# A mango long weekend



## Garfish

Okay, so this is the first real winter I've gone through from the yak, and with three fishable days coming up over the long weekend, I'm all ears for suggestions on places that may fish well.

Thoughts? I can do east and west.


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## PoddyMullet

Squid seem to be the most switched on at the moment Garfish, maybe concentrate on them over any of the the weedy beds and whatever else happens to show ya could hammer while it's around? I'm a no fish next weekend but hopeful to get a day in on Friday...let ya know how it goes


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## Milt

I could be keen on a squidding / pinky trip out front of the marine park at Ricketts one morning or perhaps Point Cook with a locals knowledge of course???

Saturday and Sunday do look the goods so far??? 

Milt,


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## squizzy

Im keen, Sunday is soccer day so thats out unless its arvo or nite, I will watch the posts.
Im thinking of going down to the powlett river for a fish one nite this week, mostly for a look see than a serious fish.
My cousin used to love walking this river from the bridge to the mouth flyfishing with good results for bream.
Not sure weather the kayak will be needed, I will be drier and warmer on the bank in waders but "scotty" will come along just in case.


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## Guest

I'm up for fishing at least one of those days. WIll keep an eye on this post to see what the coalition of the willing decides to do


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## Milt

Ok lets get technical and test a few theories :?

According to the Maori fishing calendar Sat is no good for fishing but Sunday is with the best fishing between 6 and 8AM or 5 and 8PM.

Wind wise 10-15 knots in the morning 15-20 knots in the afternoon.

I'll cast a temporary vote of Sunday morning at Black rock, for a calamari or two + pinkys, hopefully the sambos show up as well :wink:

Will let you all know by Thursday.

Milt,


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## kayakcallan

I'm up for anything in the Northern part of PBB (Ricketts etc..) on any day of the long weekend.

I went out last Sunday but didn't get so much as a nibble at Ricketts.. of course it was the first time I had fished there so that was probably the problem and going with someone who knows the area is probably a good idea.

I did however managed to attract the attention of the local marine police :shock: ..they wanted to know how the mirage drive in the Hobie worked. 

Needless to say they went away impressed.

-Cal


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## hoit

I'm keen to head out on the weekend but I can't do Monday. I'm prepared to travel to track down the winter fish.

Regards
Grant


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## PhilipL

No good for Saturday and would prefer Sunday to Monday...prepared to travel. I was originally thinking of a trip to purrumbete for this weekend (kayaks/ canoes and float tubes only with water levels) but am keen to hit the salt... its been at least 6 weeks. Will keep an eye out for posts closer to the weekend.


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## Milt

Ok I'm prepared to lock in a Sunday morning 6am meet as Monday is looking a tad on the breezy side :? .

Grant where do you launch nowadays???

Milt,


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## Garfish

I'll probably head out east on Saturday somewhere... but I'm not sure when the opportunity will pop up - lots of variables.

Everything looks good though for an all out Victorian assault on this month's fishing competition :wink:

Except for the fact that my digital camera is stuffed.


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## hoit

Milt said:


> Grant where do you launch nowadays???


Milt, at Ricketts you will find the least amount of dog shit at the Yacht Club :roll: But the fishing hasn't been that great there lately.

The call of the WPB gummies is getting stronger. 

Regards
Grant


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## Milt

Hmm port melb maybe worth a shot, some plump whiting and bay trout about? Maybe Point Cook could be a suitable destination?

Whatever works, not all that keen on travelling to westernport  well this weekend anyway.

Milt,


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## Garfish

I've heard the same reports Milt...

I might head out at Port Melbourne on Sunday depending on the wind.

Last time I tried to launch there it was blowing 35 knots and I couldn't even get out :lol:

The plan was to take shelter under the pier... but I had no hope.


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## Milt

We could launch to the right of Princess pier "free parking" :wink: and paddle around :arrow: to station and kerferd pier and bounce a few baits and plastics around? 10-15 knots at this stage should be ok as the sambos love a bit of chop 8)

Milt,


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## Garfish

That'd be my plan as well...


