Port Fairy is a quiet town with a lot of history tucked into every nook and cranny, and the fishing history is no different.
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It’s no wonder it is the home port of many professional fishing boats, with many great fishing opportunities to be had.
In this segment, I’ll try and touch on some easily accessible areas to target along with what can be targeted offshore for the fisherman that want to make a day of it.
FRESHWATER/ESTUARY
Port Fairy lies at the mouth of the Moyne River and provides a great diversity of fishing options for the whole family.
With safe fishing platforms and great amenities throughout the river precinct, it’s always a hit for holiday makers and locals alike. Being open to the ocean all year round makes for some pretty great fishing most of the year.
Mulloway, snapper, flathead, whiting, salmon, trevally, mullet, bream and squid and at the mouth of the river and school and gummy shark all frequent the river. Martins Point is a great spot for whiting, salmon and flathead while fishing into the river itself or into the small inlet towards the Cutting.
In summer, King George whiting can be caught on a few different baits, but pippies are the best bait for doing so.
Not only are they a great sport fish but they are also excellent on the tooth.
The boat ramp jetties allow for great fishing access.
Fish frames being disposed of in the river attracts all manner of fish to the area so it is a great option for families.
Please just remember that it’s still a launching ramp, and boats need space to be able to safely launch and retrieve their boats.
With jetties and walkways all down both sides of the river from the foot bridge to the mouth of the river, there are endless opportunities to wet a line and enjoy a great day out for all.
Another spot worth mentioning in the Moyne River is behind the Garden Caravan Park, along the banks there.
Bream are regularly caught along with the odd mulloway. Baits such as clickers, shrimp, prawns and crab will give you the best opportunity to land some quality fish. Usually a run-in tide is the most productive due to the shallow water, so start fishing a couple hours before high tide and an hour after. Simple running sinker rigs are all you need here and allow the fish to take the bait without feeling the weight.
OFFSHORE
The offshore fishing has gone from strength to strength the past few years and is now right up there with some of the best in Victoria, due largely to the diversity and consistent fishing year-round.
Fishermen mainly travel to Port Fairy in the hope of landing on the of many blue fin tuna that migrate through our waters each and every year.
Fish ranging from 6kg right through to 150kg can be caught at certain times of the year with a number of successful techniques.
Trolling skirts or bibbed minnows is the most productive as you can cover a lot of area, but with this comes the fuel bill at the end of the day.
Anglers are starting to switch over to spin gear and casting stick baits and poppers at feeding fish on the surface, which is a very visual and exciting technique. But that’s not all, there is offshore with some of the best ground for sharks around the area with gummies and school shark regularly being caught by multiple anglers.
Drifting or anchoring on broken ground in depths anywhere from 30-80m is your best chance while using baits such as squid, pilchard and couta fillets on a paternoster rig.
Snapper and other bottom fish will also give you a great day out while fishing these grounds, all you have to do is downsize your tackle.
In summer, the snapper become quite easy to catch offshore as schools upon schools become active and even move right into the beaches.
BEACH
The beach fishing around Port Fairy is very good and can produce all manner of species from mulloway, snapper, bream, whiting and salmon. Best beaches are East Beach, Gormans Lane near Killarney, Killarney, Yambuck and behind the golf course. Find a gutter and set up and berley and cast into the gutters, which is where the deeper water is. This holds the bait for the predators.
Killarney is a great spot to target whiting and squid and can be easily accessed off the sheltered beaches.
All in all, Port Fairy is a great place to bunker down and spend a few days fishing and provides a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Until next week, tight lines and best of luck.
Corey McLaren
If you have any reports you would like to share, email a picture and brief description to fishing@richardsonmarine.com.au