Geoff Wilson’s Fishing Knots And Rigs

Greg Staynes with the bluefin tuna that he caught offshore from Point Lonsdale at Port Phillip Heads on Thursday.

Aaron Habgood with his big gummy shark off Port Phillip Heads (Picture: Aaron Habgood).

An early start paid off for Jarrod Quin of Ocean Grove Charters, and his client Greg Staynes on Thursday morning when they encountered a shoal of bluefin tuna off Port Phillip Heads from Point Lonsdale at around 6.30 am on the incoming tide.

Manoeuvring into position, they soon had a double hook-up on the Pakula micro uzi lures they were trolling; dropping one while Greg remained tight on his, which eventually greeted the scales at Queenscliff for a verdict of 10.2 kg.

Lockie Wombell with yet another good size whiting off Blacknose Point at Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Lockie Wombell with a good size blue eye trevalla taken offshore from Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Portland

Down Portland way, Bob McPherson reports that anglers are spoiled for choice with tuna to 20 kg or so within 15 km east of the harbour, and with kingfish on offer as well.

Lockie Wombell with a good size gemfish taken offshore from Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

One of Lockie’s gemfish after being “chonked” on the way up (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Bob invents new word

Meanwhile Bob, and his pal Lockie Wombell, have been hard to tempt away from the whiting in the lee of Cape Grant and off Blacknose Point. However, with some good weather last week, they headed out wide into 480 metres of water where they caught both blue-eye trevalla and gemfish, one of the latter, Bob describes as being “chonked” on the way up. Well, there’s a bit of “chonking” going on lately with so many sharks about.

Aaron Habgood with his whiskered shark (Picture: Aaron Habgood).

Cameron Habgood with his thresher shark prior to release (Picture: Aaron Habgood).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that the fishing has slowed down as it usually does at this time of year, but there are still a few pinkie snapper about, particularly around the channel junction off Curlewis, along with a few whiting in much the same area.

Peter Clark found a shoal of whiting out here in six metres of water, while most of the other whiting seekers fed the toadfish that were soon onto their baits. Likewise, with the snapper scarce, rays have been taking those larger baits intended for snapper.

Historically the best place to find good size snapper in January is out on the deep mud off Portarlington, Indented Head and St Leonards where Jason Treloar and Tony Ingram picked up three fish, the biggest just on 6 kg on Friday morning’s high tide change.

Using the freshly caught mackerel they’d manage to berley up after putting down the anchor in just on 20 metres of water off St Leonards, they had their first fish by 8.30 or so, the other two following within the next half hour. But after losing their next couple of fish – almost certainly “chonked” by a shark – they called it quits.

Whiting fishermen are still doing well off the Swan Island Grass beds in 6 metres of water at Queenscliff, Here, Aaron Habgood and his crew continue to prevail, as was clearly evidenced by some of the photos he sent in.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire reports that flathead have been the main catch with fewer whiting and squid greeting the cleaning table up until now, but gummy shark have been plentiful with Jake Callahan and his son Beau among those to find them off Indented Head as did Steve and Joey Carr.

And, speaking of gummies, Daniel Stranger of Gone Fishing Charter struck pay dirt in 15 metres of water off Queenscliff for his client Casey Bandy who caught one that would have been at least 20 kg; he also dropped another of possibly the same size.

Aaron Habgood and his brother Cameron fished offshore from Port Phillip Heads where they too encountered large gummy sharks; Aaron also caught a much less common whiskery shark of 15 kg, which is similar to a gummy except for some markings on the body – and significantly – a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. Cameron also caught a small thresher shark that was also released.

Unknown lady angler with a 2 kg chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri week.

Basil Wentworth with a 1.3 kg redfin from Lake Purrumbete (Picture John Clements).

Freshwater

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Caravan Park reports taking a 1.5 kg redfin amongst his catch on Thursday evening. Others to catch them include Basil Wentworth and Stan Rae who also racked up a good tally on live minnow.

However, it was the Bannockburn crew of Ryan Perkins and Sammy Giles, both 10, Harry Stanford 6 and Lachlan Grove, who really cleaned up from the jetty. Although most of their fish were a bit on the small side, they did include a couple of nice ones around the kilogram mark.

John Clements 1.5 kg redfin from Lake Purrumbete on Thursday evening (Picture John Clements).

Lachlan Grove with his Monday morning’s redfin from Lake Purrumbete (Picture John Clements). .

Rudi asks:

Geoff, my son and I were trolling our new Rapala X Raps offshore from Thirteenth Beach with no real expectation of hooking anything, but we had an almighty strike that nearly emptied the reel before the hooks pulled free: What could it have been?

