| port phillip north & beyond with brenton hodges |
Dated: 12 January, 2012
 | | Graeme Paton spent an entertaining morning casting soft plastics at surface feeding schools of Australian salmon. |
PORT PHILLIP NORTH & BEYOND...11th January 2012...Report #108
Welcome to the first ‘Port Phillip North and Beyond’ fishing report for 2012. I hope you’ve all had a safe and enjoyable start to the New Year and that the fish were biting wherever you spent festive season.
This report will primarily feature the northwest region of Port Phillip Bay, from metropolitan Melbourne through to Geelong, including the Yarra, Maribyrnong and Werribee Rivers. Reports and images from various locations around the bay, and indeed across the state, are most welcome and will be included as they come to hand. Information regarding the local tournament scene, fishing clinics, upcoming events and general fishing news will also be made available whenever possible.
If you’ve been fishing recently and would like to see your name and a picture of your catch published, please forward reports and images to blhodgey@hotmail.com. You’re certainly not obliged to give away your secret spot, but a general description of when, where, the technique and bait used, and who caught the fish would be fantastic. Any information based on the top end of the bay especially, would be much appreciated, but I'm also interested in reports from further afield. Of course, if you have a fishing related question you think I may be able to assist you with, please don't hesitate to ask. Lastly, if you would like to receive a link to this report each week via email, let me know and I’ll add your name to my distribution list.
 | | Silver trevally have been patchy at times within the Queenscliff Harbour, but fishing close to structure, an hour either side of high tide, puts you in with a good chance. |
WELCOME NOEL CLARK’S TACKLE BAR
Many thanks to the team at Noel Clark’s Tackle Bar who have come on-board as sponsors of Fishnet and the Port Phillip North & Beyond Report for 2012. Store manager, Ryan Scarborough, will provide regular updates on the fishing in the local area, as well as keeping us updated in terms of specials and new products.
Noel Clark's Tackle Bar
158 Deakin St, Essendon
PH: (03) 9379 4623
www.noelclarks.com.au
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY 2012
If you would like to advertise your business on my Fishnet Pro-Angler Report Page or the Fishnet website in general in 2012, please contact me via email. As you may or may not be aware, internet advertising is generally a fraction of the cost of print media ads and potential clients can be automatically directed to your website at just a click of the mouse!
LOCAL TIDE TIMES (WILLIAMSTOWN)
DATE / HIGH / LOW
Sat 14/1 – 7:25am / 1:49pm
Sun 15/1 – 7:57am / 2:30pm
MOON PHASE
DATE / PHASE
Mon 9/1 – Full Moon
Mon 16/1 – Last Quarter
It’s been a real mixed bag in terms of the weather over the past few weeks with some scorching hot days coupled with persistent easterly winds followed by severe cold fronts and a howling westerly! Always be sure to double check the local weather forecast and tide predictions before heading out on the water.
 | | Keen young angler, Harrison Gibson, caught a dozen squid on bright coloured jigs while drifting the shallows. |
PORT PHILLIP BAY
Late last year, Simon Antonello and Nick Guys caught Snapper to 4kg on a range of baits and soft plastics out wide in 22m of water off Werribee South. Somewhat concerned, Simon also mentioned that while cleaning his catch, he noticed one of the fish appeared to be suffering from a disease, with green and black dots covering its liver accompanied by a foul stench. If anyone else has noticed something similar, please let me know.
More recently, Ryan Scarborough from Noel Clark's Tackle Bar reports that a few Gummy Sharks and the odd jewie have been taken off the back of Williamstown.
King George Whiting have also made an appearance with good bags being taken on the run out tides from Avalon and Point Cook. Mussel, squid and pipis baited on whiting snatcher rigs have been successful.
Squid have been active in close at Point Cook with most small natural pattern jigs registering some interest.
Garfish have been prevalent at times around the piers and jetties from Williamstown, Mordialloc and Mornington. Maggots and silver fish presented under a float and combined with a fine breadcrumb based berley has been the most productive method.
 | | Brad Hodges found a few Werribee River bream while casting Berkely 3B Subdogs around the weed beds and old wooden jetties. |
CORIO BAY, BELLARINE PENINSULA & THE SURF COAST
Much of the Bellarine Peninsula has been producing consistent catches of squid, with the Queenscliff region by far the standout of late. Keen young anglers, Harrison Gibson and Brad Kemp, caught a dozen calamari on bright coloured jigs while drifting the shallows.
After an entertaining morning chasing surface feeding schools of Australian Salmon, Graeme Paton and I also managed a good feed of squid while drifting in 2 to 4 metres of water on the run out tide.
