Elbow-slapper: Ivan Bereza with a good sample of the whiting to be currently caught from Corio Bay.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Prior to the weather turning sour last week, Ivan Bereza and a companion were out after whiting, their first couple of drops producing no bites. However, it was third time lucky with a good session east of Point Henry that saw them through until after dark.
They were good size fish to begin with, with some approaching the 40 cm mark. After that though a number of smaller, though legal size fish moved in on their baits, along with the undersize pinkies that usually turn up, but sunset saw the arrival of some genuine elbow-slappers that topped up their final tally of 30 keepers.
Warehou (snotty trevalla) have been caught from Cunningham Pier and that’s where Andrew Phillips fished on Tuesday, his rich berley of poultry pellets and fish scraps soaked in tuna oil, soon had a good bite going. Andrew’s final tally was 25 snotties to 30 cm and 25 mullet to 34 cm, all being caught on pipis and chicken.
With winds in the westerly quarter early last week, Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head had several boats out, and while fishing relatively close to, and in the shelter of the shore, they caught a number of squid from surprisingly clear water.
Prospects
With fewer reports than usual due to rough weather over the past week or so, it’s worth looking at prospects for the coming week and weekend.
Tomorrow night is the July full moon, which – historically speaking – has been something of a standout for those seeking winter snapper on Corio Bay.
One memorable example occurred on the1981 July full moon when a companion and I caught any amount between the North Shore Rocks and the Corio Channel. Mind you the bay was flat calm both on that night and the nights following, giving us plenty of scope with a rowing boat, portable sounder, a bag of pilchards and at that time, no bag limit.
Freshwater
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports freshwater locations did not receive much attention during last week’s rough conditions either. However, a drive-by at the Cairn Curran Reservoir boat ramp revealed a couple of hardy souls had taken several small redfin and golden perch (yellowbelly).
Although I have no recent reports from Lake Purrumbete, there is no doubt that trophy size brown trout remain on offer along with a good many smaller specimens of both browns and rainbows along with chinook salmon and redfin, the latter arguably being the main catch from this water.
Speaking of redfin, Lake Tullaroop near Maryborough continues as one of our most productive waters. It also has a good population of trophy size brown trout, very few of which seem to be actively targeted by anglers, the majority of whom fish for redfin.
Ollie asks:
Geoff, I’ve been fishing in the Barwon estuary of mulloway this year with some success, but following the recent fresh and discoloured water there hasn’t been much doing at all. So, judging from your report last week, they may be caught off the beach at Ocean Grove: My questions are, which beach, and what is the approach?
Ollie, the beaches marked 17, 18 and 19W have all produced mulloway, and they’ve also been caught from nearby Collendina. There is a good by-catch of reasonable snapper from these beaches as well. However, these are wet beaches at the best of times so you do need to wear waders. Also, be sure to bring a tripod, folding chair or the like to keep your bait bag and spare tackle above the sand, along with a sound sand spike for your rod.
In suggest that the very best times to fish for mulloway here are during the low tides, particularly those that fall low enough to expose sufficient sand for you to walk out and cast into the deeper water. This is especially so when those very low tides occur at daybreak or dusk. Currently, only the low morning tides provide sufficient access, the next such sequence occurring toward the end of this week.
From evening through until after dark is probably the best time to fish though, with suitable low tides for the evening exercise extending through October, November and December.