Over the last month many a keen angler has been made happy with the yearly arrival of the snapper run off the Lee Breakwall. As we head towards November this will only get better.

Last year’s 10.4kg snapper will take some beating but anything is possible as long as you have a line in the water. Bluebait and local squid have been the number one baits.

Successful anglers include Billy Simpson (4.8kg snapper), Terry Alberts (2kg and 3kg snapper), Mathew Hall from Ballarat (3.5kg snapper), Ken Durbo (6kg snapper), Wayne Turner (3.5kg snapper and 44cm whiting) and Mick Mastorivic (2.2 kg snapper), just to name a few.

As well as snapper from the Lee there have been good catches of gummy sharks, calamari squid and rock cod, such as the one four year old Taylor Mathews landed with the able assistance of his dad. There are also whiting and the odd flathead.

If you’re fishing off the Lee Breakwall, make sure you clean up after yourselves and take your rubbish with you. This is an ongoing problem and the Port of Portland has the power to close this fantastic fishing platform – do the right thing and bin it, so we can all enjoy fishing from this great spot.

Fishing in and around the harbour has seen catches of snapper, whiting, calamari squid and the odd trevally. The best way to fish in the harbour is to use a running sinker rig with a size 6 long-shanked hook in conjunction with plenty of berley. Time and time again anglers using this method come up trumps.

In the canal, a running sinker will help you land salmon and mullet, as well as the odd black bream.

Over towards the North Shore, land-based anglers have been enjoying good catches of trevally while fishing in Maggoty Bay, while between Snapper Point and the Surrey River mouth, snapper, gummy sharks and the odd mulloway have been landed.

Local Will Filliponi had a good catch landing a 61cm flathead amongst his bag of snapper while fishing the Hole in the Wall, which just goes to show that good-sized flathead are about in the surf.

Boaties fishing the North Shore have made similar catches to the land-based anglers, but as we get towards the end of November the mighty kingfish will begin to arrive. Make sure you have all your weapons of choice ready to go. The biggest kingfish to come out of the Minerva Reef area last year was 19kg, so here’s hoping that we have another good season this year.

For those heading out the back between Lawrence Rock and Cape Bridgewater, good catches of flathead, gurnard, snapper, whiting, gummy sharks and the odd morwong have been appearing back at the cleaning tables.

Mick Howman from Coleraine, on his last outing with brother Pat, brought home a prized flathead of 66cm from this area.

There have also been some good catches of whiting from the Blacknose area and a few pike landed from around Lawrence Rock and Town Reef.

One angler from Hamilton caught an 8kg mulloway and a 63cm estuary perch while fishing the stones area on the Fitzroy River.

Bream anglers have also been having good success while fishing the Fitzroy and Surrey rivers.

For all your latest fishing information and weather reports, give the boys at Portland Bait and Tackle a call on 03 5523 5213. We are open 7 days a week from 7am to 7pm, or you can check out our website at www.portlandbaittackle.com.au . Don’t forget to mark the dates of 17-18 in your calendars for our fifth Annual Fishing Competition, with all proceeds to Make A Wish Foundation.

1

Taylor Matthews landed this rock cod from the Lee Breakwater.

2

Mick Howman from Coleraine caught this 66cm flathead between Lawrence Rock and Cape Bridgewater.