Power Boats and Fishing

Fishing Reports

Thanks to Barry Greer for putting these together.

28 September

BALNARRING

Fishing charter operator reported landing a 7kg gummy shark on a cured eel fillet, off Balnarring, during the week.

FLINDERS

Regular reports were made throughout the week in the Herald-Sun of continuing catches of Calamari squid in the Flinders area, dynamite bait and such good eating – it’s a dilemma, if you haven’t got a live bait tank onboard, whether to use them as bait or for more direct nutritional purposes.

COWES

David reported that he fished out from Cowes last weekend for good results, landing two nice snapper at 50 cm each plus a gummy shark of around four feet in length. Squid head baits on the top of the tide did the damage.

MERRICKS

A staff-member from Cranbourne Bait & Tackle reported that he fished from Merricks Beach (land based) one night during week to land a beautiful little gummy of 5 kilos, on a cured eel fillet, during the ebb tide.

JOE’S ISLAND

Further up the estuary, Peter from Cranbourne reported that he had landed a nice new season snapper of four kilos last Saturday off Joe’s Island, on a fresh salmon fillet.

14 September

FLINDERS

Donna, Damien and William reported that they fished inside and wide of West Head over last weekend to land 30 nice Grass Whiting to 30cm. The high tide also produced some of the calamari that have frequented this area now for weeks.

WESTERN ENTRANCE

A charter operator from Hastings reported excellent numbers of quality King George Whiting from the Fairway Buoy area this week. Two trips yielded 54 and 46 fish up to 45cm in length.

TORTOISE HEAD

Excellent numbers of salmon in the Tortoise Head area, according to charter boats. Fish in the 27 – 32 cm range were plentiful. They responded well to a bit of berley and took pippi baits.

8 September 2007

SOMERS & MERRICKS BEACHES

Hugh fished with mate Troy, off the beach near Somers Y C, during the afternoon on a rising tide to catch a good sized calamari squid on a bright orange lure, quite close to the shoreline. They moved to Merricks Beach and, despite many hits from what were probably whiting, they failed to bring any to the beach. The fresh calamari legs were very popular with whatever it was hitting the baits. It seems the “Kings George” are moving in-shore now and anglers, chasing the delectable monarch of the whiting species, might be successful in the shallower waters, rather than out wide.

7 September 2007

FLINDERS

Good catches reported from the pier during the week, with both Grass and King George whiting, leather jackets and squid in the anglers’ bags. Some of the whiting were reported to have been taken on earthworms.

CAT BAY

Staff from Tackleworld Cranbourne on a charter landed more than eighty whiting that ranged from 36 to 46 cm, with the majority of the bag over 40 cm. Pippi and squid were the best baits and they were fishing in 4m of water, on the last of the ebb tide.

2 September

PT LEO

Peter fished in 16 m of water between Point Leo and Cat Bay, managing two gummies of 4 and 9 kilos, on whole squid baits.

31 August

FLINDERS:

Squid to 800 grams taken on Yamashita and Hyabusa imitation jigs. Bigger squid in smaller numbers are taking frozen silver whiting on wire jigs. The squid have also moved up the western shoreline to more estuarine areas such as Crib Point and Sandstone Island.

MERRICKS BEACH:

Mark fished from the beach over the full moon. Along with dog sharks and Port Jacksons, he landed two seven-gill sharks to six feet, each on salmon fillets and squid baits. He also lost a nice gummy shark on the rocks.

26 August

BALNARRING:

We took some medium-sized flathead, in limited numbers, in 11metres due south of the sticks and about 1.8nM off-shore. Whilst occasional gummy shark catches are being reported in other parts of Westernport, no signs from the baits we offered in this area, on this day. Calamari squid, also reported in numbers in the Flinders area last week, were not showing up around the benthal structures off Balnarring. Lack of significant action may be due to the many penguins and seals seen hunting prey along the Somers to Shoreham strip. A warm weekend hinting at an early spring.

20 August

BALNARRING:

Meggsie fished off the sticks and in one hour pulled 21 whiting, nothing under 36cms and the biggest (and majority) going around 41cms. Initially, he used mussels for bait, but found the whiting going just as strong on strips of the calamari he had caught earlier, off Flinders. The squid was a much tougher bait than the mussel flesh, sometimes catching several fish on the same piece, which saved a bit of time in re-baiting. Reportedly, it was difficult to fish with 2 rods, as the action was just too fast.

18 August

CAT BAY:

Brendan, in 13 metres, directly across from Point Leo, landed a 3ft Gummy Shark on pilchard, just before the tide changed.

17 August

FLINDERS:

Matt fished with mate Lee, and managed good numbers of King-George Whiting to 44cm.