Another possibility I suppose, is that it could have been a tuna; there have been a few of those about as well, but I’d bet on it being a thresher shark.

David Lees with the bream he caught from the Barwon estuary upstream from Lake Connewarre (Picture Sean Dennis).

Kevin McLoughlin with another small mako shark taken off Black Rock and then released (Picture Kevin McLoughlin).

Barwon River

After going to the trouble of collecting some crabs for bait, David Lees and Sean Dennis took their small boat upstream from Lake Connewarre toward the second break on the Barwon estuary. Here, David’s catch included a bream of 1.14 kg; a good fish certainly, but perhaps not as big as one that Sean hooked, but which unfortunately, escaped.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

With fresh squid for bait, snapper aficionados Andrew Phillips and George Uranus were anchored in 8 metres of water just west of the Wilson Spit by 4.00 pm last Tuesday, and their first fish, a snapper of 4.9 kg, was in the landing net within half an hour.

With a second snapper of 4.2 kg coming aboard at 6.30, and the north westerly wind following the outgoing tide, they looked set for a comfortable evening’s fishing. But then, the wind swung to the east, strengthening as it did so, so they came back in.

Fishing for snapper at the weekend, this time on the east side of the Wilson Spit, were Simon Werner, son Jayden, Jemma Thorpe and neighbour Alan. They also caught several snapper, the biggest being taken by Jemma at 4.5 kg.

Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien found the whiting slower than usual off The Springs over the weekend, catching only a dozen good size fish between them; but that would have kept most of the punters happy.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire also reports that the exceptional fishing we’ve experienced until now, dropped off over the weekend but holiday makers and locals are still catching enough flathead, whiting and squid to ensure their return.

Mike also mentions that the additional vehicle and trailer parking space at the ramp is now completed.

Rod Ludlow at Beach Lea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that no place was safe on New Year’s Eve; with many illegal fireworks landing too close for comfort at Indented Head. Apart from that though, said Rod, the whiting still about.

Among those to catch them were Ken Shae and George Hill who were dead ringers for bag limit catches on Friday morning in 4 metres of water off Indented Head, but the worsening weather had them heading back to the ramp with just fifteen good ones.

Marcus Pearson with one of the sharks, a small mako taken in 50 metres of water off the Black Rock outfall (Picture Kevin McLoughlin).

Brian Nolan and Marcus Pearson with another of the sharks – a bronze whaler this time – that they caught in 50 metres of water off the Black Rock outfall (Picture Kevin McLoughlin).

Offshore

Fishing offshore from the Black Rock outfall in 50 metres of water over the weekend were Kevin McLoughlin, Marcus Pearson and Brian Nolan. With baits of squid suspended under balloons they caught two small mako sharks, one of which they released.

Then Marcus hooked an obviously bigger fish from the bottom on a line rigged for a gummy shark. It eventually turned out to be a good size bronze whaler that kicked up a treat before they managed to subdue it.

Freshwater

John Clements reports that Lake Bullen Merri is still producing chinook salmon for anglers, while either bait fishing or trolling lures. John also mentions that regular angler Andrew Kompa, caught several while deep trolling pilchard fillets behind a downrigger.

At Lake Purrumbete, redfin have been on the bite said John, with Norm Armstrong catching 30 to a kilogram or so on minnow fished at the bottom. A large number of smaller redfin have been also been caught from the jetty, with the Bannockburn crew of Ryan Perkins and Sammy Giles, both 10, and Harry Stanford 6, racking up a decent tally.

Lockie Wombell with four nice whiting taken close in to Cape Sir William Grant (Picture: Bob McPherson).

George Geriege, also with a good sample (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Portland

Down Portland way, Bob McPherson reports that really good size whiting are on the bite and that he, Lockie Wombell and George Gereige, have had no trouble bagging out off Blacknose Point and below the cliffs of Cape Grant using local pips for bait. Others have done well along the north shore as far down as Snapper Point.

Bob also reminds readers that yellowtail kingfish are due to turn up in the immediate future with several small specimens being taken already, along with one of 13 kg taken by Corey Joosen on a soft plastic down toward the abalone farm.

Lockie Wombell with a sweep; a regular by-catch while fishing for whiting under the cliffs of Cape Grant.

George Geriege and Lockie Wombell with a “double” off Portland over the weekend.

Late mail

Bob had mentioned that tuna had been sighted among shoals off kingfish off Portland’s north shore, and on Monday, send me pictures of four tuna to 20 kg or so that were caught that day by Manuel and Adam Vella. The pair also released another two tuna. These were taken on lures in 17 metres of water along Portland’s north shore.

