Western Ports winter options

by Jarrod Day on 18 Jul 2012 For many, the end of snapper season in Victoria is shortly followed by the cleaning up and garaging of most trailer boats. Though this may be the case for some, there is really no need for it. Sure 'some' snapper have headed off following their migration pattern, but it isn’t just about catching snapper.

Western Port thrives with plenty of other fishing opportunities throughout the year and winter is no exception.
Although the snapper may be spasmodic during these cooler months, it is the run of calamari, whiting, seven gill sharks, pike, snook, silver trevally, warehou, salmon and gummy sharks that appeals to most.

Ramps: Accessing Western Port is easy considering there is a wide selection of ramps providing access into the fishing grounds. To be more specific, you can launch at one particular ramp providing a shorter distance to a specific area which may fish better for one particular species.

Then again, there may be a ramp which provides access to a range of species you want to target.

Tooradin: Twin lane concrete ramp with floating pontoon. Best launching during the first and last two hours of the high tide. Species available: Gummy shark, seven gill shark, calamari, silver trevally.

Warneet: Single lane ramp with Floating Pontoon. Best launching two hours either side of the high tide. Boats in excess of 5.5 metres are best to launch at Hastings Boat Ramp. Species available: Gummy shark, seven gill shark, calamari, silver trevally.

Hastings: Three lane concrete ramp with floating pontoon. Any tide access allowing for all size vessels. Species available: Gummy shark, snapper, seven gill shark, calamari.

Stony Point: Three lane concrete ramp with two floating pontoons. Any tide access allows for boats less than 7 metres.
Species available: Gummy shark, seven gill shark, winter whiting, silver trevally, calamari, snapper, salmon and warehou.

Flinders: Sand ramp that boats under 5 metres should only be launched at with a 4wd. Mid to high tide launching only.
Species available: Calamari, pike, snook, winter whiting, gummy sharks, seven gill sharks, salmon.

Cowes: Single lane concrete ramp that allows high tide launching only for boat up to 5 metres. Species available: Whiting, calamari, gummy shark, seven gill shark and snapper.

Rhyll: Two lane concrete ramp with any tide access. It is advisable to launch o the high tide. Species available: Calamari, gummy shark, silver trevally and salmon.

Newhaven: Twin lane concrete ramp with all tide access for all size trailerable boats. Species available: Gummy sharks, seven gill sharks, winter whiting, calamari, salmon, pike, snook, silver trevally and warehou.

Corinella: Twin lane concrete ramp with all tide access for boats less than 6 metres, larger boats should launch during two hours either side of a high tide. Species available: Gummy sharks, seven gill sharks.

Targeting winter species: While there are many fishing options available throughout Western port, it is the good table fish which get most of the attention.

Salmon: When the waters of Western Port cool a solid run of salmon enter. They do this before hitting the local surf beaches for the entire winter period. This occurs during the month of April and is in full force with fish busting the surface between Cowes Pier and the entire Western Entrance towards the Nobbies for about three weeks. Throughout the rest of winter, smaller schools of salmon can be found around Buoy 17, Sandy Point and Tankerton.

Catching them can be as simple as trolling 35 gram lazer lures or small deep diving minnows. Soft plastic anglers can also get in on the action when the fish are busting the surface.

Calamari: The Calamari scene is relatively untouched in Western Port. Late May through to August is the prime months to target them on the shallow banks. Anglers flicking small Yo-Zuri 1.8 and 2.5 jigs can do so over the weed beds on the Quail Bank, Tyabb Bank, Middle Spit and near the Cowes boat ramp. For larger calamari, the baited jig approach is necessary at Flinders and Cat Bay. Depths ranging from 5 to 20 metres of water seem to have a good concentration of calamari, but you will have to fish for them an hours either side of the tide change due to the force of the current.
Silver whiting and pilchards threaded onto a squid jag is the most productive technique, these will have to be fished suspended under a float on a handline.

Gummy Sharks: From April to September, gummy sharks are most prevalent yet, they are a year round option. For most, fishing in the deeper channels is your best chance for hooking a beauty. Gummy sharks are spread throughout the port but known hotspots such as Boultins and Bouchier channels, the western entrance, Corinella and the Northern Arm attract anglers in search.

While a running sinker rig tied from 80lb trace will suffice, hooks of either a circle or suicide pattern ranging 6/0 to 8/0 is ideal. Everything in your arsenal should be checked for weakness as Gummies are a hard fighter and can bust you off at the best of times. They prefer fresh baits such as calamari, salmon and trevally the hot favourites. Other baits include the humble pilchard, scad, tuna and of course cured eel.

Seven gill sharks are often targeted during the cooler months as they make their way into the port. Growing in excess of 100 kilos, they are a scavenger taking most reliable baits. Seven gills can be found spread throughout the port but for consistent success, the deep water outside the Cowes pier is popular with anglers. Corinella and Rhyll also produce good fish as well as in the western entrance.

When specifically targeting gillers, a running sinker rig can be used to keep baits close to the bottom but a wire trace is mandatory as they have sharp teeth.

Large hooks are also required with baits bigger then average used. Whole tuna, salmon and trevally are worthy because of their oil content.

While some anglers use TLD 15’s and 25’s they are not a necessity as a seven gill’s run is only 50 to 100 metres maximum. A lighter approach can be taken using snapper and gummy tackle.

Whiting: One of the most highly prized fish during the cooler months is the whiting. While in plague proportions in summer, it is the winter whiting that are of exceptional size. Fishing for whiting in winter requires some though before heading out. Most fish are found in the deeper sections of the port and near the entrances. Cat Bay and Flinders are known big fish locations that continue to produce.

Whiting anglers are known for using Paternoster rigs, but regardless of what version you use as long as you have small size 6 long shank hooks or size 1/0 circle hooks your in with a chance.

Although whiting prefer soft baits such as pipi, mussel or live bass yabbies, winter whiting are often caught on pilchard fillet or tenderised squid strips.

Pike and Snook: One of the least targeted is both short fin pike and snook. These two southern pelagics are in abundance throughout the port. Found around structure, anglers are best to troll small lures while concentrating on their sounder. Small bommies, thick weed patches or rocky headlands are ideal locations to begin. Mchaffies reef in the Western Entrance through to the Nobbies is the most prolific area to search. Somers through to flinders is another area that is just as productive.

While you can troll in a wide range of depths, spending time in 5 metres of water is usually where they can be found.
Small minnow type lures such as Yo-Zuri Diet Minnows, 105mm Tobimaru’s, and Crystal Minnows are ideal as they imitate the baitfish the pike and snook are feeding on.

Light spin tackle is recommend with 6 kilo rods and 4000 reels suitable. Overhead can also be used and are usually easier to set in the rod holders for trolling.

Silver Trevally: Silvers are another hard fighting fish that are usually caught as a by-catch. If specifically targeted they can be caught in good numbers but research is mandatory to find frequented areas.

Silver Trevally are usually found around patches of reefs and Mchaffies reef, long reef and cat bay are hot spots to find them.

Berley is necessary to bring them to your fishing area. Most are usually found when targeting whiting and similar techniques can be implemented.

When fishing for trevally, hook sizes need to be small, a size 6 or 8 long shank is ideal tied onto a paternoster rig.
Small soft baits like pipi and mussel work well when fished back into a berley trail of pellets mixed with tuna oil.

What ever your quarry, Western Port is a winter wonderland. There is never a time to pack away the trailer boat for the year; the fish are there so just keep on fishin’.