Snapper on the bite

The crew from Gone Fishing with some squid. (supplied)

The snapper season is quickly starting to fire up with more and reports coming in every day.

Both day and night are producing fish to over 8kg with bait fishing has been the most productive for anglers fishing the tide change both in the outer and inner harbour.

Fishing with baits such as pilchards, silver whiting, squid and any fresh cut baits have all been working very well, a consistent burley trail of pellets and pilchard cubes are a must when targeting them.

The outer harbour is holding good numbers of calamari in close from Hermsley right through to Portarlington.

Anglers willing to move around and work to find a patch of them holding should have no issue in securing a bag, although the calamari don’t seem to be big in size, they sure do make up for it in numbers.

Anglers casting soft plastics are also having some success landing flathead, salmon and snook making up part of a good feed and the other part some fantastic bait.

Berkley Gulp Turtleback worms have yet again been the standout location.

Queenscliff Bight is certainty starting to fish better and better for the calamari with reports becoming more consistent and the average size is improving. Fishing out in the ‘deep’ (10m) with the aid of additional weight to your jig has been accounting for a lot of squid. Yamashita TR Jigs have been a hot favourite.

Offshore Barwon Heads has still had a few barrel tuna reports come through with boats landing fish over 100kg. The bite has slowed down a bit but if last year is anything to go by they could fire up again soon.

Trolling 8-10inch skirts have been lethal. Snapper and gummy shark reports still remain consistent and seem to get better and better.

Wurdi Buloc and Stoney Creek Reservoir have both been producing some quality fishing as of late with trout and redfin out and about. Anglers casting from the rock walls are having their best success on spoons and soft plastics.

Redfin to over 40cm have been reported and trout to over 1.8kg. A great option if we are hit with some average weather.