on the bite
WITH a hint of warmer weather anglers wasted no time hitting the water.
Mark Clarke took a run out of Clifton Springs last Saturday afternoon and after setting a spread of baits one of Mark’s offerings was snapped up by something rather unusual – a Southern Rock Cod of 36cm.
Mark mentioned that the rock cod put up a solid fight for its size and was puzzled at first to what exactly he had caught.
Not wanting to let the excellent conditions on offer go to waste, Daniel Baden and myself set out from Clifton Springs Friday afternoon.
Anchoring just out from the channel at Point Richards we marked promising soundings of snapper.
After quickly setting a spread of baits it did not take the snapper long to respond, with both our rods connecting to solid fish.
A hectic five minutes later we both managed to land snapper measuring 92cm and 94cm.
The snapper took a liking to pilchards and squid on the run in tide.
Josh Whitford and Andy Whitford were putting in a few hours last Wednesday night in Corio Bay, also on the hunt for snapper.
The pair found success with Josh boating a well-conditioned snapper of over 6kg.
While out on the bay those targeting snapper have had no troubles in taking a feed of flathead as a by-catch especially when using pilchard as bait.
Queenscliff has started to see greater numbers of squid come on the bite.
The water around the pilot boat jetties has been most productive with larger jigs working the best due to the strong tidal influence.
Just around the corner at the mouth of Swan Bay squid were also boated just over the grass beds in three to four metres of water.
There are still reasonable numbers of snapper to 7kg on the chew offshore from Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads in 40 to 50 metres of water.
Larger baits such as squid heads are the go with the odd gummy shark also taken as a by-catch.
At times there have been large schools of Australian salmon bursting out in a feeding frenzy but from all reports it’s a case of right place right time to bump into these guys.
Inside the Barwon Estuary bream have been on the chew with those using live bass yabbies fished in the upper reaches of the sheepwash banking some chunky fish to 40cm.
Mulloway reports have thinned a little but they are still there if you’re persistent.
These past few months would have to go down as one of the all-time greatest runs of southern Bluefin tuna south west Victoria has ever seen.
Each day reports flood in from Port Macdonald, Portland and Apollo Bay of tuna to 155kg.
Some keen anglers have even reported boating two of these giants at one time.
With fish still being taken from as far west as Port Macdonald let’s hope this run continues for some time.
Freshwater reports slowed this week with Wurdee Boluc giving up the odd redfin for those putting in the hours casting soft plastics from the main rockwall.
Terry Norbeck was at Bullen Merri last weekend fishing pilchard fillets on a lightly weighted rig amongst a liberal berley trail, managing to boat a Chinook salmon of 2kg.
Other anglers trolling the lake also took salmon of around the same size with most noting the salmon were in excellent condition.
Next week, consider chasing the snapper off Clifton Springs with any tide change at first or last light the best time.
Once again if able head down to the western district and chase a beast of a tuna while they are still on offer.
For the school holidays, St Augustines was stocked with yearling size rainbow trout which is perfect for the kids.
Powerbait on a light running sinker rig will do the trick nicely.
