Geoff’s Fishing Report

 

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Taking a run out off Avalon on Wednesday, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck began a pre-dawn patrol with the sounder running, eager to pick up any hint of a snapper, but without success: So, it was time to look elsewhere.

 

Moving toward the Wilson Spit, a promising echo in 8.5 metres of water at around 7.00 am had them at actions stations, their baits of silver whiting being immediately taken by two snapper of 6.8 and 5.5 kg.

 

All was quiet after that though, but a plethora of banjo sharks moving in on their baits, along with a gathering a north easterly, had them packing up to go, but not before they hooked up once more, this time to a 5 kg snapper.

With good weather holding on until Wednesday, Andrew Johnson headed out to a previously productive spot off Curlewis where he caught six good-size whiting in quick succession before they went of the bite.

 

Moving around didn’t help much either, accounting for only four additional fish before he returned to the ramp.

 

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat hire reports that whiting have been somewhat hit and miss lately, but they were certainly on the go on Sunday.

Among those to do well were Adam Azman and Omar Moe who picked up bag limit catches of whiting to 44 cm while fishing between the old jetty and the mussel farm.

 

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that there was good fishing early last week with good catches of squid and whiting, but after the spell of cooler weather last week the fishing has deteriorated.

 

However, Simon Werner and Michael Dean tried their luck on the last of Saturday evening’s run out tide off St Leonards that yielded a catch of 22 whiting from 34 to 42 cm before the bite shut down on dark.

 

Freshwater

Maryborough Angling Club members, Kevin and Amber Wild, and Don Rayner, headed off to Lake Lonsdale at the weekend to find recent publicity on this productive redfin water had attracted many anglers.

 

Still, there were still plenty of fish to go around, the trio catching any amount of redfin to 1.8 kg, all taken on lures.

 

Kevin also reports that Cairn Curran Reservoir, which has been somewhat quiet of late, showed promise last week, for – when taking his dogs for a swim – Don Rayner soaked a few worms from the bank that were eagerly taken by redfin, which although small, were plentiful.

 

Kevin also reports that Maryborough angler Darren Watts’ three-hour trip to Steven’s Weir on the Edward River, Deniliquin, paid off with several Murray cod on lures, including two measuring 60 and 68 cm.

 

There’s not much from the crater lakes this week, but Mark Richards picked up three rainbow trout to 1.3 kg from Lake Purrumbete on the fly last week.

 

3000 odd yearling chinook salmon are scheduled for release into Lake Purrumbete over three occasions this month, the first on Thursday May 4 at 1.15, the second on Wednesday May 10, and the third on Tuesday May16.

 

Should you wish to attend any of these events, please contact fish stocking coordinator, Rhiannon Atkinson either by phone on 0407 987 016, or by email on rhiannon.atkinson@vfa.vic.gov.au for any updates to that plan.

 

Frank asks

Geoff, have you any reports from lake Colac? I heard that it was stocked with about 15,000 rainbow trout and some yellowbelly in 2021, but I can’t find any reports. Have you any info on this water?

Frank, my information is that, although Lake Colac has been stocked with rainbow trout, you are likely to catch ten carp for every rainbow. That is reportedly the case, regardless of the approach.

 

The average weight of the rainbow trout taken from here lately is about 650 grams, with a few larger fish on offer, but to date, I have no verifiable reports of yellowbelly being caught from here.

 

On the positive side, the lake is a good deal higher than it has been in recent years and, as such, has survived the summer with good water levels. Perhaps your lure-casting expertise may work here, but then, nothing is certain in fishing