By Brian Long
Variable conditions made fishing difficult over the past week, with strong wind limited snapper fishing.
Paul Cummings found shelter close in at Rippleside where he caught a fish of 4.6kg on a snapper snatcher baited with a fine piece of squid.
Geoffrey Norton boated two snapper just over 2kg nearby on fresh pilchard. He also caught two big pike while casting small bibbed lures from his boat.
Pike were present in good numbers along Geelong’s waterfront. Garry Holmes cast soft plastics between Cunningham Pier and Royal Geelong Yacht Club to catch a couple of fish on each occasion, his biggest just on 1m.
Noel Shorten found pike on the low tides at North Shore rocks where his favourite 25g Sluk lure in the pilchard colour helped him catch and release seven fish, the largest about 90cm.
Chris Hudynski fished the Wilson Spit to land his first snapper, a fish of 79cm. Chris also landed another snapper along with a 1m gummy shark.
Grant McKenzie fished the same area with fresh squid caught earlier in the day off Hermsley. He returned with two quality snapper over 5kg.
The rugged weather prevented most anglers venturing out wide off St Leonards but young Will Bliss showed his skills when the wind settled on Sunday, landing his first gummy shark of the season. Will’s 8kg gummy took a salmon fillet.
Queenscliff’s cut was quiet for trevally but good numbers of salmon offered exciting fishing, especially for anglers using soft plastics.
Garfish were caught from Swan Bay’s jetty, with, George Latham catching a nice bag on silverfish baits.
Surf anglers again had to content with sandy water but caught salmon on lure in clearer areas between Lorne and Apollo Bay. The salmon were chasing small baitfish, so lures under 30g worked best.
Black Rock began procuding snapper, mostly around 40cm, along with some big whiting in small numbers.
Some magnificent fish were caught during an ANSA competition at Camperdown, including Atlantic salmon to 3.7kg and brown and rainbow trout over 2kg. However, all the talk was about the capture of two bass, with Jonathan Nowell’s 1.4kg fish the biggest of the pair at Lake Bullen Merri.
Lake Purrumbete hosted many of the ANSA captures and, while he was not a part of the event, Stephen Dank landed two brown trout over 3kg on live minnow.
Few anglers tried Moorabool Reservoir but on the calmer days it produced fish to fly anglers using small brown nymphs.
Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree remained consistent, with all methods working but bait anglers using mudeye catching the most fish.
Young anglers should remember the annual Ron Nelson Fishing Clinic will run with great prizes at Seagull Lake in North Geelong on 27 October. The free event is open to children aged 16 and under, with more information available by phoning Ian Pickering on 5266 1008 or John Hotchin on 5248 6817.
Conditions look ideal for this weekend, with Lake Wendouree sure to fish well for anglers using mudeye baits or casting shallow-running lures. Snapper anglers should try Clifton Springs at the turn up to Wilson Spit late in the afternoon and after dark.
Send reports and photos to info@raylongtackle.com.au or visit Brian at Ray Long’s Fishing World, 105 Shannon Ave, Manifold Heights.
