Exploring Bass Strait by Jarrod Day

With a plethora of species on offer, Bass Strait is an angler's world. Southern ocean swells batter the coastline preventing some anglers the chance to explore, however for those with boats large enough, the options are endless.

Bass Strait can be accessed by only a few boat ramps in Western Port being Stony Point, Cowes, Corinella, Rhyll and Newhaven. Depending on the size boat you have and fuel capacity, the Newhaven ramp will be the closest access point.

Access from Port Phillip can be at either Sorrento, Queenscliff or outside these two waterways, Ocean Grove, Barwon River and at Inverloch.

Bass Strait can be treacherous at times and a good understanding of the weather and swell forecast before venturing into these waters is necessary. While there may be a good selection of fish on offer, you don't want to get caught out in extreme conditions.

Bass Strait is mostly comprised of a sand/mud bottom with few reefs out wide, in saying that they do exist, finding them is another task.

Along the coastline, the reefs meet the shoreline and extend into about 40m of water in most parts. It is these sections of reefs that harbour many species including snapper, whiting, salmon, calamari, gummy shark, school shark, mako shark, threshers, yellowtail kingfish and so on. While finding these species is a task in itself, each species will have its own technique required to catch it successfully.

SPECIES

MAKO SHARKS

Those keen enough to experience the thrill of catching a shark can head out into Bass Strait and set up a berley trail. Sharks can be found in almost any depth, it is the berley that will attract them to the angler's boat.

Berley usually consists of berley logs hung in onion bags over