sizes at different times of the year. Throughout the summer months they tend to be small and due to their regulations you can only keep salmon if they are above 21cm. Throughout the winter months they are often much bigger and make better baits for gummy sharks and snapper. Salmon can be caught using various methods. Trolling hardbodies is the simplest way. In Port Phillip Bay, a troll around the rip or around the Portsea area should see a few caught. Alternatively, you can go looking for busting schools of fish on the surface around Black Rock, Frankston and Mornington and cast metal lures into the school. Then you can set anchor along the edge of the channel and fish for a gummy shark. In Western Port, trolling is an effective technique. I find setting a berley trail and catching them using a paternoster rig with bait
Throughout the year, garfish frequently inhabit the inshore weed beds. Many of Port Phillip Bay piers are a cast away from these areas making land-based fishing for garfish a popular affair. Esso Jetty and Cowes areas are prime locations. GARFISH A popular bait to use when targeting snapper is garfish. These are a viable species to catch for the bigger part of the year. Widespread throughout
are many more locations to catch them from a boat. These locations include the Esso Jetty, Quail and Tyabb Banks, Middle Spit, Coronet Bay, Observation Point, Cat Bay, Flinders and Balnarring. Fished whole or as half baits, garfish are a top bait for snapper with the odd gummy shark taking them from time to time. CALAMARI There is no doubt that calamari are the most versatile bait that can be used to catch fish right throughout the country and they’re prolific in both Port Phillip Bay and Western Port all year. As tasty as they are on
year-round and are caught using two main techniques, either casting artificial jigs in sizes 1.8, 2.5 or 3.0 or by using a baited squid jig suspended under a float. Calamari are widespread throughout Victoria. The prime location to find them is right around the inner coastline of Port Phillip Bay, especially over the inshore reefs and shallow weed beds as well as the weedy banks of Western Port such as the Tyabb and Quail banks, Middle Spit, Cat Bay and Flinders. Both Western Port and Port Phillip Bay provide many species of fish to target. With so many fresh bait opportunities scattered throughout both waterways,
both Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, garfish are easy to catch from a boat and when land-based. A mid to top water feeder, garfish are best targeted using a float setup. There are many different floats on the market and
Australian salmon can be caught year-round in both waterways. A top bait for snapper and gummy sharks, they are as fun to catch as they are effective as fresh bait.
Silver Trevally make top baits for both snapper and gummy sharks and tend to be found in numbers during the autumn months. is more effective. Salmon are quite prolific in May. It’s also a great time to be fishing for gummy sharks. Salmon can be caught around the Esso Jetty as well as in the Tankerton area, Cowes, Ventnor and Cat Bay. SILVER TREVALLY Silver trevally are quite a tough species to target, as you never know where they will be in any numbers. In saying that, when you do come across them, they tend to be in schools. Trevally are very oily too, making them another top gummy shark bait. Once again, these can be chunked up or used as fillet baits. To catch them, a simple paternoster rig with two droppers (each containing a #6 long shank hook) works well. A trail of berley will lead them to your location. Some of the best spots to fish for them are Queenscliff Harbour, St Leonards, Mornington, Rosebud Pier and Sorrento Pier. In Western Port the Stony Point Pier, Tankerton,
As tasty as they are on the table, calamari make outstanding baits for a wide range of species including whiting, snapper, elephant sharks, gummy sharks and mulloway.
while the coloured bubble float is effective, bites are often missed. A more slender quill float will allow bites to be seen more easily. Bait preference depends on the angler and while a small piece of dough will do the job, silver fish, maggots and small pieces of peeled prawn are preferred. Garfish are a schooling fish and will be in huge numbers, so it’s best to set a trail of berley to attract them to your fishing location, regardless of if you’re land-based or in a boat. Berley can be breadcrumbs mixed with a little tuna oil or a sloppy dough mix with some tuna oil to give it a fishy smell. In Port Phillip Bay, garfish can be caught from all the piers and jetties with Sorrento, Blairgowrie, Mornington, Frankston, Mordialloc, Sandringham, Altona, St Leonards and Queenscliff the pick of locations. Right along the coastline in 5m of water from Portsea to Sandringham is a prime fishing area. In Western Port, garfish can be a little more challenging to find at times. Land-based, your best piers are Stony Point, Flinders and Cowes. There
the table, calamari make outstanding baits for a wide range of species including whiting, snapper, elephant sharks, gummy sharks and mulloway. Calamari can be found inhabiting the weed beds
you can easily have a more productive session on your intended target when using fresh bait. The possibility of catching fresh bait is everywhere; all you need to do is to set aside an hour or so to go bait catching.
Top: Yakkas may not be a bait of choice for many, but when targeting gummy sharks their oily flesh can really make all the difference. Above: You don’t have to be too particular when using calamari as fresh bait. Cover it in ink for added attractant. AUGUST 2017
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