It took a couple of months but the 2020 edition of the Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide is now available and I picked up a free copy from Trelly’s last week. It has 95 pages of information for anglers covering the rules and regulations and other practices that relate to fishing in our state.
There are 17 sub-headings of information, including a message from Fishing and Boating Minister Jaala Pulford with an update on Target One million, which is now into phase two. The project is aimed at increasing the number of participants taking up recreational fishing.
Also included are sections for salt-water and fresh-water fishing, with colour images of the most commonly targeted species of fish, as well as bag and size limits, and those fish that are totally protected. It also covers what gear can be used and that which is illegal, and there are details on licences and protected waters where fishing is not permitted.
Also included are tips on safe boating, including how to read and understand the weather.
Anyone involved in fishing should make sure that they get a copy of the guide; it is available from all boating and fishing gear outlets and as I said it is free of charge.
Another publication I usually obtain is the Angler's Almanac, which provides an inexpensive guide to the best times to fish. It is based on the phases of the moon but like everything related to fishing it tends to catch more fishermen than fish.
Around the traps
Speaking of fishing, around our region it has continued to be reasonable, with some nice fish being taken from the Goulburn River around Nagambie, as well as Toolamba and downstream from Shepparton and Bunbartha. While most fish were taken on natural baits, chicken pieces and cheese have also been used with success. The rain of last week has muddied the water, making the use of lures less productive, but spinner baits fished around snags are still worth a try.
In NSW, the Murray River between Ulupna Island and Cobram has been productive, but make sure you have a boating and fishing licence for that state.
Eildon is also worth fishing, as it provides a variety of species to target, including redfin, trout, yellow belly and cod. Large deep-diving lures fished near the wall are resulting in some good-sized cod, as well as surface lures fished in the river arms on dusk. Redfin can be caught around the tree line in water around five to 10 metres, while trout are still taking bait or lures trolled behind a fender, mainly in the early morning.
Dartmouth is likewise fishing well for trout but the fish tend to be deeper and a down-rigger or weight is needed to get your bait into the strike zone.
Closer to home, Waranga Basin is still fishing well for redfin. Most are small but an occasional bigger fish can be had by bumping a red-coloured lure along the bottom.
Rod Lawn from Adamas Fishing Charters at Queenscliff said he had a busy time over the past week, with varying success. He said some king fish were caught, as well as snapper. Flathead, salmon and tuna were also reported off the coast. He said the hot spots were off the Bluff at Barwon Heads, as well as the dive site at Point Lonsdale.
Rod said whiting and calamari were being caught along the inshore grass beds on both sides of the bay, while salmon were taking occy-style lures in the Rip during the run-out tide.
Western Port Bay was fishing well for snapper and gummy shark — off Hastings for the redfish and off Cowes for the gummy shark.
At Eden, John Liddell said the boys from Freedom Charters were reporting plenty of action along the inshore reefs as far south as Green Cape, with all the usual species biting. Activity off the shelf was a little slower, but John said marlin and some tuna were being reported.
Graham Cowley at Narooma said it was the same story around his neck of the woods, although the boat journey out to the shelf took far less time, allowing anglers longer to chase the game fish.
At Flinders Island, James Luddington did not have a lot to report. He said the weather kept a lot of anglers on shore, although some salmon and flathead were caught by shore-based anglers fishing the sheltered side of the island at Lady Baron.