Four tuna to 20 kg or so that were caught on Monday by Manuel and Adam Vella amongst a shoal of newly arrived kingfish along Portland’s north shore (Pictures: Bob McPherson).

Ahmed asks?

Geoff, where could we expect to find some good freshwater fishing at this time of year?

Heading out to Camperdown, Lake Purrumbete is worth a try, both for trout, chinook salmon and redfin, and – further up the road – you will find the turn-off to Lake Bullen Merri where trout and chinook salmon are both present in good numbers.

Murray Scott with a sample of his snapper catch from Corio Bay.

Jeff Broughton of Geelong displays a couple of the redfin he caught from Lake Purrumbete last week (Picture: John Clements).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

An early start usually means an early finish, and that is applicable to fishing as Murray Scott could readily attest.

Being on the water by 4.00 am, He and Scott Smart were no sooner at anchor in 8 metres of water on the west side of the Wilson Spit than they were in business. By sun up they’d caught most of their respective bag limits of three large snapper and were back at the Avalon boat ramp by 7.15.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports, that despite the slump we’ve usually seen at the onset of Christmas in previous years, there have been few disappointments this time around with large snapper, pinkies and whiting all well and truly on offer.

Among those to be successful on pinkies were Greg Harris and Gerard Karstens who made an early start just south of the No 18 buoy that marks the channel junction off Curlewis. Using squid for bait, they had no shortage of action and were back at the ramp by 7.30 am with their respective bag limit catches of pinkie snapper to 40 cm.

Whiting too continue to reward both the specialists seeking them and those who just enjoy a good day on the water. Among those to get among them were Colin, Brent, Jordan and Donna Doyle who bagged 37 prime specimens using fresh mussels for bait.

Andrew Johnson’s larder, being well stocked with fresh fish, agreed on a catch and release adventure off Point Richards early on Friday morning with friend Steve Leaumont who was visiting from Townsville over Christmas.

An early start had rods bending left and right with snapper to around 3.5 kg being caught until just after daybreak when the action slowed down a little. Then, making a move into 13 metres of water, more or less straight out from the Portarlington Pier, they caught four nice flathead to 43 cm.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports being well on the way to tennis elbow after cleaning almost record numbers of fish for clients, mainly flathead, so last week he had no time to do the necessary job of running his new outboard motors, a job our regular reporter, Jeff Richards from Indented Head, put his hand up for.

Taking a rod rigged with a deep running lure to break the monotony of the running-in procedure, Jeff had multiple strikes along the Prince George Bank between the Prince George light pile and Dean Man’s Stick. They turned out to be good size snook which went into the smoker, along with a flathead of about 1.5 kg which also took the lure.

Gary Brown with another good size cod from Bundalong on the Murray (Picture: John Clements).

Josh Brown likewise (Picture: John Clements).

Freshwater

Lake Purrumbete Caravan Park proprietor John Clements, reports that trout have been quiet in the lake, but redfin show no sign of slowing down with Jeff Broughton catching a dozen from 800 to 910 grams on live minnow fished at the bottom.

John has just returned from Bundalong on the Murray, where it joins Lake Mulwala. Here, fishing with Gary, Josh and Neil Brown, they caught a total of 7 Murray cod between them – all of which were released – ranging in size from 7 to 20.4 kg, using bardi grubs for bait.

Neil Brown with an eleven kilogram cod from the same trip (Picture: John Clements).

John Clements with a 20.4 kg cod from the Murray near Bundalong (Picture: John Clements).

Portland

Down Portland way, Bob McPherson reports that whiting are well and trully on the bite and that he and Lockie Wombell got onto them on Saturday fishing in 5 to 7 metres of water between Blacknose Point Lawrence Rock. They also caught a number of silver trevally to a kilogram or so, with their biggest whiting measuing better than 40 cm, all being caught on either cuttlefish or local pipi.

Lockie Wombell with one of the whiting he and Bob McPherson caught off Blacknose Point on Friday (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Archie asks:

Geoff: Is there any difference between stingarees and stingrays, or are they all the same?

Archie, as a rule, stingarees are smaller than stingrays and usually display a more rounded body shape; the feather-shaped fin at the tip of the tail (not present in stingrays) being diagnostic. The spotted stingaree is the most common local variety.

Our most common stingrays are the roughly diamond-shaped, southern eagle ray and the (sometimes very large) smooth stingray. Other species of large rays, like the black thorntail ray – easily distinguished by its very long tail – are sometimes present as well.

