Geoff Wilson’s Fishing Knots And Rigs

David Jurisic of the Bellarine Pirates Angling Club with his 3.6 kg chinook salmon from Lake Purrumbete.

Michael Evans with his 60 cm rainbow trout from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Freshwater

Bellarine Pirates Angling Club hove to on Lake Purrumbete over the weekend where their considerable booty included a 3.6 kg chinook salmon caught by David Jurisic.

Tried to get more info on its capture, but lips are apparently sealed.

Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters doesn’t get very much down time, but – strange to say – when he is not helping clients catch fish, he’s out fishing himself, also on Lake Purrumbete.

On this occasion though, he caught a 60 cm rainbow trout on a live minnow fished beneath a float.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports good fishing for all species within that water, and that he and Peter Thorpe really got into the redfin and sent in photos to prove it.

Snobs Creek Fish Stocking Coordinator, Rhiannon Atkinson advises that 20,000 chinook salmon averaging 7 grams will be released into Lake Purrumbete on Thursday at around 1.30.

Should you wish to attend, please contact Rhiannon, either by mobile; 0407 987 016, or email; rhiannon.atkinson@vfa.vic.gov.au for any change in plans that may occur.

Mark Sesar with a sample of the snapper he and his friend Ivan caught off Clifton Springs on Sunday.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

With snapper about, any list of successful captors would be a long one, but as expected, Murray and Darcy Scott were among the successful anglers taking fish to 7 kg off Point Wilson.

These were all taken on either freshly caught snook or salmon, with the heads being especially quick to attract the attention of the red brigade below, while – curiously – they didn’t even get a bite on their offerings of fresh squid, which usually does the job.

The maximum size of any number of snapper taken by Gustavo Kurten and Daniel Cvijanovic on each and every trip they made last week, was also 7 kg, both from the inner and outer harbours.

Their catches also included, not only some very large whiting on their snapper gear that was baited with large offerings of squid, but several large rock, and blue-spotted flathead. The biggest of these, said Gus, would have been around two kilograms.

Mark Sesar and Ivan Paradic found the fishing slow on Sunday, except for the capture of a fairly large snook while anchored up in 8 metres of water out toward the channel off Clifton Springs.

However, their patience eventually paid off, for at around 6.00 pm, their rods buckled over and they too were into the action, catching thee large snapper in quick succession.

Making a daybreak start on Saturday from Geelong Waterfront’s wave attenuator, Ray Millman and Kalon Stavris were hopeful of catching a few salmon on their Z-Man soft plastics.

Their first fish though was a snook of possibly 70 cm before all went quiet. But, movement on the shore-facing side had them re-directing their casts accordingly, and – in the space of an hour – they had any amount of salmon to a kilogram and two more snook.

Daniel Cvijanovic with a sample of his flathead catch from Corio Bay (Picture: Gustavo Kurten).

On Friday morning, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien headed out off Curlewis, and in around 4 metres of water, they caught several good size whiting before the bite shut down.

Making a couple of moves, they eventually found another good bite in only 3 metres of heavily discoloured water, almost certainly from the very windy conditions the previous day.

There was no need to move after that for they each ended up with their respective legal bags of whiting ranging from 34 to 42 cm, with strips of squid proving to be the most effective bait.

Fishing much the same area over the weekend, but possibly a little deeper, Garry Ridgeway also found a good patch of whiting of which he caught 14, with a good many in the 40 cm range, along with two large rock flathead.

Fishing some 800 metres more or less straight out from St Leonards early last week, Jeff Richards and Chris Hateley also found some really good size whiting with a dozen in the 38-40 cm range, and toward evening, two pinkie snapper, the biggest weighing 2.5 kg.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head also reports that clients returned with good catches of both whiting and pinkie snapper, mostly between Grassy Point and the Governor Reefs last week, but squid were a bit touchy in the discoloured water.

Frank Bluch with his 9.9 kg, New Zealand rainbow trout (Picture: Nicor Sutherland

Over the rainbow

Last week, Geelong angler Frank Bluch fished New Zealand’s Tekapo Canal, famed for its huge trout, and – along with guide Nicor Sutherland – caught several remarkable fish.

They included a 9.9 kg rainbow trout that Frank caught on the fly. But, while not even close to the biggest taken there, on Frank’s regulation 1 kg class tippet, it is a potential world, tippet-class record, and for which he will be making a claim.

Mark Francis with his gummy shark from Edwards Point.

Alexia Kurten with a sample of her snapper catch from Corio Bay’s inner harbour (Picture: Gustavo Kurten).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Gustavo and Alexia Kurten headed out into Corio Bay’s inner harbour on Sunday afternoon, expecting to have to fish into the late evening to catch a snapper, but that wasn’t the case.

They were onto a good patch of fish out from The Waterfront more or less straight away, both taking bag limit catches of snapper they estimated to be between 4 and 6 kg.

A 3.30 am start on Sunday saw early risers, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck anchored up just north of the No 3 Point Richards channel marker where they’d boated their first snapper by 4.30.

The bite was on, so to speak, and using squid and silver whiting for bait they had a bag limit catch of snapper to 4.5 kg by the daybreak low tide change.

With the day still young, they broke out the whiting gear, and – anchoring up just east of the Point Richards mussel farm on the rising tide – they again took bag limit catches, their biggest whiting stretching the tape out to 45 cm.

Also successful on the whiting were Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien who picked up 28 whiting to 43 cm off Curlewis.

VIC client Will with a 1.5 kg brown trout (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

VIC client Jen with her catch of redfin (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that clients have done well on whiting, including some good ones in the 40 cm range.

