On the Bite
Apollo Bay again produced world-class southern bluefin tuna last week but in even greater numbers than previously.
Hordes of anglers fished calm conditions off the town, with the biggest tuna take in 80m to 100m straight out from Cape Otway. Large skirted lures were effective, with anglers reporting multiple simultaneous hook-ups.
Matt Alsop and Dylan Pace set a spread of skirted lures, quickly hooking a fish that escaped minutes later. They were soon on again, this time boating a 74.8kg tuna after a battle of one hour and 50 minutes.
Paul Carson, Michael Jackson and Gavin Chivilo trolled similar ground to boat a tuna almost breaking the scales at 133.9kg on 24kg tackle. Without a harness, the trio was exhausted after a three-hour fight.
Not all anglers sought tuna off Apollo Bay. Andrew Orchard fished a gummy shark spot with a neighbour, catching fish just over 1m each on salmon fillets.
Snapper were available in good numbers in 40m off Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads. The change of the tide produced fish to 6.5kg, with the odd gummy shark making a welcome by-catch.
Anglers targeted squid off St Leonards where size 3 jigs in white colourations worked well when fished in 3m to 4m. St Leonards also gave up reasonable amounts of King George whiting on pippies during the run-out tide.
Clifton Springs hosted anglers seeking snapper but the going was tough. Fish to 7kg were taken, with after-dark best.
Geoff Redmond tried Cunningham Pier on Monday morning, catching a bag of barracoota to 50cm on a Strike Pro lure. Geoff said he had to fish deep to entice bites.
Freshwater fishing made a significant improvement as redfin and trout came on the chew.
Kelvin Baldwin cast hard-body lures just below the old paper mill in the Barwon River, targeting redfin. He was surprised to instead land a well-conditioned 46cm brown trout.
Bradley Cox cast Fish Arrow soft plastics at Wurdee Boluc Reservoir, landing a healthy 44cm redfin that darted up and down the rock wall.
The reservoir’s brown trout were a little quieter but some were still taken on mudeyes fished under floats.
On Sunday Shaun Wills tried Bostock Reservoir, which has been a little quiet lately. Shaun managed to bank a brown trout of 1.65kg and 56cm on a pink Tassie Devil cast from the bank.
The next week’s run of warm spring weather should allow anglers to chase large bluefin tuna off Apollo Bay, while freshwater anglers should keep focused on Wurdee Boluc Reservoir for redfin and trout.
