Linda Stewart with a squid she caught off Curlewis on Sunday (Picture: Murray Stewart).
Michael Goldby with one of the blue eye trevally he caught offshore from Portland over the weekend (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula
Squid have been increasing, both in size and number, right around the Bellarine Peninsula and in Corio Bay.
Among those to catch them were Murray and Linda Stewart who caught fifteen beauties off Hermsley Road, Curlewis within an hour on Sunday, while others – including Justin Burns – caught them at Queenscliff.
Neil Slater’s father Max, lives in Queensland where catching a fish or two is hardly a problem, but when he came down to visit last week, he convinced Neil to take him out off Queenscliff, hopefully to catch some King George whiting, his firm favourite.
With nothing doing on the ebb tide, things were looking grim. But they persisted, and – while anchored up just north of the submarine wreck off Swan Island – they picked up eight nice fish to 38 cm on pipi and cuttlefish during the first hour of the flood tide.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that among those to take good bags of fish on Sunday were Dean McDermott, whose catch off Point Wilson included a 48 cm gummy shark and a 54 cm flathead, and Ross Francis and Ken Medley who picked up 22 whiting along the southern boundary of the mussel farm.
And, speaking of whiting, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien took their respective bag limit catches off Curlewis both on Friday and on Saturday.
Friday’s catch came from 5.5 metres of water, but on the following day they were overrun with leatherjackets, persuading a move into deeper water for an even hotter bite from bigger fish – to 44 cm on this occasion – than the day previous.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that squid are still the main chance, but a school of kingfish busting up on baitfish near the wreck of the Ozone livened up proceedings: One angler reportedly hooked one, but none were landed.
Clinton Jackson with the 29.89 kg gummy shark that he caught in 40 metres of water off Barwon Heads on Sunday morning.
Aaron Habgood of Red’s Fishing Adventures with one of the gummy shark he caught off Port Phillip Heads last week (Picture: Red’s Fishing Adventures).
Offshore
Good size gummy shark, some nudging 20 kg, are to be caught offshore from Port Phillip Heads as Aaron Habgood of Red’s Fishing Adventures could relate with recent catches of fish from 30 to 50 metres of water using Australian salmon fillets for bait. And, with good weather at the weekend, Chris Stamalos also joined the party taking two more good size gummies in 30 metres of water off Barwon Heads.
However, it was Clinton Jackson who scooped the pool, after heading out into 28 metres of water off Barwon Heads at first light on Sunday morning, where he fished on the drift out into deeper water: A good move as it turned out, for just on the 40 metre mark around 9.00 pm, he hooked a leviathan gummy shark that measured 1.6 metres and weighed 29.89 kg with its tail still on the ground.
Snapper are also present off Barwon Heads as Deb and Ted Wilson could relate after making launching from Ocean Grove at daybreak on Saturday. Anchored up in 28 metres of water, they each took bag limit catches of snapper to 4 kg using pilchards and squid for bait.
Justin Burns with one of the tuna he and Phil Nelson caught off Cape Nelson near Portland over the weekend (Picture: Phil Nelson).
Justin Burns with one of the squid he caught at Queenscliff over the weekend (Picture: Katryna Burns)
Freshwater
John Clements of Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park said good weather saw many anglers on the lake, among them Chris Farrugia of Oakland’s Junction who took a 4.4 kg brown trout on a home-made lure.
Redfin were the main catch though with Craig Rossa of Geelong catching his share of fish around the 600 gram mark on minnow, while Shane and Prue Hogan coached son Ryan 6, and daughter Charlee 8, in the art of piscatorial assassination also with minnow for bait.
Lure fishing enthusiast Rod Shepherd, also caught an impressive tally of redfin on a 4” Fish Arrow Flash J Grub.
Nearby Lake Bullen Merri is certainly worth a try for chinook salmon said John, with fish to 2 kg or so on offer. Among the successful anglers here were Joel Hodges and son Cody 15, who picked up their share using pilchard fillets for bait, as did Peter Lutwyche from Springvale with the same approach.
Ben Zebic with the 107 kg bluefin tuna he caught off Portland from his small alloy boat over the weekend (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Lachie Wombell with one of the pink ling he caught offshore from Portland over the weekend (Picture: Bob McPherson).
Portland
Bob McPherson reports that with good weather over the weekend, a good many anglers, some in small boats, headed offshore, hopeful of picking up a tuna or two. In fact the biggest tuna, weighing 107 kg, was taken on Sunday by Ben Zebic from his alloy boat which was probably the smallest craft on the water.
Deb Wilson, with a sample of hers, and husband Ted’s respective bag limit catches of snapper taken off Barwon Heads on Saturday morning.
Colin asks:
Geoff, I read your question and answer related to catching gummy sharks in Corio Bay on 03/04/18. I followed your advice regarding the use of larger baits, but have yet to catch a gummy shark, and I too would appreciate a productive spot to fish for them.
Colin, most of the larger gummy sharks have been taken offshore from Port Phillip and Barwon Heads, but some professional guidance is required in preparation to fishing out here. However, fishing the deeper water offshore from Indented Head or St Leonards is almost guaranteed to produce a gummy shark or two.