2 August

CORINELLA:

Mark and Dylan, on Sunday, fished near the French Island Barge hole, on the north-eastern side of the island, where they managed flathead, gummy sharks and a new season snapper of 4 kilos. They were fishing the ebb tide with salmon fillet. Jarrod fished with mates, Brad and John, off Corinella, on Tuesday night. They fished the flood tide and hooked into a nice sized gummy shark, which fell to a fresh salmon fillet bait.

Pt LEO

We fished behind the headland, drifting around the shallows, east of the Pt Leo Boat Club and landed a hefty calamari squid, which fed four people.

30 July

MEASURE YOUR SNAPPER TO ESTIMATE ITS WEIGHT:

Fishcare has released a free ‘Weigh Your Catch’ ruler which allows recreational anglers to estimate the weight and age of a snapper based purely on its length. “Designed to be stuck onto the side of a boat, the rulers improve the health of snapper that are released by reducing the time they spend out of the water,” said Fishcare’s Scott Gray, who led the development of the product. “By lying snapper down on the ruler an angler can quickly get a weight estimate of the fish without suspending it on scales. While good handling is not as important for fish that are going to be retained for the table, it is critical for released fish, whether they be undersize or in excess of anglers’ personal needs,” said Scott. The ruler also contains useful information about snapper and their habits, colour pictures of adult and juvenile snapper for identification purposes, and a list of tips about good fish-handling practices. “Given the phenomenal snapper seasons we have experienced over the last two seasons, particularly in Port Phillip Bay, this stick-on ruler ought to be very popular amongst keen saltwater anglers,” said Scott. The rulers were produced with a $22,100 grant from Round 4 of the Commonwealth Recreational Community Grants Program. The ‘Weigh Your Catch’ snapper rulers will be available free of charge from selected fishing tackle stores in September, just in time for the spring snapper season. Fishcare has also produced free ‘Weigh Your Catch’ ruler for other species, such as black bream and mulloway. To obtain them, or for more information about Fishcare’s range of community programs and products, visit www.fishcare.org.au. Fishcare is a statewide community-based organisation that promotes responsible and sustainable attitudes and practices amongst recreational anglers and the wider community.

27 July

GUNNAMATTA:

Oakdale Angling Club had their surf comp on the weekend with good results. First place prize went to a member with 14 salmon that averaged half a kilo. Blue and white bait worked well with the flood tide producing the best results.

CORINELLA:

Terry from Cranbourne  fished Corinella on Sunday with his son Andrew who landed two gummies of 6 and 8 kilos on fresh trevally fillets.

RHYLL:

Dave fished off Rhyll on the weekend to land a nice gummy shark of 6 kilos. The fish took a cured eel bait during the last of the flood tide.

WARNEET:

Jay and his brother, landed four fish to 4 kilos on pillies in just 10 meters of water on the last of the flood tide, off Crawfish Rock on Saturday. Snapper in July and in numbers!

20 July

LYSAGHTS:

Robin reported catching a good gummy shark along the Lysaghts Bank. The fish took a squid bait. He also drifted in the channel around Crib Point to land excellent numbers of lizards.

CORINELLA:

Last weekend Matt managed an 80kg sevengill shark on a squid bait, as well as plenty of gummy sharks to 5 kilos. The fish were taken on squid and salmon fillets. Paul and Dale spent a night on the bay catching and releasing 12 gummy sharks to 5 kilos and a new season snapper which weighed 3.5 kilos. All fish taken on squid baits.

TORTOISE HEAD:

Dave fished along the edge of the Tortoise Head bank during the week. While catching gummy sharks, he saw two humpback whales swim by, heading towards the upper reaches of the port.

12 July

CORINELLA:

Big Jewfish (mulloway) reported in this area in the past weeks. Matt and Jarrod motored out Tuesday night to land 2 gummy sharks on squid baits. The fish were landed on the flood tide.

6 July

CLEELAND BIGHT:

Good numbers of winter King George whiting taken around the Cleeland Bight area. Anglers have been fishing between the last channel marker and Cleeland bight with excellent results. Most fish have been up to 48cm in length and are taking pipi baits.

BOLTON'S/BOUCHIER:

A big jewfish was taken on Friday night in the top end of the Port and was caught in one of the nets from the netters working in the area. The fish went onto the scales and it pulled them down to 74lb. Another fish around 90lb was also caught in a net on Thursday night and when cleaned, its stomach contents was full of Estuary Perch.

FLINDERS:

Calamari were being taken from the Flinders Pier this week. Some of the calamari taken have weighed up to 1 kilo. The best method was a Silver Whiting suspended under a float.

28 June

CORINELLA:

Lucky angler landed 3 gummies of which one was 1 metre in length. Two of the three gummies were released. Phil and Joe fished from the Corinella Pier on Saturday night. The boys used some pipi on a Black Magic 1/0 circle hook to land a nice Ling.

WESTERN ENTRANCE:

Scott and Bree headed down the Western Entrance during the week. Fishing with squid and pilchard baits they managed 10 gummies and 1 school shark. They released all fish except 2 gummies for the table.