McLoughlins Beach

[Pirkz]

So mostly quiet still on the Board so thought Id post this short report from Mcloughlins Beach yesterday. Breezy day and a bit cold at 15 or so for shorts but a good day out. Tried a few spots for an early flatty with no joy other than this large Ray, (returned) and roamed the entrance for a sambo on an outgoing tide - but no luck. So and, as Id promised someone a few fish (salmon) yet to be caught, (normally the kiss of death on the fishing) we anchored up expectantly in the same arm as per the last visit. And bugger me, tight lines on the first cast on Sp. All up, over a couple of hours, about a dozen salmon between us - biggest about 50cm ish around 1kg or so (lucky day for he/ she, as it was returned - offsider came over all compassionate like and we had enough in the net already). So all good - verbal contract/promise met! Sport dwindled as the ride slackened so the next few hours involved a few more moves - for nowt. Returned to the original arm for the first hour of the runout and caught multiple small flatties and a few keeper mullet all on bait. 2pm and time was up so left em biting for next week....
Have heard reports of KGW being caught at the Lakes Entrance footbridge - so may give that a go over the next few days as about 150km and $40 of gas nearer
Tight Lines
Pirkz

[Pirkz]

With predicted bad weather forecast for later in the week (like today onwards for example) decided to head down to MCL with my offsider and his boat once more on Tuesday. Met by calm conditions and a blue sky. Target was flathead for the table and anything else that came along of course. Tide was still running out with a bit of weed about. Very few trailers parked up, guessed most were probably offshore looking at the number of rollers on them. Fished a known summer Flathead spot in 3m not far from the ramp and were soon into fish on any bait dropped down. Mostly small stuff but multiple species including a KGW of 35 and a mullet a tad bigger (keepers). But no flathead today, and as quick as the bite started it stopped so we headed over to Mann's Beach channel and anchored up close to the trees on the left there in 5 m and berlied up in a slackening tidal run. A few more species came aboard, all on bait, nothing on SP though. One solid hook up kept me amused and wondering WTF for about 10 mins before we parted company (end rig tackle failure on my part - added a short snood to a commercial 2 hook whiting rig as the bottom one had been snagged and this didn't hold up under pressure despite 8lb line). Dont think it was a Raymond - but will never know . Tide turned and the current picked up, fish kept coming, but all small stuff, including some Pinky snapper - maybe just size, leatherjacket and a few of the usual suspects - no keepers (chicken for T?) After a couple of hours light sport we decided to move once more and stop for an hour on the way back to the ramp. Stopped for 5 mins ( which turned into the hour) en route to another mark (at random) in 3m over a clean sandy bottom which looked Flatheady. Fished blue bait and pilly halves on the bottom and finally caught a few bigger fish - always nice to catch from a new spot. First up a flatty at 50 cm followed by several others just undersize. Last few casts saw a 60 cm flatty and the large Raymond pictured come up. Both released as we thought that 55cm was the limit for keeping flathead for some reason (I now know Dusky's only ) My wife still hasnt forgiven me.... But we know where it lives and will revisit when this bloody rain stops! Noted a boat come in from offshore and proceed to beach for a bit before anchoring up in a channel near us. Met up at the ramp to find out that they had 'smashed' the Snapper offshore and had then caught about 30 KGW uptide from us using pumped yabby! Always good to get intel on the ramp and whilst we are not offshore ready / capable, a new bait pump will be on the Christmas list and should enhance our next MCL adventure. But, after nearly 600 days this side of the international border, Im finally off to see mum in UK next week, so wont be posting for a bit - hope to get back Downunder before summer departs.
Tight Lines
Pirkz

[Nude up]

Nice work mate. I am leaving it a bit longer before I go back to the UK to visit my sister's

[Pirkz]

