October 01, 2016
Whales, Dolphins and Seals
Our last trip to Portland, at the end of the bluefin tuna season, was not profitable. But of all the boats that were out, I think only two boats caught anything. So it’s clearly starting to dry up, and the fish are moving on. But when one species leaves, the season for the next species begins, and we have heard lots of reports of the beginning of the snapper season in Port Phillip Bay kicking off with a few big ones caught. And as the weather continues to warm up, the sharks......
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July 31, 2016
Apollo Bay
We are trying a lot of new spots this season, particularly chasing blue fin tuna. A couple of weeks ago, we tried Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road for the first time. It was a bit difficult to get too, because we either had to drive along the Great Ocean Road, or down the hills through the Otways. Apollo Bay was the location of the recent fishing competition run by the Victoria Game Fishing Club. We went and caught a few school tuna on Saturday, but nothing on Sunday. The fishing......
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July 23, 2016
Large Murray Cod
Two weeks ago, my old man caught a 106cm Murray Cod. In years past, a fish this size would not have been uncommon, and they were usually kept to eat. Now, it is rare to get a fish this size, or at all. And most people who fish for Murray Cod want to preserve the species as much as possible, so they are released back into the water after being caught (as was this big one). The Murray Cod is the largest fish water fish in Australia, and can grow as big......
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June 17, 2016
Port Fairy
With the long weekend, we wanted to make sure we got back on the water and got some Southern Blue Fin tuna. We’d had a shot at Portland for the first time a few weeks ago, but we were a bit early in the season – we got plenty of Albacore, but no Blue Fin. We really wanted to get back to Portland, but the weather forecast wasn’t great. We had recently signed by for Bouyweather, which is great tool. It suggested that the weather would be slightly better on either side......
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November 29, 2015
Sounders and GPS
Sounders Depth sounder technology has come a long way in recent years, and this will continue. There are dozens of models to choose from, and they are cheaper and more user friendly than ever, with even the entry level sounders having lots of features. If you want to catch more fish, more regularly, then you will need a depth sounder. We use them mainly for their ability to locate fish and identify the structure of the bottom, but depth sounders are also an invaluable aid to navigation, especially if you do not......
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November 03, 2015
Sevengill Shark
I was a bit surprised when I caught a baby sevengill shark in Port Phillip Bay. The Bay is known for gummy shark, so at first that’s what I assumed this was. But after reviewing the photos, and a few comments on our Facebook page, it’s pretty clear that it was a sevengill. There are only two types of sharks with seven gills – the bluntnose and the sharpnose. This was a baby bluntnose sevengill. Most other shark species have five gills. The bluntnose sevengill shark is one of the only sharks......
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August 29, 2015
Product Review: Predator Lures
Disclosure: Predator Lures are made by my father. I’ve used them all my life, and they have caught many varieties of fish including Murray Cod, Yellow Belly and Barramundi. My father has been making Predator Lures for about 30 years. They were predominantly developed for the native fish species of the Murray River and other Victorian lakes and rivers. The original lures were all made from Western Red Cedar with the shape formed using a wood rasp and then sanded by hand to a smooth finish. Getting the perfect lure shape turned......
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June 28, 2015
Macquarie Perch
Perch is a freshwater gamefish. The most common is the European Perch, or “Red Fin”. They are a medium sized fish which tend to school. So, when you find one Red Fin, if you keep fishing in the same spot, you will tend to find the rest of the school, and you can be on the bite for hours. In Australia, we have plenty of introduced European Perch, but we also have some of our own beautiful native perch. The Golden Perch, or “Yellow Belly” is the more common. They tend to......
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June 17, 2015
Long Weekend At A Mountain Lake
It was the Queens Birthday long weekend here recently, so we took the opportunity to go to a fairly remote mountain lake for a weekend fishing – Lake Dartmouth. We went for trout fishing, but disappointingly we didn’t catch a single trout. We tried multiple lures trolling, at various depths and speeds. We tried casting lures, and we tried baitcasting. It just wasn’t our weekend, and sometimes that happens. The scenery was amazing, but the lake was down a bit on capacity, and the banks were steep with few places to camp.......
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May 24, 2015
Top 7 Fish Fetishes
Knowing some basic rules about fish behaviour, and what fish love, will help you to put your bait in the right place in the bay or estuary. 1. Fish face upstream or into the tidal flow in order to breathe more easily. This position also allows them to see their prey as they await the flow of food towards them. 2. Fish save energy by lurking just off the main current flow. Here they can hold position and grab food as it swirls past. They may also find shelter behind a rock......
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