Keryn Millard with the 70 cm mirror dory she caught offshore from Portland (Picture: Dean Millard).
Offshore
Fishing offshore from Portland in 450 metres of water, Keryn Millard and her father Dean were after the usual blue eye trevalla and other deep-water species to be found out here. However, from time to time, less common species turn up.
Such was the case during last week’s trip when Keryn caught a mirror dory, and at 70 cm in length – the maximum size this species is reputed to reach according to current information – it was a good specimen. A close relative of the more widely known John Dory and its other relative, the silver dory, the mirror dory is highly regarded table fare.
Mark Powell with an impressive frost fish taken out wide from Portland.
Also fishing out wide from Portland, in 320 metres of water, was Mark Powell whose catch included an impressive frost fish of probably over 1.5 metres in length.
Fishing a little farther afield at Port MacDonnell, Clifton Springs angler Jake Callahan and company caught two barrel-size tuna, both well over the 100 kg mark on lures, one of which they kept, the other, released.
Michael Evans with a 45 cm redfin that the caught, and then released, at Wurdiboluc Reservoir.
Don Rayner with a 44 cm redfin from Tullaroop Reservoir (Picture: Kevin Wild).
Freshwater
Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters recently visited Wurdiboluc Reservoir, where – casting Wasaby and Black Magic spoons from the rock wall during the last hour or so of daylight – caught, and then released, several redfin; the biggest stretching the tape out to 45 cm.
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that the lake continues to produce trophy size brown trout, and among those to catch them was Andy McCarthy who caught one of 3.86 kg while fishing along the edges of the weed beds.
Also fishing Lake Purrumbete last week was Garry Ridgeway who had no trouble catching chinook salmon on each occasion he went out, the biggest approaching 3 kg, but – fishing with whitebait suspended just above the bottom in 22 metres of water – very large eels proved to be a nuisance and were cut free beside the boat.
Fishing nearby Lake Bullen Merri on Friday morning, Roger Tolland also caught a number of chinook salmon trolling lures, with a by-catch of three tiger trout and one brown, each around 1.5 kg. However, Roger said he was surprised by the number of much larger chinook salmon – mostly in spawning coloration, and obviously from the 2019 release – that could be seen cruising around the edges of the lake, but not feeding.
Amber Wild with a nice Murray cod from Lake Mulwala (Picture: Kevin Wild).
Kevin Wild with another nice cod from Lake Mulwala (Picture: Amber Wild).
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club fished with father-in-law Don Rayner on Tullaroop Reservoir early last week taking any amount of redfin on various lures, keeping just 18 to 44 cm.
On Friday, Kevin and wife Amber travelled to Yarrawonga to fish Lake Mulwala which is in the process of having the water level lowered to control the feral weed infestation. And, with the boat ramp still operable, they caught, and released, any number of cod to 70 cm trolling “Old Mate” lures in the Collingwood colours.
Andy McCarthy with 3.85 kg brown trout from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).
Garry Ridgeway with one of his chinook salmon from Lake Purrumbete.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Andrew Johnson was out on the whiting off Curlewis at first light on Thursday. There wasn’t much tide running and he was being bothered by small pickers, mainly leatherjackets, so he made a move but still had to wait for the incoming tide to pick up to get a response from below. When it did though, the whiting responded and he took a bag limit catch in short order.
Before raising the anchor, Andrew broke out the squid jigs and caught eight before things went quiet. But, with another bag limit catch in the offing, he pulled the anchor and caught two more while drifting on the light breeze.
Hugh Maltby and his friend Gordon with a nice catch, mainly redfin, from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).
Taking advantage of calm weather on Friday afternoon, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck headed down off the mouth of Swan Bay to fish the last of the outgoing tide for whiting. Initially the fishing was slow, but after making a couple of moves, they found a good bite out toward Coles Beacon, from which they each took bag limit catches of fish, including some real beauties; the biggest 43 cm.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that squid were on offer last week, and clients wasted no time seeking them out, some taking bag limit catches. Few whiting were caught though said Rod, but that may have been because of the focus was primarily on squid.