Balmy conditions forecast for Mon last so MCL it was with my trusty offsider and his ordinarily reliable Bluefin Mangrove Jack boat. Piscatorial foreplay complete i.e meet up and pie in Sale and a bit of 'bird watching', we expedited down to the MCL ramp on what was to be a glorious day. On arrival noticed plenty of trailers parked up and looking at the number of wheels on most of em no doubt most of their owners were off shore on such a calm day. But not for us, a few flathead for T from the sandier parts and the odd secret hole would do us just fine. And if said Offsider gets to use his fly rod then it will have been a very good day indeed. So checks complete, I mooched about the jetty, while the trailer was parked up, and had a chat to an inbound arrival complete with his dog . They had been offshore in his 3.9m tinny that morning and he had, for the first time ever, ( at sea that is) seen his breakfast and previous nights dinner for the second time that morning due to a 3m swell...dog was fine by the way. But as an offshore worker (rig mechanic) he was more than comfortable in those conditions and had caught some nice flatties and had released an estimated 30kg gummy on account of it being pregnant and too big to haul aboard anyway so - good on him for that. Little did I know at this stage of proceedings that he was about to become our new Best Friend (NBF) .So trailer parked up and all aboard expectantly for what was surely going to be a cracker of a day afloat. Engine started first turn of the key (so far so good) and then the bad news... Err cant seem to turn the wheel!! FFS! Having warned my mate (though the friendship at that point was being severely tested and he was fast losing favour), more than once over the years to ensure that he oiled the steering arm attached to the motor, it was a little disappointing (to say the least) that he had ignored said advice and we were now about to pay the price - as the arm had completely seized. I had had this problem a few years back on my old Quintrex tinny and had to cough up nearly $300 to get it released. So, resigned to an early mark (and grass cutting duties on return home) and chicken for T, we swiftly reloaded the trailer and dragged the boat out, on account of the Offshore mob arriving back (which included some very nice boats .. twin 225s anyone ?? That ll do nicely Sir! ) Anyway I digress. Luckily for us, seeing our predicament, our NBF being a mechanic an all ,came to our rescue and after an hour of pulling, pushing, shoving, (same thing right?) and not so subtle use of a borrowed hammer (someone else's gummy stick!) and copious amounts of 2 stroke oil to lube , the bloody thing was freed, $300 was saved, and we were once again able to get afloat. And, although the 10am window had become closer to a 12PM departure, we did catch T - managing 5 flatties all up 40 -48 cm all on bait during the 2.5 hrs afloat. So a pretty quiet day overall ( for us at least) and more action with a hammer than a flyrod, but, after the early...Err hiccup,(read f*ckup...Im being polite here) I was / we were just pleased to get a bit of fishing in. So moral of the story is - even if you get your boat serviced by a dealer annually - as he does - always listen to a mate and at least check some of the basics e.g. the friggin steering! Just to add - others did a bit better inshore than us, and heavy SPs 4-6inch ish paddletails did the business for at least one couple who looked to have closer to a dozen decent flathead keepers all taken in the shallows (1.5-3m) from what looked like a 2m camouflaged bath tub with the worlds smallest engine on the back. Obviously size doesnt always matter - just depends on what your chasing and not necessarily on how deep your pockets are. No pics today as you all know what a Flathead looks like by now!
Tight Lines
Pirkz

[sweetstarneon]

Hi pinkz

Thanks for posting the info about mcloughlins beach (varied dates and times).

Your posts have persuaded me to consider a one day fishing trip to this part of the world tomorrow. Never been there, so don't expect too much fish catching.

I was wondering if someone can give me some help on the following;

1. If i was so lucky to catch a fish, where are the fish cleaning tables in the area (see below re area that i am contemplating)

2. Best place to have a meal in the area (dinner)

3. Is there any squid around now - should i bring a squid jig

4. Narrowed places to try to 7 places - mcloughlins beach, mann beach, robertson beach, port albert pier, alberton and taraville

I am a land based fisho. Thoughts on where i should try (ranked) based on current conditions, appropriate tide (eg: high or low tide) and fishing methods would be appreciated

Thanks in advance for your help

[Pirkz]

Hi cant help much as always boat based. That said you can walk across to the beach at MCL and hike a coupla km to the entrance to the right. Sps and bait may winkle a few out of the snags up there. Flood tide from 10 am ish I think. Port Albert pier may be a better bet and fish n chip shop is there. Some food avble in Woodside servo. Cleaning table at MCL boat ramp which will be chocka tomorrow..Havent fished anywhere else down that way.
Note squid possible off Port Welshpool long jetty
Tight Lines and beware hungry march flies in MCL!
Pirkz

[Pirkz]

Coupla visits to MCL (and what feels like the other side of Gippsland at times as its a 300km round trip) during the last week. Saturday, nice weather forecast (sunny and calm) so fished 3 up in the offsiders 4.5 Bluefin open deck boat (so a bit of a squeeze) in the usual channels and 'hotspots' - which unfortunately were not so hot during out visit. Bait fished hard on the bottom in 5-6 m accounted for a few keeper flatties and another 5 or 6 species all returned. Good day out and a feed for 2 of us at least... if playing catchers' keepers - though the other 2 fisho's didnt want fish for T so lucky me! Wed saw another good day forecast and after doing her chores, my better half reminded me ( whilst I was doing boat business in the garage) that she hadn't been to MCL for quite a while... by which I mean 20+ years! So boat business complete, I hooked up the tinny, albeit a bit late in the day, and we headed off down there. Despite a leisurely pace I noted that the trusty X trail became noticeably more thirsty with the additional 750kg behind it (10l/100km - 14.5l/100km) so in retrospect Metung would have been 100km nearer and a much cheaper day out - though without the expected variety of fish. Arrived at MCL about 1130 ish to a near empty car park and a very weedy ramp at what was advertised as low tide. Not sure where that's measured from, but the water was still going out at the ramp at least 4 hours later when we returned. Despite talking up the potential for catching Flathead for T on the drive down, they proved to be conspicuous by their absence. Tried a few of the usual spots for nowt. Considered the relatively long (20 min) cruise over to Mann's entrance but decided to stop half way at the 5-6 m mark fished earlier in the week. And it was a good decision. Baited up both our rigs and bites came almost immediately - mainly to 'her' rod if the truth was (and now is) known. Multiple Trevally & Pinky snapper, a KGW, a 6kg ish Ray, a Snook, and a multitude of undersize fish, incl some small Flatties, kept her busy catching fish, and me busy baiting hooks! Lost a few keeper Pinkies at the boat as I was a bit slow getting the net out- which was a culinary shame. After a busy couple of hours, tidal movement in the spot finally stopped and so did the bite, and despite a few stops on the way back to the ramp, nothing was added to the tally. Wind got up so time to head home. So overall a good 'family' day afloat. The missus got a bend in her rod and will no doubt pester me to take her again - albeit a bit (read a lot) sooner than the last time in 2001! Pic to show the keepers. Several others returned even though size. For reference the Pinky was about 34 cm if measured to the tip of its tail.
Tight Lines
Pirkz

