By Brian Long
THE past week there’s been some exceptionally big snapper captures, with Gordon Knowles’ 10.8kg monster last weekend probably the best.
Gordon’s caught his big fish in 18m off St Leonards while fishing for gummy shark with a strip of cured eel.
Ian Szkirka was also lucky, with his largest snapper weighing over 10kg.
Alan Browse hooked up on quality snapper with soft plastics off Clifton Springs on Monday morning, while Corey Gallagher also caught some on the same method.
The bend in the channel to Wilson Spit should be productive for big snapper in the next few weeks.
Snapper captures from the inner harbour were down but fish were still taken late in the evenings after the wind dropped.
Grant Dwyer fished the Stingaree Bay spoil grounds with fresh pilchards on Monday night for a bag-limit catch of big fish to 5.3kg.
Pike were increasingly common captures for anglers fishing lure in both the inner and outer-harbours. Soft plastics and small hard-bodied lures were well on this species when fished anywhere with grass beds or deep drop-offs.
Land-based anglers should look to either North Shore rocks on the low tides during evenings or Geelong’s waterfront on high tides.
Queenscliff’s cut again produced silver trevally and snapper on soft plastics. Turtleback worms or curl-tail grubs were best, with the lead-up to high tide the most productive.
Anglers also reported squid hitting soft plastics in the area, with a quick change to a jig sure to produce some calamari.
Troy Andrews drifted the shallow grass beds off the Swan Bay’s for a bag-limit catch of squid. He then used some for bait in deeper water for a catch of 18 whiting to 44cm.
Paul Parker also found whiting in numbers near Inner Governor Reef, catching his bag limit in under two hours. Paul reported that anglers nearby had similar results.
Swan Bay’s jetty produced plenty of garfish when conditions allowed. Anglers using berley and silverfish baits enjoyed the best results.
The water temperature was still low but some quality flathead were still taken at the entrance to Swan Bay. Gerry Gardener landed two just over two kilograms each while fishing blue bait under a small float last weekend.
Surf angling was limited but Black Rock should be worthwhile for snapper and whiting in the evenings.
Sandy water along most of the coast resulted in few salmon captures, although Danny Glover spun the rocks at Cinema Point for a dozen to almost two kilograms. Small barracouta were also present, biting off plenty of lure losses.
Ballarat’s Lake Wendouree again produced trout. Mudeye was the best bait, although lure or fly also worked.
The odd big redfin was also taken at the lake.
Moorabool Reservoir rewarded Stuart Platter for casting Nories Laydown minnow lures with four fish, including a magnificent brown trout of 2.4kg. Stuart caught all his fish late in the evening when the wind was light.
Charlie Hope caught a 3.6kg brown trout at Lake Purrumbete while trolling a Tassie Devil in the pink and black colour with a downrigger at nine metres.
Persistent anglers caught trout and redfin in the favourable water at Wurdee Boluc Reservoir. Lure was the favoured method, with deeper-running bibbed lures best.
Further afield, Lake Toolondo remained one of the best destinations for bait anglers using mudeye. Fly angling should come into its own at the lake as the weather warms.
The annual Ron Nelson Fishing Clinic will be on again at North Geelong’s Seagull Paddock Lake on Sunday. The free event for children aged to 16 is hosted by the Association of Geelong and District Angling Clubs.
Rainbow trout were liberated especially for the event, beginning at 9am.
Registrations and more information are available by phoning Ian Pickering on 5266 1008 or John Hotchin on 5248 6817.
Snapper should be high on everyone’s list this weekend, with the tides ideal late in the evening for anywhere from Clifton Springs to Point Henry. Stay close to the channel without anchoring it and use fresh baits such as squid, pilchard or salmon fillets.
Send reports and photos to info@raylongtackle.com.au or visit Brian at Ray Long’s Fishing World, 105 Shannon Ave, Manifold Heights.
