Daniel Stranger with a sample from his last week’s snapper catch.
Banjo Hilton 6, looking pleased with the snapper he caught off Clifton Springs.
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Daniel Stranger and Andrew Fromholtz were at anchor in 8.2 metres of water off Point Wilson by 5.00 am on Thursday morning; a good move as it turned out for by 8.30 or so, they’d caught their bag limit of large snapper, some well over 80 cm, along with some respectable pinkies..
Also making an early start, Murray Scott picked up three snapper from four to 7 kg, on Saturday. The first came aboard around 5.00 am after a promising alert on the West side of the Wilson Spit. The other two were at half hour intervals after that.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that whiting are still going well off The Springs, and Curlewis, with Dale Connelly and Phil Butel among those to take their share.
Fishing off Clifton Springs on Thursday afternoon, were Andrew and Daniel Johnson and Brodie Bell who took 40 whiting in 5.8 metres of water off the Dell. They would have caught more save for a shoal of suicidal pinkie snapper to 1.5 kg or so that moved in and took over the bite for at least half an hour.
However, as quickly as they came on the bite, they departed, and – fishing into the dusk – the trio topped up their whiting catch.
On Saturday, Andrew and Daniel spent some time wading shallows below Beacon Point, casting soft plastics in the hope of picking up a good size flathead or two: They caught six as it turned out, the biggest measuring just on 60 cm.
Rod Ludlow of Bellarine Boat Hire reports that strong tides during the week made for good fishing with of whiting and squid easy to come by.
Among those to do well on the squid were Andrew Phillips and Chris Stamalos who fished on the drift out as far out as 8 metres of water, where on Thursday, their luck held out until the wind strengthened in the afternoon, so – counting their blessings, and thankful for a good catch – they headed back to the ramp.
Aaron Habgood found the whiting in 6 metres of water off Swan Island last week where he and Australian cricketer, Cameron White, both took bag limit catches using squid for bait.
They had no trouble finding those XOS southern calamari in the Lonsdale Bight again either, with some of the specimens to come aboard, big enough to frighten those of timid disposition.
Jeff Richards managed a couple of trips on the whiting off Indented Head after his encounter with the medical profession some weeks ago, firstly with Ken Shae on Thursday and then with Chris Hateley and Ken Shae again on Saturday. While there were no bag limit catches involved, the quality of the fish they caught from 4 metres of water was truly astounding with several over 40 cm; the biggest of which measured 43 cm.
From the left: Matt, Patrick, Steph, Lachie and Tom with the blue shark they caught off Port Phillip Heads at the weekend.
Australian cricketer Cameron White with his and Aaron Hapgood’s whiting catch off Queenscliff last week.
Freshwater
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Caravan Park reports that large brown trout are on offer from the lake and among those to accept the challenge was Peter Harasymenko who caught one of 3.8 kg trolling a Rapala bibbed minnow last week.
John reports that chinook salmon are still on the bite at nearby Lake Bullen Merri, the only obstacle to a bag limit catch being the number of small fish that John reminds everyone to release with great care.
Redfin remain abundant in Lake Purrumbete as John’s recent catch of 50 on live minnow, fished near the bottom would indicate, along with similar catches of same by several others including Brian Nygaard and Geoff Broughton.
Aaron Habgood with a sample of the XOS squid he’s been catching from the Lonsdale Bight.
Lucas Faravoni with the 8 kg snapper he caught from the Lee Breakwater on Sunday (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Portland
Down Portland way, Bob McPherson reports that Lucas Faravoni was among those to catch snapper from the breakwater on Sunday when the fresh squid he was using for bait tempted a beauty of 8 kg. Others have been taken as well, mostly by local identities who regularly fish for them here.
Ashleigh asks:
Geoff, after a session of deep water, bottom-bouncing off Portland, we were told that gemfish are now totally protected: Surely that can’t be right, can it?
Ashleigh, I checked both the current recreational fishing guide, and the internet, without finding any mention of a ban on the taking of gemfish, so I guess they’re still fair game.