When the weather allows us to fish Anderson Inlet, there are many opportunities to target quality fish.
Whiting...the Snags, Stevies Gutter and at the A Frame (west side of Mahers Landing) are producing many fish to 35cm and the odd 45cm around the changing tides. Best Baits...live bass yabbies (pumped at the mouth of Screw Creek), pipi, squid strips and pilchard fillets.
Pinkie Snapper...are deeper in the Inlet and from a boat, fish the channel on the east side of Mahers Landing, through the HorseShoe and along the green buoys towards the mouth of the Tarwin River. The best time is the incoming tide. Best Baits...US Squid, pilchards and fresh trevally fillets.
Gummy Shark...Flatrocks, on the Inverloch Surf Beach side, Mahers Landing and the Venus Bay Surf Beaches are producing quality Gummy shark to 4 feet. The lead up to the full moon on the 17th of December and a couple of days after is the prime time to target them. The run out tide continues to be the best time. Release you berley in small quantities. Best Baits.....trevally fillets, eel, and US Squid.
Estuary Perch.....are still out and about the Inlet. Good numbers are being picked up at the mouth of Screw Creek, around the Venus Bay Islands and in the channel in front of Pound and Cherry Tree Creek.The pick of the areas is the Venus Bay Islands. Launch your boat or kayak prior to the high tide and fish tight on the mangroves and small creeks through the run out tide. On overcast days, fish the shallows with suspending shallow diving hard bodies in muddy prawn and natural colors.
This picture of the Venus Bay Islands shows all the channels and small creek mouths that are worth targeting for Estuary Perch on the run out tide.
West of the Islands, at the bottom of the Horseshoe, there is another creek mouth the Estuary Perch will move out from on the run out tide. This creek is where I caught my first Estuary Perch over 15 years ago.
Trevally....the run of winter sized trevally continues with fish to 50cm being caught through out the main channels. The green buoys that lead up to the Golf Tee is the pick of the spots for boaters. Best Baits...whitebait and pilchard pieces.
Flathead....fish over 40 cm are being caught on the run out tide on the edges of the main channel in front of Screw Creek, Doyles Rd and Cherry Tree/Pound Creek. Best Baits...pilchard fillets and blue bait.
Landbased, the refurbished Inverloch Jetty is producing plenty of mullet, salmon to 500gr, flathead and trevally. Berley is the secret to bring the fish on the bite. Best Baits...white bait, pipi, squid strips and worm. If the jetty is packed with punters, try the area between the bowling club and yacht club or head east of the jetty towards the Big4 Caravan Park.
It is also the time to pay attention for a run of calamari on the east side of the jetty near the weedbeds.
Have a Fish Filled Xmas
