Above: Bill Athanasselis with one of the snapper he caught while fishing offshore from Ricketts Point last week. Below: Bill’s use of a small cable tie to secure the circle hook in its most effective attitude.
Young Baxter George with the 52 cm flathead he caught near Coles Beacon off Swan Island, near Queenscliff on Saturday. He also caught two others of 48 and 41 cm. (Picture: Craig Parker).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Snapper are still on offer from Corio Bay and there are some good ones among them, like one Aaron Habgood of Red’s Fishing Adventures caught on calamari ring in 10 metres of water offshore from Clifton Springs and estimated to be at least 7 kg.
On Thursday night, Andrew Phillips and George Uranus were surprised to see a good many boats out in their usual snapper spot north of the Curlewis channel junction and put their anchor down some distance away. However, conditions were less than encouraging with a fair bit of shop on the water and banjo sharks taking their baits of silver whiting.
Never the less they persisted, and at around 11 pm Andrew caught a snapper of 7.5 kg. By this time the sea had calmed off, but it was another long wait before George picked up a snapper of 6 kg in the early hours of Friday morning.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that pinkie snapper to 40 cm are also on the bite off Curlewis with Lee Cleary catching them on silver whiting fillets. Flathead are also about with Jake Williams catching several to 48 cm. However, salmon continue to be a big attraction with fish to 50 cm being taken between Curlewis and Point Henry.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that patchy weather kept many boats ashore. However, land based anglers caught snapper from both the Portarlington breakwater and St Leonards Pier over the weekend.
Jeremy McLoughlin with his 20 kg school shark taken offshore from Torquay (Picture: Kevin McLoughlin).
Big Red: Aaron Habgood with yet another big snapper from Corio Bay (Picture: Aaron Habgood).
Offshore
Making an early start offshore from Torquay on Friday, Kevin McLoughlin and brother Jeremy headed out deep looking for snapper. There wasn’t much doing there, so they moved in mush closer looking for a whiting or two.
They caught only one as it turned out, but Jeremy was kept busy for some time by whatever took the fish fillet he had on for bait, and which eventually turned out to be a 20 kg school shark.
Paul Rahman with the 4.6 kg brown trout he caught from Lake Purrumbete on Saturday evening (Picture Paul Kovzan).
Georgia Spokes with the 45 cm redfin that she caught from Lake Toolondo trolling a Rapala BX Minnow; just one of 16 she caught on Saturday’s twilight charter (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).
Freshwater
Lake Purrumbete continues to produce trophy size brown trout as Paul Rahman could relate after catching a beauty of 4.6 kg on Saturday evening. He, and Paul Kovzan, who deftly netted the big fish, also caught eight smaller fish to 1.4 kg; all being taken on mudeyes fished beneath bubble floats.
John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that Warrnambool fly fisher Paul Barnaby took a 4.2 kg rainbow trout on the fly. However, redfin still remain the main chance on the lake said John, which was demonstrated by “Ferno” and “Bathy” from Cobram who put their catch of 180 fish down to the efficacy of their Fish Arrow J Huddles in Wakasagi silver.
Simon Rinaldi of Red Hot Charters with Glen and Luke Stevens, and the 135 kg tuna they caught offshore from Portland last week (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Nigel Ah-Cann with his 125 kg tuna, also taken offshore from Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Portland
Down Portland way, Bob McPherson reports that tuna, some well over the 100 kg mark, are still being taken offshore. Simon Rinaldi of Red Hot Charters had no trouble finding them for his clients who have weighed in fish to 144 kg. Mind you, a good many others have caught them as well including George Hemmings and his crew who caught a beauty of 152 kg from 70 metres of water offshore from Lawrence Rock.
Bob also mentions that bottom fishing out wide from Portland is still producing a variety of fish including blue eye trevalla, one of which Keryn Millard – who fishes with her father Dean – caught last week weighing 20 kg.
Kevin Agius and his son Korey with the 118 kg tuna they caught offshore from Portland.
George Gereige with one of Portland’s great whiting (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Family fishing comp
St Leonards Yacht Club and Motor Squadron at 1001 Lower Bluff Road, St Leonards is hosting a family fishing competition next weekend (November 4 and 5). Lines maybe down from 6.00 am on the Saturday with fish to be presented for weigh-in no later than 3.00 pm on Sunday. For further information please contact secretary.fish@bigpond.com or Phil on 0411 215 146l.
A total prize pool of $2,500 is on offer for a family entry fee of $10.00 which covers all sections. They are: Nippers (male and female) of 9 years and under, Juniors (male and female) of 10 to 18 years of age, and Adults. Payment may be made by direct credit to Bendigo Bank BSB 633-000, Account 134873140 as “Family17” (with surname and initials included), or by post to PO Box 1070, St Leonards 3223.
Keryn Millard with the 20 kg blue eye trevalla she caught while bottom bouncing off Portland with her father Dean.
Stephan asks:
Geoff I’ve fished from the old Black Rock outfall site a fair bit; weather permitting. Unfortunately I’ve lost several good size fish that I’m sure were snapper when the sinker became snagged. Do you have any rigging recommendations that would help?
Stephan, to make any progress in this field I suggest you Google “pulley rigs,” the two primary purposes of which are to enable increased distance when casting – something that is achieved by securing your baited hook to a release clip above the sinker – and to reduce the loss of tackle, and fish, when fishing over rough ground.