Kayak Fishing Werribee From werribee river

[andrewskayakfishing]

Thanks mate. Also thanks to everyone for their comments.

[Texas]

Also I'm thinking I might head out on Tuesday for a fish if the weather is OK

Most boats (shed owners) that go from Campbell's Cove head to "off the Point Cook jetty".
Cheers Gra

[Tim399]

Hi Andrew, a good place to launch in the altona area is the small ramp where Millers Road meets The Esplanade. This is an all tide launch with firm sand, though the bottom of the ramp can have a small drop of about 30cm to the sand. This area is littered with reef that holds good snapper around late spring, as well as squid year round and flathead over any of the sand.

If I launch from the Apex Park end of the esplanade I just make sure there is 0.4m or higher tide height on “fishranger” website/app. If you launch from the river mouth there is a narrow channel about one meter wide that can be paddled along if you do have to return on a low tide

[andrewskayakfishing]

Hey Tim thanks for that. I actually checked that spot out and the area there looks a little rocky. So I assume that there isn't any hidden rocks to worry about if you launch from there? Also is the reef straight out? And how far?

[cheaterparts]

I went out Altona on a flat day (5kmh wind) and I think it was 60% moon. I went out pretty far to around 7-8m water. Paddling back against the run out tide was a work out, and that was on 5kmh wind day. Same with Campbell's Cove.

just thinking here a 1.25 km paddle ( about 8 meters ) with no wind and no tide to talk of was a work out - you must be doing something wrong

just a thought

[Sebb]

I went out Altona on a flat day (5kmh wind) and I think it was 60% moon. I went out pretty far to around 7-8m water. Paddling back against the run out tide was a work out, and that was on 5kmh wind day. Same with Campbell's Cove.

just thinking here a 1.25 km paddle ( about 8 meters ) with no wind and no tide to talk of was a work out - you must be doing something wrong

just a thought

Yup, same, still trying to figure that out. Paddling with the tide is easy, but I'm struggling paddling against the tide. I was trying to go fast though.
Either I don't have much upper body strength and poor hand paddling technique or my kayak isn't great.
Hence, I'm pretty cautious kayaking in the bay.

[Tim399]

Hey Tim thanks for that. I actually checked that spot out and the area there looks a little rocky. So I assume that there isn't any hidden rocks to worry about if you launch from there? Also is the reef straight out? And how far?

Any time. There are a couple of rocks in front of the launch area, if you check it out at a low tide you will be able to see them easy enough and they are easy to navigate around. However I believe this beach access ramp is being renovated any time now with a finish date before spring. Through consultation and input from kayakers the renovation been designed to be more kayak friendly too. The below link has the design and more information

http://www.vyak.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25058

[Tim399]

Seb have you ventured out much further? Or down the river? Where else have you taken the kayak?

I went out Altona on a flat day (5kmh wind) and I think it was 60% moon. I went out pretty far to around 7-8m water. Paddling back against the run out tide was a work out, and that was on 5kmh wind day. Same with Campbell's Cove.

Anything around river mouth usually has some sort of current.
And nah, usually 200-300 metres from the shore is more than enough. Often less.

Paddle into the Werribee river is also nice.

I have hand paddle kayak, not those hobbie foot drive thing.

Mostly I use the kayak to lakes, been to Goulburn river around Nagambie-Murchison couple times.
I'm pretty cautious kayaking on the bay.

Try Clifton Springs, plenty of squid grounds within 100m off the shore.

I’ve never really noticed tidal flow at altona seb, however the river mouth at Apex Park can have a bit of flow as the tide drops but this flow is not noticeable once passed the last sandbar where it drops to 1m. Are you using anything like a gps or sounder to measure what speeds you are paddling at? Seeing your actual speed measured against your effort to gain ground can be a good indicator of if your technique is getting sloppy toward the end of the day or if you are tiring out. Unfortunately most plastic fishing kayaks are wider to allow more storage, etc. which creates a lot of drag when underway. Once a headwind is added to the mix it takes a considerable amount more effort to make the same ground as when on a dead calm day.

[cheaterparts]

Yup, same, still trying to figure that out. Paddling with the tide is easy, but I'm struggling paddling against the tide. I was trying to go fast though.
Either I don't have much upper body strength and poor hand paddling technique or my kayak isn't great.
Hence, I'm pretty cautious kayaking in the bay.

you should slide over to my backyard Westernport - a normal day on the water would be a 20 km paddle some time many more and with real tide flows
and im getting old and feeble
I've only fished the top end of PPB a couple of times and really the only way I knew which way the tide was going was to look on the tide chart

sounds more like poor technique and maybe the kayak is hard work it self - or a bit of both

[Sebb]

Seb have you ventured out much further? Or down the river? Where else have you taken the kayak?

I went out Altona on a flat day (5kmh wind) and I think it was 60% moon. I went out pretty far to around 7-8m water. Paddling back against the run out tide was a work out, and that was on 5kmh wind day. Same with Campbell's Cove.

Anything around river mouth usually has some sort of current.
And nah, usually 200-300 metres from the shore is more than enough. Often less.

Paddle into the Werribee river is also nice.

I have hand paddle kayak, not those hobbie foot drive thing.

Mostly I use the kayak to lakes, been to Goulburn river around Nagambie-Murchison couple times.
I'm pretty cautious kayaking on the bay.

Try Clifton Springs, plenty of squid grounds within 100m off the shore.

I’ve never really noticed tidal flow at altona seb, however the river mouth at Apex Park can have a bit of flow as the tide drops but this flow is not noticeable once passed the last sandbar where it drops to 1m. Are you using anything like a gps or sounder to measure what speeds you are paddling at? Seeing your actual speed measured against your effort to gain ground can be a good indicator of if your technique is getting sloppy toward the end of the day or if you are tiring out. Unfortunately most plastic fishing kayaks are wider to allow more storage, etc. which creates a lot of drag when underway. Once a headwind is added to the mix it takes a considerable amount more effort to make the same ground as when on a dead calm day.

I have sounder but no gps to measure my speed. Never been on any other kayaks either, so I cant tell the difference.
But yes, there are a lot of factors.

Also Andrew, you can launch a kayak new avalon boat ramp.