These have been mainly caught between Grassy Point and the Governor Reefs. However, the murky water has slowed the squid down with very few being taken.

Client Damien, and his daughter, caught three good size gummy shark, and hooked a much larger model, obviously with teeth because it bit through the line, which may have been just as well.

On Saturday evening, Mark Francis, and companion John Jones, made the 4 km walk in to Edwards Point from St Leonards hopeful of some productive land-based fishing.

On their arrival at 6.00 pm, it was still sunny so it was no surprise that nothing was doing. But their departure at 10.00 pm saw them loaded up with pinkie snapper and a good size gummy shark.

Nathan Sobko with a good size tiger trout from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

VIC client Mike with a 2.3 kg brown trout from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Freshwater

Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters reports that Lake Purrumbete is on fire at present with brown and tiger trout on offer and sends in quite a few photos.

For seeking these, Michael recommends, lure-casting the margins and trolling lures produce the goods, along with bait fishing with mudeyes beneath a float

And, as for the redfin, they are definitely on the bite with the warm weather and are being taken both on various baits – including scrubworms – and lures, with some great bags of 50 fish or more not uncommon.

Historically, Western District’s Lake Toolondo has been a productive fishery, not recently though, so the proposed diversion of water from Rocklands Reservoir – that is now at 56% capacity – to Toolondo, is welcome news.

Snobs Creek Fish Stocking Coordinator Rhiannon Atkinson advises that 5500 rainbow trout at an average size of 50g will be released into Lake Bullen Merri tomorrow (Wednesday 09/11/22) outside the club rooms at around 1:30 pm.

And, on Thursday (10/11/22), rainbow trout will be released into Lake Purrumbete at around 1.15 pm. So, should you want to attend, please contact Rhiannon by mobile, 0407 987 016, or by email rhiannon.atkinson@vfa.vic.gov.au for relevant updates.

Lachie Wombell with a good sample of the whiting he and Bob McPherson took off Portland over the weekend (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Michael Evans with a 3.2 kg brown trout taken while casting a Bent Minnow lure along the weed margins (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Illegal catch uncovered

While most recreational anglers obey the rules, some succumb to the temptation of taking too many fish during a good bite.

An email from VFA recounts a recent boat seizure at St Leonards, the occupants of which took excessive catches of whiting that were confiscated, along with their boat and fishing gear.

They will now face court, along with a seafood wholesaler facing charges of being illegally supplied with such catches.

Dominic Asks:

Geoff, when I’ve been fishing for snapper lately, I get bitten off by, what I suppose are sharks. Is it unusual to have so many sharks in the bay at this time of year?

Dominic, school sharks and seven-gillers are about year-round, but most of the larger sharks, like bronze whalers, usually arrive to bear their young in the bay from November onwards.

However, this year has seen more, and earlier, shark encounters than usual, with at least one bronze whaler being hooked and identified as such. So, this may be an exceptionally sharky year.

Andrew Johnson with a nice snapper sample from the Corio Bay outer harbour.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Andrew Johnson was out on one of his favorite snapper marks, down toward the Wilson Spit, before daybreak at the weekend, but there was no action except for a large pod of dolphins.

Eventually, they moved away and by 9.45 it was clear they were rounding up something. So, while heading over to see what was doing, Andrew got a promising reading on the sounder.

Anchoring up, the action was immediate, with three good size snapper soon coming aboard.

On Wednesday, Andrew and Dennis O’Brien fished for whiting in only three metres of very discoloured water and had their respective bag limits by 11.00 am. And, there were some really good ones among them, the biggest measuring 43 cm.

Fishing of Point Richards, just to the east of the mussel farm, Garry Ridgeway and Marti Bluml also had a productive trip on the whiting: They caught 36, and there were some over 40 cm among those.

Fishing near Coles Beacon off Swan Bay on the outgoing tide, Steve O’Keefe picked up a bag limit catch of whiting, also with some good ones among them.

Fishing in one of their productive snapper spots, just north of the No 3 Point Richards channel marker from around 5.45 am on Wednesday, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck were hopeful of catching a snapper or two.

Unfortunately, there was nothing doing, so after an hour or so, they raised the anchor and motored slowly west with the sounder ticking over, and – more or less north of the No 7 channel marker – their screen lit up, so over went the anchor.

Using baits of squid and silver whiting, the action was immediate, with half a dozen snapper – the largest four between 3.5 and 5.8 kg – coming aboard in short order.

Paul Raduka was among the successful land-based anglers last week. He found the St Leonards Pier a bit crowded so he fished from the beach just south of the boat ramp.

During the early morning hours he caught two snapper, each around the 4 kg mark, but the number of banjo sharks continually taking his baits made for a labor-intensive exercise.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that the weather has been a stumbling block of late, but most clients heading out returned with squid of mixed sizes.

John Clements and Tom Hogan with their catch of redfin from Lake Purrumbete using scrubworms for bait.

Stephen Eales of the Maryborough Angling Club with a 60 cm yellowbelly taken on a Jackall lure.

Freshwater

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that redfin are still on offer, with he and Tom Hogan taking enough to cover the fish cleaning table.

There were a handful over the 40 cm mark, the biggest measuring 48 cm, there was another of 46 cm, while the rest were in the 30s and 20s.

John also reports that trophy size brown trout are on offer, with Charlie Farrugia, who was fishing with his father Chris, picking up a beauty of 3.7 kg while downrigging with a bibbed lure.

Stephen Eales with the Murray cod he caught and released from the Loddon River below the Cairn Curran spillway.

Charlie Farrugia with the 3.7 kg brown trout he caught from Lake Purrumbete.

