Estuary Corner is a large body the warmer months seeing most fish straight away. When time is a of shallow water. It has extensive in the inlet and arguably the best consideration this is a huge flats and numerous channels. Most of fishing, however, even in the cooler advantage. the fishing is done in the channels months flathead, trevally and sharks The weather leading up to our trip Corner Inlet,Vic but there is potential for fly fishing are still present in good numbers. had been brilliant in Gippsland. by Trevor Stow, special pics by Bruce Postle and spinning for flathead and other During a recent trip to this area Typical autumn weather with calm species on the flats. Very few anglers during late autumn, my mate Bob sunny days and a temperature in the orner Inlet is a big, open the sea level was six metres higher Wilson’s Promontory. avail themselves of this fishing, and I decided to take a charter for low 20’s. Rain had been unheard of estuary that abuts Wilson’s than at present. The “Prom” was a White man discovered this area in preferring the deeper water. the day. We chose to use Shane recently and the farmers were all CPromontory in southern group of islands with only mountain about 1804 when sealers on one This inlet provides the angler with Smart who operates a very nice 28 short of water. Needless to say the . Wilson’s Promontory is tips showing above water level. When ship alone obtained over 600,000 a wide variety of fish including foot SharkCat called Kato. Scott day we arrived, rain pelted down all the southern most landmass on the sea dropped to form the land sealskins. This is more than the total flathead, King George whiting, informed us that a few KG whiting day and a strong north westerly wind the Australian Mainland. bridge to , a series of sand number of seals present today in the gummy sharks, seven gill sharks, were still about, fishing for trevally sprung up. Top temperature for the For anglers it is just a dunes formed over a basalt base whole of the southern Australian snapper, trevally, flounder, mullet and had been good recently and he was day was only 14 degrees. matter of taking the Mulgrave creating the Yanakie Peninsula. This waters. Once this industry collapsed, salmon. A good run of large snapper hopeful that we would pick up some This weather did not stop our Freeway out of the city and picking constructed a link between the early pioneers turned their attention enters this inlet around October each pinkies (snapper). This is the plans. The SharkCat, with its twin up the South Gippsland Highway. previous islands and the mainland, to mutton birds (for oil) timber, and year and remains in residence for advantage of hiring a charter when in 200 hp Yamahas was quite capable so that when the sea level rose finally farming which is still practiced several months. an unfamiliar area. They know their of handling this sort of weather. We History More than 12,000 years ago again, it formed the present day around Corner Inlet today. Species vary with the seasons with water and can put you onto fish headed off in an easterly direction

60 Fisherman & Boatowner Copyright SEA Media Pty Ltd (F&B#59 - 10/2000) from www.seamedia.com.au Copyright SEA Media Pty Ltd (F&B#59 - 10/2000) from www.seamedia.com.au Fisherman & Boatowner 61 PROM Coastal Charters is an excellent way of getting to know these intricate, shoally waters, and skipper Shane Smart knows them well. He’s based at Yanakie Caravan Park, and can be reached on 0429 935 583

