Cold-snap snapper
er, even at this time of year, increases the odds for dedicated land-based anglers to catch a big snapper.
Well aware of this was Will McLauchlan of Warrnambool, who on Thursday braved wintry conditions on the Lee Breakwater at Portland, where his catch of small barracouta and flathead included a 6.25kg snapper that was weighed at Portland’s Compleat Angler.
Once again, with inclement weather keeping all but the most dedicated anglers from the water, we’ll look at prospects for the following week and weekend, when the weather may hopefully be more conducive to fishing.
Neither of the two breakwaters at Portarlington can be overlooked, particularly with the same conditions prevailing here as they did last week at Portland. There’s the added benefit of this week being the lead-up to the new moon which occurs on Saturday — this lunar sequence has historically been a good omen when fishing for any large fish.
As well as the chance of catching a snapper, other species like Australian salmon, whiting and silver trevally remain possible catches here as they have throughout the year.
The days leading up to the new moon, and the new moon itself, also offer prospects to anglers seeking mulloway on the Barwon estuary, preferably while fishing either side of the low tide change.
On Saturday this should occur about 7pm at the Barwon Heads bridge and an hour or so later in The Sheepwash. Naturally, the morning low tide — which occurs half an hour earlier than in the evening — is also worth consideration, par- ticularly with a good supply of fresh bait on hand.
Geoff, within a month or so, my partner and I are moving to the Western District. Being a keen fly-fisherman I will naturally be fishing various waters with a special interest in the Aire River estuary: I’ve heard a whisper that mulloway may be present here. Do you have any information on that?
While people rarely fish for mulloway in the Aire, legalsize specimens are not an infrequent bycatch by anglers fishing for bream, especially within the channel branching east to the lake system where local knowledge suggests that September and October are the most productive months to fish here.
Should you be especially interested in mulloway, the Glenelg River at Nelson offers a better opportunity to catch them, along with several other species considered equally vulnerable to the fly.