Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters shows one of the several chinook salmon that he and his clients caught from Lake Bullen Merri over the weekend.
Mick Grant with a nice chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri (Picture: Michael Evans: Victorian Inland Charters).
Freshwater
John Clements of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park at Camperdown, reports that Lake Bullen Merri continues to produce chinook salmon.
Among those to catch these include Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters (vicinlandcharters@outlook.com) who wired the bite for his clients, Graeme Findlay and Mick Grant, with a good stream of berley, followed by suspending their baits just above the bottom.
The action was not long in coming with several fish to 2.9 kg soon being tempted with pilchard fillets.
Also successful were Tony Farrugia of Oaklands Junction, and his son Charlie, who took chinook to 2.5 kg on Storm Micro Jigs.
Sammy Giles of Bannockburn also caught one of 2.4 kg.
At Lake Purrumbete, George Gillies of Winchelsea caught his share of redfin on minnow and scrubworm, while Leo Fowler and wife Coralee – who were also using worms for bait – topped off their redfin catch with a brown and rainbow trout, each weighing 1.5 kg.
Sammy Giles of Bannockburn with a chinook salmon of 2.4 kg (Picture: Courtesy Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Both squid and whiting played the game for Darcy Scott at Queenscliff on Wednesday evening with a bag limit catch of the former that included a couple around the 2 kg mark.
That was on the ebb tide, which continued until after dark, by which time – while anchored up over the Swan Island grass beds – he’d caught a dozen whiting, and what beauties they were; the biggest stretching the tape out to 49 cm.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that squid are also present in good numbers off The Springs, with respectable catches coming in from Curlewis to The Dell – but again – whiting have been the Joker in the pack
On Saturday, Andrew Johnson, along with Tony and Adam Mollenhauer, picked up twenty-odd good size fish at the eastern end of the mussel farm, while son Daniel – who was fishing with Kieran Anderson and Darcy Burke – caught yet another 35 off the Dell.
Others to do well on the whiting last week included Peter Clark and Des McKiernan who picked up 27 off Curlewis.
But flathead remain the main chance off The Springs, said Mike, with the aforementioned Peter and Des picking up some really good ones in the shallows, while Mario Muscat caught them to 42 cm out toward the shipping channel.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head, suggests there are plenty of whiting and squid about, but changeable weather has kept clients close to shore; a blessing for some who caught flathead to 54 cm; fish of this size being regularly found in the shallows.
Michael Evans with yet another chinook as the sun goes down on Lake Bullen Merri (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).
Graeme Findlay with one of his chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).
Portland
Down Portland way, Bob McPherson reports that yellowtail kingfish are about but few have been caught; most of the offshore brigade being focussed on tuna, which are currently present around the ship anchorage down toward Lady Julia Percy Island.
It wasn’t so many years ago that those seeking kingfish would be out before dawn catching live fish or squid, for bait, and be anchored up anywhere along Portland’s north shore, shortly after daybreak, but that no longer seems to be the case, said Bob.
Fishing Comp
The Leopold Angling and Aquatic Club, at 711 to 729 Portarlington Road Leopold, is hosting a fishing competition on Corio Bay next weekend with fishing permitted from 6.00 am on Friday 26/01/18.
The event will run until 12.30 pm on Sunday, after which time no fish may be weighed or measured. Entry is free to club members, but non members must pay $20.00. Camping sites and the use of club facilities will be available at no charge.
Prizes in this event will be substantially determined by the allotment of raffle tickets for each, and every legal size fish presented. In addition to that, Bunnings vouchers to the value of $100.00 are to be presented for, what will be considered as first, second and third prizes. For more information please Email leopoldanglingandaquaticclub@gmail.com
Sharks are still about
On January 9, I answered a question as to why I had fewer reports of sharks being taken offshore lately than in years gone by, to which I replied they were probably still out there but receiving less attention from anglers than before.
Turns out I just received a video taken by reader Steve, showing four blue sharks that he tempted to the boat in 50 metres of water offshore from Torquay on Sunday after finding the bottom fishing slow.
Rod asks:
Geoff, I used to buy your rigs from Kmart but can’t seem to find them now. Are they still available?
Yes Rod; Kmart still sell a selection of my rigs under the supplier’s name “Jarvis Walker”. Some fishing tackle stores carry them as well. However, by Googling “Dinga” (https://www.dinga.com.au/), and entering “Geoff Wilson Rigs” you’ll see the whole range on offer.