Danny Lees with a sample of the tuna to be taken offshore of late (Picture: David Lees).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Last Tuesday, following the strong easterlies experienced lately, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck fished just east of Point Lillias in 6 metres of water – which was still heavily discoloured from the rough weather and ideal for snapper – from around 5.30 am on the ebb tide.
They’d barely enough time to initiate their customary berley trail when one of their reel’s growled to the tune of a 2 kg snapper; the first of six they caught from 1.2 to 3.2 kg in fairly short order.
Interestingly, they noticed snook following their lines in on occasion, so – having taken their respective bag limits of snapper over 40 cm – discovered a couple of metal Lazer lures in the tackle box which they put to good use taking five snook from 60 to 80 cm.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that whiting and squid are present off The Springs with Peter Niblock taking both in 2.6m of water just out from the boat ramp, while Leo Flower caught 12 whiting off Hermsley Road, Curlewis using squid for bait.
On Friday evening, Murray and Darcy Scott, and Ben King, fished the Swan Island grass beds for whiting, initially with some difficulty with wind against tide, but – despite the trying conditions – they caught several.
Following the high tide change around 8.00 pm though, it was all hands on deck until nightfall, bringing their final tally of fish – the biggest measuring 45 cm – to 38.
Nathan Scott with another tuna taken off Angelsea (Picture: David Lees).
Offshore
With an improvement in the weather late last week; that’s if you didn’t mind the morning fog and some rain, there were tuna to be caught offshore from Port Phillip Heads and further down the coast toward Anglesea.
Making an early start off Barwon Heads, before the tide dropped too low on Friday morning, it was a case of blind man’s bluff in the fog for Harley Griffiths and Stan Owen, but they found the tuna, each taking their bag limit of two from 15 to 20 kg before filling in enough time to ensure their safe return on the rising tide.
Bob McPherson’s mixed bag of fish from Portland.
Off the beach
With the tides falling particularly low of an evening early last week, Ray Millman headed down to Cosy Corner (64W) at Torquay on Tuesday, but he had no luck until just on dark when he caught a good size whiting, which was followed by numerous pinkies, three of which he kept, each around 35 cm,.
As the incoming tide began covering the beach, he decided to move, a decision finally made when a gummy shark of about 6 kg he’d hooked initiated a tricky snatch and grab exercise as it zoomed around in the shallow water now flooding the beach.
Moving to the beach in front of Price Street (63W), it wasn’t long before he caught another respectable gummy shark, and then a bronze whaler of about a metre or so in length that finished up on the beach before biting off his hook.
On Friday, with the tide rising into the evening Ray visited Jan Juc where a lure-casting exercise with a 40 gram chromed slice produced several Australian salmon, the biggest weighing 1.3 kg.
Brenton Farr with son Lucas 3, and the lad’s Murray cod.
Jason Andriske with a nice brown trout he caught from Tullaroop Reservoir, and returned.
Freshwater
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that Tullaroop Reservoir is still producing redfin, and that local angler Jason Andriske, picked up a brown trout on a bladed lure that looked to be around 2.5 kg in the photo, and which he released.
Kevin and other club members assisted in the released of 100,000 yellowbelly which augers well for the many anglers who fish this water.
In addition to that, Kevin reports that Brenton Farr took his 3 year old son Lucas fishing from the bank of the Murray at Koondrook where the lad got into a tug of war with what turned out to be a legal size Murray cod.
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that redfin remain the main chance on the lake, and that regulars, Jeff and Les Broughton from Geelong lived up to their well deserved reputations with respectable catches, as did Moses Cuvcia and his sons Timmy 6 and Luke 4.
Maryborough Angling Club members Kevin Wild and Ken Hinks (below), assisting with the liberation of 100,000 yellowbelly into Cairn Curran Reservoir (Picture: Amber Wild).
Jack asks:
Geoff, where are snapper at this time of year? All I seem to be able to catch off Clifton Springs are pinkies, most being under legal size.
Jack, fish to 3 kg have been taken off The Springs and elsewhere lately, but historically speaking, a more productive area for the larger fish at this time of year is out on the deep mud (17 to 21 meters) off either Indented Head or St Leonards, particularly at either dawn, dusk or on a tide change.
With the quantity of slimy mackerel about out here, the best approach is to berley some up for bait.
The fillets make great bait, and – should the hoards of undersize pinkies, and sometimes undersize flathead (which are often present out here) be a nuisance – the heads of same make excellent pest-proof baits, that’s provided they are properly presented with hook well exposed.
Trevor and Lynette Hogan of Launching Way at Patterson Lakes, Carrum.
An important issue
One is sometimes given to wonder when our supposedly democratic society gives way to authoritarian rule. One glaring example involves the Andrews Labor Government’s stated commitment to the Victorian boating sector that they would “Make Boating Better.”
I can do no better than to quote boating and fishing identity John Willis and self appointed media contact on this issue – John Willis Ph 0407 053 484 or john@beachmarine.com.au over this issue:
“The Andrews Labor Government gave a strong commitment to the Victorian boating sector at the last election stating defiantly that they would “Make Boating Better!” It’s fair to say that they have striven to meet that far reaching target. However, there is one glaring elephant in the room!
The Patterson River ramp is the most important in Victoria accommodating over 50,000 launches per annum and servicing hundreds of thousands of trailer boaters throughout the State per year. For the last 25 years it has been ably run by Trevor and Lynette Hogan, the proprietors of Launching Way, Patterson Lakes, who – with their family and up to a dozen friendly and professional staff – service the needs of boaters and manage the often extreme traffic flow.
Yet, after constant broken promises and exhaustive attempts at sensible negotiation with their landlords Melbourne Water, Trevor, Lynette and Launching Way, Patterson Lakes, have been unceremoniously given their marching orders to vacate the site, ceasing trade on 31st March 2020 with no good will offer, nor settlement arrangements. Even more puzzling is that there has been no attempt to gain from the management expertise that the Hogans have developed over the decades.
These good people have been the backbone of boating in the region. They have achieved a long history of trouble free management of the facility as well as contributing terrific community work including hosting the popular Mates Day for those less fortunate. Other support is given to Kids With Cancer Family Fishing Event, Fishcare clinics, Parks Victoria Junior Ranger clinics, providing prizes for the Starlight Foundation’s charity fundraiser, supporting many local fishing and sporting clubs as well as sitting on important steering committee’s for good governance.
We ask Daniel Andrews and the relevant representatives Jaala Pulford (Minister for Fishing and Boating) and Lisa Neville (Minister for Water), how is evicting Launching Way going to benefit boaters in Victoria as per election promises? Evicting Trevor and Lynette breaks that promise!
The only suitable outcome to this debacle is for Daniel Andrews to overturn this stupid decision. We believe they should issue the Hogan’s with a suitable lease extension that will enable the business to function as usual until the governance review is completed. This needs to happen NOW!