Tightlines - South & East Gippsland & more

21 April 2008

With King George
(Alan McFayden)
Wonthaggi
Phone 0401 199 223

The great run of weather continues and so too does the fishing, with boaters and land-based anglers enjoying the great late run.

Woolamai
Graham Crane travelled down from Lang Warren with a mate and decided to try his luck near the Anzacs after ringing King George. He fished the run-in tide in calm conditions and they managed nine salmon, with the best weighing 1.8kg. The fish were all taken on whitebait and surf poppers. Other anglers have been having similar success with best results being in the vicinity of the Anzacs on the last half of the run in tide and first of the run-out water. A few flathead have also been bagged along with mullet, and no doubt as the colder months arrive there will be even better numbers of fish paying the area a visit.

San Remo
Whiting are still dominating, with best results being above the bridge where they are being taken to the 43cm mark on both sides of the tide. Local anglers Tom Slavin and John McRae have been doing very well on the royals in the vicinity of Dickies Bay, mainly on pipis. Other anglers have been having similar success with salmon, silvers, mullet and tailor making up very impressive bags.

It is at this time of year that anglers familiar with the area are at an advantage, especially as far as the whiting are concerned. Wonthaggi angler Danny Luna, and King George decided to try their luck through the week looking for whiting or what might come their way. As it turned out they managed 18 whiting, but it would be fair to say that they made just about as many moves for their bag which was taken on pipis and strips of pilchard.

Other anglers have been having similar experiences with the royals thinning out, which is not uncommon for this time of year. Below the bridge had been a bit on the quiet side early in the week with the occasional whiting, salmon and silver trevally being taken on pipis, squid and pilchards. At the weekend things picked up with whiting to the 40cm mark being taken in fairly good numbers. Outside the eastern entrance the large numbers of tiger flathead have also thinned out, but there are still a few being taken to the kilo mark by bottom bouncing anglers. Squid are also in good numbers along with those ugly bull-eye gurnard.

Craig Edmonds at San Remo says that with autumn days like the last few, why would you want to put the fishing tackle away yet? Reports to him are that whiting have taken over as the catch of the week from elephants, with plenty of bags taken this week, and it's also pleasing to see some shorter but fatter winter ones. Most of the reports have come from the last red light towards Maggie Shoal; a small amount of berley helped. Baits varied a lot due to the shortage of pipis, and the best of the rest has been Jap clams and mussel, with squid a very close second.

Hooks are another thing people are changing, going away from the traditional size 6 long shank bait holder to the smaller circle hooks for whiting, with those who have changed seeing their hookup rate increase dramatically.

Again Craig says that the reports of elephants were many this week, with usual spots and baits working, and as for catching these fish, he seems to get a lot of confused people into his shop thinking there is some magical rig. But, this is not the case, as a sliding sinker, 3/0 to 6/0 circle or suicide hook and pilchard or squid bait will do the job.

As for the rest of the fishing, trevally salmon and flathead have been available in the bay this week, and in big schools, with plenty of keepers amongst them. Offshore fishermen have been quiet despite the good weather, but those who did venture out bagged tiger flathead, nannygai, salmon, and trevally, as well as squid and plenty of 'coutta. There have also been whiting from 45cm-50cm off Pyramid Rock on the western side. Sharks have been quiet and only 1 sighting of about a 6’ mako that made an appearance beside a boat that was fishing for flathead outside the entrance.

Land-based has been disturbed somewhat lately on both the San Remo and Newhaven jetties with all the works that are happening, but the reports back from Rhyll Jetty have been much improved with gummies and elephants on the menu at night time; pilchard and tuna fillet working well.

Scattered reports of salmon from all the major surf beaches this week, the best being an angler having a "right place right time" moment at the Woolamai Surf Club beach one evening, bagging more than a dozen, with 2 nudging the 2kg mark.

If you are looking to do some land-based game fishing, the beaches from Harmers Haven to Kilcunda could be worth a look at night, with a report form a couple of customers this week who while diving these areas came across some large schools of seven gill and gummy sharks.

Just a late land-based report from young Liam Lawrie bringing in a 2.2kg flathead caught at Rhyll on pilchard - a great effort Liam.

With the summer season slowly coming to a close and fewer people fishing, the reports will also be reduced, so to help fill the report space Craig will be running a series of fishing related articles. He will be covering several topics from fishing tackle history, tackle tips, new products for next season and maybe even a recipe or two. If you have any ideas or topics please phone or call in and, and give those who don’t necessarily follow football something to read.

Wonthaggi angler Danny Luna with a couple of nice whiting caught at San Remo abve the bridge.

Andy Dennis with a 1.5kg pinky snapper caught near the bridge at San Remo through the week.

A new type of surf rig where the bait is placed inside a weighted plastic holder which makes for longer casting. The bait is released after it reaches its destination.

Wonthaggi Angling Club
The club held its monthly competition last Sunday in fine conditions. There were 13 anglers who weighed in fish. President Graham Gray welcomed everyone along and also thanked Elaine Hamilton, Ian Kent and Alan McFayden for organizing the weber meal and hot vegetables. He also thanked the sponsors for the month who were Cargill’s Sport Store and also Henry Williams for his donation of sinkers, as he always does at the weigh-ins.

The winner of the senior male section was Alan Lowe with a 1805g salmon which was worth 4332 points, as salmon was fish of the month. The senior female section was won by Alan’s good wife Linda, who had a salmon which weighed in at 690g, 1656 points. The junior male section was won by Ren Hamilton with a 720g salmon for 1728 points. Kealey Hamilton won the junior female section with a 735g salmon for 1764 points. The secret weight was won by Alan Bentick. Those anglers who fished San Remo say that as well as whiting, there are very big schools of salmon to the 500g mark being sighted and taken both above and below the bridge. They will take a variety of baits and lures and at times make a nuisance of themselves when taking presentations meant for the royals. This is hardly a problem for the average angler who is more than happy to have a mixed bag.

