By CHRIS PITMAN
Anglers caught a wide variety of fish over the past week.
Casting soft plastics in tight around structure on Corio Bay accounted for pinkie snapper and flathead to 45cm.
The Stingaree Bay spoil produced the odd whiting on pippies.
Clifton Springs fished well for whiting and squid.
I drifted over the shallow grass beds on Monday morning to find squid in fantastic numbers, with size 3 jigs in white colourations catching specimens to almost 1kg.
Anglers fishing further out in six to seven metres took whiting to 40cm on pippies and tenderized squid.
Queenscliff Harbour gave land-based anglers access to squid.
Small 2.5-size jigs worked well on the slower-running tides while anglers fishing the main cut caught silver trevally and the odd whiting to 40cm.
The Barwon River estuary provided shelter for anglers who caught small Australian salmon, trevally, mullet and whiting on prawn, pippies and squid.
Surf beaches hosted large schools of salmon that were keen to hit metal lures.
The run-in tide was best.
Bait anglers who fished after dark caught gummy sharks on fresh squid and salmon.
Down the coast, tuna schooled in 55m to 65m straight south of Port Fairy, where trolling remained the most-effective method.
Also in the south-west, Andrew Orchard caught a trophy-size 50cm estuary perch on a Daiwa Spike lure.
Freshwater anglers caught trout at Lakes Bullen Merri and Purrumbete while trolling at first light.
Casting along the east bank of Purrumbete caught brown trout to 2.5kg.
The Barwon River from Breakwater to Queen’s Park remained a hot spot for carp to 6kg.
Next week looks good for salmon in the surf on lures during the day and gummy shark on bait at night, while Clifton Springs should remain hot for squid.
Freshwater anglers should try for carp.
