Will Cumming, Sam Long and Hugh Cumming with the 120 kg bluefin tuna Sam caught offshore off Barwon Heads last week.
Early last week, Sam Long, along with Will and Hugh Cumming, took a run out from Barwon Heads in search of any activity that might betray the presence of tuna. And, with the previously choppy sea calming off, they headed out wide, eventually spying a flock of birds circling on the horizon.
With dolphins also working the same patch, they initiated a spread of skirted lures, one of which was taken, putting Sam in the hot seat for half an hour or so before they were able to wrestle, what turned out to be a tuna that eventually weighed 120 kg, aboard.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
With snapper making an appearance in Corio Bay as water temperatures begin to rise, anglers in the know are trying their luck.
Among them was Tim Johnson who fished the Wilson Spit early last week, and anchored up out toward the shipping channel with half a squid head for bait, he caught a snapper weighing 5.5 kg.
John Daskourelos was another snapper success. He caught one of around 3 kg while fishing land-based from the St Helens Rocks on Wednesday, confidently expressing there would be plenty more to come.
Early last week, Gordon and Carol Williams tried their luck on the whiting off Curlewis, and with the tide beginning to ebb, they were soon in action with a dozen or so fish coming aboard in short order.
But then, losing fish to that seal that’s currently been giving anglers a hard time down that way, gave them no other option but to move, and eventually retreat when the breeze picked up.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that a break in the weather last week had a handful of clients going for the main chance, which was – and still is – catching flathead on the drift, virtually straight out from the ramp.
Tim Johnson with his snapper from the Wilson Spit in Corio Bay’s outer harbour.
Off the Beach
With Saturday’s virtual gale-force winds easing toward evening, Ray Millman was about to head off fishing at Torquay when his friend Trev dropped in.
Both decided that the fishing trip was on with Trev calling some of his mates whom he suggested might also like to come along, the result being that seven hopefuls were eventually lined up fishing along the beach at Torquay, just north east of the boat ramp.
Ray and Trev, both caught seven-gilled sharks, the biggest around 2 metres in length. But come the high tide at around 8.30 pm, virtually everyone else had been bitten off, by – presumably – other seven-gilled sharks. Never the less, I guess there would have been enough flake to go around.
With evening high tides last week, Tony Ingram fished Bancoora Beach hopeful of catching an Australian salmon or two despite there being a fair sea running.
But the salmon were there, and using cut pilchards for bait, he caught several, the biggest approaching 1.5 kg along with a couple of tailor, each around the kilogram mark.
Freshwater
I’ve had few freshwater reports, but – despite the discolouration of the water, and an increase in flow – Justin Burns has been picking up an occasional carp, the biggest around 5 kg or so, along with a redfin or two from the Barwon at Queens Park using worms for bait.
Simon Werner, along with a number of other Geelong anglers, fished the Goulburn River at Thornton last week taking a rainbow trout of 5 kg, a great fish certainly, but dwarfed by others taken, both from the Goulburn, and the nearby Eildon Pondage.
Sammy asks:
Geoff, I was fascinated to hear of your trip on 31/08/21, to Shark Bay back in 2000, can you provide any further information such as time of year, and any information on getting bait?
Sammy, the best time to fish Shark Bay West for snapper was – advisedly – from July through until October. So, we spent a week there in August and, fishing either at dawn or dusk, caught – and released – 50 odd snapper to an estimated 11 kg.
We stayed at the Nanga Resort, phone 08 9948 3992, and bought whiting heads at the Denham Fishermen’s cooperative 08 9948 1352. I just phoned them, and they still sell these by the block, along with various other baits.