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that with flood waters beginning to subside, club members have experienced some good fishing, Stephen Eales in particular took yellowbelly to 60 cm from the Loddon below the Cairn Curran Spillway on Jackall lures.

Stephen also caught a hefty Murray Cod with the same approach, which, naturally – being out of season – was released.

Jemal with the snapper he caught from the Lee Breakwater at Portland (Picture: Compleat Angler Portland).

Portland

Portland’s Compleat Angler highlights action both from offshore and from the Lee Breakwater where Jemal caught a good size snapper while fishing with his mate Alem. There were other snapper caught from the breakwater as well.

Offshore, “Get Varced” Charters picked up two large bluefin tuna, one of 104 kg, the other was taken by client Dylan at 127.5 kg.

“Get Varced” Charters client Dylan with the 127.5 kg tuna he caught offshore from Portland (Picture: Compleat Angler Portland).

No Kidding! That’s the name on the boat. Varced being past participle of Varc – whatever that is – I guess.

Dominic Asks:

Geoff, whenever I’ve gone fishing for snapper lately, I get bitten off by what I suppose are sharks. Is it unusual to have so many sharks in the bay at this time of year?

Dominic, school sharks and seven-gillers are about year-round, but most of the larger sharks, like bronze whalers, usually arrive to bear their young in the bay from November onwards.

However, this year saw more, and earlier, shark encounters than usual, with at least one bronze whaler being hooked and identified as such. So, this year, they may have been earlier than usual.

Alexia Kurten with her snapper from Corio Bay (Picture: Gustavo Kurten).

Simon Williams with the snapper he caught, and then released, using a soft plastic lure (Picture: Justin Burns).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

With snapper about, most use baits of various kinds to temp them. However, on Saturday, Simon Williams rigged with a soft plastic lure on which he caught, and then released, a prime specimen off Clifton Springs.

Fishing off Point Wilson early last week, Gustavo and Alexia Kurten were also hoping for a snapper. They caught two as it turned out, Alexia with the biggest, a beauty of 5 kg, along with a gummy shark.

On Friday evening, Gustavo, along with his friend Matthew Ribcack, and Matthew’s eight-year-old son Zander, headed out off St Helens hoping for some snapper action a little closer to hand.

A good move as it turned out, for they caught six, including one approaching 5 kg. They were mostly taken on the low tide change with Zander also into the action, catching his first snapper.

Naturally, others caught them as well including Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien who anchored up just north of the No 9 Wilson Spit channel marker on Friday morning, taking their first fish before sunrise.

They each caught their respective bag limits of snapper from 4 to 5.9 kg in fairly short order before completing the day’s outing with the capture of 17 squid from the Curlewis shallows.

Matthew Ribcack and son Zander 8, and Gustavo Kurten with a sample of Saturday evening’s Corio Bay snapper catch.

Collan and Michael Erard with their snapper catch from Corio Bay.

After sounding along the edge of the Wilson Spit Channel east of Point Henry on Saturday, Collan and Malcolm Erard anchored up over some promising marks.

Each hooked a good size snapper, but Collan dropped his while Malcolm subdued one of 6 kg. However, within the hour, Collan hooked up once more, this time to a 6.7 kg fish.

Making a 5.30 am start north of the No 3 Point Richards channel marker on Wednesday, also after snapper, Andrew Phillips, Mark Sesar and Tony Greck took several fish to 4.7 kg.

Mark Sesar with a sample his and wife Tina’s whiting catch (Picture: Tina Sesar).

Melbourne angler Steve with the 3.1 kg brown trout he caught while down-rigging on Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

However, they too eventually broke out the squid jigs and headed into the shallower water, each finishing up with their respective bag limit catches of squid that included one of 1.34 kg.

With snapper the main focus, whiting have been neglected somewhat, but Mark Sesar and wife Tina made an early start on the whiting in 5 metres of water off Clifton Springs.

With a healthy bite kicking in on the incoming tide, they kept 25 good specimens, most of which measured from 38 to 42 cm.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that whiting are still rewarding clients with the area off Grassy Point in particular, well worth a visit.

Squid too, are in good numbers said Rod, although perhaps not in the quantity seen last week. Never the less, those prepared to cover sufficient ground are finding productive patches.

Malcolm Erard with his snapper.

Collan Erard with his snapper.

Off the Beach

Arriving at Jan Juc at very first light on Wednesday, Ray Millman made his way up toward Rocky Point where he’d previously been successful on the salmon, and with a rising tide, he was hopeful.

Initial casts with his ever-reliable 42-gram Savage Sea Missile, produced no strikes, not until just on sunrise anyway when the bite began, producing salmon to 750 grams or so on almost every cast.

Dennis O’Brien with a sample of his and Andrew Johnson’s snapper catch (Picture: Andrew Johnson).

Lachie Wombell with a good sample of Portland’s weekend whiting catch (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Freshwater

On Thursday, Gustavo Kurten tried his luck at Wurdiboluc Reservoir, and using soft plastics, he caught several redfin, the biggest measuring 46 cm.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reports that there are plenty of redfin on offer, as he – along with Greg Mc glade and Mathew Forsyth from Warrnambool, could attest – with scrubworms among the preferred baits.

John also reports that large brown trout are also on offer and sent in a picture of Melbourne angler Steve with a 3.1 kg brown that took a bibbed minnow trolled down deep with a downrigger.

Fish Stocking Coordinator, Rhiannon Atkinson reports that there is a planned release of up to 1200 tiger trout averaging 600 grams, into Lake Purrumbete at 1.30 pm on Thursday (27/10/22), an operation to be initiated from the boat ramp.

