Winter snapper fishing in Port Phillip Bay is a slow grind compared with the summer schools, but a small group of locals keep chasing the bigger fish that stay through the cold months. A recent video from Between the Bays Fishing follows Luke and his mate Cohen out for a session of the Lord of the Snapper competition, testing a deep-channel theory against the realities of mid-winter bay water.
Luke's working assumption was simple. "My theory is I reckon that the big fish hide out in the channels," he said, motoring out from Martha Cove. "In theory, they go out to sea when the weather gets colder. So you'd imagine if they're not going out to sea, they're going to go out to the deeper water."
The first stop was Rye for fresh squid bait. Luke worked egi jigs in seven to eight metres of water against an opposing wind and tide, using a rod-rotation pattern — cast around the front of the boat, let it sink, work it as it drifts, swap rods — and finished with close to ten southern calamari for bait.
The move out to the channel was less productive. Fresh squid rings on heavy sinker rigs marked bait and arches on the sounder but no reds. "As for snapper, donuts. Nothing," Luke admitted. "No pinkies, nothing." Three undersized gummy sharks and one oversized banjo shark made up the by-catch.
The session also covered Luke's Honda 4-stroke repower — a project he completed during a winter break. The old two-stroke 90hp Mercury averaged 36 litres per hour, he reported. The replacement 2013 Honda 90 averages around 9.6 to 10. "This thing boogies. I actually think it's quicker than my two-stroke was," he said. "Best thing I've done to my boat by far."
The closing message from both anglers reframed the day. "You can see in the background behind us, it's glassed out out here. Beautiful afternoon. You wouldn't think it's winter," Luke said. "If you didn't join the comp this year, next year, make sure you jump on board because winter fishing is not that bad."
For Port Phillip Bay anglers considering a winter comp entry, the session reflects the reality. Squid grounds remain reliable through the cold months, the bigger reds are scarce but not absent, and the glass-off days alone justify the effort.