Geoff Wilson’s Fishing Knots And Rigs

Tony of the St Albans Angling Club with a 6.5 kg chinook salmon from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Kevin Wild with another Murray cod from Lake Mulwala (Picture: Amber Wild).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

On the water before daybreak on the weekend, Darcy Scott anchored up in around 8 metres of water near the Nine Foot Bank off Avalon, hoping for a snapper.

All was quiet until the tide began running off at around 6.20. That was when the alarm bells began to ring, first with a snapper of 3 kg, following by half a dozen legal size pinkies to a kilogram or so, all caught on squid.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that whiting have been the main species sought and that Craig and Jackson Issa’s catch off Curlewis also included a respectable number of good size flathead with pipis and squid the preferred baits.

Andrew Johnson and wife Jenny also fished for whiting over the weekend, their biggest problem was to escape the hordes of small, but mostly just-legal-size whiting, so moving from spot to spot became the order of the day.

However, late in the morning’s outgoing tide, they picked up a couple of much bigger fish in 4.5 metres of water off The Dell, so they stayed, eventually catching a dozen fish to 37 cm in all. That was until the bite stopped on low slack water just after midday.

Anticipating a renewed bite with the incoming tide from around 1.00 pm they stayed on, but – as well laid plans often fail in fishing – they were forced to retreat as an almost gale force southerly squalled up, the nearby southern shore providing insufficient shelter.

Andrew’s son Daniel, and companion Joel Trezise, were rigged and ready for a soft plastics fishing exercise as they had last week, only this time they tried off Leopold.

Hoping for some good size pinkies they persisted, but the underweights were so thick, and so vicious, they demolished the remainder of their soft plastics in short order.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire reports that last week’s strong easterly winds and heavy rain resulted in the water becoming heavily discoloured, something which virtually shut the squid fishery down.

Whiting and pinkie snapper, some of the latter up to a kilogram, have been on offer though said Rod, along with flathead being taken on the drift out in the deeper water.

Amber Wild with a sample of the weekend’s Murray cod catch at Lake Mulwala (Picture: Kevin Wild).

Offshore

With a break in the weather on Friday evening, Simon Werner, along with Terry Begg and his son Bryce, launched off Barwon Heads in pursuit of those tuna schooled up in 30-40 metres of water off Port Phillip Heads.

They caught three as it turned out, one apiece, with young Bryce catching the biggest at 20 kg. All were caught trolling 15 cm rubber occys.

Bob McPherson’s and Lachie Wombell’s mixed catch of fish off Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Portland

Down Portland way, Bob McPherson reports that tuna up to possibly 20 kg are schooled up within three kilometres of the boat harbour enabling access for many anglers, who – understandably – may be reluctant to travel long distances from the ramp.

Freshwater

Kevin and Amber Wild, both members of the Maryborough Angling Club, travelled to Lake Mulwala, via Yarrawonga in the pouring rain on Friday, where they experienced good fishing for cod of various sizes over the weekend.

They were a bit skittish about taking lures said Kevin, but baiting up with cheese and chicken certainly did the trick.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park sent me a photo of 6.5 kg chinook salmon taken by Tony of the St Albans Angling Club and another of Melbourne angler Kevin Brabazon with a 2.7 kg rainbow trout that was taken on a pilchard fillet.

Kevin Brabazon with his 3.7 kg chinook salmon (Picture: John Clements).

Ollie asks:

Geoff, I’d like to have a go at the tuna currently being caught off Port Phillip Heads, but I am wary of going out through The Rip: Any suggestions?

Drysdale angler Mick Harbour with a 3.8 kg rainbow trout that he caught from Lake Purrumbete on a live minnow (Picture: John Clements).

Zavier Anthony with the 6kilo snapper he caught off Clifton Springs (Picture: Ray Anthony).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Snapper are still about off Clifton Springs, and among those to catch them last week was Zavier Anthony. Zavier was fishing with his father Ray, mother Melissa and sister Zara when he caught a beauty of 6 kg on a portion from one of the squid they’d caught earlier.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that, although sometimes hard to find in any quantity, whiting remain the main attraction off The Springs, and among those to find them were Kalen Douglas and Colin Northwood who picked up a respectable catch off Curlewis.

Andrew Johnson, Dennis O’Brien and Pete Dawson also found the going tough on the whiting on Friday, only picking up 8. However, they did catch six flathead to 49 cm; a fairly reasonable catch given the strong southerly wind and rough conditions.

Andrew’s son Daniel, along with Joel Trezise, made a pre-dawn start off Limeburners ramp on Friday, and – rigged and ready for a soft plastics mission – headed over to the North Shore Rocks where they had no trouble catching pinkie snapper, and one bigger specimen of just over 2 kg.

Amber Wild with the 1.07 metre Murray cod that she caught from Lake Mulwala using cheese for bait (Picture: Kevin Wild).

Greg Streets with one of several Murray cod that he and Leonie Jones caught from Lake Nagambie (Picture: Leonie Jones).

