raduka was in disbelief as a strike, followed by a solid hook-up, took them both unawares.
Never the less, calm prevailed, and – with some sound coaching from dad – Layla was rewarded with a redfin that later weighed 780 grams.
Murray Stewart with a nice gummy shark from Corio Bay.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Anchored up to the east of the Wilson Spit in 8.5 metres of water by 7.30 pm Wednesday, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck had an hour or so to relax before a 3.5 kg snapper got their attention.
There was nothing doing after that though but they stuck it out, and at around 10.00 pm, they caught the first of three more fish, the biggest weighing 5.3 kg.
Lenny Burnham with a two nice snapper he caught off Clifton Springs (Picture Mike Windsor).
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire also reports snapper being still on offer with Chris O’Toole, Cash Sutherland and Lenny Burnham all taking fish to 5 kg or so using fresh squid for bait. Good size pinkies have been taken as well said Mike, with Alf Cardarelli taking half a dozen to 40 cm along with flathead to 45 cm using squid and salted pilchards for bait.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that while most clients have caught flathead and squid, pinkie snapper to 1.5 kg have also been caught between Steeles Rocks at Portarlington and the nearby mussel farm.
Offshore
Despite an uncertain start because of a fairly stiff north easterly breeze, Chris Stamalos and Kelvin McLean were out through Barwon Heads by daybreak and heading west toward Black Rock where there was some shelter.
A good move as it turned out, for not only did the wind ease off, but at anchor in 32 metres of water they each took bag limit catches of snapper to 4.5 kg.
Amber Stone with a 49.5 cm yellowbelly from Cairn Curran Reservoir (Picture: Amber Stone).
John Gray with a 56 cm yellowbelly from Cairn Curran Reservoir (Picture: Amber Stone).
Freshwater
Amber Stone and Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club fished Cairn Curran Reservoir last week, and – in their first few minutes of trolling lures – Amber picked up a golden perch (yellowbelly) measuring 49.5 cm.
Fishing nearby was John Gray whom they called over, and he picked up another of 56 cm. So, with two good size fish taken in short order, it looked as though they were about to have a good day; but all they caught after that were small redfin.
Speaking of redfin, the pair heard a whisper that Walkers Lake near St Arnaud was firing, but it was clear on their arrival that whisper had spread, judging by the number of boats on the water, but redfin were there for the taking by all.
Lachie Wombell with another nice blue eye trevalla taken by he and Bob McPherson at the weekend (Picture: Bob McPherson).
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that the redfin bite continues, and that George Gillies of Winchelsea picked up his share of fish to 600 grams or so on soft plastics.
Chinook salmon to 1.5 are also present in good numbers and among those to catch them was Les Broughton of Geelong who caught several on pilchard fillets suspended just above the bottom.
Brown trout have been a bit scarce though, but Brian Nygaard of Bacchus Marsh has recently caught several on mudeyes suspended beneath a float.
Daniel Bateman and Mat Singa with the 103 kg bluefin tuna they caught in 50 metres of water off Port MacDonnell on Friday (Picture Bob McPherson).
Ollie asks:
Geoff, on reading last week’s column, I am again reminded of you and your friend’s catches of kingfish at Coffin Bay but the distance has put me off. However, I believe you can now catch a ferry across Spencer Gulf, which would shorten the journey?
Also, when is the best time to go?
Ollie, while the Spencer Gulf ferry, which runs from Wallaroo on the east side to Lucky Bay (near Cowell) on the West side of the gulf, does significantly shorten the journey, a recorded message on their phone (08 8823 0777) confirms the service has been temporarily suspended during a current upgrade of the Lucky Bay port facility.
Kingfish may be caught within a kilometre or so of the Coffin Bay boat ramp in October and November, and probably early December. The most productive tide sequences begin from three days before either a full or new moon, the next occurring this very week and December 4-11. As for accommodation, there are cabins at the caravan park (08 8685 4170), which is in close proximity to the boat ramp.