Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE!

REGISTER

Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE!

REGISTER
HomeSportStingaree Bay the hot spot

Stingaree Bay the hot spot

Another great weekend for fishing with lots of reports coming from Corio Bay with anglers picking up some nice fish.

The inner harbour is producing some nice fish with pinky snapper, flathead, salmon and whiting. The Stingaree Bay spoil grounds have been hosting some hot action especially for those casting soft plastics, the famous Gulp Turtleback worm again is standing out the best.

Limeburners and St Helens rocks have been popular for land-based fishos with flathead, garfish and pinkies. Mainly fishing at night as the fish come in close to feed, as we get some nasty rough nights it’s well worth having a go for a BIG winter snapper in these locations too.

The outer harbour is still fishing well for better sized snapper with fish to 4kg being taken from what you would call your ‘traditional snapper spots’ (spoil grounds, channel, quarries, 9ft bank).

Pilchards, squid and any other fresh bait have all been working well and ideally fishing on a tide

change or first and last light. Garfish have been in good numbers close around Clifton springs for those fishing in super shallow with pencil floats in a burley trail.

Fishing super shallow water like 1 to 1.5 metres seems to be the sweet spot on where they are hiding but keeping a solid consistent burley trail is definitely the key to success

Offshore Barwon Heads has been hot with gummy sharks. Gone Fishing Charters has been right amongst the action – the other day Chris and his crew landed nine sharks with a mix of school and gummy sharks. Salmon chunks are by far the best bait on either a running sinker or Paternoster Rig.

Down the west coast between Portland and Port Macdonnell there has been a hot barrel tuna bite with reports of fish being caught daily with sizes ranging from 50kg right up to 150kg.

Trolling skirted lures and hardbodies have both been doing the damage and so too has bait fishing. It really has been that good a bite the fish are snatching up most things. Peri Stavropoulos from Trellys Geelong fished alongside his brother Aston Stavropoulos down at Port Mac over the weekend with Aston landing his first tuna weighing in at 107kg bled and gutted.

Digital Edition
Subscribe

Get an all ACCESS PASS to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription

Youth and experience collide

Two of the blues’ finest exponents return to the Bellarine this weekend almost exactly 12 months after their first visit together in 2025. Internationally acclaimed...
More News

Launching comedy’s next stars

Dylan McBurney is the founder and executive producer of a national program helping young comedians launch their careers. They spoke to Matt Hewson about...

Amber squats for research

Rippleside’s Amber Ashby is doing what she can to support others going through breast cancer following her own diagnosis two years ago. ...

Many cultures, one street

Victoria’s premier multicultural festival is back for its 44th year. This Saturday 28 February, Cultura’s 2026 Pako Festa will once again transform Pakington Street into...

Retail growth on the way

Jan Juc and Torquay could see more growth in the retail and industrial economy following updated guidelines for Surf Coast commercial land use and...

Drought conditions not over yet

Surf Coast Shire’s agriculture sector is in for a lengthy recovery following recent drought and fire conditions across the region. A report presented...

Grovers advance to prelim

Independent photographer Ivan Kemp was at Ocean Grove Bowling Club on Tuesday 24 February for the Division 1 midweek bowls semi-finals and saw Ocean...

Council finalises funding ‘wish list’

Geelong council announced the top projects it will advocate for as the state election approaches. On Tuesday night councillors unanimously endorsed a list of priority...

Out and about at the market

Independent photographer Ivan Kemp went to Geelong City Market on Saturday 20 February where the Geelong Chinese Association celebrated Chinese New Year and market...

Shire condemns vandalism

Surf Coast Shire Council has taken a stand against all types of vandalism to public and private property following an Australia Day incident. ...

Neale cleared of serious injury

Geelong is breathing a sigh of relief after big man Shannon Neale avoided a serious right knee injury in a ruck contest in the...