Winter gummy sharks of Western Port + Videos

by Jarrod Day on 25 Jul 2012 When winter sets in over Victoria, it is only the brave and willing that head out in search of what Western Port can deliver. July may see almost arctic conditions with below zero temperatures and gusty winds but those keen on catching a fish continue to head out to catch a prized fish.

This is the time of year when fishing for gummy sharks can be at its best and while the larger of the species may not be abundant; those more 'edible' sized fish are quite plentiful throughout the port.

Gummy sharks in the 3 to 8 kilo bracket become a common catch for those knowing where to look and if you’re keen on catching fish of this size then now is the time to get out and do so.

Where to find them: Winter gummies are something much more common that many might think and while they may be abundant, finding them or knowing where to look is the first most important task.

Smaller gummies sharks tend to feed over shallow flats unlike their mummy’s and daddy’s which inhabit deeper waters.

With Western Port’s vast tidal flats spanning hundreds of kilometres, it is a matter of setting anchor and waiting it out.

In my experience locations around 5 to 10 meters deep where weed growth and sand/mud flats are apparent are prime habitat. Areas as such tend to be along the Somers-Balnarring peninsula, Top end of Western Port amongst the myriad of muddy channels and flats and around the Corinella area. These entire locations feature similar habitat in which smaller sized gummy sharks tend to be in abundance.

Tasty meals: Gummy sharks of all sizes are a scavenger and seldom take live baits. In saying that, they will hunt crabs but for the most part are content in taking an easy meal. From an angling perspective, choosing which baits to use is actually quite a simple task. Where possible, the freshest baits are going to be more effective but if you haven’t the time to catch these, then pilchards and squid will suffice. If you are going to catch your own bait, stick to calamari and yakka’s, these two baits can pretty much guarantee you’ll have success.

There will also need to be some sort of bait presentation required when rigging baits on the hooks but not necessarily for the fish but more so to prevent the bait from spinning in the current.

When rigging either the calamari or yakka onto the hooks, cut into rings or chunks. Calamari should be skinned so the hood is white with no entrails and sliced into 1cm thick rings. Yakka’s can be cut into whole chunks and threaded onto the hook.

One thing to note though is to keep the baits small. Larger baits will be too hard to swallow and often be chewed before being let go while smaller baits can be swallowed in one mouthful.

The ideal setup: Fishing the shallow flats requires lighter outfits to be used. Fishing the flats isn’t as extreme as fishing the channels so you can get away with using sinkers in the 4 to 8 ounce range. When it comes to fishing with lighter outfits, I tend to use lighter graphite rods with a hot favourite being the L.Wilson Blade ‘N’ Tails XOS. This rod I have loaded with a Shimano Stradic 5000FJ and 30LB YGK WX4 braid. WX 4 Grand PE is 20 times more abrasive resistant that any other braid and is also 20 times stronger and far thinner than any other braid for its class. This is a huge benefit enabling less sinker weight to be used along with having far better bite detection allowing the angler to set the hook faster than with other braids.

The correct rigs to use are equally as important and while gummy sharks predominantly feed near the bottom, a running sinker rig suits best. This should be made up from a length of 60lb trace attached to the mainline with an Albright knot or double uni knot. A rolling swivel can be tied to the end of the 60lb with a uni knot, followed by a one meter length of 40lb tied to the other end of the swivel.






With limited time on the water, I want to get the maximum hook-up rate as possible and want to prevent missing a hook-up or having the fish spit the hooks mid fight. To do this, I use a re-curve hook otherwise known as a circle. The main type of hook I use is a Black Magic 6/0 KL design which has proven itself as a worthy hook eliminating any misfortunes during battle. Baits can be easily threaded onto the hook and when the fish takes the bait, the hook does all the hard work for you so you don’t have to strike to set the hook. This also eliminates the possibility of pulling the bait away from the fish if it didn’t have the bait fully in its mouth.

Tackling techniques: Once a fish has taken the bait and is hooked, it will power off under tremendous speed and pressure providing you have the drag set accordingly. When this is happening it is best to let the fish run its course until you here the ratchet beginning to slow. This is the time to up the anti and in a steady movement bring the rod back towards your body winding the reels handle at the same time. On average, you will get the fish half way back to you before it take another lunge for freedom so be ready, this is the time at which hooks are pulled and the fish is free. Again, after the ratchet has slowed a little from its high pitched squeal, wind in the fish. You will notice once near the boat, the fish with begin to swim up current next to the boat, this is a tell tail sign you have hooked a gummy shark. Once at boat side, the fish may try to swim under the hull but providing you have control and can keep the fish just below the surface, you should be able to slip it into the net. When netting gummy sharks your best to do so from the tail end. The net can be placed behind the fish and the angler can then let the current push it back into the net opening. Once in the net, the fish should be quickly lifted onto the deck of the boat and subdued if keeping.