Dates and times may change, so potential attendees are requested to contact Rhiannon by mobile on 0407 987 016 or by email on rhiannon.atkinson@vfa.vic.gov.au for confirmation of same.

Darcy Scott with the kingfish he caught on Monday morning at Coffin Bay, when the Rapala bibbed minnow he was trolling for baitfish was taken by a 20 kg kingfish. The Rapala bibbed minnow they were trolling is pictured showing how much the single hook on the lure – on which the kingfish was hooked – has been opened quite a bit. (Picture: Murray Scott).

Coffin Bay

Journeying from Geelong to Coffin Bay, South Australia, Murray and Darcy Scott were after the kingfish this large, but relatively shallow inlet is noted for.

Live baits like Australian salmon and snook are preferred for this exercise, but yesterday (Monday) morning they’d covered quite a bit of ground trolling small bibbed lures with no result.

As a last resort, they tried just off the slipway beside the wharf, a usually productive area, and Darcy hooked up … Not to a salmon or snook, but what turned out to be a kingfish weighing 20.05 kg that led them a merry chase through the nearby moorings.

Andrew Phillips with the snapper he caught offshore from Point Richards on Sunday (Picture: Mark Sesar).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Fishing out in around 8 metres of water off Point Richards from 3 pm on Sunday, Andrew Phillips and Mark Sesar had their first hook-up within half an hour, taking a 6 kg snapper.

They finished with a half a dozen or so, but that first fish remained their biggest by quite a margin.

Early last week, Andrew Johnson, Pete Dawson and Dennis O’Brien were after whiting, which were hard to find. In fact, they’d covered a fair bit of ground before they hit a purple patch off Curlewis that yielded bag limit catches all round.

After the wind and rain event toward the end of last week, Andrew headed out to a previously productive snapper spot, but there was nothing doing there, neither was there any result on the whiting off Curlewis where they were successful earlier in the week.

About to call it a day, a call on the radio for assistance had him on a heading toward a previous fishing companion who was having difficulty starting his motor, the upshot being that Andrew would anchor up nearby and tow him in if required.

Naturally, Andrew put his lines out, and behold, found a good patch of whiting. Luckily, his associate managed to start his motor while Andrew went on to take a bag limit catch of whiting.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that the week’s fishing has been excellent despite catastrophic weather over a couple of days, with whiting – some exceeding 40 cm – well and truly on offer.

Squid too have been present in good numbers, said Rod, with some anglers taking bag limit catches.

Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters with the 3 kg brown trout he caught from Lake Purrumbete on Friday evening.

Stephen Eales with son Mason, and daughters Amelia and Lily with Stephen’s 55 cm yellowbelly from Lake Victoria

Freshwater

Arriving at Lake Purrumbete around lunchtime on Friday, Victorian Inland Charters skipper Michael Evans, was confronted with gale force winds and heavy rain, his charter for that day being reassigned.

But he hung in there with his faithful Jack Russell terrier, Rexy. And, not in vain as it turned out, for on dusk, the wind abated, along with the rain, and they were soon out cruising the weed margins, Michael casting his favourite lure, a D&A Bent Minnow.

Size isn’t everything: Mason Eales with his redfin from Lake Victoria.

This was an exercise that lasted barely half an hour before he caught what turned out to be a beautiful brown trout measuring 68 cm and weighing 3 kg.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park reported that, as one would expect, redfin to 600 grams or so are still plentiful and responding to live minnow, scrubworms and soft plastics.

However, John also reported fishing nearby Lake Bullen Merri with Tim Beusmans, where – trolling lures that included the Daiwa Double Clutch and Tillins spotted dogs, both along the surface and down-rigged at some depth – caught chinook salmon to 2 kg.

Snobs Creek Fish Stocking Coordinator, Rhiannon Atkinson reminds all that the final stocking of chinook salmon into Lake Purrumbete will be today (18/10/22), at around 1.15 pm. And, some 800-1000 tiger trout are scheduled for release into lake Bullen Merri at the same time tomorrow.

Considering that dates and times may be subject to change, those interested in attending should contact Rhiannon on 0407 987 016 or by email at rhiannon.atkinson@vfa.vic.gov.au for confirmation

Kevin Wild with one of the carp captured from Lake Victoria.

Simon Werner tried his luck at Wurdiboluc Reservoir at the weekend, but only caught a modest rainbow trout.

So, with nothing else doing, he finished up at Lake Modewarre to find that, not only did it now hold a significant amount of water, but the volume of water feeding into it, guaranteed it would probably fill for the first time in a good many years.

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that with the major bodies of water beyond full, club members had an outing to Lake Victoria, a smaller body of water close at hand.

A good move as it turned out for, not only did they catch a good many whopping carp, there were redfin and yellowbelly on offer as well, with Steven Eales – who was fishing with son Mason and daughters Lily 8 and Amelia 4 – catching the biggest yellowbelly at 55 cm.

Diary photo of the late Geoff Tainton and Ross Middleton with snapper they caught from the Grammar School Lagoon during the Easter break of 1965.

Vale Geoff Tainton 08/08/1946-12/10/2022

On September 20, I acknowledged the passing of Ross Middleton with whom I’d spent much time fishing as a teenager, mainly at the Grammar School Lagoon, and for snapper in particular.

In 1963, Ross introduced Geoff Tainton to the mix, and he too caught a good many snapper from the Lagoon, but sadly, Geoff passed away on Wednesday of last week, something that prompted the dusting off my fishing diaries from that era.

