The shifting sands at Inverloch present a continuous challenge to anglers, especially visitors. However, once you’re learnt how to deal with them, Inverloch is a great spot to spend hours in search of fish.

I had a call from George Best who came down from Dandenong on his motorbike and decided to try his luck in the vicinity of the bathing boxes on the run-in tide, which coincided with evening. It was a warm night and he’d brought down his two-piece surf rod. Nothing much happened early but he later on in the evening he hooked up to something decent. It turned out to be a 1.6m gummy shark that had taken a liking to his pilchard bait. This was the only fish George caught for the evening. The big challenge of getting it home was overcome with some cord from George’s tackle box. The shark enjoyed a slow trip back to the big smoke slung over George’s shoulder.

Further up the inlet towards Maher’s Landing there are good numbers of gummies and silvers. They’ve been taken just out from the boat ramp on the run-in tide. Best results have been when the run-in tide coincides with dusk. The best baits have been pilchards, squid and sauries.

Venus Bay has been very productive with salmon taken on the run-in tide however the bite has been a bit on the timid side. Come evening, things change dramatically with gummies to 1.7m making an appearance. There’s also been some good flathead.

Shallow Inlet has been great according to Ray Mountain who has the caravan park on the Yanakie side. He says that there’s a great variety of fish including gummies, pinkies to 45cm, 2.5kg flathead, whiting and mullet showing up in good numbers. The fish at one stage were so thick that his good mate Neville ‘Grumpy’ Rawson from Wonthaggi even managed to bag a few.

Greg Buckland has the General Store and also runs local charters in the inlet. I received a call from him on his mobile phone when he was out on the water with a mate. While I was talking to him he had two snapper to 4kg come aboard. He also managed three gummies to 1.7m that took fish fillets and pilchards.

Further up the inlet in the shallow water there have been good numbers of whiting to the 38cm mark taking pipis, squid and bass yabbies. Very good flathead to 3kg are also showing up, taking a variety of baits.