Geelong Waterfront has offered some fantastic fishing options this past week as the wild and rough weather has pushed the fish close to the shoreline.
Pinky snapper, Australian salmon, snook, silver trevally and flathead have all been finding their way onto anglers’ lines. Casting soft plastics have again been a hot technique with all these species snatching them off the bottom.
Berkley Powerbait Minnows have been working very well and the ever reliable Turtleback Worm is accounting for plenty of fish.
Bait fishos are also having plenty of success with pipis and bluebait being a standout option. Having a consistent burley trail in the water is helping land a few extra fish.
Clifton Springs through to Portarlington is still producing plenty of calamari with anglers finding not just good numbers but some impressive squid are well and truly in the area. Drifting
along the 3 metre line as nearly always is holding lots of squid with size 2.5 and 3.0 jigs proving irresistible.
Queenscliff harbour is offering some great fishing at the moment and allows smaller boats or kayaks to get amongst some great fishing in the windy conditions. Silver trevally to 40cm have been the main target for anglers getting inside this area with the fish taking a liking to the famous Turtleback Worms and Zman GrubZ. The other perk of being in a smaller boat or kayak in this area is that there are a few deep holes amongst the shallow sand flats that hold lots of fish that bigger boats cannot access.
Barwon River estuary is still fishing very well for anglers chasing trevally, salmon and estuary perch.
Fishing about two hours before the high tide has been the ideal time with the whole Sheepwash and small creeks that flow through the system holding plenty of fish. Zman gubZ and Ecogear VX35s have been working a treat.
The school bluefin tuna are going absolutely ballistic down the west coast with Port Fairy being the standout location. Trolling anywhere between 50 and 70 metres has been productive. Rapala X-Rap 20s and Tornado Skirts doing the damage.
Quite often the fish can be seen on the surface turning the water into blue white wash attacking baitfish and stickbaits have been working well when the fish are doing this.