Something of a surprise though, was the number of snook they caught, mostly of modest size, they did get a couple of big ones around the 80 cm mark.

With the bite easing off as the sun rose, they headed over to the Grammar School Lagoon, and – on the ebbing tide, again with soft plastics – caught several flathead, the biggest just shy of 50 cm.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that whiting, after promising catches being made last week, seemed to have gone quiet, but says that anglers fishing into the night have done much better than those fishing during the day.

Garfish have become more plentiful though with Ken Shae and his mate Con picking up over two dozen gars on what was a whiting trip between Dead Man’s Stick and the Prince George Pile. They also caught a similar number of whiting.

Phil Ardiri with the remainder of his tuna after “taxman” took his share (Picture: Kane Ardiri).

Sharing the spoils (Picture: Kane Ardiri).

Offshore

Fishing off Port Phillip Heads in 30-35 metres of water on Thursday, Kane Ardiri and his sons his sons Joey and Phil, were after the bluefin tuna currently on offer out here, and it wasn’t long before Kane hooked up on a nice fish of 25 kg.

Phil hooked another of around the same size, but the taxman – a large bronze whaler in this case – cometh, and after taking his share, the remainder weighed 14 kg.

They baited some of that remainder on the hook and trace of a game fishing outfit, but the bronzie, that could still be seen lurking nearby, was having none of it.

Simon Werner and his companion DJ, managed to boat a couple of tuna to 20 kg that came in unscathed. Not so Danny Skene though who hooked a barrel-size fish later in the week that was heavily taxed.

Heading down to Warrnambool on Friday evening, Kevin McLoughlin and Marcus Pearson were on a nocturnal mako-shark mission, and – undeterred by what appeared to be a building sea – they reached the edge of the continental shelf after a two-hour journey at around 11.00 pm and began a berley trail.

Initially all was quiet, but at 3.30 in the morning they caught a mako shark of 80 kg, not as big as they’d hoped for, but a satisfactory catch all the same.

Drysdale angler Mick Harbour with a 3.8 kg rainbow trout that he caught from Lake Purrumbete on a live minnow (Picture: John Clements).

Drysdale angler Mick Harbour with a 3.7 kg brown trout that he caught from Lake Purrumbete on a mudeye (Picture: John Clements).

Freshwater

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that club members have done well of late. They included wife Amber who caught a 1.07 metre Murray cod from Lake Mulwala using cheese for bait.

Leopold angler Terry Lindsay’s catch of redfin from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Jon Dukker fished Laanecoorie Reservoir for a mixed bag of yellowbelly and redfin, while Greg Streets and Leonie Jones caught and released 10 Murray Cod from Lake Nagambie at its junction with the Goulbourn River.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that both brown and rainbow trout are on offer, and that Drysdale angler Mick Harbour’s catch included a 3.8 kg rainbow trout, taken on a minnow, and a 3.7 kg brown trout taken on a mudeye.

Redfin have also been on offer with Terry Lindsay of Leopold taking his share on minnow and soft plastics.

Jamie Peel and son Jaydon with a sample of the kingfish currently on offer off Portland.

Marcus Pearson and Kevin McLoughlin with their 80 kg mako shark taken during the early hours of the morning off Warrnambool.

Portland

Bob McPherson reports that fishing has been good of late with tuna of varying sizes being taken offshore. However, an inshore kingfish fishery has really caught on with an abundance of fish to a metre or so in length being taken with a variety of methods.

Jamie McKenna with the tuna he speared offshore from Port Phillip Heads (Picture: Andrew McKenna).

Offshore

With a break in the weather, Andrew McKenna, his 15 year old son Jamie, and Jamie’s friends Jesse Thomas and Ryder Benson were on a mission to find those tuna off Port Phillip Heads, and for Jamie to claim one spear-fishing.

Locating a school of tuna in 30 metres, the float was deployed and Jamie hit the water, soon closing in on a prime target. But unfortunately – although hit – the fish escaped: However, an unforseen a problem arose as they regrouped on board for another attempt.

A great white shark of well over 3 metres in length appeared, almost certainly attracted by the wounded tuna, and begun circling their boat. Luckily, a friend’s call on the radio alerted them to yet another school of tuna a kilometre or so distant.

Undeterred, Jamie was back over the side, and – at a depth of possibly 10 metres – found another target, and this time the spear held fast; Andrew admitting some relief when young Jamie, and a bluefin tuna of possibly 20 kg were both safely aboard.

Fishing for tuna off Port Phillip Heads on Wednesday afternoon were Simon Werner and Danny Skene, and – trolling 15 cm white rubber occys in calm conditions – struck a good pod in 40 metres of water, taking three; two around the 10 kg mark; the other weighing 20 kg.

