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Ricketts Point
  |  First Published: June 2013



With so many species located in the northern part of Port Phillip, Rickets Point is one of Melbourne's hidden gems when it comes to sport fishing.

With large numbers of snapper and salmon the main targets, it isn't hard to see why this is a popular fishing destination all year around.

PRIME TIME

Some of the best fishing can be had in the winter months when abundant schools of salmon and pinkies inhabit the reefs and patrol the water in search of food and shelter. It is not uncommon to catch pinkies cast after cast once a school is located, from key ring size to 45cm. Don't be surprised if you hook onto something a little bigger and boat a 4kg plus snapper.

THE GEAR

The ideal outfits are 2-4kg spin outfits spooled with 6lb braid for the light stuff and 3-6kg outfits with a bit heavier braid like 10lb. Leaders of 8lb plus are a must as there are plenty of rocks and reef for pinkies, salmon and bigger snapper to rub you off on.

THE RIG

If bait fishing then a light running sinker rig is best used when chasing pinkies and snapper. Half pilchards and squid strips work really well here with a small size 1 ball sinker and a single 2/0 hook. Trolling metal slugs around with a short 15lb leader is a good way to find the salmon if you can't see them working the surface.

BAIT AND LURES

Small soft plastic stick baits such as 70mm and 85mm Squidgy Flickbaits and 3"berkley Power Minnows are a popular choice and a go-to lure for most anglers who prefer to cast plastics. Popular colours are Evil Minnow and Pillie, and in the Power Minnows the old trusty Pearl Watermelon has stood the tests of time and is one of the pioneer ‘pinkie on plastics’ lures.

BEST METHOD

Drifting in 3-10m of water and using your sounder is essential in the shallows. Drifting covers a lot more area and makes it easier for you to find the fish, rather than anchoring up and casting lures. If you see a school of salmon on the surface, do not troll through them. Cut the motor short of them and cast into them. This will stop the salmon from spooking and going down below the surface.

MOTHER NATURE

Before fishing the area just make sure you are up to date with the current rules and regulations. There is a marine park that is clearly marked by marker poles which you are not allowed to fish in. Also it is a nursery for small fish so make sure you know the size and bag limits of fish you are targeting.

HOT TIP

The use of a marker buoy can be the difference between catching a few fish and a lot. A marker buoy is a plastic buoy with 20m of line with a sinker tied on the end. When a school of fish is located on the sounder throw the buoy over and it will unwind until the sinker hits the bottom. This will make things a lot easier when on the drift and you can continue to drift over the same patch of fish casting towards the buoy, instead of drifting off them and guessing where those fish were next time around.

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