Fishing history: I first started fishing in the bay about 5 years ago,before that I fished only fresh water - mostly around the Nagambie/Shepparton areas.

After my first 12 months of fishing in the bay I still had not really worked out where to fish, even though my first fish was an elephant fish out from Duncans Rd in Werribee Sth, I still was only guessing each time I went out.

It was then that the painful task started of asking poeple at the ramps where the fish were. Most of the answers were "somewhere out there mate", gee thanks! Sometimes an old timer would send you to sleep with stories of long ago and somewhere in amongst it would be the one tip you were after.

Some long and fishless days were spent trying to find where on earth these fish are that you see at the ramps being cleaned. As they say "the harder you work the luckier you get" and mostly this is true. So now that I get lucky more often than not I try to help as many people catch fish as I can. That may be just a simple knot, rig or how to bait a hook and even a tip on how to get the boat back on the trailer without any real fuss. Whatever it is, it's all about having an enjoyable day.

What I like: Spending time with my familly, having a fish with freinds, people that like to have a joke and not take themselves too seriously.

What I don't like: People that can't take a joke, people that take themselves too seriously, not catching any fish.

Funniest fishing moment: The first one that springs to mind was down at Corio, I had just put the boat in the water and was pulling it toward the pier when the rope came off the front bollard. As I looked in amazement I saw the boat starting to float off into the dark, "idiot" I thought to myself. I took a run up and jumped to get on the back, well one foot made it and the other didn't.

This resulted in a reverse backflip into the water at 3 am in the morning fully clothed. My friend saw this in the darkness walking back from parking the car, I can't tell you what he said but we laughed for about half an hour while I dried off. We still went fishing.

First freshwater fish: A smelly carp on the Murray River when I was 12.

First saltwater fish: An elephant fish at Werribee.

Most enjoyable freshwater fish caught: A tiny one-eyed brown trout at the Lerdederg Gorge (first try for trout ever).

Most enjoyable saltwater fish caught: Whiting at Merimbula (fish pen) after catching live prawns for bait that night.

Favorite eating fish: Gummy shark.

Favorite fish to catch: All of them (except banjo shark and toadfish).

Favorite fishing areas: Port Melbourne & Corio Bay.


Email Peter: peter@fishvictoria.com

See Peter's current fishing report here.