Fergus Preston with his 118 cm Murray cod from the Ovens River (Picture: Ben Stephenson).
Freshwater
Fishing the Ovens River near Wangaratta last week, Fergus Preston, along with friends Ben and John Stephenson, had already caught and released several Murray cod when Fergus’ “Topwater” lure was smashed at the surface by a much larger fish.
After a dogged fight, the protagonist turned out to be a 118 cm Murray cod that was weighed in the net at 30 kg, and released after Ben took a photo or two.
With Lake Bullen Merri producing chinook salmon to 3 kg, John Clements of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park, fished there with Bill Zahra last week, and with pilchards and whitebait suspended just above the bottom, took bag limit catches of these beauties.
John also fished Lake Purrumbete with his brother in law, Neville Mangan from Swan Hill at the weekend, for a total catch of more than 200 redfin to 1.1 kg; releasing the small ones.
Linda Stewart with the kingfish she caught offshore from Black Rock on Sunday (Picture: Murray Stewart).
Jeremy McLoughlin with a nice gummy shark that he caught offshore from Barwon Heads on Sunday (Picture: Kevin McLoughlin).
Offshore
Hopeful of catching a shark in 30 metres of water off Black Rock on Sunday, Murray Stewart and wife Linda missed a couple of chances. Never the less, they caught plenty of slimy mackerel that had schooled up under the boat while being harassed by kingfish, one of which Linda caught, and which measured 75 cm.
Fishing in 30 metres of water, but off Barwon Heads on Sunday, Scott Smith was also hopeful of catching a shark; not in vain either, for his catch included a 60 kg thresher that gave him quite a tussle.
Michael Goldby with one of the blue eye trevalla that he, Bob McPherson, and Lockie Wombell, caught off Portland over the weekend (Picture Bob McPherson).
Trevor Muller of Webbcon Marine in Horsham with one of the tuna that he and Trevor Holmes caught on charter with Matthew Hunt off Portland last Tuesday (Victorian Inland Charters).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Launching at Clifton Springs late on Tuesday evening, Andrew Phillips and George Uranus were keen to fish the low tide change due around midnight, and that’s when they caught their first fish; a snapper of 5.8 kg.
Still in their favourite spot, which is about halfway between the channel junction off Curlewis and the end of the Point Wilson Pier, they caught a second, slightly smaller snapper. After that though – and probably due to the amount of berley they’d distributed – they were pestered by small gummy sharks until they left at around 2.00 am.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that pinkie snapper to a kilogram or so have been well represented in angler’s bags along with good size squid and some nice whiting.
Among those to be successful here were Jeff Richards and Ken Shae, who on Sunday afternoon, caught nineteen squid and one cuttlefish before settling in at anchor for an evening’s catch of 22 whiting, the biggest measuring 44 cm.
Mackey Street platform closure
The breakwater and jetty infrastructure below the end of Mackey Street, North Geelong (between St Helens and the wheat silos), and which is a favoured fishing area, will be closed from March 23 until April 7.
This area is to temporarily serve as depot for the storage of limestone, acquired for building an artificial reef on the Wilson Spit as a nursery for the once plentiful, but now endangered, native oyster: Hopefully, to restore that species’ former abundance.
Upper Stony Creek Reservoir
Number one Stony Creek Reservoir – which is on the eastern side of the Geelong Ballan Road at Durdidwarrah, some 40 kilometres from Geelong – has been stocked with trout, both browns and rainbows, and was opened to fishing along its eastern bank some months ago: As a result, patronage by anglers is increasing.
Unfortunately, illegal activities in the vicinity, which include vandalism, the lighting of fires and the dumping of litter, has resulted in a request that legitimate users of this water inform the EPA of any such offences on http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/get-involved/report-litter or by calling 1300 372 842.
Brittany Bourke, a prize winner in the previous Whiting Classic.
Whiting Classic
The Bellarine Whiting Classic – hosted by the St Leonards and Bellarine Pirates Angling Clubs, Western Beach Fishing, and Leopold Angling and Aquatic Clubs – is to run from Saturday March 25th till Sunday April 2nd (eight days), with valuable prizes to be won.
Competitors weighing fish in during the first week of the competition – from Saturday 25th till Friday March 31st – must call one of the following officials beforehand; preferably between 6.30 and 8.30 pm:
· Jim for St Helens 0409 864 172.
· Ivan for Limeburners Point 0414 599 363.
· Bruce for Clifton Springs 0428 988 898.
· Phil for St Leonards 0411 215 146.
Weigh-ins on Saturday April 1st will be at the Clifton Springs boat ramp from 9.00am to 11.30am, and at the St Leonards boat ramp from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. The final weigh-in, on Sunday, April 2nd will be at the Clifton Springs boat ramp from 10.00 am until 1.00 pm. Presentations will then follow from 2.00 pm. For more information, call Phil on 0411 215 146 or email secretary.fish@bigpond.com
Harley asks:
I’ve been trying to catch mulloway from the Barwon estuary for a long time but the tides are normally too strong and weed always catches on my line: Any tips?
Harley, recent mulloway catches have been between the Sheepwash boat ramp and the series of S-bends upstream locally known as the Thunderbolt.
I suggest that fishing either tide change during the slower tidal sequences preceding both the new and full moons – and which will occur over this coming weekend – are not only easier to fish, but are the most productive as well.