Fishos play ‘favourites’

FLAKE OUT: Steve Davison with his gummy shark caught off Queenscliff.

On the Bite, by Peri Stavropoulos

The local fishing was fantastic over the past week, with most of the favourite saltwater species willing to bite.

Starting from a bit further up Corio Bay, the area known as P2 has been fishing very well for snapper. Most of the fish have been averaging 4kg to 7kg, with bag-limit captures very achievable.

Altona is also holding plenty of snapper to around the same size and they seem to be hanging in quite close to the shoreline.

Closer to home, Clifton Springs through Portarlington remained the local hot spot for snapper last week. They were very on and off but some good fish were taken.

Indented Head also fished very well for snapper, squid, whiting and gummy sharks last week. Sam Riggio caught a snapper just over 5kg on a fresh strip of squid on the start of the run-out tide, while Damien Meddings nailed a nice gummy on a fresh squid head in 9m of water and also a bag of King George whiting out from St Leonards on pipi and fresh squid candle.

Swan Bay continued fishing very well for calamari for anglers in boats. Adam Taz and Michael Stavropoulos got out on the weekend, managing a great haul of squid.

Down toward Queenscliff a great variety of fish was caught, especially for anglers casting soft plastics targeting pinkie snapper and Australian salmon. Jamie Marsh and Brad Apps had a crazy session on the salmon, with a hook up nearly every cast.

The fishing was also good out in the deeper and faster-moving water off Queenscliff, with snapper to 6kg and gummy sharks taken, Steve Davison made the most of the good weather, catching himself a cracking gummy of around 15kg on a fresh chunk of salmon.

Offshore from Barwon Heads was also still fishing very well for snapper and gummies. Boats positioning themselves just off the reefs in 35m of water had little trouble landing both species.

Gone Fishing Charters was offshore last week doing a bit of bottom basing for a few reef fish until the crew and customers were pleasantly surprised by the appearance of a yellowtail kingfish. Hopefully it’s a good sign of what’s to come in summer.