Hold that tiger: Kevin W… in catch and release mode with a larger than intended catch at Fraser Island.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
My suggestion last week that squid numbers were improving, could have been a trifle optimistic, given that these tasty cephalopods were a bit harder to find than usual; the whiting were even scarcer. But as usual, flathead saved the day for most.
Harley Griffiths and Stan Owen found a good patch of whiting off St Leonards, but those they caught – although of legal size – were a bit on the small side given the number of bigger fish recently on offer.
Breaking out the squid jigs proved more productive, and – although they picked up none of those outsize breeders we begin to see at this time of year – they finished with enough for the table and to replenish their bait supply.
Amber Wild with another respectable brown trout from Talbot Reservoir (Picture: Kevin Wild).
Freshwater
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports the club had an open-water fishing competition over the weekend; a relatively successful event even if the average size of the fish taken was a little disappointing.
Kevin reports that Talbot Reservoir continues to produce good size fish though, with club member Trevor Perry picking up an impressive brown trout of 55cm here over the weekend while fishing a mudeye beneath a float.
Most of the fish taken though were small golden perch (yellowbelly), nine of which Kevin caught from Cairn Curran Reservoir using worms, some were less than the legal size of 30 cm and returned, but others were pushing the 40cm.
Shaun Ogbourne with a black tip whaler shark he caught using a “slider” to deploy his live bait.
Slide-baiting, which was first made popular in South Africa, involves casting a Sputnik style sinker as far out as possible from the beach. Then, a small wire slider – substantially in the shape of a spring, and to which a short leader and hook is attached – is threaded onto the line and baited with a live fish. The bait-fish is prevented from swimming back up the line because the ingenious dog-leg extending forward from the spring, ensures the live-bait can only go in one direction; out to sea.
Portland
Although large tuna are still present offshore from Portland, Bob McPherson reports they’ve been recently targeted by a pod of killer whales while feeding on schooled up red-bait.
Just across the SA border at Port MacDonnell, the tuna have been as close in as 50 metres of water, and there has reportedly been some friction between spearfishermen on jet-skis – who have been much quicker to access surface bust-ups on bait balls – and anglers; those trolling lures in particular.
Among those to be successful off Port Mac was Jo Jo Rebonds who was fishing with local cray fisherman Carn Taylor last week. Jo landed her first barrel at a good starting weight of 88.6kg, after pulling the hooks following an earlier strike.
Others to catch barrel-size tuna off Port Mac included James Stark and James Feast who caught one of just on 100 kg while live-baiting with a brand new outfit purchased at Spot-on Fishing, Mount Gambier.
The bottom fishing off Port Mac was also productive last week with Tim Carrison among the successful anglers, picking up a 25 kg school shark and eight snapper to 70cm or so that he released, and not too far offshore either.
George Pogany with a nice Swallowtail Dart from Waddy Point, Fraser Island.
Lining up at Fraser Island for the tailor-run in what is known as the “Picket Line.”
Heather asks:
My boyfriend and I have started fishing land-based at St Helens for snapper, and we’re wondering if suitable bait can be caught from the rocks?
Heather, I suggest that you bring your bait with you, either pilchards or perhaps squid that you can buy from a fishing tackle outlet; you cannot rely on catching bait-fish on site.
Small, but legal size Australian salmon may sometimes be caught on lures or bait, but currently, they don’t appear to be present. Garfish too may sometimes be caught, but again you can’t depend on those either. The fillets from flathead, which may be accidental captures, also make excellent baits for snapper.
By all means, bring some light tackle with you, with which you may catch a fish or two for bait, but it’s not something you can depend on.
Roger Beahan on the Fraser Island “Picket Line” with a sample of the tailor on offer.
Fraser Island
Scott Goleby and George Pogany visited Fraser Island, Qld, last week to find tailor well and truly on the bite following 3 days of strong westerly winds, the so-called “Pickett Line” of anglers co-operating, virtually shoulder to shoulder, to their mutual benefit.
Furiously casting out pilchards on identical flights of ganged hooks, seemed to be part of an unwritten etiquette followed by all when the fish are on. So, even to the casual observer, it would soon become obvious that creating a concentration of bait is the key to success, for it’s this that holds the tailor within casting range long enough to benefit all; an interesting example of one of the rare times in fishing that you do need a crowd.
In the interests of diversity, George gathered some beach worms and pipis for bait, and – presenting those on Mustad long-shanked hooks – picked up a nice swallowtail dart on light tackle.
Shaun Ogbourne demonstrated his slide-baiting skill when a black-tipped whaler shark grabbed a live fish he’d presented on his slider rig. It put on quite a show for passing beach goers and allowed for a photo opportunity before being released.
And, as Kevin W… found out, larger predators cruise these surf gutters when the annual tailor run is on. The tiger shark he’s pictured wrangling took a baited hook on a wire trace, possibly intended for a Spanish mackerel. So, it’s a good idea not to wade out too far during the tailor run with the rhetorical “men in grey suits” sometimes close to shore.