Fishing Report – April 12, 2018

ANGLESEA

» Weather conditions have not been the best for fishing
» Quite a few pinkies have been reported
» Some flathead and whiting have been caught
» Some squid are also being caught
» Salmon continue being caught off the beaches but not in great numbers
» Gummy shark catches are being reported.

BARWON HEADS

» Pinkies being caught offshore
» Reports of elephant fish being caught in the river continue
» Whiting, trevally and salmon have also been reported.

TORQUAY

» Whiting reported in close on the reefs as well as some pinkies
» Salmon are still being caught off most local beaches
» Reports of gummy shark catches continue
» Reports of some nice flathead still being caught offshore
» Bream in Spring Creek as well as some salmon and mullet.

Remember Torquay Tackle and Sports. For all the best available advice in Torquay on tackle and bait, drop in at the store and see Ross or Josh to ensure you get the most up-to-date information available. Phone 5264 8207.

QUEENSCLIFF

» St Leonards has reports of whiting, squid and still some snapper available plus some good flathead and the odd gummy shark
» Indented Head is still seeing reports of whiting, squid, snapper and flathead
» Swan Bay has reports of flathead, calamari and King George whiting continuing at the entrance
» Reports out of the rip are of salmon and some kingfish
» Point Lonsdale pier is still generating reports of nice salmon, whiting and the occasional pinkie and squid
» The White Lady continues to produce a few squid, flathead and whiting
» The creek is still fishing okay with trevally, salmon and mullet reported.

ON APRIL 5, recreational fishers had a right to celebrate their success.

Prior to the last state election, after a long, hard-fought campaign run by Friends of Corio Bay Action Group (FOCBAG) and local fishers and angling clubs, and organising and holding protest rallies in 2013, as well as running a campaign to get commercial fishing banned in Corio Bay, it seems finally that their dream has come true.

At the time the campaigns started, emotions ran high between both recreational fishers and commercial fishers.

A rally on June 2, 2013 of recreational fishers was called for and took place in inclement weather on the waterfront in Geelong with the rally being pelted with rain. But this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the approximately 300 people who attended the Geelong Rally on that day.

Then Geelong Councillor Jock Irvine, who led the rally, was quoted as saying:

“The rally was well attended by over 300 people in very poor weather conditions. Regardless, I felt there was great energy in the crowd from young people to the elderly.

“From our viewpoint the mood was very positive with everyone vowing to continue to seek a complete ban on all commercial netting in Corio Bay and taking great strength knowing that this was achieved in Western Port some six years earlier.”

The crowd acknowledged that this was only the first steps in a long journey and mounting pressure on state politicians will be a strategy moving forward.

Now it seems that journey has successfully concluded.

Commercial net fishing in Corio Bay officially came to an end on April 5, delivering on the Andrews Labor Government’s commitment at the time, to cease commercial net fishing throughout Port Phillip by 2022.

It will mean more fish like snapper, King George whiting, flathead and calamari will be available for families to catch themselves, with flow-on economic benefits to regional tourism businesses.

In 2016, 33 of 43 licence holders left Port Phillip’s commercial net fishery, accepting compensation packages funded through the Labor Government’s Target One Million initiative.

A further licence holder is in the process of exiting the fishery.

These 33 licence holders caught 87 per cent of the commercial catch of fish targeted by recreational fishers. Their departure delivered the expected benefits for recreational fishers well ahead of the original eight-year time frame.

The remaining nine licence holders may continue to fish using existing methods, including nets, under a strict catch limit. Of those nine, eight elected to stay in the non-net fishery after 2022 using mainly longlines, fishing lines and squid jigs.

The good news for recreational anglers continues with recent research by the Victorian Fisheries Authority confirming another excellent year of juvenile King George whiting settlement in the bay, which should make for terrific fishing from 2019 to 2021 when they grow to a catchable size.

PHOTOS

I would also like to remind everyone to keep those photos coming in of your big catch! Please forward them to [email protected], with type of fish, weight, length, location and your name. I am more than happy to place your photos in My Big Catch.