Chris Stamalos with the snapper he caught off Clifton Springs on Saturday night.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Fishing fairly close in off Clifton Springs on Saturday night, and using a whole Australian salmon for bait, Chris Stamalos was definitely hoping for something out of the ordinary, and at 10.30, hooked what turned out to be a 7 kg snapper.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports seeing a variety of fish caught last week despite the inclement weather. They included a 9 kg gummy shark being cleaned by Sean Mennen who’d caught it on a pike fillet off St Leonards, and there were also quite a few good size whiting taken off Curlewis.

Lachie Wombell and Bob McPherson’s mixed bag of fish from Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire reports that fishing has been good with whiting, flathead, and even garfish on offer. And the squid, which had gone quiet the week previous, were back on the go as well.

And speaking of squid, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck headed out from Queenscliff over one of their favourite squid spots off Swan Bay, and – as expected – they were soon in business with squid, some over the kilogram mark.

They’d planned a trip on the whiting as well, but after tidying up after their squid catch, the wind squalled up from the south east, so – like just about everybody else – they headed back to the ramp.

With much better conditions on Thursday afternoon, Darcy Scott and Trent Budinski tried their luck, first in the Lonsdale Bight where they caught five squid. That was before heading out off Swan Island, where – on the last of the outgoing tide – they caught their respective bag limit catches of whiting.

Off the Beach

Taking advantage of last week’s exceptionally low evening tides, Tony Ingram and Col Simmons were back at RAAF’s beach once more where catching legal size pinkie snapper – and a couple of large specimens approaching 50 cm – wasn’t a problem despite the cold, gusty conditions and showers of rain.

Greg Street of the Maryborough Angling Club with one of the Murray Cod he caught from Taylors Lake at Horsham.

Freshwater

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that both brown and rainbow trout are on offer, and among the successful anglers was Geelong angler Mick Harbour whose catch included a brown trout of 3.7 kg on a mudeye fished beneath a float. Mick also caught his share of redfin as well using live minnow for bait.

Good size rainbow trout are also on offer with a number of anglers, including Mick Malone and Joshua Leach, both of Geelong, each taking fish to 2.5 kg.

Purrumbete is also producing good numbers of chinook salmon with Geelong angler James Gill taking several, the biggest weighing 1.8 kg.

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that club members have done well, whether farther afield where Greg Streets took two Murray cod of 55 and 58 cm from Taylors Lake near Horsham, and closer to home where club member Wally, caught a 62 cm yellowbelly from the bank at Cairn Curran Reservoir.

Callum Olsen with one of his Gunbower cod.

and Tim Johnson with another.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Making an early start off the Mountain View Quarries on Friday morning, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck were hopeful of catching a snapper or two, which – from all reports – have been a bit scarce lately.

They had to wait until almost daybreak for the first decent bite that turned out to be a 6.5 kg gummy shark. That was followed by three snapper, the biggest weighing 4 kg, the others around a kilogram apiece along with a couple of good size flathead.

Making an early start off Limeburners boat ramp on Saturday morning, Chris Stamalos and Calvin McLean were soon anchored up in 4.2 metres, some 700 metres ENE off the ramp; an historically good spot to fish for snapper at this time of year.

And again it paid off, for they each took their respective bag limit catches of snapper to 1.7 kg and several whiting to 36 cm; all being taken on squid Chris had caught off St Leonards the previous day.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire, reports that among those to catch whiting over the weekend were Matthew Hedgecock and Darren Murdoch with a dozen, along with several pinkies, just south of the mussel farm using beach worms for bait.

Also successful on the whiting were Rodger Bush and Ollie Klautmann from Ballarat: They took 25 keepers off the red shed at Curlewis using pipis and squid for bait, while Paul Rahman an Selin Inan caught 30 after making several moves,

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that while squid have been slow, whiting are still on offer and there are some really good size ones among them.

Louie Polgar with the 23 kg tuna he caught off Collendina on Sunday.

Geelong angler Joshua Leach with a 2.5 kg rainbow trout that he caught from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Offshore

Making a 5.00 am start off Barwon Heads in their 4.3 metre aluminium boat on Sunday, Louie Polgar and Luke Jackson were after tuna. And, along with quite a few others, made their way down toward Point Lonsdale, where – although regularly sighted – these fish have been largely disdainful of angler’s lures.

But in this case, their persistence paid off, and at 8.00 am, in 30 metres of water, they got a solid hook-up and returned triumphant with a 23 kg bluefin tuna.

Launching from Barwon Heads on Saturday morning, Keith Fry, Gary Mayr and Noel Porter anchored up in 30 metres of water straight out from the Barwon Heads Bluff where Noel caught two gummy shark, one of 8 kg and another of 3 kg that was released.

Apart from the gummies, their mixed bag included silver trevally, barber perch, mackerel scad and Sergeant Baker, but then Keith hooked something huge in the early afternoon.

This was at the approach of the water police, who – to their credit – hove to until Keith was eventually able to remove his hook from a huge skate before releasing it.

Selin Inan with a 3 kg rainbow trout she caught from Lake Purrumbete.

