Information from the Boat Storage is that the weather and fishing conditions have been described as fairly good, and that the fish have responded in kind. There have been good numbers of gummies caught inside and outside the entrance that have been to the 19kg mark. The fish have taken a variety of baits such as pilchards, fish fillets and squid. Snapper have been about in pleasing numbers and caught on both sides of the tides.

I have recently received news that very good-sized kingfish have been caught to the 90cm mark, which would please just about anyone. It is fair to say that there have been quite a few small kingies caught that are of course being thrown back, as it shouldn’t be long before they reach size. Some believe that whiting have been scarce due to being hounded by these predators.

Ian Harvey is a dedicated boater from Melbourne and knows this part of the world like the back of his hand. He said that on a recent trip he arrived to find that the water was fairly muddy, which didn’t look too good but put in anyway in around 3m of depth. There he stayed for a short time until suddenly there was an enquiry, and the battle was on. Ian said it took a while, but eventually he got the better of a 90cm runaway king. To say Ian was stoked would be an understatement and just to prove a point he took a photo for bragging purposes, naturally.

Recently, the fish were going very well at the jetty, which was much appreciated by the land-based anglers. Fish such as silvers, mullet, flathead, whiting and garfish have been making the visit worth the effort. I received a call from a visitor from Traralgon – Ron Jackson and a crew decided to try their luck on a fine sunny day and headed for a mark outside the entrance. According to Ron, there was hardly any wind, and in a short time they were into the fish. Quality flathead to 700g were soon in the boat, alongside good salmon, silvers and gummies.

The most successful bait has been strips of pilchards, pipis, Bass yabbies and cockles. The top of the run-in tide seems to be the most productive time to wet a line and if the warm conditions continue, so too will the good fishing.

As had been the case for some time in this part of the world, the good fishing continues. Quality whiting seem to be everywhere and boaters are doing well with good bags of flathead, silvers, and mullet caught inside the entrance. The Port Albert Channel has also been very productive with quality whiting and flathead caught on both high and low tides.

The jetties are going along very well with quality whiting, silvers, mullet, and eels in very good numbers. Boaters have been very happy with their results around Midge Channel where there have been whiting and flathead caught on a variety of bait.

Of course, as we approach winter, most boats will be put away until conditions improve. This is the time when many skips will get to do the jobs that have been put into the too hard baskets.