sport On the bite BRIAN LONG THIS week I’ll suggest some of the most consistent locations to wet a line over Easter. Surf fishing for salmon always fires at this time of the year, with many fish being caught from the deep-water rock platforms between Lorne and Apollo Bay. Bait works but lure produces the big numbers of fish two hours either side of high tide in locations with wave action. Beach anglers will find Fairhaven best, although the water should be without sand discolouration. High tide should have the best water, with lure best. Lorne’s Loutit Bay just down from the hospital is a great location for whiting on either pippies or fresh squid strips just before dark. Salmon can also be present. Estuary anglers should try Anglesea River upstream of the Great Ocean Road Bridge late in the afternoon. Use fresh baits such as Bass yabby, shrimp, crab and sandworm, while lure anglers enjoy success on suspending hard-bodied models. Bream could also be caught from the Barwon River estuary along with other species such as salmon, trevally and elephant fish. Fresh bait again is key. Point Lonsdale Pier will fish best throughout the middle part of the day, generally at high tide. Look for salmon half way along the pier with soft plastics or use pippies on a small number six hook for whiting and trevally as well. The cut at Queenscliff should hold trevally an hour either side of high or low tide. Soft plastics have always been the most productive lures for the trevally here, while bait anglers will need pilchard fillets or peeled yabby tail. Boat fishing at Queenscliff has been all about kingfish, with the biggest taken close to the face of The Rip – not a place for the inexperienced. Smaller kings are available further into Lonsdale Bight where live baits will be nailed. Jigging in 20m with a 180g knife jig or trolling with an artificial squid of around 25cm on the surface should be effective. Whiting are spread out at Queenscliff. Just 300m from the ferry terminal in front of Swan Island is ideal, with anglers advised to work toward Swan Bay’s entrance to find fish. The entrance provides many options. Whiting are usually present but a liberal berley trail can attract garfish, leatherjacket, flathead and salmon. The same area fished at first light has been producing outstanding squid over 2kg. Anyone seeking whiting further up the bay should head to Inner Governor Reef. A series of short moves might be required to find a patch on pippies or fresh squid. Grassy Point also has hosted reasonable
Going nuts: Phillip Brownnutt with snapper recently caught at Wilson Spit numbers of whiting. Gummy sharks have been taken consistently from the 20m drop out from West Channel Pile. Fishing after dark is essential, with gummies over 15kg regular caught on cured eel, sauries and squid heads. Anglers prepared to fish before sunrise should try the 18m drop straight out from Prince George Light with hard baits such as silver whiting. Wilson Spit has been the most consistent for big snapper on the southern side of the channel during the early morning and evening. Snapper have also been taken directly out from the quarries in about 6m of water on pilchards. Shallower water at this location can produce good numbers of pinkies to 1kg. Point Lillias will be the best land-based option, with light surf outfits best for the long casts required. Whiting and flathead will be the most likely captures but snapper are a possibility, while lures should be kept handy for salmon. Soft plastics anglers should work either the outer or inner edge of the spoil grounds off Leopold where the snapper have been holding in the deeper water. A drift on the spoil should also produce quality flathead
and the odd pike. Stingaree Bay spoil grounds has been returning reasonable captures of whiting, small snapper and flathead. Land-based action inside Corio Bay will focus on North Shore rocks late in the afternoon and into dark for big snapper on pilchards. Surf gear is required for distance and to keep snapper from snagging on the rock ledge in front. Geelong waterfront should be worthwhile with soft plastics for snapper on the high tide on dark as well as flathead and trevalla. The Barwon River in Geelong remains but Fyans or Queen’s parks should yield carp on bread or corn baits. Lake Tooliorook is hot for redfin to 600g, with the odd fish over 1kg. Live minnow or worms have been useful. Nearby Deep Lake has been fishing exceptionally well on Powerbait with running sinker rigs. Lake Purrumbete should be busy but always produces trout. Troll early in the morning and as the day goes on change to baits such as mudeye or minnow. Send reports and photos to info@raylongtackle.com.au or visit Brian at Ray Long’s Fishing World, 105 Shannon Ave, Manifold Heights.
BFL back for Easter GRASS roots footy returns to Geelong footy fields this weekend, with Bellarine Football League playing a full round of games on Saturday. The league likes to showcase its product to visitors to the Surf Coast over the Easter break and has scheduled all games to be played in coastal towns. Reigning premier Queenscliff has a new coach in Tom Limb and has lost key player Dylan Chaplin-Birch, with the 100 goal full-forward returning to Warrnambool. Dan Gibbs may also be missing as the talented youngster has a crack at VFL with Geelong. The Coutas will see how the loss of these two will affect them because its round one opponent at Queenscliff Reserve will be Geelong Amateurs, the team it beat in last year’s grand final. Tim Clark is coaching Ammos again and has lured Luke Buckland and Justin Bosely to the club. Portarlington and Newcomb are set to play a close game at Portarlington. The Demons have a new coach in ex-AFL player Dan Lowther who is sure to bring some professionalism to the battling club. Newcomb reappointed David McCormick as coach and picked up handy recruits in Brad King and Zac Birrel. Anglesea again has Luke Primus in charge and no wonder because he coached the Roos to third spot on the ladder last year. The Roos welcome Barwon Heads to Dave Harding Oval on Saturday but will find the Seagulls a hard task. Peter Connors is the new coach and has lured ex-AFL player Tony Brown to help out. Key recruits Charlie Swan, Dan Hayes and Ed Mitchell and the addition of some home-grown talent from the under-18s will make the Seagulls a highly competitive unit. A big crowd is assured for Spring
Local Footy FRANK MASON Creek Reserve for the match between Torquay and Modewarre. The Tigers have appointed South Barwon duo Michael MacFarlane and Craig McCaughan as co-coaches and are expecting a successful year. Brendan Wall has left but at least 10 new players are on the list this year. Matthew Sproule retains his coaching role at Modewarre and has gun recruit Peter Davenport on board to help get the Warriors into the finals. Davenport is a hard-nosed ball winner and brings a lot of coaching and playing experience to the club. Ocean Grove and Drysdale will also draw a crowd to Ocean Grove Reserve. The Grubbers have stuck with Cam McGregor as coach and welcome Liam Rock and Michael Stewart to the club. Bernie Lynch, James Dalton and Cade Wellington won’t be playing this year, leaving a big hole in the side. Drysdale will aim for finals this year under second coach James Colbert and has quality recruits in Tom Dewy, Adrian Robinson and Jon Colbert. Selections: ANGLESEA v Barwon Heads, PORTARLINGTON v Newcomb, Queenscliff v AMATEURS, TORQUAY v Modewarre and OCEAN GROVE v Drysdale. Geelong Football League plays one game over Easter, with Colac and Geelong West Saint Peters clashing at Colac’s Central Reserve on Good Friday. Playing on Good Friday is a first for the Geelong region, so it will be interesting to see whether the match draws a crowd.
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A serve of fishin’ tips for Easter holiday
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The Independent, Friday April 6, 2012
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