The big fishing hype and talk around the local fishing community this week has got to be the bluefin tuna off Barwon Heads.
This week we have seen our ‘first official’ reports come through with anglers finding large numbers of bluefin tuna just outside the Heads. The majority of anglers are doing very well trolling small skirted lures (both with and without spreader bars) and hard body divers around. Anywhere from the rip to Barwon Heads in 20m to 50m of water have
been holding great numbers of fish ranging anywhere from as small as 5kg right through to 20kg.
The water is still quite dirty at the moment but is starting to slowly improve. Anglers have also been finding great success casting small sinking stick baits into fish on the surface, thrashing through bait fish or just sitting high in the water column.
Offshore is still continuing to produce plenty of good snapper reports with anglers picking up fish both jigging and dropping baits. Out a bit deeper in 50m seems to be where the majority of the better fishing is coming from.
Anglers have been hauling up snapper to 3kg in weight along with plenty of gummy sharks making up for a fantastic by catch.
Inside the bay the snapper just seem to keep going and going with showing no sign of slowing down.
The weather we have been having lately has really warmed up the bays water temperature and has certainly turned the snapper on. The bend of the channel, the mussel farms and Portarlington have all been producing some great numbers of fish.
Bait fishing on the tide changes has been very productive.
King George whiting and calamari have been chewing quite well this past week right across the Bellarine Peninsula.
Right along the coast from Clifton Springs through to Queenscliff have all been producing the goods. The whiting don’t mind the dirty water but when chasing the squid definitely try find the best quality water possible.
Stoney Creek Reservoir is still fishing very well for redfin over the past week, anglers fishing with both live worms and lures are finding plenty of fish.
Soft plastics and spoon style lures have been a hot favourite lately and with redfin to over 40cm being taken this is a great fishing option over the Christmas break.
