By BRIAN LONG
Snapper were the dominate target for shore-based and boat anglers over the past week.
Last weekend Trevor Jeffries hit the ramp at Clifton Springs in ideal conditions just before sunrise as two anglers returned with quality fish. Trevor caught his bag limit of snapper to 5.3kg on fresh squid at his favourite mark near Pt Wilson in one hour.
Dylan Davies landed a beauty of 6.6kg in windy conditions at St Leonards Pier.
Pike kept Guy McMahon busy while drifting the outer-harbour spoil grounds with soft plastics, although he also caught seven nice snapper to 52cm by day’s end.
Hayden Moss fished from the rocks at North Shore where he caught a snapper just over 6kg.
Corey Miller also fished the rocks but at Point Lillias where he managed a pair over 2kg each on fresh ‘couta caught earlier in the day.
Graham Peach cast small soft plastics against Alcoa Pier, catching salmon around 900g on almost every cast along with a pair fish over 1.5kg.
Discoloured water slowed squid action around the Bellarine Peninsula. Swan Bay’s entrance produced some, mostly at first light.
Sandy water was a problem along the coast as well, although Jamie Day caught an acceptable salmon on lure at Artillery Rock and I managed a couple just over 2kg at Wye River on Sunday.
Trevally were caught in Queenscliff’s cut on soft an hour either side of high tide.
Anglers reported great results fishing for eel with worms in the Barwon River’s discoloured water below Breakwater Bridge.
Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree remained the best for trout and redfin, with mudeye baits and lure working. Anglers reported fish following lures right up to the boat or shore without hitting, with suspending types providing the best solution.
Victorian Fly Fishing Championships had its third leg at Wendouree, with 40 anglers landing some nice fish. Sean Purcell caught a 56cm brown trout, which enthralled the crowd observing from the shore.
Peter Stephens fished Moorabool Reservoir for as pair of nice brown trout, both of which succumbed to his well-presented Hyland Dunn fly fished off a very long leader.
Newlyn Reservoir also produced brown trout, with Tyson Carnegie’s small Rapala minnows accounting for a 2.2kg fish and mate Gordon Faithfull catching one of 1.9kg on a similar lure.
Lake Purrumbete was productive for anglers trolling deep-running bibbed lures or Tassie Devils on downriggers set at 5m to 8m.
Nearby, Lake Bullen Merri also produced fish on the troll while bait anglers on shore catching smaller specimens on Powerbait.
Geelong and District Angling Clubs Associaiton will run its annual Ron Nelson Memorial Junior Fishing Clinic at North Geelong’s Seagull Lake on 24 October. The free event is open to children aged to 16, with participants to bring their own outfits to fish for 600 rainbow trout liberated specially for the day.
This weekend should be good for snapper on the outer-harbour spoil grounds with soft plastics or on bait close to cast into the channel at Wilson Spit.
Send reports and photos to info@raylongtackle.com.au or visit Brian at Ray Long’s Fishing World, 105 Shannon Ave, Manifold Heights.
