ILLUSTRATIONS

What a thrill the kids at the Woodside Surf Lifesaving Club got when a 3m stripped Marlin washed up on shore recently.

After talking to some local old fishermen, I have found out they are not an unusual catch for this area, and quite often show up in the pro nets all along the coast. So, if you’re looking for something different, try trolling for a marlin – you may be surprised.

There has been a good run of kingfish off the Port Albert jetty lately, with the best being 18kg speared by a young diver. Most, however, have been rather hard to land, frustrating the local anglers determined to land these fish that are rarely seen at the Port Jetty.

Manns Beach has been yielding some very nice whiting up to the 40cm mark. The old port has been a bit quite with only the die-hard fishers finding anything worthwhile. Freshly pumped baits are producing the best results, and the pipis, when available, are still a worth a try.

With summer now over, the pinkie snapper have made their presence felt, both offshore and in the inlet. Although they are not as big as the spring run they are still good sport and even better table fair.

The snapper appear to be in good numbers from Manns Beach down to the reef system of Reeves. The best results have come from drifting over patches of good reef or over schools of fish that have been picked up on the sounder.

The gummies have been a little quiet with only a few captures being reported. The bigger fish appear to be out wide in the deeper water from 25-35m, and Whale Bay is providing nice sizes. Gummies are being caught just before evening, and a full moon is the best time to try your luck.

A good burley trail is often the key to catching sharks, whether it be a gummy or one with teeth. It’s no good spending good money on bait if you have nothing to get the fish to your boat.

Flathead are as prevalent as ever; fish weed beds for the better sized ones. They are a great by-catch whilst waiting for gummies. And blue bait is the best choice of bait at the moment.

In the approaching cooler months, the easterly winds should drop off and we can expect good trevally, salmon and the seven-gill shark will make their presence known again.

With Easter just around the corner, now is the time to drop a line and have a go, as there are plenty of fish out there to be had.