Gentle Annie Channel (Western Port)

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bugeater
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Gentle Annie Channel (Western Port)

Post by bugeater »

I've heard somewhere this can be a pretty good fishing location, but I'm not sure about the easiest way to get there. In terms of boat ramps, there's Tooradin, Blind Bight and Warneet. But I don't know their capabilities at various tides. I also have no idea how to launch or retrieve a kayak from concrete without scratching it up.

The bathymetry charts I've seen all just show the main channels and the rest is all just deemed mud. But looking in Google Maps, there seems to be a fair few more channels, even if they might be shallow at low tide (or some low tides).

Anyone have any suggestions on how to get around this part of Western Port? e.g. where you can go at high tide that boats don't, where you can go at low tides that boats can't etc. e.g. is Blind Bight an all tides launch for a yak?
rambocambo
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Re: Gentle Annie Channel (Western Port)

Post by rambocambo »

I would also appreciate info on this area. I've always wanted to explore the upper parts of westernport but its a bit too scary knowing the strong currents and a long distance from launch. Hope one day I could fish there.
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Reeling
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Re: Gentle Annie Channel (Western Port)

Post by Reeling »

do a search on here for "Gentle Annie" and there are a few dozen posts where this is mentioned. I dare say this will answer your questions around tide heights and where to launch from
Tuna 20.5kg ---KingFish 90cm --- Snapper 84cm --- Gummy 83cm (55cm legal) ---- Whiting 40cm --- Silver Trevelly 41cm --- Flathead 52cm --- Aussie Salmon 38cm --- Squid 34cm hood

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cheaterparts
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Re: Gentle Annie Channel (Western Port)

Post by cheaterparts »

bugeater wrote: 14 Jun 2022, 14:30
Anyone have any suggestions on how to get around this part of Western Port? e.g. where you can go at high tide that boats don't, where you can go at low tides that boats can't etc. e.g. is Blind Bight an all tides launch for a yak?
first stop to this question is look in the launch spot section
Blind Bight
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=1830
warneet
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=216
there are changes coming to warneet I believe there is a kayak ramp included in the upgades some where near the boat hire
but atm it is an all tide launch from the boat ramp or if there is water use the back wash near the cleaning table
tooradin
viewtopic.php?f=75&t=12745&start=10
tooradin is also all tide launch from the ramp
the main heads up is at lower tides follow the marked channel or the Mud Monster will get you
near the ramp to the end of the mangroves it isn't wide so you will possibly also have boats neading the same bit of water so watch for them
coming and going
there is a lot of area to explore around the top end and some distance to cover at times
bugeater wrote: 14 Jun 2022, 14:30 I've heard somewhere this can be a pretty good fishing location, but I'm not sure about the easiest way to get there.
Gentle Annie top end easiest from Blind Bight and the lower end and of cause lower end of Tooradin channel is easiest from Warneet

I have fished the area for years and still find new spots so happy exploring
My kayak PBs
Gummy shark 128 Cm -- Elephant fish 85 Cm -- Snapper 91 Cm -- KG Whiting 49 Cm -- Flathead 55 Cm -- Garfish 47 Cm --Long tail Tuna 86 cm -- Silver Trevally 40 Cm -- Cobia 117 Cm -- snook 53 Cm -- Couta 71 Cm -- Squid 44 hood length


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bugeater
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Re: Gentle Annie Channel (Western Port)

Post by bugeater »

Thanks cheater. It's interesting (but understandable) that all the charts just designate so much of that part of western port as just "mud", yet clearly there's a fair bit more structure than that. Though I gather the channels might move around a bit over time just like rivers do.

I'm also trying to work out what the bathymetry really means - I mean with such a high tidal difference as Westernport, the point of reference is pretty important. Plus there are low tides and lowwww tides, so the points made in the Blind Bight topic is useful - 1.4m in willy weather is enough to get through.

I've got a pretty basic castable sonar at the moment, but it does generate shareable bathymetry. Imagine if everyone could combine data to create a properly detailed bathymetric map of those mud flats.
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cheaterparts
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Re: Gentle Annie Channel (Western Port)

Post by cheaterparts »

bugeater wrote: 15 Jun 2022, 20:53 Thanks cheater. It's interesting (but understandable) that all the charts just designate so much of that part of western port as just "mud", yet clearly there's a fair bit more structure than that. Though I gather the channels might move around a bit over time just like rivers do.
You probably need to do a bit of a recon Yes there are mud flats in places but the top end of WP had quite deep channels so all along the edges are structure whether that be mud - sand or rock -- the same goes for weed a lot of areas are broken ground so weed a sand/mud is also structure - and the channel stay pretty constant in there positions or else they would be needing to move channel markers a lot
bugeater wrote: 15 Jun 2022, 20:53 I've got a pretty basic castable sonar at the moment, but it does generate shareable bathymetry. Imagine if everyone could combine data to create a properly detailed bathymetric map of those mud flats.
I don't know how your castable sonar will go with the tide flows and more often than not you will use the channel edges ether along the drop off or close to the bottom of the drop off
thats what works most of the time -- an example one of the place I like to fish early season snapper along Bouchiers near high tide the banks are about 1.5 meters deep but the bottom of the drop off is 11 - 12 meters the distance between these 2 points is about 20 meters
early snapper here has by catch of gummies - whiting - couta - mullet and a host of other species the drop off is the structure

if you haven't got a normal sounder that maybe an investment worth looking at finding channel edges and bottom of the drops is fairly important
My kayak PBs
Gummy shark 128 Cm -- Elephant fish 85 Cm -- Snapper 91 Cm -- KG Whiting 49 Cm -- Flathead 55 Cm -- Garfish 47 Cm --Long tail Tuna 86 cm -- Silver Trevally 40 Cm -- Cobia 117 Cm -- snook 53 Cm -- Couta 71 Cm -- Squid 44 hood length


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bugeater
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Re: Gentle Annie Channel (Western Port)

Post by bugeater »

cheaterparts wrote: 15 Jun 2022, 22:06 I don't know how your castable sonar will go with the tide flows and more often than not you will use the channel edges ether along the drop off or close to the bottom of the drop off
thats what works most of the time
I've got a fixed arm mount for it, so it basically operates as a fixed CHIRP sonar. Pretty amazing for what it is, but nothing compared to a proper boat mounted sonar system. When reviewing the data on my desktop, it clearly picks up the weed beds and sandy patches very consistent with the google satellite imagery, but it's pretty tough to see that detail in real time on a tiny phone screen. The navigation function is also effectively non-existent. In real time it's great for depth and also maybe picking up some fish signals.

Anyway, I've already ordered a battery and display mount for an upgrade. I'm thinking a Lowrance HDS-7 Live. I also have an anchor trolley setup coming in the same order and I've already put together a quick release anchor setup from bits at Bunnings and a few boat shops.

One thing I noted about drifting about a km off Somers yacht club was that there is a lot more variable structure down there than the charts I've seen show. I even found a hole much deeper than the charts indicate it gets (nearly 10m). But nothing like a drop from 1.5 to 12m. But even so, that was the area where the sonar showed what looked like a big school of something.
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