Faye Hinks with the 1.12 metre Murray Cod she caught from Lake Mulwala using chicken for bait.

Freshwater

Paul Rahman and Selin Inan fished Lake Purrumbete last week, using cut pilchards for bait and berley down deep, taking chinook salmon to a kilogram or so.

They also had mudeyes out, both under floats and down deep hoping to pick up a brown or rainbow trout. But it was a piece of pilchard fished at 19 metres that lured a 3 kg rainbow for Selin.

Others to catch good size rainbows from the lake recently have included Geelong angler Joshua Leach who caught one of 2.5 kg trolling a deep-running lure, while James Gill – also from Geelong – caught others of that size trolling mudeyes behind a Ford Fender fish attractor.

Fishing Gunbower Creek up toward Torrumbarry Weir last week were Tim Johnson and Callum Olsen.

Using cheese they’d brought with them for bait, supplemented with the Murray River shrimp they were able to trap, they caught and released 13 Murray cod to 78 cm, along with two trout cod over a three day period.

Particularly interesting though was the staggering number of juvenile European carp they caught in their shrimp traps.

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that members have done well recently with Faye Hinks catching a 1.12 metre Murray Cod from Lake Mulwala while John Gray and Brian Rivett have both taken yellowbelly to 40 cm or so from Cairn Curran Reservoir using small yabbies for bait.

Lachie Wombell at Portland with the silver whiting catch, and the Australia salmon that also came to the party (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Portland

Down Portland way, Bob McPherson and Lachie Wombell have been catching some good size whiting, but on Sunday, the smaller silver whiting were all that was on offer; that was until a shoal of Australian salmon swooped on their baits, and – with the biggest around the 3 kg mark – they got all the light tackle fishing they could have hoped for.

Jamie Malone with the thresher shark he caught off Port Fairy (Picture: Richardson Marine).

Chris Soleman with the 154 kg bluefin tuna he caught offshore from Port Fairy (Picture: Richardson Marine).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

An early start last Monday, to the east of the Nine Foot Bank off Avalon, paid off for Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck, who – after mooching around for a while with the sounder going – got a promising signal.

That was shortly after 4.00 am, and it wasn’t long before they’d caught the first of several snapper to 5.2 kg and others below the 40 cm mark. That was before the banjo sharks and eagle rays moved in on their baits persuading them to leave at around 7.30 am.

After Christmas celebrations, and with good weather on Saturday, Andrew – along with Mark and Tina Sesar – headed out to the same area from around 7.00 pm, again from Clifton Springs where there were plenty of other folk with the same idea.

While the fishing was a bit slower than it was earlier in the week, they still caught six snapper, the biggest weighing 3.7 kg, and Tina pulled the hook on a much bigger fish before they returned to the ramp in calm moonlit conditions at around 11.00 pm.

Chris Stamalos with a sample of his and his brother Daniel’s catch off Point Richards.

Murray and Linda Stewart have also caught snapper from Corio Bay lately, and using a good quality sounder, as they do, have had little trouble finding them.

However, finding fish on the sounder can be frustrating when they won’t bite, something that Murray showed me with photographs he took of his sounder screen that was lit up with what were obviously good size snapper, which – on that occasion – wouldn’t bite.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that, in addition to snapper, gummy shark have been on offer with Chris and Daniel Stamalos picking up one of 4.5 kg off Point Richards, along with a 3.2 kg snapper and a couple of flathead just on a kilogram. Joel & Ray Helou also caught a couple of gummies last week.

Whiting are still being caught said Mike, with Dennis O’Brien eventually picking up a bag limit catch of nice fish in 6.7 metres of water off Hermsley Road, Curlewis after making several moves to avoid the smaller fish which are plentiful at present.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head also reports that whiting are present in good numbers, along with squid, but of course you may need to find them first.

And gummy shark are about here as well, said Rod, with client Anthony picking up a couple around 5 kg while drifting for flathead in the deeper water.

Linda Stewart with a sample of the snapper that she and husband Murray have taken from Corio Bay lately (Picture: Murray Stewart).

Murray Stewart sent me this picture of his sounder screen; snapper a plenty, but showing no interest in any bait offered.

Off the Beach

Fishing the late afternoon high tides from Bancoora Beach early last week, Tony Ingram and Col Simmons were in business with Australian salmon to 800 grams or so, both on bait, and during a lure casting session with 60 gram Gillies Pilchards.

With the tide running off on evening, they sacrificed a couple of salmon fillets for bait in the hope of catching a good size pinkie snapper or two, as they had the previous week at RAAFs, but a modest gummy shark, and some unwanted species that were released, was their only return.

Portland and Port Fairy

Taking advantage of any break in the weather, Bob McPherson and Lachie Wombell have been fishing Cape Nelson where their catches have included some really good size King George whiting. Interesting though was the number of silver whiting that they also caught.

Fishing offshore from nearby Port Fairy, Chris Soleman and a companion were seeking tuna, and with mainly small fish around at this time of year, were surprised by an XOS specimen that eventually greeted the scales for a verdict of 154 kg.