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## ScottLovig

I'm going to hit Fishys at Mornington all weekend in the mornings and raid Evarn's patch.

The plan is start mapping out the reefs so I've got a picture for the rest of the year. Squid and pinkies are the likely targets. There is a regular school of sambos that tend to move around the area but thats a lottery of course.

All welcome. Launches at around 6:45am.

Cheers

Scott


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## ScottLovig

Squizzy.

How about you? Wanna tag along?

Cheers

Scott


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## PeterJ

At the mo i thinking a docklands paddle, wind ,rain don't matter when you are under a big concrete pier. :wink:


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## Garfish

Okay... I'm getting closer to a decision:

Saturday PM Chelsea

Sunday AM Port Melbourne


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## Milt

Sunday AM is good for me for Port Melb I'll slip my mobile number across to ya Garfish in a PM.

Pete your more than welcome to play tour guide if you like???

Milt,


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## Garfish

Milt said:


> Pete your more than welcome to play tour guide if you like???


Yes indeed Pete! I won't have a clue...

I was thinking of parking at the Sandridge Life Saving Club...Melways 56 G3.

I'll try to make it there an hour or so before high tide at 9.08am. Hopefully I'll be on the water by 8am.


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## Tim

I'll try to catch up with the southern mangoes at Fishies, though this weekend's likely to be filled up.


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## Milt

Garfish,

How does a 7:30AM meet up sound on the corner of Barrack Road, we'll try around Princess pier and perhaps around Kerferd pier as there appear to be some nice reefy ground 100 odd meters to the right of it 

C how we go? I'm going to troll a few lures around and maybe drop a few pilchard cubes as well? Do you have a fish finder???

What are your thoughts on the area PJ?

Milt,


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## Garfish

Milt said:


> How does a 7:30AM meet up sound on the corner of Barrack Road, we'll try around Princess pier and perhaps around Kerferd pier as there appear to be some nice reefy ground 100 odd meters to the right of it
> 
> C how we go? I'm going to troll a few lures around and maybe drop a few pilchard cubes as well? Do you have a fish finder???


Sounds like a plan... no fish finder for me - just a GPS to lock in your spots as you catch the fish :lol:

I'll spend most of my time drifting plastics I think. Might do a bit of work under the piers as well...

Never tried trolling much, but I'll copy you if it works.


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## GoneFishn

Hey Garfish & Milt wouldnt mind tagging along if that would be ok :? only fished there once, oh and i have a fish finder


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## GoneFishn

Hey Garfish & Milt wouldnt mind tagging along if that would be ok :? only fished there once, oh and i have a fish finder


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## mangrove jack

I'd be keen to join you guys if possible, sorry no fish finder .


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## PeterJ

Thats where i put it when i go there.


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## Milt

Gone fishin,

You can say that again :wink: all welcome to tag along  we shouldn't be too hard to find :idea: I'll be floating around in alime and green Espri with my white tub.

Milt,


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## squizzy

Hey scott, I think I will be a starter Sunday morning and maybe monday. Will keep posting as my weekend interuptions get sortd out.


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## GoneFishn

Ok, will be great to meet you guys 7:30AM on the corner of Barrack Road


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## PeterJ

Here is a tip

Do not leave any valuables in the cars at all


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## Milt

PJ is that tip for P.melb as well? also are there any spots around there that calamari frequent?

Is anyone keen to meet up at 6:30AM and meet up with the others on the water :?:

Milt,


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## Garfish

Possibly - too early to say Milt. Depends on how I wake up.

My fiance will be coming along too... she always outfishes me, so it should mean we catch something.

What lures will you be trolling Milt? I've got no hard bodies in my tackle box and might seize the occasion to pick up an SX-40 or a Jackal Chubby.


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## Garfish

It looks like there will be 5 of us out on the water at some stage.

This would be the biggest Mango catch-up for a while wouldn't it??


