Ray Long Fishing Report
On The Bite 26 May 2010
BIG BIG BLUEFIN
Happily I can report that last weeks outstanding captures were not just a one of with equally as many huge fish once again caught this week.
Bluefin Tuna have been all the talk, with now countless numbers of fish being boated. While the majority of fish are between ten and twenty five kilo, it has been those fish over the 100kg mark that has all excited. Last week Alister McGlashan boated one of over 154kg, this week Khal Kassao hit the jackpot with a fish weighing at 156.4kg Once again east of Lady Julia Percy has seen the numbers of big fish and in just fifty to seventy metres of water. Anglers are finding small skirted lures such as Apex Predators, Pakula and Williamsons in the darker colors are clear favorites, as for bibbed lures the Rapala X Raps in blues and Halco Laser Pro 190XXD’s in the Banana and Metalic Saury colors.
Providing the conditions hold we should see these fish around for the next month at least all the way from Warrnambool to the South Australian border.
Closer to home has seen the salmon firing from all the beach and rock platforms from Fairhaven to Apollo Bay. Brendan Sheedy and I fished Fairhaven on a number of occasions this week landing heaps of fish between 800 grams and one kilo, the best fish weighed just over two kilo. While we were only casting lures those bait fishing also landed plenty of fish of similar size. Mat McFarlane and his brother in law had a ball last weekend landing thirty plus fish at Easter View all were taken on blue bait. Talking to Terry Holt on the beach he had all his fish taking Surf Snatchers and surf poppers, Terry feels there is no need for bait as artificial baits are working just fine.
Cinema Point saw Fred Geoffrey and his mates fish a mix of both bait and lures, here over two sessions they landed over fifty salmon there best just over two kilo. This weekends early morning low tides should be perfect for Eastern View, on the high tides try the rocks at Stony Creek just near Lorne.
Greg Stevens fished the Barwon estuary this week where silver trevally to 800 grams certainly took a liking to his soft plastics, squidgy critters in the bloodworm color accounted for all his fish, the first hour of the run off tide has been best here.
Squid seem to still be available to anglers fishing the Barwon River from the Ozone jetty, small dark colored jigs in sizes 2 to 3 are working best with the best bags coming to those fishing after dark on the slack water. While most are finding it difficult to fish after dark for one keen angler who has been baiting up with fresh squid he has now caught two small mulloway from the floating jetty at the Ocean Grove boat ramp, this area is well worth a few hours on the run off from high tide.
Swan Bay has seen anglers catching a variety of species including flathead, salmon, trevally and garfish, this area is at its best two hours either side of high tide. As always those doing the best are laying a liberal berley trail to attract the fish to their area.
Whiting numbers were down this week but Phillip Burrows caught his bag limit capture on two outings this week, fishing close in at Edwards Point, his fresh squid did the job nicely, his best fish a respectable 44cms.
Soft plastics anglers once again found fishing slow off the outer harbour spoil grounds but with persistence a few good snapper were taken the best I heard of by Geoff McMillan at 3.7kg and taken on a gulp turtleback worm in the green pumpkin color. Anyone looking to fish this ground should try from the top of the tide running off as this is when all the action is occurring.
Corio Bay was patchy this week with North Shore Rocks and St Helens rewarding those keen anglers with generally small flathead, better fish were had on soft plastics fishing the Grammer School Lagoon and the entrance to Corio Quay, once again turtleback worms were the most productive.
Freshwater has seen Lake Purrumbete once again the big winner with both rainbow and brown trout available, Trevor Sheppard boated one of the best fish for the week at 4.65kg, this was taken trolling a number 55 tassie devil on a three color lead core line.
Closer to home anyone looking for a trout should head to Wurdi Boluc here lures such as SX 40s and bladed lures are accounting for some nice rainbow trout of around 1kg, of late the middle of the day when conditions warm up has bought the fish right on the bite.
While very few anglers are fishing the Barwon River here in Geelong there are still some quality redfin captures to be had. Thomas Welsh has been working the area between Buckley Falls and Ceres, here with the use of slow working lures such as the SX 40s he has landed fish to 950 grams on a regular basis. Thomas also caught and released a respectable brown trout last weekend, estimated at over a kilo.
Let me say yet again this weekend FISH THE SURF!!!!!!!!!!!! The salmon are red hot down the Great Ocean Road, use either bait or lures, but be aware the seals are a damn pain and if they show up move somewhere else.
This week we have a couple of RIPPER SPECIALS, check these out.
BAITCAST COMBO
Crystal Power Tip Pro 561CAM Rod & Lexus 350 Low Profile Baitcast Reel was $139 NOW ONLY $49 (we only have 13 available).
One for the BLUEFIN.. either a 15KG or 24KG Crystal Blue Roller Tip Game Rod Were $199 but for this week only either rod JUST $99 but get in QUICK.
Okuma have the perfect Trout or BREAM reel being the small FORCE FB20 Baitrunner Style spin reel (5 Bearings & spare spool) Normally $129 but for this week we have 25 at HALF PRICE, that’s just $64.50 each, these wont last.