Murray Scott with the kingfish he caught at Coffin Bay last week (Picture Darcy Scott).
Coffin Bay
Murray and Darcy Scott’s annual kingfish trip to the shallow waters of Coffin Bay in South Australia last week began badly, for they both lost good size kingfish on the first day of their trip.
Darcy lost his on light tackle while trying to catch some salmon for bait, and – after successfully resuming the quest for salmon after that disappointment – Murray lost another when his hook fouled the mesh of the landing net and pulled free giving the kingie its freedom.
They had no action at all the following day, but trying at the entrance of nearby Kellidie Bay, Murray hooked up big-time on a fish they estimated to be about 30 kg that was captured after a 25-minute pursuit despite a series of entanglements around boat moorings and other impediments.
Matt Boag with the 5.5 kg snapper he caught out near the mussel farm off Clifton Springs.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Heading out off Curlewis at first light on Friday morning to catch the high tide change, Andrew Johnson anchored up in 4 metres of water where, initially, he was plagued with small whiting.
He was about to move when the bigger fish moved in at around 7.30 am, and they remained on the bite until he took a bag limit catch of whiting from 35 to 40 cm.
With a break in the weather, Simon Werner headed out into 20 metres of water off Indented Head hopeful of catching a snapper or two, but there were none on offer. However, he did catch a nice gummy shark of around 7 kg.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that with good weather on Saturday, Matt Boag, who was fishing out near the mussel farm, topped off a catch of pinkie snapper with a nice red of 5.5 kg that took a strip of squid.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that whiting have been the main catch of late with fish to 40 cm being taken relatively close to shore from Grassy Point, south to St Leonards.
Anglers fishing on the drift, again, relatively close to shore, have been picking up some good size flathead along with whiting and the occasional pinkie snapper, but squid have been scarce, said Rod.
Lindsay Robinson with a sample of his, and brother Gordon’s catch from Lake Purrumbete.
Freshwater
On Tuesday afternoon, Lindsay and Gordon Robinson fished Lake Purrumbete, positioning themselves alongside one of the prominent weed beds in Manifolds Bay just after 2.00 pm, and fishing mudeyes under floats at around two metres, caught two brown trout, each around the 2.3 kg mark.
They also caught four nice rainbow trout using the same method, and – for a bit of variety – broke out the lure fishing tackle that accounted for several respectable redfin.
They detoured to nearby Lake Bullen Merri before returning to Geelong, to find the Lake has suffered no respite from the blue-green algal bloom, which unfortunately, now covers most of the lake.
Acknowledging Lake Bullen Merri’s current algae problem, Jack Passe tried his luck there, also on Tuesday afternoon, and – as luck would have it – he caught a rainbow trout of about 1.5 kg on Berkley Powerbait shortly after he arrived.
But Jack says that it was tough going though, with no more bites, either on bait, or on any of the lures that he tried.
Fish Stocking Coordinator Rhiannon Atkinson advises that Lake Bullen Merri at Camperdown, and Lake Elingamite up Cobden way, are to be stocked with Australian bass tomorrow, Wednesday November 22nd.
Lake Bullen Merri will be stocked first between 10 and 11 am with 10,000 bass fingerlings that will be weighed in, and distributed from, buckets. Lake Elingamite will receive the same number after that.
Should you wish to attend either of these stockings please let Rhiannon know, either by email rhiannon.atkinson@vfa.vic.gov.au or mobile on 0407 987 016, so she can provide a more accurate ETA.
Lake Bullen Merri is infested with blue green algae, for which there is a solution should funding be made available.
Notice of public meeting
Camperdown’s Lake Bullen Merri is in dire straits with a toxic algal bloom that’s affecting fishing and all other activities related to this water.
A meeting regarding this issue is to be held at the Leopold Angling and Aquatic Club, 711 Portarlington Rd Leopold, 3224 at 2.00 pm next Saturday, November 25. Turn left at the Lifestyle sign and continue north toward the bay: All interested parties are welcome.