While trying out his new, Suzuki-powered Anglapro dedicated fishing craft, also off Port Fairy, Jamie Malone also got more than he bargained with a good size thresher shark. We don’t know what it weighed, but – hooked in the tail – it reportedly put up a great fight.

Lachie Wombell with a sample of the King George whiting that he and Bob McPherson have been catching from Cape Nelson (Picture: Bob McPherson).

A sample of the silver whiting taken by Bob McPherson and Lachie Wombell at Cape Nelson last week (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Freshwater

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that some respectable chinook salmon have been taken from the lake including one fish of 4.3 kg weighed in by Travis from Camperdown.

John reports that redfin are being taken from the lake in good numbers with the bigger fish approaching a kilogram. Among those to catch these were Frank Frok of Carlton and Mick and Sammy Giles of Bannockburn.

In the pink: Martinus De Lange with a sample of the pinkies he caught from the St Leonards pier last week.

Murray Stewart with a good size snapper caught on an ABU 8500, the reel on which he’d caught his very first snapper 50 years previous (Picture: Linda Stewart).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Last week’s strong onshore winds and their discolouration of the water, created ideal conditions for land-based anglers seeking snapper from St Leonard’s pier and each of Portarlington’s breakwaters.

Among those to take advantage was Martinus De Lange who caught several good size pinkies, and a couple of larger fish, from the St Leonards pier last week, all during the early hours of each morning he fished.

Making an early start in Corio Bay’s outer harbour, Murray and Linda Stewart missed a couple of snapper around 5.30 am, but all was quiet after that. But after making another move, they picked up a promising signal just north of the Wilson Spit channel, cast out their lines and had four fish on at once.

Needless to say they each took bag limit catches, the biggest around 6 kg, including one that Linda caught on a whiting rod and 3 kg line while, at one point, attempting to catch some silver whiting as fresh bait.

And, silver whiting are good bait as Andrew Westlake could attest after using one to tempt a snapper of 8 kg from 13 metres of water off Werribee South early last week.

Around 6.30 on Thursday evening, Andrew Phillips, Darren Baldock and Mark Sesar anchored over a promising sounding just east of the Nine Foot Bank pile and caught their first snapper within 15 minutes.

From then on until 9.30 they took bag limit catches of fish to 4 kg and were well on their way to doing the same on fish below 40 cm, but – with the wind beginning to squall up from the west – they returned to the ramp.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that Cam Knuckey’s 3.00 am start off the Mountain View Quarries on Sunday produced 3 snapper to 4 kg, while Charlie Sciberras’ day shift catch in 6 metres off Curlewis included pinkies, flathead and cod.

And gummy shark are also about as Chris Stamalos could affirm after he and Kelvin McLean caught two of 4.5 to 5 kg among a mixed bag of fish, just west of the Wilson Spit.

Having just returned from Nelson, where he and Grandad Mick fished the Glenelg for bream, taking bag limit catches on live crab, Paul Rahman was a bit spoiled. Never the less he, Goran Nedic and Selin Inan were soon out fishing again, this time for whiting off Clifton Springs, taking 50 fish over 30 cm.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that fishing has been good with the only stumbling block being the number of easterly winds we’ve had lately.

The good news is that squid are back in good numbers, said Rod, along with whiting, which have been of good size but sometimes a little hard to find.

Linda Stewart with the snapper she caught on her whiting rod and 6 lb line (Picture: Murray Stewart).

Andrew Westlake with an 83 cm (just on 8 kg), snapper from Werribee South.

Off the beach

Fishing one of last week’s exceptionally low evening tides from RAAF’s Beach at Ocean Grove, Tony Ingram and Col Simmons didn’t have far to cast into productive water, catching several pinkie snapper to possibly 45 cm.

However, they were both bitten off a time or two by something with much sharper dentition than the pinkies that were on offer.

As the incoming tide began covering the beach, Col hooked what he thought was a good size gummy shark, given the time it took him to bring it in. But this critter had teeth and was almost certainly a juvenile bronze whaler. And, given that there was no sign of their missing hooks in its mouth, it probably wasn’t alone.

Offshore

Fishing for tuna off Port Phillip Heads last week, Simon Werner picked up one of 15 kg on a small occy skirt, but since then he said, the tuna – which are often visible at the surface in around 30 metres of water – have been hard to tempt.

Lachie Wombell with a sample of the blue eye trevalla on offer from the wide grounds off Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Paul Rahman with a sample of the bream he caught from the Glenelg River.

Portland

With a break in the weather on Saturday, Bob McPherson and Lachie Wombell headed out to the wide grounds off Portland to do a little bottom bouncing, and – with conditions just about perfect – they had no trouble catching their bag limits of blue eye trevalla.

Keryn Millard and her father Dean were fishing nearby, and they too had a similar result on blue eye, judging by the photos Bob sent in.

