# VIC 20/2 Manns Beach Launch



## shooneze (Dec 27, 2008)

Had our 1st Camp/fish/drink out in our kayaks over the weekend. Had a ball! Launched from Manns Beach Boat ramp at 6.30am with the runout tide. Headed to Shoal Inlet Entrance to camp. We tried using soft plastics for frogs but no good. So my mate collo put on a pippie & caught a 40cm whiting 1st cast. So quickly changed over to the clams, but he wanted me to pay $5 each for them as I bagged him out for buying them at the Longford Servo! He caught 2 whiting straight away, but after numerous attempts to paddle against the tide to get to the spot where they were holding (definitley investing in a Anchor next trip) we headed towards the entrance trolling plastics out the back with a handline my line started to strip, hoping it was a huge frog, but ended up being a decent size skate. It nearly tipped me in after de-hooking it! We then caught 2 toad fish a mullet & another whiting on pippie before we had lunch. We then made it to the left hand side of Shoal Inlet Entrance & had an awesome view of a deep gutter inside the entrance on our side. As we packed our surf rods we decided to set up camp. We Caught another 6 mullet for live bait about 500 metres from the entrance for the change of tide at 8pm that night. After 10 minutes surf fishing my rod screamed but after 15 minutes fighting it, it ended up being a huge skate. Collo ended up catching a 38cm flathead at around 10.30pm on a surf popper. But No good till 11.30pm. We only caught crap all weekend but consistently catching crap is a heap of fun! Better than no fish. Downed some more jack dan's before bed then got up at 5am so we could launch at 5.45am so we could catch the last of the run in tide. As the wind was expected to pick up in the arvo we decided to head of early. ( The B.O.Meteorology need a kick up the ******! I swear they are 10km - 15km out of there wind predictions everytime, argggh) We had wind against tide against us. Creating a huge chop. It ended up being 14km winds & 22km gusts at 5am & 18km winds & 25km gusts at 9.30am when we eventally got back. I swear I've never burnt more kilojules in those last 3 hours than what we did on the weekend! But when we got back to the ramp we were already planning our next trip! Loved every minute of it, especially seeing all the fish under the yaks & drifting past all the boats! Will be better prepared next time. We want to head of from Manns Beach ramp to Mclaughlins Beach Ramp on the left hand side of St. Margarets Island but not sure what way the tide flows? If anyone knows could u let us know. That would great. Cheers. Heard there are some huge frogs up that way! I'll try & chuck up some pics of our trip.


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## shooneze (Dec 27, 2008)

Shit hot Eric, love reading your expiditions down that way, I'll be up for it. Going to bed now, but let us know when you boys start thinking about it. We have an awesome Estaury system to explore! I'm sure Morwell boys & Moe boys would get on great! laughs! I'll be definitley in mate!


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Love the second last photo of the kayak being dragged along the sand. Brings back memories of when I first bought me kayak and used to do this every trip to get to the water and back. Since the floods in Feb last year I can now just drive to the water's edge and launch.

Great report.


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## TheFishinMusician (Feb 5, 2007)

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## shooneze (Dec 27, 2008)

Yeah we had two 40 litre barrells dragging out the back. U hardly noticed they were on when you went with the tide. One did leak but I expected it to. I lost the rubber ring around the lid on one of our surf rafting launches of McGaurans Beach. I own a 6 man whitewater raft & we paddle our gear out in barrels, we have an anchor & handlines! Awesome fun but still haven't worked out how to beach it the right side up. The barrels never got in our way & it gave us heaps more storage space for necessaties like bottles of jack etc. We did load up the other with kindling for our fire. That one floated heaps good. But we didn't need it with the amount of drift wood near the entrance. Saw the pics of you guys camping at the entrance at Mcglauchlins it looks awesome surf fishing on a calm night. It would be good to observe how the pros fish from there yaks!


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## bomberjames (Dec 5, 2007)

That bloke walking on water ,surley he could produce a miracle or two.
Hail the messiah.


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