Murray Scott (Left) and son Darcy with more samples of their catch taken off Torquay. Inset: Picker proof bait on which Murray caught his gummy shark (Salmon head in a sock sweetened with a strip of squid).
Offshore
Calm seas and mild weather tempted a good many anglers offshore over the weekend with snapper and gummy shark the most sought after fish. However, on Sunday, Murray and Darcy Scott were surprised to also catch two southern saw shark, each around the 8 kilogram mark, over their usual mark in 50 metres of water off Torquay.
These, as were their other fish they caught, took the heads of freshly caught Australian salmon, a tough bait that usually defeats the hoards of pickers sometimes encountered out here. But, going an extra step, Murray baited up with a salmon head in the toe of a stocking (and sweetened with a strip of squid), and that took their biggest fish, a gummy shark of 13 kg.
Darcy Scott with a snapper he caught offshore from Torquay (Picture: Murray Scott).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Making an early morning start in freezing conditions off Western Beach on Sunday morning, Andrew Phillips, along with Mark and Tina Sesar soon had a berley trail going anticipating a catch of snotty trevalla (Warehou), and they weren’t disappointed.
They not only caught 60 snotties, the biggest weighing in at 440 grams, they also caught a number of legal size pinkie snapper as well, the biggest around the 35 cm mark.
Fishing between the east side of Point Henry and Leopold last week were Harley Griffiths and Stan Owen whose first item on the agenda was to catch squid, but they only caught two, both somewhat on the small side. But they made a useful addition to the pipis they’d brought with them, hopeful of catching some whiting.
These were scarce as well, but they did find a productive patch in around 6 metres of water. They too were on the small side, but they persisted, and – on the afternoon tide change – a better class of fish came on the bite and they finished with 18 to 38 cm.
Andrew Johnson took wife Jenny out in the new boat on Friday, and while the whiting took some finding, they came up trumps in 4.8 metres of water off Leopold’s Pelican Shores. Both took bag limit catches, but – dare I say – Jenny got hers first?
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that flathead still remain the main catch, so much so that he had a touch of RSI obligingly cleaning them for his clients. However, while the catches of squid have improved compared to last week, said Rod, they are still scarce.
Squid seekers, Derrick Hargreaves and Jason Treloar, made an early start off St Leonards in freezing conditions on Sunday, and – despite catching several almost immediately – their quarry seemingly went to ground, but their persistence eventually paid off with several more squid and a cuttlefish.
Lachie Wombell with one of the sweep he and Bob McPherson caught off Cape Nelson over the weekend (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Freshwater
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that while Cairn Curran Reservoir was quiet during the week, good size redfin are still being taken at Tullaroop Reservoir. They’re responding best to lures being tolled down deep, along with soft plastics and bobbers worked just above the bottom.
Portland
Down Portland way Bob McPherson reports that southern bluefin tuna attracted a large number of offshore anglers over the weekend and there were some big ones caught. Regular Portland visitor Kevin Agius was among those to catch them; his biggest fish weighed 90 kg.
Lachie Wombell with his, and Bob McPherson’s catch of sweep from Cape Nelson (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Beatrice says:
Geoff, in your description of flies and lures last week, you omitted to mention tube flies, which would be more fitting within your description of lures in that they are designed to slide down the leader and onto the hook.
Beatrice, I am aware of tube flies, which – to the best of my knowledge – originated in Scotland, their origins credited to Aberdeen fly-tier Minnie Morawski, who – back in the 1940s – created them specifically for Atlantic salmon. And, yes indeed – as flies – they do not fall within my distinction between flies and lures.
I also know that tube flies have since been used for a variety of fish in fresh and salt water. However, I stand by my distinction between lures and flies, and if the users of tube flies have had captures legitimized under IGFA or other parent angling body’s rules as being caught on a fly, good for them.