Wild weather stirs up snapper

Calamari caught at Clifton Springs. (Supplied) 258658_01

Peri Stavropoulos

The weather has been shocking to say the least however anglers that are keen enough to get out and have a crack have been landing some nice fish.

The Geelong Yacht Club has been fishing very well with the wild weather for snapper, when its rough it just seems to stir everything up in there.

Fish to seven kilograms have been caught with plenty of anglers losing much bigger fish on both soft plastics and bait.

Small tinnies and kayaks that have been able to get inside and cast hard up on the structure have been doing best, fishing on an evening tide change just outside it would be ideal if in a bigger boat.

The outer harbour has been a little slow, mainly due to the low water temperature but hopefully if we get some warmer days the temperature will increase and the fish should feed.

In close around Clifton Springs has had plenty of pinkies cruise through, anglers casting soft plastics have had great success with anything from the gulp range being a standout.

The channel has probably been the most productive area in terms of fish over about three kilograms, once again fishing a tide change has definitely made all the difference to the anglers having success.

Calamari are holding in decent numbers off Clifton Springs through to Portarlington and even the other direction towards Hermsley.

Size 3.0 jigs have been working very well, especially the Shimano Egixile jig range.

The crater lakes have been fishing very well for both brown and rainbow trout as well as Chinook salmon for both bait and lure fisherman.

Purrumbete at first and last night has been super productive on the lake edges for anglers casting hardbody lures.

Lake Bullen Merri has been fishing well during the day down rigging, flat line trolling and bait fishing.

Trolling with tassie devils and original rapalas are the go-to lures and pilchard fillets are the best baits to soak.

The Goulburn River has been a great option with all the rain and wind with the river trout chewing really well.

Dylan Pace managed about a dozen trout (browns and rainbows) to 45cm on soft plastics rigged on a 1/20th jig head and norries laydown minnows.

Dylan also managed to land some good fish sight casting scrub worms too.