RAY SNAP-PERS TO IT
FROM THE BEACH
Finding the beach at Jan Juc just too rough for comfortable fishing, Ray Millman, doubled back to Torquay where he fished the calmer water that evening, just north of the boat ramp carpark where initially, he was getting plenty of bites but without result.
At 8.30pm though, he caught a 2kg snapper and a whiting nudging 40cm, then foul hooking another whiting before engaging in a mighty tussle that could only have been with a large stingray that he managed to break off.
His last worthwhile catch for the night was a 2.5kg snapper that encouraged him to put a second rod out, something of a mistake as it turned out, for both lines became tangled together courtesy of a Port Jackson shark.
CORIO BAY/BELLARINE PENINSULA
Heading out into 5.5m of water off Curlewis on Thursday morning, Garry Ridgeway and Lindsay Robinson were into the whiting until the flood tide slackened off at around 10.30am, after which they broke out the squid jigs.
Fishing on the drift through high slack water they caught 16 nice squid, by which time the incoming tide signalled it was prime time to try for the whiting once more. This they did, topping off their bag-limit catches of fish to 40cm by early afternoon.
Also after the whiting were Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck who, on Thursday morning of last week, headed out off the entrance of Swan Bay to fish the incoming tide from around 10.30am.
The whiting were well and truly on the bite, and by midday, each had taken their respective bag-limit catches of fish to 43cm using mussel, pipi, and squid for bait.
So, with the whiting catch stowed away it was time to try for squid, which also turned out to be co-operative, and they were soon on their way to additional bag-limit catches of squid, the biggest about 1.2kg.
Rod Ludlow, of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head, reports that squid continue to be well represented in anglers’ catches, along with whiting. And fishing on the drift has reportedly been productive for both species.
OFFSHORE
Making a solo run from Apollo Bay down to Cape Otway in a 3m swell on Saturday morning, Darren Baldock was encouraged by the amount of bird life here in 70-80m of water, and – hoping for tuna – put his lures out.
He caught two tuna as it turned out, the first of at least 15kg, the second around 25kg.
FRESHWATER
Frank Benvenuto reports that his efforts to catch bass from the Werribee River on lures has been decidedly unfruitful of late, but he did catch a nice one of 40cm or so on a Megabass Siglett (Cicada imitation), surface lure.
And on Wednesday afternoon, Frank returned from the river after catching another four bass, each around 33cm and a couple of silver perch, the first silvers he has ever taken from the river.
Frank makes the point that the bass are still taking live yabbies, something to which fellow angler Ray Doolan could attest after catching a 43cm bass early last week, while Mark – another of Frank’s friends – caught a mulloway of about a metre in length from the Maribyrnong River using a live mullet for bait.
Kevin Wild, of the Maryborough Angling Club, fished Lake Mulwala with 10-yearold grandson Oliver last week, later accompanied by club members Don and Robert Rayner, who also made the trip. And not in vain either, for they all caught Murray cod trolling lures, mainly at the Yarrawonga end where there was more shelter from the wind. Robert caught the biggest at 78cm, but a good many of their fish were in the 60cm range.
Kevin also mentions that Tullaroop Reservoir continues to produce good catches of redfin with Craig Watts sending in a photo of his catch from here.
PORTLAND
Fishing just out from Portland’s north shore, Bob McPherson and Lockie Wombell tried for whiting, but were overwhelmed by the number of slimy mackerel, most of which they kept for bait, along with silver trevally and pinkie snapper.