Passing traffic! (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Freshwater

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that fellow club members Ken and Faye Hinks fished for 3 days at Lake Mulwala; a productive trip as it turned out for – while using chicken for bait – they caught eight cod, the largest three measuring 58, 61 and 74 cm.

Linda Stewart with a sample of the snapper she and husband Murray caught near Point Henry on Saturday (Picture: Murray Stewart).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Murray Stewart and wife Linda did well on the snapper last week, and over the weekend.

They were easy enough to find on Friday, with plenty showing up along the edge of the old access channel to Alcoa at Point Henry, but they showed no interest. However, another pod of fish they located some 250 metres from the channel produced fish to 4 kg.

A return trip on Saturday’s low tide change produced a much better class of fish, but Linda lost what would have been the biggest fish of the day, a beauty of easily 8 kg when the hook pulled beside the boat.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that discoloured water from recent rough weather made lean pickings on the squid. However, whiting remain good, he said, having cleaned more whiting than flathead for clients lately, something of a first.

Keeping a late night vigil on the St Leonards Pier on Sunday night, as he has in recent months with some success, was Martinus De Lange who caught his first snapper shortly after midnight.

He caught five from then until 2.00 am or so; three around the 4 kg mark, the other two a good deal smaller, but well over legal size as were the fish that others caught from the pier that night.

Fishing Queenscliff’s Lonsdale Bight on Sunday afternoon was Steve O’Keefe who found the water somewhat cleaner than further north on the Peninsula. The squid were more co-operative as well with he and his companion catching their 20 without too much difficulty.

Barwon estuary

Chris and Daniel Stamalos had intended to make an early start on Corio Bay on Sunday morning, hopeful of catching a snapper or two, but with hot and breezy conditions forecast, they fished the incoming tide on the Barwon estuary from around 7.00 am.

A good move as it turned out for they were soon into some really good size silver trevally, but what was a real surprise were several large leatherjackets around the kilogram mark that they caught as well.

They also caught any number of Australian salmon, large mullet, and – although there were some small ones amongst them – a number of King George whiting to 35 cm.

Freshwater

Steve O’Keefe, who has been doing well on squid and whiting in Corio Bay and Queenscliff of late, headed off to Lake Elingamite near Cobden on Saturday afternoon. And, while this water can be an unknown quantity in respect to launching conditions, all was fine on this occasion.

The fishing was a bit low to begin with though, with his mudeyes only tempting redfin to 500 grams or so, but his luck changed toward evening with a 2 kg rainbow trout.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that redfin are still on the go, and that he, John Longtack of Port Fairy, and Jeremy Richardson of Colac fished together on Sunday morning for 82 reddies using minnow for bait.

Trophy size brown trout are still on offer, said John, with Trevor Phillips of Bendigo picking up one of 3.6 kg on the fly.

Trevor also visited nearby Lake Bullen Merri where he caught several chinook salmon to a kilogram or so, berleying with, and baiting up with cut pilchards.

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club and wife Amber visited Lake Mulwala over the weekend, where – fishing in hot and windy conditions – all they could manage were a few small cod.

However, club member, Rohan Schroeder caught several cod to 60 cm casting spinnerbaits over the shallow weedy areas.

Kevin also mentioned that club member Kevin Parker continued to do well on Cairn Curran Reservoir for yellowbelly over the weekend. As usual, he used yabbies for bait amongst the timber, taking his bag limit of five fish to 43 cm or so on both visits.

Steven asks:

Geoff, I keep hearing about Paternoster Rigs: What are they?

Steven, Pater Noster means Our Father in Latin, initially intended I guess, to invite some divine intervention.

Paternoster rigs are very basic, featuring a sinker at the end of the line with one or more hook lengths or droppers attached above the sinker.

Dean Hall with a good snapper sample off Leopold.

Andrew Johnson with a sample of the snapper he caught off Point Richards (Picture: Pete Dawson).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

An early start off Point Richards on Wednesday paid off for Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien, their first snapper coming aboard around 5.10 am.

That was just north of the Point Richards channel where they caught five big fish including one of 7 kg and a couple around the 5 kg mark, all before sunrise,

They stayed until 8.00 am or so, but with no more action from the snapper, they moved in shallower and began drifting for squid, successfully as it turned out for they finished up with fourteen; some for the table and some for bait.

Andrew’s return trip on the snapper, this time with Daniel and Joel Trezise, yielded a similar result, with – on this occasion – one fish being taken on a soft plastic.

A sample of Andrew Curry’s redfin, caught on the fly.

Fishing Corio Bay’s outer harbour on Wednesday evening Paul Rahman and Darien Roach didn’t have long to wait for their first snapper either.

They each caught their respective bag limits of fish over 40 cm – the biggest around the 5.5 kg mark – and a good many smaller fish as well.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that while snapper are the main attraction, whiting are also about with Dennis O’Brien picking up a bag limit catch in 4.8 metres off Portarlington.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire also mentions that clients are catching whiting, and there are some in the 40 cm range, making for great fishing.