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## Milt

Ecogear mw70s

http://www.marukyu.com/eng/ecogear/hard ... water.html

The ecogear is my favourite see pic but i lost it recently, it was purchased at Turvilles in the city :evil: I caught taylor, salmon, pike. I'll be looking at some lures on Friday night around 6-7cm in size to try on Sunday.

I'll also be trolling my little ecoger and scorpion as well to see what it drags up :?:

Milt,


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## PeterJ

It's for port melb.

calamari , over near the timeball tower in williamstown is where we used to catch our bait for mulloway, then we would scoot back to port for a long night session ,or maybe over that small patch of reef you pointed out.

You have a muddy silty sandy bottom at times around there cos of the entrance to the yarra and if it's rained alot and taken the crap outa the river.


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## GoneFishn

Hey Milt a 6:30am start sounds good to me. Just spent the morning fishing around Princes pier only got 1 small travelly,  was a bit blowy  alright next to the pier though.


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## Garfish

Better luck on Sunday hopefully... :?

From what Peter has said, it might be worth trying on the St Kilda side of station pier... apparently it's more of a sandy bottom. With whiting on the bite, it sounds like more of a possibility.

What bait were you using? many bites?


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## Milt

Garfish do you mind if we meet you on the water??? around Princess / station pier???

Yes i agree I think we'll try a few 20min bursts around princess pier, there's a nice hole in front of the pole "A" in between the 2 piers and another hole "B" about a quarter of the way up princess pier that sometimes holds good pinkys. "C" is sometimes good for trevally "D" is a spot for flattys, mullet schools just out of reach of flying sinkers i have caught a small Mulloway here 50 odd cm's in length.

And "E" is somewhere i haven't fished before, and then theres kerferd road pier 

Milt,


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## Garfish

No problem mate... I'll try and be out there around 7ish at first light. I'll be a bit slower in my mini's than the rest of you.

I might bolt down to complete angler tonight after work and see if i can't pick up an ecogear or 2.


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## GoneFishn

*Garfish*, the little bugger was hungry  it took a whole small pilchard slightly bigger than a blue bait, the bait was intended for a flathead. No other bites. I'll prob launch from Sandridge carpark near the surfclub on Sunday as i find this the easest spot to launch. (Do you guys know a better spot?)


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## Milt

Barrack Road is where i normally launch, free parking and closer to the piers :wink: , not to far to walk probably quicker and easier if we meet up at one location carying yaks down in one hit :wink:

Milt,


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## GoneFishn

is there a car park or is it on street parking, had a quick look today but didnt see a carpark there. Milt have you used sikaflex if so is it 11FC.

Thinking of going down to Ricketts point tomorrow arvo do you know where to launch and where to the best spots to try.


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## Milt

Street parking opposite housing :wink: I haven't used Sikaflex before?

Theres the life saving club we used to launch from or the yacht club is currently the preffered option. The outskirts of the Ricketts marine park hold calamari normally its a great place to drift back and forth on the right side of the oark of course :wink: and when the salmon school roll in its action plus. There normally some pike around too from time to time. Another place to try is the mussell farm further south :wink:

Heading North is a good area for drifting adn flinging out soft plastics for pinkies, red mullet and flathead, opposite the tea house is a good spot pm Hoit aka Grant he has this area scoped out and always comes hone with a feed of fish :wink: its been a bit quiet even the stink boaters i know have found it hard going.


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## PeterJ

you get whiting to the east of princess near st kilda but i have never heard of whiting anywhere near sandrige.
It is sandy out between web and princes out to the current line.

The current from the yarra curls around the front of webb and and you get the eddy effects across the front of princess , then starts to edge further out from there. Once it gets past station the effects of the yarra taper off a bit and the bottom turns sandy again.

Worth fishing the edge onf the channle on the west of princess near the marker. It goes from 10-15 ft to 45 next to the pier. Good to fish a while for pinkies in between princess and station, if they are on that is , havent heard anything at all this year about them.

Ling , pinkie, flathead, gummy ,whiting start to show up. There is also an old sand ramp/spit out the front of the yacht club a hundred mtrs or so , it's worth fishing the edges.There are snags though.


