Great time to target southern calamari

PORT PHILLIP Gerry Morsman

The southern end of the bay around Rye in the south channel has been a go to spot lately for gummy sharks anywhere up to 25kg – and if you are lucky, even bigger!

Sitting on the edges of the channel is the go, using fresh baits if you can get them. Fresh Australian salmon, yakka, squid or slimy mackerel are ideal baits. Gummy sharks have a very good nose on them so getting a fresh bait out in tidal areas such as Rye is crucial to having a successful fishing trip.

The rig of choice has been a running sinker rig with an 8/0 circle hook. Make sure to pin your baits with plenty of the hook showing, allowing that ultimate hook up.

As you move closer to the entrance near Portsea, the same approach applies, just as if you were fishing Rye. Fishing the south channel will find you hooking a lot of by-catch such as banjo sharks, Port Jackson sharks and sting rays, so make sure you have plenty of tackle on board as you might find yourself losing a lot of gear.

Offshore out from Barwon heads in around 40m of water has been fishing very well lately, but to be fair it usually does all them off Black Rock in 45m of water, anchored and drifting.

Taylor Hunt has been out off Barwon Heads a few times chasing southern bluefin tuna.

Taylor has shared his boat with good mates Anthony Forster, Corey Green and