Murray and Darcy Scott have done well on the squid at Queenscliff, especially in the Lonsdale Bight, and a 5.00 pm start last week, along with Trent Budinski, yielded the trios bag limit catches by 6.30.

So, with daylight on their side, they headed north to the Swan Island grass beds, and – with the tide now running off – they caught a total of sixty whiting that greeted the scales for a verdict of 20 kg.

But that wasn’t the end of their fishing adventures, for on Wednesday afternoon, Darcy took another run out to the Lonsdale Bight with Trent Budinski, Allie Gebert and her friend Sarah Ashton who put another 40 of the succulent cephalopods in the cooler.

And, the story you might have heard that Trent Budinski caught a snapper on a squid jig is true, it weighed 4.5 kg and engulfed a prawn-style squid jig on a paternoster rig in front of Queenscliff’s Cottage by the Sea.

Darien Roach and Paul Rahman with a sample of their snapper catch.

Dennis O’Brien with a sample of the snapper he caught off Point Richards (Picture: Pete Dawson).

Barwon estuary

Simon Werner and Jake Callahan fished the outgoing tide in the Barwon estuary on Saturday to find all manner of fish plentiful including salmon, one of which Simon put out live for a mulloway. It was in fact taken by another salmon that weighed 2 kg.

They also caught a 47 cm flathead and numerous King George whiting.

Also fishing the Barwon estuary on Saturday were Chris and Daniel Stamalos who added silver trevally to their mixed bag of fish, similar to those caught by Simon and Jake.

Mick Burns of Swan Hill with a 3.3 kg brown trout from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Trent Budinski with the snapper that scoffed his squid jig (Picture: Darcy Scott).

Freshwater

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that yellowbelly to 43 cm are still being caught on worms and yabbies among the timbered areas of Cairn Curran Reservoir; Don Rayner and Brian Rivett of Ballarat have done well on these.

However, I have been aware of yellowbelly in excess of 60 cm coming from this water, some detail of which Kevin was able to fill me in on.

Turns out that that these, while less plentiful than the smaller fish, have been taken on lures trolled along what is known as the Main Bank, and in the vicinity of the Cairn Curran Yacht Club.

Among those to catch them was Kurt Watts, who’s best yellowbelly to date measured 63 cm and was taken on a lure known as a “Feral Cat,” purple in colour.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that, while some good fish were taken over the weekend, the fishing had been slower than usual with the near full moon.

Those to do well, included Swan Hill angler Mick Burns whose catch included a 3.3 kg brown trout taken on a mudeye, and fly-fisher Andrew Curry of East Bentleigh who took a good catch of redfin to just on 40 cm, fly fishing from his inflatable.

Lachie Wombell and George Geriege with a good sample of blue eye trevalla taken off Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Lachie Wombell with a good sample of blue eye trevalla taken off Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Portland

With a break in the weather on Saturday, Lachie Wombell, George Geriege and Bob McPherson headed out to the edge of the Continental shelf, where – in just on 500 metres of water – they fished on the drift for blue-eye trevalla.

Successfully as it turned out, for they took near bag-limit catches of fish to 8 kg or so before heading back in.

Sammy Whitworth with a pair of respectable Corio Bay Reds.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Snapper are about, and – as usual – it’s the early birds getting the proverbial worms.

Paul Rahman and Goran Nedic were at anchor off Clifton Springs by 4.00 am on Wednesday, and – using the heads of King George whiting for bait – they’d each taken their respective bag limits of snapper by daybreak, all were around the 3 kg mark.

Also making an early start in 8.5 metres of water off Point Richards, just south of the channel, were Andrew Phillips and Mark Sesar. The bite was hot and they each took their respective bag limit catches of fish, both under and above 40 cm.

Snapper have also been caught within the Corio Bay inner harbour, and while not in the numbers encountered in the outer. They have been larger with Jason Treloar and Harley Griffiths picking up the occasional fish to 7 kg off North Shore.

And, among those to have sent me photos, and videos, of their snapper catches from Corio Bay last week was Sammy Whitworth. While not passing on much information, he’d obviously caught some great fish.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that whiting and squid are the main species sought, both by clients and independent anglers.

Among them on Friday afternoon were Jeff Richards and Chris Hateley whose first order of business was catching squid, which they did in spades before heading out to Dead Man’s Stick on the Prince George Bank in time to catch the flood tide.

They picked up several good size whiting to 40 cm and better before the bite slowed down and they decided to move, and with the breeze picking up, that was closer into shore where they raised their tally to 24 before it just became too rough to continue.

Shane and Jean McCallum with their sons Jack and Logan with yellowbelly on Cairn Curran Reservoir (Picture: Amber Wild).

Terry Lindsay with his 48 cm redfin (Picture: John Clements).

Freshwater

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that Cairn Curran Reservoir is still fishing well, producing yellowbelly and redfin, and that wife Amber also caught, and released, a 61 cm Murray Cod here last week.