Silver Trevally have been patchy at times within the harbour, but fishing close to structure an hour either side of high tide puts you in with the best chance.
METROPOLITAN RIVERS
A Christmas Day deluge resulted in more flash flooding of the Yarra River catchment with dirty water spewing out into the bay over the past few weeks. Although the resident bream might be a bit difficult to locate, you should still be able to find them feeding in the lower reaches of the system. Try fishing deeper in the water column and concentrate your efforts around the higher tides.
Prospecting the point where dirty floodwater meets clear saltwater from the bay can also be successful. It’s not uncommon for some bream to move out of the rivers altogether and take up temporary residence on nearby structure within the clearer waters of the bay. Old wooden jetties, piers, floating pontoons, moored boats, rock walls and patches of reef and weed situated within reasonable close proximity to a river mouth each have the potential to hold bream.
Areas such as St Kilda, Port Melbourne, Williamstown, Altona, Point Cook and Werribee South are good starting points.
 | | Fishing from the Lee Breakwall in Portland during the lead up to the full moon, Mick Kaos landed this hefty 7kg snapper. |
Bream have been active in the Maribyrnong River, but many of the fish taken of late have been relatively small. The odd fish to 35cm have been showing up at times with baits of freshwater yabbies and scrub worms still producing the goods. Casting small soft plastics, surface lures and diving minnows along the rocky shoreline is also likely to account for plenty of fish over the coming weeks.
The Werribee River has been reasonably consistent with bream either side of a kilogram taken on live tube worms and Bass yabbies. Brad Hodges found a few fish while casting Berkely Gulp Sandworms (soft plastic) and 3B Subdogs (sinking stick-bait) around the weed beds and old wooden jetties.
FURTHER AFIELD
Portland
Fishing from the Lee Breakwall in Portland during the lead up to the full moon, Mick Kaos landed a 7kg Snapper that stretched the tape measure out to 93 centimetres! According to Mick, the fish was taken on fresh squid baited on a 6/0 Snapper snatcher during a strong south-easterly blow.
Hopkins River
Richard Linossi had a productive session on the Hopkins River where he caught and released a mixed bag of bream and Estuary Perch to 46cm, most of which were taken on soft plastics and shallow diving minnows.
 | | Targeting large hollowed out tree stumps with lures and soft plastics, Brad Hodges managed half a dozen natives while holidaying at Lake Mulwala. |
FRESHWATER
Ryan Scarborough reports that good numbers of trout have been caught at Hepburn Lagoon, while Warranga Basin, Lake Eppalock and many of the lakes in the Ballarat, Colac and Lismore region have been producing big numbers of redfin.
On the native scene, Ryan also mentioned that it was a fantastic start to the cod season with solid fish taken at Yarrawonga, Bundalong and upstream of Barmah Lakes.
Lake Mulwala produced half a dozen cod to 70cm for Brad Hodges and Ashley Wojniusz between Christmas and New Year. Fishing the venue for the first time, the boys targeted large hollowed out tree stumps with Cultiva Mira Vibes, Berkley Gulp Turtle Back Worms and Powerbait Jumbo Chigger Craws.
Mick Wilkinson recently returned from a trip to the Murray River where he caught a few cod, Silver Perch and more than 100 carp downstream of Barham. Shrimp and cheese tempted the natives while the carp took anything and everything, but mostly succumbed to worms and yabbies.
TACKLE STORE SPECIAL
Noel Clark’s Tackle Bar have Team Daiwa Soft Shell Snow Jackets (Large) and Shelby Jackets (Medium) on sale for $99, marked down from $169.
BEEN FISHING?
If you’ve been fishing recently and would like to see your name and a picture of your catch published, please forward reports and images to blhodgey@hotmail.com. You’re certainly not obliged to give away your secret spot, but a general description of when, where, the technique and bait used, and who caught the fish would be fantastic. Any information based on the top end of the bay especially, would be much appreciated, but I'm also interested in reports from further afield. Of course, if you have a fishing related question you think I may be able to assist you with, please don't hesitate to ask. Lastly, if you would like to receive a link to this report each week via email, let me know and I’ll add your name to my distribution list.
All the best,
Brent
This report was proudly sponsored by Noel Clarks Tackle Bar, visit their website for your tackle needs:
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This report is proudly sponsored by:
Noel Clarks Tackle Bar, visit their website for your tackle needs...
BOAB Boat Hire, Williamstown, visit their website to see their range of boats for hire...
Team HONDA MARINE, visit their website for latest offers and news...
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