Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

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beefy
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Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by beefy » Sun Feb 20, 2022 10:02 pm

Beginning boater in Westernport and I'm getting frustrated. Only launched from Hastings so far but with the regular southerly winds the North Arm seems to get a bit choppy, especially when the tide goes out and you've got wind against tide.
My old Swiftcraft Seagul boat doesn't have a lot of freeboard at the rear and I'm mainly out with may kids so looking to find calm waters even when there's a breezy southerly and the tide is going out (wind against tide).

I was thinking of doing a bit extra travel and launching at Corinella which has protection from southerlies. Has anyone had any experience fishing that area up to Grantville. Looking at a map that entire stretch appears to be well sheltered from Southerlies.

Looking at the Navionics chart viewer it appears you've got to really use your sounder/chartplotter to prevent running aground. I can see a lot of negative depth values which I'm assuming means the water level BELOW the mud at low tide LOL, i.e. exposed mud flats.

I'm happy to catch anything edible, and am set up with rods for Squid, Whiting, Snapper, Gummies, etc.

If anyone thinks it much more worthwhile to travel to Phillip Island and launch/fish on the Northern side then please feel free to suggest that too.

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ducky
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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by ducky » Sun Feb 20, 2022 10:35 pm

You can also use the tide to your advantage in wpb. Hide out in channels at low tide if the wind is rubbish.

Gardiners channel is a good one. Can poke in there and be protected from every direction. Gummys, snapper and elephants are the main fare in there.

Launch newhaven and fish Cleeland bite for squid and ting. Especially if it's more SW. No doubt there's a good chance at every other species in the bay there too as they move in and out.

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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by beefy » Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:11 am

Thanks Ducky,

regarding Gardiner's Channel (and others for that matter). Do they only become sheltered at low tide, i.e. when the banks are exposed and thus cut off any build-up of wave action.

Or in general, is the water depth over the banks so shallow, even at high tide, that the channel would still be sheltered ?

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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by 4liters » Mon Feb 21, 2022 9:47 am

You can try cleeland bight (newhaven ramp) or Tenby point (Corinella). Both of those areas are sheltered in a southerly wind.

I think the shallow water on the flats stops the waves from getting too high. You can also find channels that have the tide going in the same direction as the wind which helps flatten the waves out a bit.
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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by ducky » Mon Feb 21, 2022 5:12 pm

beefy wrote:
Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:11 am
Thanks Ducky,

regarding Gardiner's Channel (and others for that matter). Do they only become sheltered at low tide, i.e. when the banks are exposed and thus cut off any build-up of wave action.

Or in general, is the water depth over the banks so shallow, even at high tide, that the channel would still be sheltered ?
Yeah you're bang on mate. If you don't mind the drive there's almost always somewhere to go.

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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by cobby » Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:43 pm

beefy wrote:
Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:11 am
Thanks Ducky,

regarding Gardiner's Channel (and others for that matter). Do they only become sheltered at low tide, i.e. when the banks are exposed and thus cut off any build-up of wave action.

Or in general, is the water depth over the banks so shallow, even at high tide, that the channel would still be sheltered ?
There's also ample whiting and others like salmon and trevally in Gardiner's to keep the kids occupied. It does get a little choppy on a southerly at high tide, but it's still not as bad as the north arm given its proximity to Phillip Island.

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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by beefy » Tue Feb 22, 2022 9:11 am

Fantastic lads, thanks very much.

I'm going to Gardener's a try next time out. Haven't caught any Whiting yet but looking to aim for them so it sounds perfect.

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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by yepi'mon » Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:51 pm

If you are launching from Hastings it could be a bit of a rough trek to Gardiner’s if the weather is wrong and you are concerned. Fine on a calm day.

Plenty of good fishing north and south of Hastings along the banks/drop offs.

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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by rb85 » Tue Feb 22, 2022 6:57 pm

My recommendation is pic a calm day and low tide for the first trip. You will see all the banks etc and get an understanding why you need to be able to follow the channels etc.
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Re: Westernport - suggestions for calm waters in southerly winds

Post by beefy » Thu Feb 24, 2022 9:36 am

Yepi'mon,

I had a look at the Navionics viewer and remember when I was in a bit of chop and how long it took me to travel to The Cut in the middle spit to get to the French Island side. Yeah the distance to Gardiner's seems to be about two and a half times that, and when chugging along like my boat is a displacement hull, it takes a while LOL. Always something to throw a spanner in the works. I might try sometime seeing if I can hug the French Island coast after going through The Cut and see if that will be much calmer, but will have to look for the shallow bits on the way.

Rb85,

that's on my todo list. Had a top Westernport fisherman tell me to do just that and record the tracks in my GPS. It was April last year when we took a hire boat out from Yaringa, that made me decide to get a boat. It was low tide then and wow, Westernport is like a completely different world at low tide.

Thanks very much lads.

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