Kevin also reports the Loddon River continues to produce good size yellowbelly with club member Craig Raulston picking up several good specimens at Bridgewater using worms for bait.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that redfin have been present in good numbers and there are some good ones among them as Terry Lindsay could attest having caught a beauty of 48 cm. John caught another of 45 cm, while Colin Gathercole of Werribee scooped the pool on redfin to 35 cm on soft plastics.

A good sample of redfin from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Off the beach

With extra low evening tides last week, Tony Ingram and Col Simmons fished RAAFs Beach at Ocean Grove where a good deal of the beach was exposed, giving access to the deeper water beyond.

Initially there wasn’t much doing, but they caught a couple of pinkie snapper on sun-down. Following that, they had some problems with, what were possibly sea lice, taking their baits, but they persisted, and – just as the incoming tide began covering the beach – they caught a couple of slightly larger snapper, one nudging 50 cm.

Lachie Wombell busy at the Portland cleaning tables with his, and Bob McPherson’s catch of gemfish and blue-eye trevalla (Picture Bob McPherson).

Lachie Wombell with a gemfish taken offshore from Portland (Picture Bob McPherson).

Cohen asks:

Geoff, I have read both your references to trevalla and trevally over the years. Are they the same species, or are they different?

The third in the group, and the largest, is the blue eye trevalla, which may reach lengths of 1.4 metres and possibly 50 kg, but are usually much smaller. This is a deep water species, most abundant along the edges of continental shelves and is a valued catch by anglers bottom-fishing off Portland and other areas with access to deep water.

Andrew Johnson with a 7 kg snapper from Clifton Springs.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

An early start on Wednesday morning saw Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck at anchor by 4.00 am at a previously productive spot just south of the Point Richards Channel where they didn’t have to wait long for the first of their rods to bury.

By 6.00 am they’d caught three snapper to 4.5 kg, but after that, save for a couple of eagle rays and banjo sharks that took a liking to their squid baits, there wasn’t much doing. So, with the nor-easter freshening, they called it quits.

Fishing in somewhat lumpy conditions, just north of the No 9 Point Richards Channel marker early on Friday morning, where he’s done very well on the snapper of late, Tim Johnson wasn’t even getting a bite.

So he up-anchored, and – with the sounder running – he moved east toward the nearby spoil ground, picking up some good marks north of marker 7A.

They were snapper alright, any amount of them, and ranging in size from 2 kg upward. He kept one of about 4 kg, releasing the others, eventually putting the bait rods away for a catch and release exercise using soft plastics.

Breaking out the Kayak on Sunday morning, Simon Werner also fished with soft plastics, but in the shallows off Beacon Point.

With a falling tide, conditions were less than ideal, but he persisted, and eventually caught two flathead, each around 50 cm in length.

Tim Johnson with a sample of his snapper catch off Point Richards.

Whiting fishing has still been good with Dennis O’Brien and Pete Dawson finding a productive patch off Curlewis on Friday. And, in somewhat breezy conditions, they finished with 26 fish from 34 to 40 cm by mid afternoon.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that while squid have been present in reasonable numbers, whiting have definitely been the main attraction with clients bringing in good catches of fish to 40 cm.

And of course, a good many others found them as well. Among them were Col Simmons and Jason Treloar who first caught several squid fairly close in toward Steeles Rocks. And with the high tide beginning to run off toward evening, they anchored up off the Indented Head Yacht Club for the whiting.

Although they took near bag limit catches by sun-down, conditions were marginal with a somewhat unfriendly nor-easter squalling up at times, giving them a bumpy ride.

John Longtack with the 2.95 kg brown trout he caught from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Moses Cocubia with his 55 cm redfin from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Freshwater

Kevin and Amber Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club spent the weekend fishing around Corio Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula, and while they broke no records, they did catch a few fish, and got the mail from fellow club members closer to home.

Among them was Steven Eels who fished amongst the timber at Cairn Curran Reservoir with small yabbies for bait. He had no trouble catching yellowbelly to 40 cm and had his bag limit by 11.00 am.

Darren Watts fished the Loddon River under the Laanecoorie Road Bridge where he caught two respectable yellowbelly, and – as something of a surprise – several nice redfin as well that took a liking to the worms he was using for bait.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that large brown trout remain on offer for those skilled at catching them. Among them was John Longtack of Port Fairy, who – while fishing with mudeyes under a float along the weed beds – picked up a good one of 2.95 kg.

And, as usual, redfin have been on the go said John, but Ballarat angler Moses Cocubia’s catch included one measuring 55 cm: Now, you don’t see too many that size.

Keryn Millard with one of the blue eye trevalla she caught out wide from Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Colin asks

Geoff, I don’t have a boat or a car, just a pushbike. Is there anywhere I might catch a big snapper land-based in Corio Bay at this time of year?

But, after an onshore blow, virtually any structure or rock platform is worth trying, even in daylight, including the rock walls at either St Helens or Limeburners Point.