There were many mentions of Geoff, including one on 01/06/1963, when – after an exploratory trip in the dinghy to where Geoff had seen, from the sandspit, a disturbance at the surface from what he suggested might have been a large fish – we broke new ground.

After anchoring the dinghy in that area, although it proved to be quite shallow, Geoff caught four snapper, which – in those days prior to metrication – weighed a total of 46 pounds, while on that occasion, I didn’t get so much as a touch.

Tony Mollenhauer and Andrew Johnson with their snapper from the Wilson Spit.

Jesse Mitchell with two nice snapper from the Point Wilson shallows.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Snapper are about, and Daniel Cvijanovic, who was fishing out off The Waterfront with Gustavo and Alexia Kurten on Sunday morning, caught one of around 7 kg at 9.30 am.

Also hoping for a snapper, Nick Swifte made daybreak off Point Henry and fished with half pilchards for bait just south of the No 8 channel marker.

His first cab off the rank was a gummy shark, usually a welcome catch but perhaps not when fishing for snapper.

As it turned out though, they weren’t far away, and the one Nick hooked, soon after catching the gummy, put up a great fight, eventually greeting the scales for a verdict of 7 kg.

Tony Ortega, Alexia Kurten, Daniel Cvijanovic with the sevengilled shark (Picture: Kurten Gustavo).

Daniel Cvijanovic with a snapper he caught offshore from Eastern Beach.

With the same species in mind, Andrew Johnson and Tony Mollenhauer headed up the Wilson Spit Channel, and anchoring just north of the No 5 channel marker, were soon in business.

Finishing up with four snapper, the biggest two, each around the 6 kg mark, the pair returned with smiles on their faces.

Michael Bealham fished with his friend Jessie Mitchell off Point Wilson last week, also hopeful catching a snapper or two.

They caught three as it turned out, all good size fish – using squid for bait that they’d caught the day before off Clifton Springs – and in only 3.5 metres of water.

Michael said they fished here because of the number of sevengilled, and possibly other species of shark that he’d encountered – and been bitten off by – in all of the deeper areas he’d tried previously.

Shark encounters were also experienced by Tony Ortega and his crew who’d already been warned by his friend Daniel Cvijanovic that he’d been bitten off a number of times on previous trips.

However, Tony and Daniel, along with Alexia and Gustavo Kurten, caught a fair size giller, of which Tony sent in a photo, but unfortunately, caught no snapper on that occasion.

Michael Bealham with a 6 kg snapper that he caught off Point Wilson.

Having previously had a good session on the snapper with Tony Mollenhauer, on Saturday, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien went in search of whiting off Curlewis.

They had to make a good many moves to find them, but fishing in only 3.5 metres of discoloured water they finished up with bag limit catches of fish to 42 cm, all taken on strips of squid.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that clients have taken respectable catches of whiting, and he got amongst them himself less than a hundred metres from the shore.

Squid are also present said Rod, but you do have to work for them.

Ella Edgecombe 8, with her 5.4 kg rainbow trout from the Goulburn.

Nick Swifte with the 7 kg snapper he caught offshore from Point Henry.

Freshwater

Fishing the Goulburn River near Alexandra with family friend Trent Price, eight-year-old Ella Edgecombe had already caught a 1.6 kg rainbow trout on a scrubworm, which – I dare say – was pretty exciting.

It was nothing compared to what she hooked next though;

The fish she now has bragging rights for turned out to be a rainbow trout that weighed 5.4 kg, also caught on a scrubworm.

Snobs Creek fish stocking coordinator, Rhiannon Atkinson, advises that Lake Bullen Merri will receive some 5000 rainbow trout averaging 70 grams at 1.15 pm on Thursday, October 13.

Should anyone be interested in attending, please email Rhiannon at rhiannon.atkinson@vfa.vic.gov.au for any changes that may occur.

Lachie Wombell with a nice Tassie trumpeter taken off Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Lachie Wombell with a school shark taken off Portland (Picture: Bob McPherson).

Portland

With good weather on Sunday, Bob McPherson and Lachie Wombell headed out into the deeper water off Portland where, to say they caught a mixed bag would be an understatement with Tassie trumpeter, ling, nannygai and both school and gummy shark.

Roger asks:

Geoff, if you recall, I wrote to you back in March concerning The Curdies near Peterborough which had suffered not only a catastrophic fish kill, but – from my information – some two dozen cattle had also died on the banks of the river.

Do you know what the state of The Curdies is now?

Roger, I spoke to Doug Lucas who is an authority of all things piscatorial down that way and he said The Curdies has recovered with both bream and estuary perch on offer.

In addition to that, the Corangamite Catchment Authority are distributing additional timber to provide fish habitat in areas where, historically, misguided de-snagging had taken place.

Chris Stamalos with the 15 kg gummy shark he caught offshore from Barwon Heads.

Adam Mollenhauer with his snapper from Corio Bay.

Offshore

After launching onto the Barwon estuary on Sunday morning, Chris Stamalos’ first order of business was catching some Australian salmon for bait.

And, with the tide rising, he had no trouble doing that before heading offshore in search of a gummy shark.

Anchored off Barwon Heads in 30 metres of water, he had a long wait ahead of him, but – at around 2.30 in the afternoon – he was in business with a gummy he estimated to be at least 15 kg.

Kalon Stavris with a salmon he caught from Jan Juc beach on Thursday morning.

Billy Keir with another nice salmon from Jan Juc.

Off the beach

A daybreak start from the Beach at Jan Juc on Friday’s rising tide, had Ray Millman, Kalon Stavris and Billy Keir hopeful of catching some Australian salmon.

