The Barwon River remained a productive option over the past week for anglers prepared to put in the effort.
Alanna Weight and partner Marcus Anyon finished soft plastics above the Sheepwash on Sunday morning, with Marcus managing four fish of 59cm, 65cm, 66cm and 85cm in four casts. Determined not to be outdone, Alannah changed her retrieve to a slow roll and immediately caught a quality 70cm fish on 5lb line.
The pair released all the fish, while quality trevally were also moving around the estuary.
Justin Burns and Phil Nelson headed out from Queenscliff on Saturday, anchoring on the grass beds and putting in a light burley trail in the hope of whiting. They eventually bagged on fish from 30cm to 40cm as well as a couple of trevally to 45cm.
Justin and Phil later headed up toward the mouth of Swan Bay where they bagged out on squid. G. Gancraft jigs particularly effective, they said.
Justin also fished Corio Bay’s inner-harbour on Sunday with Simon Williams, focusing on the structures around the western shoreline. They caught plenty of pinkies to 40cm, with Gulp Crabbies working well.
Heading out to Curlewis on Saturday six-year-old Amelia Murdoch, 6, finished with grandfather Barrie off Curlewis on Saturday in the hope of catching some flathead. The pair managed plenty of quality fish, with Amelia catching a specimen of 57cm.
Tackleworld’s Kevin Hunter headed down to Portland on the weekend to fish an ANSA convention. Kingfish were at the top of anglers’ hit list, with plenty of fish captured.
Gavin Malony managed the highest-point-scoring king, a fish of 5.8kg that he caught on 6kg line. Other notable captures were Glenn Miller’s 12kg southern bluefin tuna on 4kg line and plenty of salmon to 3kg.
Kevin also lost an impressive thresher shark of about 80kg on 6kg line before a couple of awesome jumps.
Plenty of quality kings were also caught outside the convention. Darren Wloch and Tim Drewery managing fish to 10kg on fishing live squid under a balloon, while Dalibor Smek boated kings to 11kg on squid strips and pilchards at anchor.
On the freshwater scene, Wurdee Boluc Reservoir continued producing quality redfin and trout for anglers who put in the hard yards. Quality brown and rainbow trout were taken on mudeyes fished under a bubble float in close to the edges, while lures accounted for redfin reaching 45cm.
Anglers should have plenty of options over the next week for popular local species. The Barwon estuary or Corio Bay’s inner-harbour will be worth fishing if shelter’s required, while offshore from Ocean Grove should produce quality mako sharks and smaller kingfish.
