Keen anglers make up for coronavirus ban
sought-after fish, though, and on Wednesday Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck, who anchored up in 6.8m of water offshore from the Pelican Shores Caravan Park, Leopold, had their respective bag limit catches, the biggest measuring 43cm, by 10.30am.
Noticing that squid were following their hooked fish, they broke out the squid jigs, and — on a series of slow drifts — they took their respective bag limit catches of those as well.
By Saturday afternoon the number of boats on the water had increased substantially, and, as usual when this is the case, fewer whiting were caught, even by experts such as Andrew Johnson and Dennis O’Brien. The pair didn’t catch a fish until dusk, but from then until nightfall, they caught 27 whiting, along with four snotty trevalla.
Mind you, there are not only whiting to be caught.
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that Chris Kfowry caught 10 nice squid offshore from the Dell, while Clinton Boyes and Richard Lambert caught eight legal size pinkie snapper and 15 flathead more or less straight out from the boat harbour.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head says that squid have been plentiful with both clients and regular anglers that included Jeff Richards and Chris Hateley who picked up respectable catches of these over the weekend, the biggest specimens around the kilogram mark.
Whiting were also on the go at Queenscliff. Among those to catch them were Joe Mortelliti and Col Feldman, who had launched at Queenscliff and anchored just west of Coles Beacon off the mouth of Swan Bay. It took a while, and a lot of berley, before whiting made inroads on the various unwanted species taking their baits.
Things were looking up once the bite started, though. They returned to the ramp with 21 good size whiting, several garfish and flathead.
Fishing the same area on Sunday were Darcy Scott, his sister Shenae, her partner Sara and Darcy’s partner Allie. They too caught 21 whiting, ranging from 38-42cm.