James Lee with a sample from the snapper catch offshore from Point Henry (Picture: Tony Ortega).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
At around 8.30 pm, early last week, Tony Ortega, along with Dule Slavic and James Lee, headed out to a formerly productive spot for snapper just off Point Henry, and, with an assurance to James, who’d never caught a snapper before, that tonight would be the night.
Well, they’d barely put their lines out when Tony handed his rod – which had just buckled over, its reel singing the good old snapper song – to James who was now in the hotseat with his first big red.
Others were to follow, in fact the trio caught twelve snapper on a variety of baits by 11.00 pm, by which time they’d decided to head back to the ramp after a great night’s fishing.
Naturally, others – including Michael Bealham – caught them as well and was also out early last week, fishing in 8 metres of water off Point Wilson. And, after a promising sounding during the mid-afternoon, picked up a bag limit catch of snapper from 3 to 6 kg, all taken on fresh squid.
Michael headed out to the same spot again on Sunday morning with companion Candace Mimms to find the snapper still very much on the bite. They caught eight altogether, five of which they released.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that the boat ramp was certainly busy over the weekend and clients also brought in quite a few fish.
Among them were Darren and Aiden Thomas who caught 17 whiting only about 200 metres out from the boat harbour using squid for bait.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that clients also took good catches of whiting in various spots between Grassy Point and the inner Governor reefs.
Squid were scarce, said Rod, probably due to the discoloured water, but anglers fishing on the drift fairly close to shore took mixed bags of flathead and whiting.
Candace Mimms with her Sunday’s snapper catch taken offshore from Point Wilson (Picture: Michael Bealham).
Michael Bealham with yet another good-size snapper (Picture: Candace Mimms).
Barwon estuary
Simon Werner tried his luck on the mulloway upstream from the Sheepwash on Sunday’s rising tide, but having no success there, he put in a lure-casting session to see what he could stir up in close to the mangroves during the late afternoon.
And as it turned out, he began catching estuary perch. Most were a bit on the small side, but he kept five of the bigger ones, the largest around 750 grams.
Frank Benvenuto’s yellowbelly that he caught from the Werribee River on a size 2 Stump-jumper.
Werribee River
Frank Benvenuto reports that lure-fishing the Werribee River has been challenging of late taking just a few bass and estuary perch, all on Jackall Pompadours and soft plastics, and of which he sent me some photos.
However, some of Frank’s friends have been picking up quite a few bass on unweighted baits of bread intended for carp, courtesy of folk feeding ducks with these doughy delights, and for which the bass have developed a taste.
On Saturday though, Frank stopped by with only one rod to make a few casts with a size 2 Stump-jumper hoping to pick up another bass, but instead – much to his surprize – caught a 43 cm yellowbelly,
Lake Purrumbete
Encouraged by the number of fish moving as they headed out onto Lake Purrumbete on Friday morning, Lindsay and Gordon Robinson had high hopes of a good day’s fishing, and they weren’t disappointed.
Anchored up against the weed bank on the east side of the lake, and fishing mudeyes at a depth of about two metres using bubble floats, they were soon kept busy with a variety of fish, releasing most.
But of those they kept, the biggest was a brown trout of about 3 kg that was followed by another of about half that size. The other fish they caught were a mix of rainbow and tiger trout, and chinook salmon.
Lake Tullaroop
Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that Lake Tullaroop was opened to boating again on Friday, and taking advantage, he headed out with good supply of worms with which he took a respectable catch of redfin.
Fishing nearby Cairn Curran Reservoir, club members, Don Rayner and Tony Savage, returned with four really good size yellowbelly and two nice redfin.
Please send your reports to geoffw10@optusnet.com.au, on messenger, or by phone, 03 5248 1307.