Daniel Johnson with a 5 kg gummy shark he caught from Bancoora Beach on Sunday night.

Not in vain either, for a lure-casting exercise yielded fish averaging around 700 grams aplenty, with some larger specimens among them around the 2 kg mark.

And, what else was interesting, were the fresh bite marks on several of their catch, indicating that at least one larger predator had taken an interest in proceedings.

Tony Missen of Airport West with a 2.6 kg chinook salmon from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Craig Rosser with a 2.5 kg chinook salmon from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: John Clements).

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

With the whiff of snapper in the air, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck headed out from Point Richards on Saturday afternoon and were anchored up north of the No 3 channel marker by 4.45 pm.

They caught a 4.5 kg snapper at around 6.00 pm, and half an hour later, another of 5 kg; both being caught on silver whiting.

They were also using squid for bait, but Port Jackson sharks, and other unwanted species took a liking to that, along with a fair size seven-gilled shark that they cut free beside the boat.

On Thursday, whiting aficionados, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien, were lucky to get the last available car and trailer park at the Clifton Springs boat ramp before heading out on the whiting.

A tough gig as it turned out with the number of small, but usually legal-size fish that didn’t meet their size requirements.

Eventually though, after making many moves, they found a patch of good size fish off Curlewis and finished up with what turned out to be a catch of 30 keepers, the biggest measuring 42 cm.

Back at the ramp, they met Adam Mollenhauer who had bragging rights with a 5.8 kg snapper. So, that’s what Andrew said he will be going after next.

Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that squid were on offer over the weekend, and while most were small, they were reasonably plentiful and widespread.

The squid have been bigger down Queenscliff way where Steve O’Keefe and Anna McLean caught a dozen beauties in the Lonsdale Bight before trying for whiting on the afternoon ebb tide.

The whiting also played ball for they caught 22, the biggest measuring 42 cm, using cuttlefish for bait.

Kevin Wild with one of his chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri.

Amber Wild with one of her chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri.

Freshwater

Making the journey to Lake Bullen Merri last week were Maryborough Angling Club members Kevin and Amber Wild who’d never fished the lake before.

Berleying at anchor in 22 metres of water, and suspending fillets of pilchard just above the bottom, they caught 21 chinook salmon – several of which they kept – most just shy of a kilogram.

However, Amber hooked a much larger fish that put up a great performance before throwing the hook, so there is no doubt they will be returning soon.

Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters reports that with rising water temperatures, redfin are again on offer from Lake Purrumbete with a good many clients taking great catches last week and over the weekend.

These included Adrian Gallon who initially took multiple redfin on soft plastics from 20 metres of water before asking what else was on offer.

The answer to that was a lure-casting session around Purrumbete’s weed beds with a D&A Bent Minnow, an exercise that yielded Adrian a 68 cm, 3.2 kg brown trout on his fourth cast.

Adrian Gallon with the 3.2 kg brown trout he caught while casting a D&A Bent Minnow on Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Victorian Inland Charters Client Margot, with her chinook salmon from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Michael Evans).

Michael also affirms that chinook salmon are also on offer from Lake Purrumbete, and on Friday afternoon, client Margot – who was fishing with husband Sean and sons Cameron and Matt – caught one measuring 59 cm on a 7 cm Rapala Spotted Dog.

Naturally, I suppose, the family were also successful on the redfin while fishing in 17 metres of water with live minnow.

John Clements of the Lake Purrumbete Holiday Park also affirms the fishing is excellent and sent me a good many photos of anglers and their fish  from this water.

A little closer to home, Robert Coon and his friends Peter and Joe made a pre-dawn start at Wurdiboluc Reservoir.

Fishing with mudeye, the action was not long in coming with a rainbow trout and a couple of redfin, all around the 700 gram mark.

However, it wasn’t long before the wind picked up from the north east, and soon gathered in strength to make fishing impossible.

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club with one of the yellowbelly he caught from the Loddon River below Laanecoorie Weir (Picture: Don Rayner).

Freshwater

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that Tullaroop, Cairn Curran and Laanecoorie Reservoirs are now completely full, and – with water running over their respective weirs – closed to boating.

However, some nice fish have been caught from the banks of those waters, and his visit to the Loddon River below Laanecoorie Weir with Don and Robert Rayner produced several good size yellowbelly.

From all accounts the inclement weather had put most anglers off fishing the Crater Lakes at Camperdown, but Roger Tolland ventured out onto Lake Bullen Merri last week where he caught a mixed bag of fish while trolling lures that included a 2.5 kg chinook salmon.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

While we are accustomed to seeing an influx of large female southern calamari in spawning mode off Queenscliff and within Port Phillip Heads, particularly at this time of year, it’s rare to encounter them in Corio Bay.

However, Garry Ridgeway caught several well over the kilogram mark off Clifton Springs last Tuesday prior to trying for whiting.

Initially, the whiting he caught were small, some undersize, but come evening, he caught six really good size specimens. However, as sometimes happens, the bite shut down on high slack water, and that was his lot.

Making a daybreak start on Thursday morning, Andrew Johnson and Pete Dawson anchored up in fairly calm conditions off Leopold in pursuit of whiting but found nothing doing there.

They moved several times, but initially at least, they only caught small fish, and there was an abundance of those.

Eventually, over one of their historically good marks off Curlewis, they finished up with a bag limit catch of keepers before heading back to the ramp, and it was here an associate arrived with two really good size snapper, the first I’d heard of being caught this spring.

And, speaking of snapper, Simon Werner – after collecting a fresh cuttlefish floating on the surface – minus its head, while crewing aboard Adamas Charters. And, it was really fresh, so he wasn’t about to let that go to waste.