towards the tip of Wilson’s at anywhere near its best but we had somersaults and leaps into the air of Kato’s skipper, Shane Smart, hooking a Promontory. Shane was looking for a a good look around this pretty area up to 10 feet. Threshers are generally trevally - with Singapore Point (Wilson’s drop off, not far from shore where and got a huge amount of valuable bottom to mid water feeders and are Promontory) in the background. there was good reef and little weed information from our charter boat happy to take a wide variety of baits to worry about. We anchored in operator. including barracouta, slimy mackerel tides. There is no jetty here and about 24 metres of water. and most other oily fleshed fish. boats have to be boarded some Shane felt that we had a good Offshore Access to is Also in this area southern bluefin distance from the shore. chance to catch trevally or pinkies in simple from Corner Inlet. Singapore tuna are successfully targeted by the The second alternative and this area so we brought out the light Deep Channel provides anglers with game fishing anglers. Large snapper, probably the best is to launch at Port gear. Bream rods, egg beater reels a good safe passage into the sea large flathead and KG whiting, Welshpool. Port Weshpool is where and 6 kg mono. The current is quite from the inlet. Once outside, the Seal sweep, snook and silver trevally are the trans Tasman ferry Seacat used strong in Corner Inlet and as a result Islands and Rabbit Island are about also present in good numbers at to dock until it ceased operations a we were forced to use quite heavy 4 30 kms from the Port Welshpool boat various times of the year. couple of years ago. As a result the oz running sinkers. A slab of my ramp and therefore within the reach Although the entrance to Bass facilities here are brilliant. This ramp favourite bait, WA pilchards was of most modern offshore trailerboats. Strait is not difficult and good fishing can handle boats of virtually any size opened and we baited up. For the The Seal group of islands has huge is within reach, care needs to be and for that matter in virtually any narrow and can be difficult to follow surf beach, good playground and first half an hour the action was a schools of kingfish at times and exercised in this area. Wilson’s weather. for those not familiar with the area. picnic shelters. little slow but then a school of trevally some of them are quite large. Promontory is susceptible to wind There are two jetties here. One, Also Toora is only a few kms from There are two national parks in the moved in and we were kept busy Victoria is not known for its range and tide. Mornings can be fine, the Port Authority Jetty is Port Welshpool so why not use these area. The magnificent Wilson’s either fighting fish or baiting up for of sportfish. The odd yellowfin tuna is sunny and settled but by afternoon, a approximately 1 km long. The other superior facilities? If you are fishing Promontory is the best known and the next couple of hours. hooked and even the occasional strong wind can suddenly spring up is also a significant structure that is from a small tinnie then all of the perhaps one of the most spectacular The trevally were not big, around marlin or two, but what Victorians and make conditions dangerous for used by the commercial fishing fleet above is fairly academic; you can national parks in Australia. The other 30+ cm, but they were great fun on lack in yellowfin and marlin numbers the unsuspecting angler. Fuel can be and also pleasure boats. Both these launch anywhere. nearby national park is Tarra-Bulga the light gear. The occasional very they make up for in other species, a consideration when you have to jetties offer land based anglers a situated in the heart of the Strzelecki small pinkie also showed up, as did a particularly shark. Good numbers of head home into a rough sea. It pays realistic chance to catch fish. Bream, Other Attractions This is an Ranges and featuring towering few rubbish fish such as wrasse. thresher, mako, seven gill and to seek local advice and watch the mullet, silver trevally, garfish and excellent area for the family. Not only eucalypts, cool tree ferns and a After lunch we moved into one of the gummy sharks are all present. weather reports. flathead are regularly taken. is the fishing good but there are lots famous suspension bridge. Both these channels in the area to target KG Thresher sharks in particular are a The Lewis Channel at Port of other things to do and see in the parks are renowned for their extensive whiting. As the current was reduced great alternative game species. They Ramps There are three main Welshpool provides good deep water immediate area. Port Welshpool walking tracks. and the water depth was only about are remarkable looking and alternatives for those wishing to fish and a comparatively short run out to offers shallow water and a sand In fact, there is so much to do and 8 metres we were able to use distinctive fish with a tail extending Corner Inlet. First there is a concrete Singapore Channel and offshore beach that is ideal for young children. see in this area it almost warrants an considerably smaller sinkers. Pipis almost the same length as the body boat ramp situated next to the from there. Nearby is renowned for article of its own. were the preferred bait. of the shark. This majestic creature Yanakie Caravan Park at Yanakie. The third alternative is to launch at sail boarding and it is one of the few We did not catch any whiting but could well be Victoria’s premier Although capable of accepting most the Toora boat ramp. This is a good places in Victoria where vehicles are picked up quite a lot of small sporting fish. It is as fast as any fish trailerboats at high tide, it is almost ramp with a reasonable depth of allowed on the beach. flathead, which we returned to their you are ever likely to hook and their useless at low tide. As a result fishing water so launching is possible at all Waratah is an exclusive holiday mums. We had not struck the fishing arial displays include tail walking, trips have to be planned around the times. However, the Toora Channel is township with a beautiful and safe F&B

62 Fisherman & Boatowner Copyright SEA Media Pty Ltd (F&B#59 - 10/2000) from www.seamedia.com.au Copyright SEA Media Pty Ltd (F&B#59 - 10/2000) from www.seamedia.com.au Fisherman & Boatowner 63