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## Milt

Thanks for that Pete, much appreciated :wink:

I forgot about the channel there, how far out is that spot from the western point of the pier?

Milt,


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## PeterJ

The channel follows the line of the markers along the western side and meets up with the still used main channel for the station pier traffic. Also need to watch for the Pilot boat hooting out from near station pier.


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## PoddyMullet

The Williamstown footy ground (100m out) gave up a heap of small pinkie battles yesterday...weed ducking fella's that went to 36cm. I didn't get to explore along and around much, so no doubt there'd be better fish still about there as well. Boats working whiting and squid there too... according to the local happy chatterfella George. First time I'd fished this area...good to see some Willy Pink's instead of the Pink Willy's that ya sometimes encounter at other PPB launches. Best of luck for the rest of Lizzy's Big Party and weekend :wink: 

GoneFishin, the best launch at Ricketts seems to be the Beuamaris Yacht Club (it's the car park city side of the teahouse). Costs $7 in parking fees, grab as ticket as ya drive in and then venture to the city end of the carpark. You'll need to paddle out through the marine park before ya start fishing...and officially any catch can't be cleaned back on the beach later, but ya can bring it back through the park if caught outside. Anywhere along the park boundry is worth a try, and don't be scared to move about if nothings working for ya. Afternoons would be my first prefence this time of year (mostly cause I can't drag my lazy arse outta bed in the mornings!!).


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## Garfish

I just read your post now Poddy after getting back from Willy... not the easiest place to fish in my book, so I'm interested to hear what your strategy was? It's a real mix of rocky ground, and patches of sand.

I was there at low tide... and got the feeling that I needed to be there at high, as it was just too shallow and visible. Where did you launch? I ended up carrying two kayaks over about 15 metres of rock to launch, but im sure there's an easier way.


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## PoddyMullet

G day Garfish, it was proably more to do with the calm and clear water conditions you met versus the choppy cloudy water I came across. I reckon I would have struggled big time today if I ventured out...although the paddling part would have been magnificent. The plastic fella's usually do better when it's calm than me meek HB's which may present to fish like a noisy bus. I fished low tide on Fri, but usually like the last couple of hours of an incoming...so who knows? As for a launch I paddled out from the Williamstown beach (I think that was what it was called...there was a park and I think an Angling Club there). It was about 500m Geelong side of the footy ground, and close enough to the corner of Garden St and the Esplanade (I used the carpark nearest the groyne/Angling Club). If it's calm again, maybe go for the cover of dawn/dusk :?:


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## Garfish

Hmmm - definitely great snapper ground in the right conditions. I tend to drift a lot with soft plastics, so the bottom isn't great for my style of fishing. Something I need to rectify.


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## PeterJ

Garfish the number one pinky spot at the footy ground is dead sth out between about 200-300 mtrs. Thats the end of the reef where it hits the sand and the dropoff. 
The reef then runs back to the main willy beach where it's more a whiting and believe it or not elephant fish get caught there at times. 
Anywhere along the edge of the reef is good but for years it's been at the footy ground for some reason. At times we would fish less than 50 mtrs from shore.


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## PoddyMullet

Inside 50mtrs's are what the coach wants PeterJ :!: Especially if ya dead straight in front of the goals...that's what wins matches and all that. I know this cause I barrack for the Tigers :roll: Re the reefy bits about there, I'm also hearing about the Point Gellibrand Lighthouse which is apparently now rubble on Davey Jones's...and working the channels edge for pinkies. Any info on those prospects (keeping in mind the big ships that pass nearby). I was also wondering does how far the reef extends towards the yarra, and is it about 200-300m out all the way along :?:

Garfish, I don't know much about plastics...but given results of other fella's I couldn't see why they wouldn't work. Does OMATS use the plastics here? I did see a report from one fella who inspired me to give this area a go of taking a 2.5 kg fish on the weekend. Although from the sounds of it t'was his persitence that worked for him. Weather permitting I'll give it another go on Thurs (with or without the Dencorub berley trail)


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