As you know, both stingarees and stingrays have one or more barbed spines on the tail which are coated with toxic slime; a defence system, not only capable of severely wounding a victim, but inducing long term and painful aggravation to any such wound.

(References: Sharks and Rays of Australia by P. R. Last and J.D. Stevens, and Sea Fishes of Southern Australia by Barry Hutchins and Roger Swainston).

Red alert: Harvey Kilpatrick with the 63 cm snapper that he caught offshore from Portarlington last week (Picture: Greg Kilpatrick).

Brian Nolan and Andrew Moffat with their 80 kg mako shark taken near Lady Julia Percy Island (Picture: Kevin McLoughlin).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Launching at Point Richards last week, Greg Kilpatrick and his 12 year old son Harvey, went looking for fish on the sounder, but with no luck there, they anchored up in 8 metres of water and began berleying.

After about 40 minutes, pinkie snapper came on the bite and kept them busy throughout the afternoon, but then Harvey hooked a better fish that, at 63 cm, was the biggest of the five they kept, and his biggest snapper to date.

Launching off Point Richards at daybreak on Friday, Andrew Johnson and Will Davis, headed out to a usually reliable snapper spot for this time of year, and – in eleven metres of water – the sounder lit up, heralding the capture of six snapper to 4.5 kg.

Simon Werner, son Jayden and his friend Jemma caught a 6 kg fish among the pinkies they caught off Clifton Springs on Sunday.

However, they got a shock when a large shoal of snapper burst to the surface beside their boat, symptomatic of the fact that large sharks, mainly bronze whalers, give birth to their young – one of which Jayden caught that day – in Corio Bay at this time of year.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that good size pinkie snapper have been widespread with Steve Finning and Josh Lansbury-Lowe bringing in a dozen or so from Point Wilson using salted pilchards for bait. The pair also spotted a nearby shoal of Australian salmon, adding quite a few of those to their catch as well.

Whiting are still on the bite said Mike, with old hands Garry Ridgeway and Laurie (Doc) Alexander wasting no time bagging out near the mussel farm before executing a repeat performance on the squid.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that patchy weather has been the only stumbling block to good catches of squid and whiting.

Saturday in particular was tough going, but Andrew Phillips and Keith Fry were out off Indented Head by daybreak, and – fishing on the drift – they soon began picking up a squid or two. Eventually they had to put sinkers on their lines, so quick was the drift, but they caught 14 squid before virtually being blown off the water.

Whiting have been a bit slow said Rod, but on Friday, while fishing with squid for bait in 4 metres of water off Indented Head, Ken Shae and George Hill picked up 14 thumpers between them, their biggest measuring 44 cm.

Hugh Johnstone with a sample of the whiting that he, Tony Busher, and Bob McPherson caught off Blacknose Point over the weekend. (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Dorz West with her Murray Cod, also on a spinnerbait (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Offshore

Taking a run offshore from Portland, Kevin McLoughlin, Brian Nolan, and Andrew Moffat finished up near Lady Julia Percy Island where Brian hooked a mako shark that threw the hook. Not to be deterred, and despite its narrow escape, the mako returned to the bait and eventually greeted the scales for a verdict of 80 kg.

Good size whiting are on the bite at Portland and over the weekend, Hugh Johnstone (son of Johnno Johnstone, the new proprietor Portland Bait and Tackle), Tony Busher, and Bob McPherson picked up some really nice ones off Blacknose Point. Others reportedly did well along Portland’s north shore.

Cod almighty: Tony Blackford caught this 90 cm Murray Cod from Coller Bay, Lake Eildon, casting a four-bladed, black and orange, spinnerbait into the snags over the weekend (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Trevor’s 80 cm cod on the spinnerbait (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Freshwater

John Clements of Lake Purrumbete Caravan Park reports that the lake has gone a bit quiet of late, but nearby Lake Bullen Merri continues to produce chinook salmon to a kilogram or so.

These have been taken both by anglers fishing from boats, and by those fishing land-based, either from the bank or from the jetty near the angler’s clubhouse. Pilchard fillets and whitebait have been producing the goods, but some have been caught from the bank on lures as well with Nories Laydown Minnow a standout.

Arriving at Coller Bay, Lake Eildon in preparation for the weekend’s clients, Trevor Holmes of Victorian Inland Charters headed out for a cast or two, but it was his third cast that came up tight on a Murray cod that gave no ground. Eventually becoming snagged, the cod escaped, but at least Trevor got his spinnerbait back.

Seemingly undamaged, the spinnerbait was cast out again for yet another heart-stopping strike. This time the fish was caught, measured at 80 cm, photographed, and then released.

