Snapping up some snapper

Dedicated anglers overcame blustery conditions again over the past week to bank some impressive snapper.
Anglers casting whole pilchards on paternoster rigs caught snapper to 6kg at St Helens, with pinkies and flathead taken as by-catch.
Soft plastic anglers fishing Corio Bay spoil grounds boated pinkies to 45cm along with the odd pike and flathead.
Clifton Springs attracted plenty of snapper anglers, with those able to head out boating fish to 7kg and numerous gummy sharks to 6kg.
St Leonards remained the whiting capital of the Bellarine Peninsula, with the Bourke St area producing fish over 40cm.
Anglers targeting squid battled poor water clarity but managed reasonable captures while drifting in close.
The channel entrance to Swan Bay was worthwhile on Monday afternoon by casting soft plastics at the start of the run-in tide for Australian salmon of 2.5kg, then later pinkies, snapper, whiting and smaller salmon around 1kg were caught.
Queenscliff Harbour produced silver trevally and pinkies, particularly aound the entrance. Bait anglers had success with pilchard fillets and pippies, while soft plastic anglers caught fish with 1/4oz jig heads and Gulp turtleback worms.
Surf anglers caught salmon to 2kg on the run-in tides at 13th and Bancoora beaches and from the rock platforms further toward Lorne.
The crater lakes continued giving up large brown trout over 4kg for anglers slow-trolling hard-body lures along the margins. The odd Chinook salmon was also taken but with lightly weighted baits suspended just above the bottom.
Wurdee Boluc Reservoir remained frustration but still produced redfin to 40cm and rainbow trout of 1kg on lures.
Next week should provide opportunities to fish St Leonards for whiting and squid, while the Swan Bay channel’s salmon should also be on the chew. Freshwater anglers should persist with Wurdee Boluc’s big redfin.
This Friday Night, 28th of October at 6.30pm is
Trellys Tackle Spectacular will be at Geelong Showgrounds Hall of Agriculture from 6.30pm tonight, with guest speakers, discounted gear and a fish simulator.