Billy Zang with the100 kg tuna he caught off Port Phillip Heads last week.
Offshore
Fishing in around 30 metres of water off Anglesea early last week were Paul Carlson and his son, Ace. And it was young Ace who took the catch of the day, a school shark of at least 20 kg that took a fillet of slimy mackerel.
Tuna have been present out from Port Phillip Heads; some big ones too, including a 100 kg specimen taken from 75 metres of water by fishing excursion organizer Billy Zang, early last week.
One of Adamas’ Fishing Charters clients with his catch (Picture: Rodney Lawn).
Another of Adamas’ Fishing Charters clients with her catch (Picture: Rodney Lawn).
Simon Werner, deckhand aboard Adamas Charters, reports looking after some of Billy’s clients early last week. And, while their catch was mainly reef fish, they also picked up several nice snapper, including one of 5 kg, and some snotty trevalla (warehou), up to 2.5 kg.
Ash Rawlings with the 2.82 kg tiger trout that he caught from Lake Bullen Merri.
Victorian Inland Charters’ clients Rod and his son Jackson with a sample of their catch of redfin from Lake Purrumbete (Michael Evans).
Freshwater
As mentioned last week, Camperdown’s Lake Bullen Merri has kicked into gear, and – judging by the number of anglers now fishing here – the word is out.
Among the successful anglers last week was Ash Rawlings whose catch included a 2.82 kg tiger trout that fell to a 95 mm Daiwa Double-clutch bibbed minnow that was caught – in Ash’s words – “in an area holding bait away from the crowds.”
Redfin remain on offer at Lake Purrumbete, and Victorian Inland Charters’ clients Rod, Jackson and Kallum made the trip on Wednesday afternoon for a session, and – managing to find some shelter from the stiffening breeze – found a good patch of reddies, mainly small fish, but they caught quite a few keepers to grace their table as well.
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that among visitors to the lake last week were Dennis Bourke from Sandringham and his two sons Lachlan and Andrew, who also took good catches of redfin from the lake.
Dennis Bourke from Sandringham with his two sons Lachlan and Andrew with their catch of redfin from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).
Fish stocking
Fish stocking coordinator Rhiannon Atkinson advises that Lake Purrumbete will be stocked with yearling chinook salmon, hopefully between 1.15 and 1.30 on the following dates at the boat ramp: Thursday July 13, Wednesday July 19, and Thursday July 25.
Should you wish to attend any of the listed stocking events, please contact Rhiannon on either rhiannon.atkinson@vfa.vic.gov.au or 0407 987 016, for any change of plans.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Early last week Andrew Johnson and wife Jenny hit the water at first light, but as is often the case, the whiting were initially slow. However, after making a half dozen or so moves, their luck eventually changed as the incoming tide picked up speed.
And, in around five metres of water off Hermsley Road, Curlewis, they hit the jackpot with bag limit catches of fish ranging from 33 to 41 cm.
Paul Carson and his son Ace, with the school shark the lad caught off Anglesea early last week.
Barwon Heads
Fishing at anchor in the Sheepwash section of the Barwon Estuary with a variety of baits early last week, Jason Treloar and Harley Griffiths, kicked off with small but legal-size salmon, mullet, and several reasonable King George whiting as the tide began trickling in, mid-morning.
Several good size silver trevally followed with the biggest easily nudging the kilogram mark. That was until the volume of kelp and other weed coming in with the rising tide made fishing difficult.
Trevor asks:
Geoff, on June 27 you said that a good time to fish from the fishermen’s wharf at Barwon Heads would be during the low tide change and early flood tide, and suggested a weekend when I was unable to go.
Does the low tide change at Barwon Heads occur at the same time as low water at Port Phillip Heads?
Trevor, what you really need to know is the time of low slack water, the time at which the current stops running out and slackening off before coming back in. This does not occur at the lowest point of the tide, but sometime later.
With the present volume of fresh water coming down the Barwon River, low slack water at the old Fisherman’s wharf occurs about two hours later than the time given for low water at Port Phillip Heads and an hour or so later in The Sheepwash.
However, should the volume of fresh water coming down the river increase, which usually happens after heavy rain, then low slack water in all sections of the estuary will occur later still.
Please send your reports to geoffw10@optusnet.com.au, on messenger, or by phone, 03 5248 1307.