[Pirkz]

Offsiders Bro over from the motherland so a menage a trois it was for todays exploits afloat. Though he was not a first time visitor to these shores, I was keen to make his visit as memorable/ Ozzy as possible, so the day started with a pit stop by yours truly at the Stratford bakery (en route to the meeting point in Sale) for 3 of their finest curry pies and sauce ?- of course! Lake Gutheridge provided an impressive 'holiday mood' backdrop while I provided the pies (now luke warm as they were late on parade!) then onwards to MCL Beach. Arrived around 9.30 ish which was the start of the runout. A few largish trailers parked up - owners probably offshore as it was a nice calm day. Water was a bit murky, though not Paynesville / chocolate coloured, and hopes were high. Target was to get a few flathead probably on bait for T for our visitor, who was not an angler, but who had fished a couple of times on account of growing up with an older brother in UK who was and still is the epitome of a keen (and very capable) multi discipline Fisho. So some supervision for baiting unhooking etc would be required by one of us regulars which may or may not affect the the overall score/catch for the day ...not that we cared. Anchored up 5 mins from the ramp in about 3 m at one of our favourite flatty holes and lines were quickly in. A few tap tap &tug tugs later, the first keeper flatty, around 40 cm , was boated and introduced to the esky. Stayed put for about an hour or so, during which time sport was quite good for the time of year with multiple bites to all rods, and 4 keeper flatties 34-45cm found a new home on board. And , despite a tentative sideways style of striking action, our guest managed to get into the action and hooked himself a keeper flatty along with a few undersize versions, all of which I unhooked on account of the probability of definitely / maybe getting spiked by their gill spurs. And yep I got cut a few times despite using a rag to hold em whilst unhooking (need to find that old gardening glove or invest in some quality grippers - Mrs P please note only 254 days to Christmas!). So far so good, but as expected, the tide pushed, weed came, and the bite slowed so we moved on to another favourite spot ... a 5m deep hole about 10 mins further towards Mann's entrance where Mrs P and I had had a good day as shown in the previous post. Couple of hours fishing in the new location using a multitude of baits, (though mainly pilly & squid) on a short flowing trace resulted in a couple of largish yakka (I think) around 40 cm, another couple of keeper flatties, a couple of KGW - one of which fell off at the boat and was the largest that I have ever seen - so 45 +, and a few more small flatties and a some bits n pieces. Additionally we all hooked at least one good fish, that for personal reasons, declined our offer of hospitality and lived to fight another day. So an old spot on a nice day with good company came good again, and the day ended with mission accomplished. Noted a few other small boats out and about, several of which came in at the same time as us - around 2pm. Fish cleaning tables revealed a catch of multiple small to medium KGW for one crew and some smallish Pinkies and a large Snook 1m + for another. Our tally for the day was 6 keeper flatties, and a lone KGW around 34cm. The martinettii filleting knife was given a rare outing and short workout at the ramp and a few mixed fillets were sent home with the bros for T. So another memory made, and whilst it is a bit of a hike from Paynesville, I do like the scenery, serenity and fishing down at MCL and look forward to another trip down there after Easter but before the water cools too much and the flatties give way to salmon as the target species.
Tight lines
Pirkz

[Lightningx]

Some very nice flatties mate
Well done!
Cheers

[Pirkz]

Just a few lines about some Tight Lines down at MCL. Offsiders 65th so a millionaires shortbread each was added to the curry pie order from the Stratford bakery. Unusually he was on time at the lake Guthridge rendezvous point ,so the pies were still warm. Arrived at MCL just on high tide. Absolutely calm (remained so most of the day). Few trailers parked up - no doubt the owners were offshore chasing bigger quarry than the flathead we were hoping to bag. Anyway fished the usual spots ranging from 2.5 to 6m and overall it was a very quiet day. Water temp was down to 16 ish resulting in a low score on the door - (keepers) 1 x Flathead, a trevally and 2 mullet (all returned) along with a few undersize versions of the usual suspects. So another nice day (well 4 hrs) on the water in a pristine environment with good company. Shall give MCL a miss now till the larger salmon appear in a few weeks or so.
Cheers
Pirkz