On the bite: Snapper, squid fill angler bags

CORIO Bay offered protection from strong winds over the past week for anglers to catch snapper.
The bay off St Helens produced fish to 5kg along with the odd flathead to 50cm.
Anglers who fished land-based around the waterfront took pinkies to 55cm on soft plastics such as Gulp Turtleback worm in Pumpkin Green. Successful anglers noted that heavier jig heads accounted for more fish.
Clifton Springs hosted squid in reasonable numbers, although the size was down.
Tom Kenezevic anchored at the channel out from Clifton Springs where he managed to boat a pair of 3kg and 4kg snapper as well as numerous pinkies and a ling.
Ben McLean made the most of a break in the weather early Monday morning to fish off Clifton Springs, with his sights set on snapper. After a long wait his rod buckled, the drag screamed and he eventually boated a trophy snapper of 9.2kg.
St Leonards provided limited protection from the wind, with anglers fishing in close taking flathead and pinkies as well as the odd pike. Bluebait and fresh squid were the best baits.
The pier at St Leonards held good numbers of squid bigger than the specimens at Clifton Springs.
Queenscliff Harbour produced silver trevally and pinkie snapper for anglers casting soft plastics. Small squid were taken inside the harbour on 2.5-sized jigs.
Brian Long and John Mole fished the lower section of the Barwon River estuary before the strong winds. They cast soft plastics for catches of silver trevally to 35cm, while other anglers fishing upstream caught bream to 40cm on live Bass yabbies.
The Barwon River around Queen’s Park returned some bulky carp. Harry Adamko used live worms to bank his first carp, a great specimen of 3kg.
Brian Long found redfin to 700g on lure around the Queen’s Park Golf Course section of the river. He was taken by surprise when a carp of 3kg grabbed an Atomic Shad 40.
Lake Eildon continued producing great numbers of yellowbelly. Casting vibe-style lures or trolling deep-diving lures caught excellent numbers of fish.
Lake Purrumbete fished well for brown trout to 1.5kg when trolling at first light. Once the Sun was up downrigging became the favoured tactic.
Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree yielded rainbow and brown trout to 2kg on shallow-diving hard-body lures such as Eco Gear MW62F.
This weekend might be worth drifting the spoil grounds off Clifton Springs with soft plastics for snapper. Alternatively, fishing the outside of the mussel beds with fresh squid could result in some big reds.
Freshwater anglers could try walking the Barwon River with lures for redfin.
Send reports and photos to info@raylongtackle.com.au. All photos go in Tackle World Geelong’s draw for a monthly prize.