Record rainbow: Geelong angler, Frank Bluch, with the 13.3kg rainbow trout he caught from Lake Ruataniwha in New Zealand.
Record catch
Geelong fly fisherman Frank Bluch recently returned from New Zealand after adding yet another pending world record to the several he already holds.
On this occasion it was a 13.3kg rainbow trout that he caught from Lake Ruataniwha in the Twizel district using a 2 kg tippet; an incredible capture!
Red round-up: Collan and Malcolm Erard with Saturday’s snapper catch.
Off the beach
With an exceptionally low tide on Saturday night, Ray Millman fished Torquay’s Cosy Corner , where – just on dark – he caught a nice pinkie snapper using squid for bait.
As the tide began coming in around 9.30, he caught a gummy shark of 3.5 kg. Then, around 11.00 pm, as the tide covered the beach, he caught another gummy of 10 kg.
He and Dean Graeme returned the following night, and on this occasion their catch included a good size whiting, a 6kg gummy shark and an Australian salmon. Sadly though, the largest fish they hooked headed out to sea and escaped.
Tina Sesar with the gummy shark catch.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Snapper are about, and among those to catch them were Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck who picked up two of 4.5kg and 5.7kg just east of the Nine Foot Bank Pile off Avalon on Friday at daybreak.
On Saturday, Collan and Malcolm Erard headed out at around 10.00 am, their first order of business being to catch some squid for bait, and – after making several drifts off Avalon – they caught six; ample bait for a snapper session.
And what a session it was: They each caught three snapper, the biggest weighing 5.5kg, and – naturally enough – all were taken on their freshly caught squid.
Others to catch snapper included Kirt Behan and his companion Tanya Higgins, who – on Saturday afternoon – anchored up just north of the 7A Point Richards channel beacon where Tanya caught her first snapper at 5kg.
With barely time to admire her catch, Kirt’s rod buckled over, his reel singing to the tune of another snapper of 3.5 kg.
Fishing off Clifton Springs in a fairly stiff breeze on Sunday afternoon were Mark and Tina Sesar. Although they caught no snapper, each was rewarded with a gummy shark of around 4kg.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that fishing has improved lately with snapper to 7.2 kg being taken. Tyler Harris, who was using a pilchard for bait out near the No 14 Wilson Spit channel marker on Sunday, caught that one while Melton anglers Nebz Ristic and Nick Shirmer caught 20 flathead and two gummy shark, also using pilchards for bait
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that while squid remain the main catch, the appearance of whiting in clients bags has been welcomed.
Zac McKenzie 8, with the 3.1 kg carp he caught from Lake Lorne at Drysdale (Picture: Ben Clay).
Freshwater
Fishing Lake Lorne at Drysdale, with the rod he got for his birthday – and using bread for bait – 8 year old Zac McKenzie caught a 3.1 kg carp using 2 kg breaking strain line; and that certainly put a smile on his face.
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that Cairn Curran Reservoir is still producing yellowbelly from the bank, but – although these have been taken to 58 cm – there are a good many small fish: Yabbies and worms are the preferred baits.
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that redfin are the main catch with George Gillies of Winchelsea and Geoff and Les Broughton from Geelong picking up good catches of fish from 400 to 600 grams.
Tanya Higgins with her snapper from Corio Bay’s outer harbour.
Clive asks:
Geoff, how would you separate a jammed ferrule on a fishing rod?
Clive: having poured boiling water on a metal ferrule some years ago and discoloured the varnish on the rod, I don’t suggest you do that.
My first suggestion would be to assume a squatting position, or – should that be too awkward – sit down on a chair, put the rod behind your knees, either side of the stuck ferrule, then – holding the rod tightly each side of your knees – spread your knees and the ferrule should come apart.
Should that not work, a suggestion from a friend of mine who recently faced this problem with a high-end, casting rod he imported from South Africa, was to immerse the ferrule section of the rod in ice, and that solved the problem