John Formosa with a 6 kg snapper taken near Point Henry (Picture: Cody Formosa).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Making a 10.00 pm start from Clifton Springs under last week’s full moon, snapper aficionados Andrew Phillips and George Uranus anchored up at their favourite spot about halfway between the channel junction off Curlewis and the Point Wilson Pier.
Things were slow to begin with, but at midnight, the silver whiting that Andrew had on for bait was taken by a snapper that later weighed 8.5 kg. Things were quiet after that, but at around 1.30 am, George’s squid head was taken by a snapper that weighed 7 kg.
Early last week, John Formosa and his son Cody fished in 6 metres of water off Point Henry, also hopeful of catching a snapper. Not in vain as it turned out for at 4.00 pm, the pilchard on John’s line was taken by a snapper that weighed 6 kg.
After first catching their respective bag limits of squid offshore from McAdams Lane, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien tried for whiting, which – as it turned out – were plentiful but small. However, their quest for more respectable fish continued, and was eventually rewarded with ten fish from 40 to 42 cm before day’s end.
Wading the shallows on the afternoon high tide below Beacon Point early last week, and casting a Mr Twister double-tail in the hope of catching a decent flathead, Simon Werner caught two as it turned out, both around the kilogram mark.
Xavier Lalic with the morning’s catch of Australian salmon from the beach at Anglsea (Picture: Kevin McLoughlin).
Off the beach
Fishing from the beach near the mouth of the Anglesea River on Sunday morning, were Kevin McLoughlin, Josh Lalic and Josh’s 8 year old son Xavier.
Casting out with 40 grams Lazers, the action was not long in coming with Australian salmon up to 1.5 coming up on the sand; and of which Xavier caught a fair portion of the eighteen fish that they cleaned at Torquay.
Viktor Petrovic with one of his redfin from Lake Toolondo (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).
Freshwater
Trevor Holmes of Victorian Inland Charters reports that the redfin have gone quiet on Lake Toolondo, not surprising he said with up to 40 boats fishing the lake at a time.
Never the less, his clients Viktor Petrovic and his son Thomas had smiles on their faces after catching several good size redfin on soft plastics, along with a pan size brown trout that fell to a number 46 Tassie Devil.
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that while both brown and rainbow trout to 1.5 kg were caught in good numbers last week, there weren’t any trophy size fish taken; not to his knowledge anyway.
Snapper challenge
I’ve been asked to inform readers that a catch and release section has been added to Bellarine Snapper Challenge – an event hosted by the St Leonards & Bellarine Pirates Angling Clubs – current until Friday 01/12/17: It’s for the longest fish certified by a high quality digital photograph of that fish on an official brag mat.
For those yet to enter, fees are $20.00 for those aged 18 and over and $10.00 for those yet to turn 18. Fees must be paid prior to any fish being presented for weigh in. Details of weigh-masters, payment details and other information may be obtained from Phil Walters on 0411 215 146 or Bruce Symons on 0428 988 898.
For those seeking information on snapper fishing, expert angler Aaron Habgood will be present at the Clifton Springs Golf Club in Clear Water Drive at 7.00 pm on Thursday 12/10/17, to give you the drum-beats. This event is free to those able to affirm financial membership to the aforementioned Angling Clubs, but $20.00 to non members.
Thomas Petrovic with a pan size brown trout from Lake Toolondo (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).
Rodney asks:
Geoff, On September 26 you had a report of a snapper being taken from the beach at Indented Head. I don’t know anywhere at Indented Head where it would be deep enough to catch a snapper from the beach: Any more information please?
Rodney, both during, and immediately following strong north or nor-easterly winds – particularly at this time of year – snapper have been caught, land-based, at a number of locations around the Bellarine Peninsula. They include the beach at assembly point 28B at Indented Head, which is just south of the boat ramp car park, but only during the conditions described: I suggest that wearing waders here would be an advantage.