So, with ideal conditions on Sunday, with a north westerly wind, he set out on the Portarlington breakwater with snapper in mind.

Nothing happened immediately, but at around 4.00 pm caught one of 3 kg and pulled the hooks on two more after that.

Vale Ross Middleton

Sadly, my fishing companion as a teenager, Ross Middleton, who later went on to succeed in a variety of fishing challenges that included land-based game fishing at Green Cape in southern NSW, passed away last week.

Initially, we fished from Yarra Street and Cunningham piers where we caught the usual variety of species, but – from 1961 – following reports of large snapper being caught from the Geelong Grammar School Lagoon in winter, they – above all else – became our obsession for a number of years.

In any event, Ross’ passing ends an era, during which he became something of a fishing legend and whose name still regularly surfaces in serious piscatorial discourse.

Tony asks:

Geoff, what’s the difference is between a pike and a snook, and can they be caught locally?

Tony, snook are also known as pike, to which they were referred before being officially called snook, but just to confuse matters, in southern Australia, there are two species referred to as pike.

Of most interest to anglers is the short-finned pike, now officially known as snook. These commonly exceed 80 cm in length, often reach weights in excess of 3 kg, and are commonly found over inshore seagrass beds.

From a boat, the traditional implement of capture is a monofilament handline of say 15 kg breaking strain, leaded at intervals with small barrel sinkers and baited with a pilchard or garfish on a flight of ganged hooks.

We’ve also caught them land based on bibbed lures, from the North Shore rocks – and at this very time of year – when the tide fell low enough to provide access with dawn and dusk being the best times to fish for them.

Tony Ortega with his 71 cm brown trout from the Goulburn with father Albert and Grandad Alberto in the background.

A sample of the fish taken by the Ortega family from the Goulburn River/

Fishing the Goulburn River near Thornton last week were the Ortega family; Tony, his wife Anastasia, mother Pili, father Albert and 3-year-old daughter Celina.

Also present was Tony’s grandfather Alberto, 93 this year, who – along with his late wife, Francis – would be well known to fishing column readers through the 1980s and 90s with their local snapper and mulloway catches, often in the dead of winter.

They caught 9 fish from the Goulburn altogether, both browns and rainbows, but Tony scooped the pool with a magnificent 71 cm wild brown trout, and of which he sent in a photo.

Also fishing the Goulburn, a little further upstream at Eildon, were Maryborough Angling Club members Kevin Wild and John Gray whose best fish was a rainbow trout of 3.2 kg.

Kevin also reports that both Cairn Curran and Tullaroop Reservoirs are presently full, with Cairn Curran producing plenty of yellowbelly, one of 52 cm being taken by John Gray whilst fishing from the bank using worms for bait.

Fishing somewhat closer to home on Friday, Simon Werner tried his luck from the rock wall at Wurdiboluc Reservoir where he caught three rainbow trout, each around the 800-gram mark, and two redfin, each around 650 grams.

One of the trout was caught on a mudeye suspended under a float, his other fish were caught on a Pegron Tiger lure.

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club with a 3.2 kg rainbow trout from the Goulburn River at Eildon.

Mark Wilde also a member of the Maryborough Angling Club with a 1.5 kg brown trout from Lake Fyans.

Fishing Lake Bullen Merri last week were Garry Ridgeway and Lindsay Robinson, but initially there wasn’t much doing, and the baits they had out attracted only the most tentative of bites.

However, for whatever reason, from 3.30 pm the bite was on, with the pair soon taking their legal bag limit catches of chinook salmon to a kilogram.

And, interestingly, in conversation with other anglers back at the temporary launching facility – most of whom were trolling lures – found that they too had similar results with nothing doing until around mid to late afternoon.

From all accounts, nearby Lake Purrumbete has also been productive with large brown trout on offer along with chinook salmon and other species of trout. However, redfin – the mainstay for most anglers – have been skittish, and somewhat of a challenge of late.

Mick Zsargo with what could be a tusk fish.

Mick Zsargo with what looks like a saddle-tail snapper.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

Andrew Johnson and Pete Dawson braved very ordinary conditions on Wednesday morning last week, initially anchoring up off Leopold’s “The Sands” caravan park, but with the strengthening nor-easter, they decided to pull the pick and call it a day.

On the way back to the ramp though, the wind eased off, so they anchored up off Curlewis, and in 5 metres of water there was no shortage of whiting, but most, although legal size, were smaller than they’d have liked.

They persisted though, and – although most of the fish they caught were returned – they finished with 18 good size keepers.

Launching from Clifton Springs on Saturday morning, despite the inclement weather, and with a good supply of pipis and squid for bait, Jason Treloar and Harley Griffiths were after whiting, also finding a good patch off Curlewis.

They too had to contend with a number of smaller fish, but finished up with 24 good ones that included some approaching the 40 cm mark.

John Gray’s 52 cm yellowbelly from Cairn Curran Reservoir.

Abe asks:

Geoff, my brothers and I are going to Portland for the tuna and albacore. We will be fully fuelled up in a 6 metre boat but we don’t know where to find them. Can you help?

Abe, to the very best of my knowledge, most of the tuna have been taken to the south west of Portland. I have no recent reports of albacore but they could well be out there.

Having left the harbour and safely rounded Lawrence Rock, the large rocky outcrop several kilometres offshore, my advice is to take a compass bearing of 210 degrees to the south of south west and keep a watch out for bird activity, which is a good indication of tuna.

On that same heading, and depending on the weather, it could take you an hour or so to find productive water for albacore, that’s should they be present. However, bluefin are often encountered closer in, particularly of an early morning when feeding close in off Capes Nelson and Bridgewater.

