Launching a canoe around Tooradin

[Mike_M]

If I can, I'm thinking of maybe taking my canoe out for a fish off Tooradin on Monday, and am wondering if there are any places to launch other than the boat ramp? I don't really want to use it for two reasons: If I don't have to pay to launch, then I'd rather not; but I also don't want to launch on a ramp that will probably be seeing a bit of use on the Labour Day weekend (I get nervous wheeling the canoe down the ramp surrounded by reversing trailers and boats being driven by people of vastly differing abilities).

I've never fished at Tooradin before, but want to start exploring that area regularly as it's halfway between where I live and my folk's house at Cape Paterson, making it a frequently passed and accessible location for me.

Or is there anywhere else in that locality where I could launch without getting up to my armpits in mud? If I go out on Monday it will be early morning, when it is about 2/3 of the way to low tide.

As far as the fishing goes, I have nothing particular in mind, purely exploratory. I will troll a lure, and if I find a weed bank will chuck some squid jigs and maybe some soft plastics. Probably chuck a bait over the side too (whatever the service station has in the freezer).

Thanks in advance for your input. Cheers, Mike

[4liters]

There's a smaller ramp further back towards the inlet that might be fine for a kayak or canoe

[rb85]

There's a smaller ramp further back towards the inlet that might be fine for a kayak or canoe

Going to suggest the same it's a little steep. What about corinella? Still on the way it's just a little further from the turnoff.

[Mike_M]

Thanks guys, that's a great idea. I've just looked at it on google maps and it looks perfect. I'm not worried about steepness, I'm used to manhandling the canoe up and down the banks of the Yarra, so a bit of steepness in the ramp shouldn't be an issue. I did think of Corinella, as a fallback (or maybe Blind Bight), but with that ramp in Tooradin I'll try there first.

[laneends]

Blind Bight is quieter, need 1.3m tide to get a canoe/kayak in or or out without mudblind bight tides
At tooradin if you are early and tide is high enough you can park just up from cleaning table and slide down beach into water. Not sure what the tide level needs to be to avoid mud (mondays tide looks too low at the time you suggest). I do launch the kayak regular regularly at Tooradin ramp (parking as above). It is a triple ramp so as long as you are not messing around too much its easy without getting in way of boats. As long as you are not parking in boat trailer parks ie roof topping instead. No fee.

TBH not much in the way of options at tide levels you are proposing other than ramps at Tooradin, or beach other side of Warneet pier.

Low tides anywhere up that end is going to mean shallow banks so sticking to fast flowing channels, and all the traffic within. warneet is a long way out to bay, Blind bight shortest.

My suggestion would be wait untill about 11 and launch Blind bight and fish over high on a busy weekend to stay out of the way of traffic, and you can poke around the mangroves, or fish the flats for whiting.

Trolling lures is not that effective up there as you collect too much weed, inconsistent water depths and poor water clarity. Squid is mainly around quail bank out of warneet (3k down the channel). Dont think there is much chance around tooradin.

[cheaterparts]

Or is there anywhere else in that locality where I could launch without getting up to my armpits in mud? If I go out on Monday it will be early morning, when it is about 2/3 of the way to low tide.

As far as the fishing goes, I have nothing particular in mind, purely exploratory. I will troll a lure, and if I find a weed bank will chuck some squid jigs and maybe some soft plastics. Probably chuck a bait over the side too (whatever the service station has in the freezer).

having fished out of all the accesses around the top end you'll find all can be muddy when the tides down also the tide flows in some areas zip along and you will need to anchor
Open canoes have there problems and the biggest is if you fall in you may not be able to get back in in deep water getting over to shallow ater is also a problem as most of the top end is deep mud

Unless you have your heart set on Tooradin there is probably a much better launch at ether Coronet Bay or Reef Island Bay both are all tide launches ( no Mud to worry about ) both are clearer water so Plastics work better there also it's know as a squid and whiting area

there is very little tide flow untill you get about 5 km out from the beach so anchoring is easier the boat traffic is also light and of cause both places are off the Bass Hwy also on route to Cape Patto




pic is from Reef Island Bay about 7 years ago just before I up graded to a kayak - many feeds of Whiting - Leather Jacket - Pinkys - Squid and Gummies can from there back in our canoe days

[Mike_M]

Thanks Laneends and Cheaterparts, that's excellent advice. My only problem is that this Monday, I have to be back in Melbourne by about 1-1:30, so I'm heading down to Cape the night before to put the canoe on the car and then head out at first light next morning. If I go out from Tooradin, I can pull out at midday and get back in time. Coronet Bay or Reef Island will mean I need to leave the water about 11. Otherwise I would put in at a better time of tide at Blind Bight, or go out at Reef Island (which I may still do, four hours on the water in better water is very tempting).

But thank you again for your tips, I will definitely try those places in the future.

[laneends]

At reef island you dont go far from shore, with easy anchoring or drifting. Probably more chance of actually catching something there too,including squid.

Tooradin you will need to head down the channel. That will add time, throw in anchoring in tide flow if you are not used to it. Drifting is not much of an option there.

Is it actually an open canoe, or do you mean kayak?

[Mike_M]

canoe.jpg (59.3 KiB) Viewed 2351 times

open canoe - this is it ready to go out off Cape Paterson early this year. It's mostly been in the Yarra since I built it, but also Anderson Inlet, Cape Pat and Blue Rock Lake.

[Mike_M]

So I went out on Monday morning at Reef Island, launching at sunrise from the end of Soldier's Road, and pulling out at 11am in order to get back on time to Melbourne. Lovely morning, but came away with donuts - toadies pinched all the bait, and lots of floating weed and seagrass kept getting caught on the lures, so trolling was out, and no squid came out to play either. But definitely worth coming back to, probably when the tide is more favourable.

I did notice when I was paddling in, that was when all the boats started appearing in the bay. So my timing sucked, but it was worth it just for the paddle (my first time out since mid-January).

reef island canoe.jpg (95.52 KiB) Viewed 2258 times