Dolphins show way
Snapper, whiting make presence known in Bay
ANDREW Johnson was out on one of his favourite snapper marks, down towards the Wilson Spit, but there was no action except for a large pod of dolphins.
Eventually, they moved away and by 9.45am it was clear they were rounding up something. So, while heading over to see what was doing, Andrew had 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 3m of very discoloured water and had their respective bag limits by 11am.
And, there were some really good ones among them, the biggest measuring 43cm.
Fishing off Point Richards, 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 more than 40cm among them.
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 formerly productive spots, north of the No.3 Point Richards channel marker from about 5.45am 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 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 5.8kg – coming aboard in short order.
Paul Raduka was among the successful land-based anglers last week.
Paul found the St Leonards Pier a bit crowded so he fished from the beach south of the boat ramp.
During the early morning hours he caught two snapper, each about the 4kg mark, but the number of banjo sharks continually taking his baits made for a labour-intensive exercise.
Rod Ludlow, of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head, reports the weather has been a stumbling block of late, but most clients heading out returned with squid of mixed sizes.
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 cleaning table.
There were a handful over the 40cm mark, the biggest measuring 48cm, there was another of 46cm while the rest were in the 30s and 20s.
John also reports trophy size brown trout are on offer, with Charlie Farrugia, who was fishing with his father, Chris, picking up a beauty of 3.7kg while downrigging with bibbed lures.
Kevin Wild, of the Maryborough Angling Club, reports that with flood waters starting to subside, club members have experienced some good fishing, Stephen Eales, in particular, taking yellowbelly to 60cm 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.
PORTLAND
Portland’s Compleat Angler highlights action, from offshore and from the Lee Breakwater, where Jemal caught a good-size snapper while fishing with his mate Alem.
There were others caught from the breakwater as well.
Offshore, Get Varced Charters picked up two large bluefin tuna, one of 104kg, the other was taken by client Dylan at 127.5kg.
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 hooked and identified as such. So, this year, they may have been earlier than usual.