Pinkies all the rage despite weather

Dylan Pace with a brown trout (Supplied) 210034_01

Peri Stavropolous

There’s been some pretty average weather over the past week, but anglers braving the conditions are being rewarded with some quality captures with pinkie snapper once again being a popular target species.

The pinkies have been in fantastic numbers all around the Geelong waterfront and being easily accessible for both boat and land-based fishos.

Soft plastics have been a great way to target them with 3 inch paddle tail styles being the best. Australian salmon have also been in great numbers around the waterfront.

Although they aren’t the biggest getting around, they sure do make up for it in numbers and once again throwing soft plastics are the best way to target them.

The King George whiting fishing this past week has been just super out from Queenscliff with fantastic numbers and all at a great size.

Fishing any tide change has been fishing well with fish reaching well over 40 centimetres.

There are still plenty of whiting around the peninsula too, but Queenscliff is definitely the place to be if you’re after a feed.

Calamari still remain in good numbers too inside Swan Bay through to St Leonards with size #3.5 jigs working best.

Offshore, Barwon Heads is still producing some quality captures of snapper and gummy sharks, anchoring in 35 metres of water with fresh baits has been a very effective way to get onto some quality fish.

The west coast trout fishing is on fire! Just about every system has had fantastic reports of trout in good numbers, great size and in some places both! The rivers have been giving up some great fish with the Merri and Hopkins being the standout locations, casting shallow diving minnows in natural colours is the way to go to get stuck into the action. Wurdibuloc is still producing the odd fish, anglers are having to work hard for their fish but there is still some nice trout and redfin to be caught.

The crater lakes have also been giving up some great fish with Bullen Merri holding great numbers of rainbow trout and chinook salmon and Purrumbete still being the best location if you’re chasing a trophy.

St Augustines water hole has been offering some fantastic fishing for the kids and families lately with plenty of catchable size rainbow trout jumping onto fishos rods, a simple running sinker rig with powerbait is all that’s required to get stuck into the action and is a great spot to go and catch your first fish!