Cape Paterson
Melbourne-based angler Malcolm Harvey and mate Andy fished out from the Cape where they caught some huge whiting that were to 50cm. These were the biggest that they had caught, and they were no doubt very pleased. On one occasion a fighting whiting was followed up by a school shark. Malcolm tossed over a bait for the big fellow and in no time had him in the boat as well, which was also very pleasing. Malcolm said that there was also any amount of pinkies that they hooked, but kept only what they needed. Being regular visitors to the area another trip is not far away.

Inverloch
Through the week Graham Cordon visited the bathing boxes and tried his luck fishing land-based on the last half of the run-out tide. He was with a good mate “Tiny” and they managed a very nice bag of whiting, salmon and one flathead. Other anglers have also been doing fairly well in the area, as well as boaters who have been trying their luck near the yellow marker.

The snags area has been the place to be when the flow is not too fast. Whiting are of very good quality along with perch and luderick, and Bass yabbies have been the best of the presentations.

Stevie's Gutter, which is further up the inlet, has been where anglers are taking quality whiting to 40cm but there are plenty of those midget flathead making a nuisance of themselves.

Maher’s Landing is very popular with boaters and land-based fishermen, where the whiting are not quite as big but being up to 36cm they are well worthwhile going after. There are also quite a few mullet and flathead, as well as a sprinkling of tailor being bagged in the area where Bass yabbies, pipis and squid have been doing the job. There seems to be a bit of a battle to find a fish n the Tarwin River, but there is the odd silver trevally and mullet.

There has been the occasional perch being taken but it would be fair to say that there is a fair bit of water mixed in with them. The fishing platforms which have been constructed have been very popular with locals and visitors, where mainly mullet have been taken with the occasional perch, but regardless of the results they make fishing very comfortable.

Shallow Inlet
It seems that the whiting have decided that it’s time to leave for the time being, but the salmon have moved in with a vengeance. Over the weekend they have been taken to the 1.4kg mark mainly on lures on both sides of the tide in the vicinity of the entrance. There are gummies being bagged on pilchards and whole squid, with the occasional smallish snapper also being taken. The torpedo fish are striking with great gusto and constantly jumping right out of the water in an effort to escape. Quite often they are successful and many experienced fishermen like to replace the treble hook with a single size 2 or similar on a shrivel, as they reckon that this reduces the leverage imparted by the fish.

Port Welshpool
For some reason there wasn’t much action in this area, but on Friday the whiting re-emerged and were being taken in good numbers to the 37cm mark mainly on pipis. There was also a sprinkling of silvers and quite a few salmon to the 500g mark.

Paynesville
Some good size bream have been taken on local prawn. The surf is producing salmon to the 1.5kg mark on bluebait.

Hollands Landing
Luderick, flathead and bream are still on the go with whitebait and glassies being the best of the presentations..

Mitchell River
Bream are biting in the backwater and around the mouth of the river. Best baits are spider crab and prawn.

Nicholson
Bream are biting between the two bridges, the swimming hole and the top of straight six. A few gars have made an appearance, but they are elusive.

Metung
A few whiting are still around, tailor are taking lures, but bream and flathead are the best bet on peeled prawn.

Lakes Entrance
The most productive area has been around Nyerimilang, where salmon and trevally have been caught trolling with pilchard and local prawn. Some school whiting are still around, with a few flathead also taken.

Lake Tyers
Large bream are biting in Blackfellows Arm and around Burnt Bridge. The odd flathead has also been landed. Best baits are peeled prawn, pilchard and prawn.

Marlo
Fishing offshore from Cape Conran and Marlo is at a premium. Slimy Mackerel are in big schools, stripy tuna, with some over 5kg, seem to be everywhere. Squid are in big numbers, with flathead, gurnard, pinky snapper, morwong, leatherjacket, and salmon, all on the chew. Gummies, mako, and blue and bronze sharks are being taken in big numbers.

The estuary is producing plenty of luderick, estuary perch and mullet. Throughout the system, salmon and tailor are nailing lures. The surf beaches are all producing good catches of salmon, tailor, flathead, mullet and shark. Snowy River fishermen have bagged out on luderick. The best spot was Point Ricardo, where anglers in the know caught their share of salmon.

Bemm River
The entrance remains closed. Quality bream have been landed around the edges of the lake using sandworm and peeled local prawn. The odd good luderick has been thrown in as well, with one specimen weighing in at 2.9kg. A few good bream have also been caught around the snags up the river, using soft plastics. There are plenty of tailor in the channel and they can be caught on live mullet, pilchards or trolling lures.

Rob Foster who runs the Cosy Nook Fishermen’s Units located on the foreshore says that prawns are still being caught at will, and one of his customers took 4kg in a very short time off the jetty. Another angler also was dip netting at the jetty when he caught a 4lb perch. The river is giving up plenty of mullet, tailor and perch on a variety of baits and lures.

Mallacoota
The last bream comp produced some large bream to 2kg on lures, while luderick are still taking weed. The top lake has flathead and bream biting on yabbies and prawn. A few garfish have been caught on sandworm. Offshore gummies and large flathead have been on the go. Salmon are biting around the entrance on bluebait and poppers.

Tip of the Week
Concrete boat ramps can be slippery and treacherous, which can pose a hazard for the unwary. The Newhaven structure is a particular example, where many people have slipped and had a heavy fall with some injuries sustained. The slippery concrete is caused by a build up of slime. Just be careful.

Keep the fishing info coming to King George on amcsayte@bigpond.net.au
or call 0401 199 223.

Good Luck and TIGHTLINES.