Another sample of George Vlahogiannis’ bream catch from the Patterson River.

Patterson River

George Vlahogiannis has sent in more reports and photographs of the bream he’s caught from a pontoon on the Patterson River using maggots for bait. His biggest so far measured 41 cm.

A mixed bag aboard Darwin’s Outback Charters (Picture Mick Zsargo).

Upstate

On a visit to Darwin, NT, last week, Geelong Angler Mick Zsargo took a trip offshore with Outback Fishing Charters and proudly sent me pictures of the fish he caught.

Not sure of the species, but a tusk fish and a saddle tail snapper might be close to a couple he’s displayed. Anyway, that’s about where my knowledge of Darwin’s local saltwater fish ends.

Lachie O’Reilly of OREELY Fishing Guides with the 105 kg tuna from Portland.

With tuna on offer, Lachie O’Reilly of “OREELY” Fishing Guides, and his deckhand Mac, headed down to Portland on Friday night ready to punch out through the rough on Saturday morning.

No sooner had they began trolling out wide of Lawrence Rock, when a mate called over the radio to say he’d hooked a good size fish and that assistance would be appreciated.

So, with the weather taking a turn for the worse, Lachie complied. And, with the boys needing a breather after a two-hour battle, Lachie Jumped aboard; his assistance soon making the difference with the tuna, that eventually weighed 105 kg, alongside.

Lachie and Mac were out again on Sunday with the additional crew of James, Ashby and Branden, this time for only a half day outing, this time with James in the hot seat battling a tuna of 92 kg with Lachie driving the boat.

And, after bringing that fish aboard, they were back at the ramp by lunch-time.

Michael Evans with the 3 kg trout he caught from Lake Purrumbete on Thursday evening (Picture: Victorian Inland Charters).

Freshwater

Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Fishing Charters had finished up with his last Lake Purrumbete charter on Thursday afternoon, but – as usual – he headed out for a few casts on evening, hooking another great brown trout.

“He came out of nowhere,” said Michael, “crunching my D&A Bent Minnow and putting up a great fight before getting a quick verdict of 3 kg on the scales, and a photo, before setting him free.

From all accounts, nearby Lake Bullen Merri is also fishing well. However, the upgraded boat ramp promised by August, has yet to be completed.

And, although the temporary ramps have been useful, for some reason, the mooring pontoons have reportedly been removed, creating a degree of difficulty in boarding and disembarking, particularly for the less agile among us.

Kevin Wild of the Maryborough Angling Club reports that nearby Tullaroop Reservoir is now totally full, and that while the redfin are currently off the bite, trout – both browns and rainbows – have been feeding around the reservoir’s margins.

Taking advantage last week was club member and fly-fishing aficionado Brian Hughes who took a couple of nice browns around the 1.5 kg mark from Tullaroop, and a similar size rainbow from nearby Teddington Reservoir; all taken on the fly.

Queenscliff

On Wednesday afternoon’s ebb tide, Steve O’Keefe and Brett Bravo fished the Draper’s Reef area, just off the Pilot Jetty at Queenscliff where they caught 21 good size whiting.

Steve’s attention was drawn to birds working over an object nearby, and – on investigation – found a large cuttlefish, minus its head, floating on the surface. The flesh was in good condition though, and that’s what he and partner Anna McLean used for bait on Sunday.

Fishing the Lonsdale Bight on this occasion, they took 28 whiting of various sizes, their biggest measuring 46 cm.

Corio Bay/Bellarine Peninsula

On Wednesday morning, Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien were at anchor off The Sands caravan park at Leopold by 7.30 am. The water was heavily discoloured, but whiting were on the bite.

By 10.15 am, they’d both taken their respective bag limit catches of whiting, ranging in size from 34 to 42 cm. So, they decided to try for squid.

The difficulty there was that squid are usually shy in dirty water, but they’d recalled that the water had been a lot cleaner when they’d launched at Clifton Springs, so that’s where they tried; successfully, as it turned out, taking 16 squid between them.

George Vlahogiannis’ catch of bream and an estuary perch from the Patterson River, all taken on maggots.

Patterson Lakes

George Vlahogiannis makes the most of any fishing opportunities that come his way. Recently he has been fishing from the pontoons in Patterson Lakes where he’s taken impressive catches of bream, and the occasional estuary perch.

And what bait does he use? Blowfly maggots of course, one of the most effective baits for the majority of fish around bayside structures.

Colin Butler with a good size tailor taken from Waddy Point, Frazer Island, QLD (Picture: Scott Goleby).

Wayne McCosh with an 81 cm queen fish caught from the surf at Fraser Island this morning (Picture: Scott Goleby).

Upstate

My friend Scott Goleby is currently at Frazer Island, Queensland (06/09/22) and he’s sent photographic samples of the fish currently being caught from the beaches there.

Kevin Wruck with a golden Trevally caught in last afternoon’s session on pilchard rigged for tailor at Fraser Island (Picture: Scott Goleby).

Robert Wruck with a nice tailor from the beach at Fraser Island (Picture: Scott Goleby).

Carl asks:

Geoff, you have previously mentioned that late August and early September are prime times to catch snapper in Corio Bay, where should I be looking for them?

Carl, with water temperatures in Corio Bay now around the critical 12-degree Celsius mark, any resident snapper should be on the move. And, as for the best places to find them, you might try sounding between the North Shore Rocks and the Corio Channel off North Shore.

On the other hand, anchoring up off the Geelong Waterfront can also be productive. But bear in mind, most of the action happens after dark.