Taking clients Tony Blackford and Chris Eddy into the strike zone next day, it wasn’t long before Tony caught a pearler that measured at 90 cm. That was followed by Chris bringing a similar size fish to the boat where it straightened out the spinnerbait’s hook in its final lunge for freedom.

It would seem the cod were becoming educated because – although their spinnerbaits were followed back to the boat a couple of times by mega size cod – they reneged on the gulp, and it soon became apparent they were having no more of the game.

An evening run with clients Charlie Koelman and Dorz West produced no more attention from the bigguns, but their captures included cod to 58 cm that were also caught on spinnerbaits, making a great end to an amazing day.

Also at Lake Eildon, Trevor took out Ben Humphrey and his mate Danny who were flicking out Ecogear ZX35 vibes on light tackle: After doing it tough for a while Ben landed this nice golden perch of 48 cm on the vibe (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Murray Scott and Ben King with a sample of their snapper catches.

Murray Scott with a sample of his snapper catch.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

An early start from Avalon paid off for Murray Scott over the weekend, when – anchored up on the west side of the Wilson Spit in around eight metres of water – he had his bag-limit of snapper to 7 kg before sunrise.

He was by no means the only successful angler to arrive back at the Avalon boat ramp where Scott Smart, and his nine year old son Billy, also returned with snapper, as did Ben King with another bag-limit catch; each of their fish being caught on squid.

On Wednesday evening, Andrew Phillips and George Uranus had also anchored up in 8 metres of water on the west side of Wilson Spit hopeful of catching a snapper or two: They caught three as it turned out; the first, a fish of 3.5 kg was taken on dusk and followed by two more of 4.2 and 5.2 kg at 10.00 and 10.45 respectively.

Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that some species that are usually long gone by now are still present: Kim Gorell and Peter Beard picked up a couple of nice snook over the grass beds at The Springs, while Dick from Ballarat’s catch of silver whiting and flathead also included a dozen rock cod.

Following last week’s gale force winds, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien tried their luck on the whiting off Point Wilson, but – although the ten that they caught were in the 38 to 40 cm range – they were a bit slow.

Then, they got a call from Noel and Kirt Behan who were into the whiting off Curlews; so, by early afternoon, they topped off their bag-limit over there; but these fish weren’t as big as those they’d caught earlier off Point Wilson.

At Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head, Rod Ludlow reports that whiting and squid were well and truly on the bite until Thursday’s gale force winds and rough seas. Among those to catch both on Wednesday were Jeff Richards and Ken Shae who caught eleven good size squid before the mid afternoon low tide change, after which they headed out into 4 metres of water after the whiting. A good move as it turned out, for – with the tide running in – they caught their bag-limit of thumpers, their biggest fish measuring 44 cm.

Mini mako: Sean Mayall with the mako shark he caught offshore from Port Phillip Heads (Photo Brad Andrews).

Good Start: Nine year old Billy Smart with the snapper he caught from Corio Bay over the weekend.

Offshore

Offshore from Port Phillip Heads in 28 metres of water, clients aboard Gone Fishing Charters were picking up mixed bags of fish, when Brad Andrews hooked a small mako shark of about 20 kg. Having already caught quite a few of those, Brad passed the rod to his friend Sean Mayall who finished up with mako on the menu.

Ben King at the Avalon boat ramp with a sample of his bag-limit catch.

Bailey Vermolen with the 7.8 kg snapper he caught from the Lee Breakwater at Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Portland

Bob McPherson reports that good size snapper continue to be caught from the Lee Breakwater at Portland by those with the right approach: Among the successful anglers last week was Bailey Vermolen who caught one of 7.8 kg using squid for bait.

Gemfish

Further to Ashleigh’s question regarding gemfish regulations last week, I have since been informed that there is to be a daily catch limit of 5 (with no minimum length) introduced next year: Details are to be published in Victoria’s 2017 recreational fishing guide.

Brendan asks:

Geoff, I’ll be fishing off Portarlington during over Christmas with my friend who has a boat, and would really like to catch either a large snapper or gummy shark. I am not really sure where to fish or how to rig my line. Can you help please?

Brendan, assuming you’re shipshape with all of your safety gear, I suggest that fishing anywhere off the Prince George Bank, or even directly out from the Portarlington Pier – preferably in at least 12 metres of water – your chance of catching either species is good.

As for rigging your line, I suggest using a 50 cm trace of about twice the breaking strain of your main line with a hook (size 4/0 to 6/0) at one end and a swivel at the other. Your sinker – either a medium size ball or bean – is threaded onto the line to which your trace is tied; the hook baited then cast well out from the boat. After that, it’s a waiting game.

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.