Pack the tackle box, grab your hooks, lines and sinkers, and chuck on your cork hats - it’s time to go fishing!
To celebrate National Gone Fishing Day, Victorian Fisheries Authorities (VFA) invite recreational fishers and seafood lovers down to Portarlington on Sunday 13 October for a family-friendly event, Hooked on Bellarine Festival.
Hooked on Bellarine
- When: Sunday 13 October 2024, 10am – 4pm
- Where: Portarlington foreshore
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around the region here.
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With Portarlington a praised seafood spot in Victoria, thanks to their award-winning blue mussel harvesting courtesy of Portarlington Mussel Tours and the picturesque pier being a trusted spot for securing snapper, mullet, garfish and whiting year round, Hooked on Bellarine Festival shines a spotlight on the ports fishing excellence. The day boasts fishing activities for the whole family.
As supported by the Victorian Government’s $96 million investment in improving fishing, boating and piers, Hooked on Bellarine aims to encourage people of all ages and skill levels to give fishing a go. Breathe in the salty sea air as you cast a line and try your luck with the fish feeding frenzy. If you don’t know how to fish, that’s fine and exactly what the festival is about! Angling club volunteers and Fishcare will be offering fishing lessons for youngsters through ‘come and try’ VicFishKids sessions – with rods, and bait provided to make it easy for newcomers to reel in a new hobby.
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Continue to develop your fishing skills with Women in Recreational Fishing and Boating Network, as they lead demonstrations on knot-tying techniques and share tips to help anglers improve their catch rates for popular Bellarine species like King George whiting, calamari, snapper, and gummy shark. Once you have the fish in the bag, learn how to properly fillet and prepare your fish for fine food eats through on-site demonstrations and cooking presentations that will leave you not only with new skills, but with new recipes to try.
With the cooking demonstrations bound to make you hungry, head over to the food stalls selling freshly cooked catches of seafood and local produce including the famous mussels. You can enjoy these delicacies whilst watching entertainment from local musicians. From food for your stomach to food for thought, join an educational talk from the Victorian Fisheries Authorities to learn about snapper, whiting, calamari, fish anatomy and aqualife and gain an understanding of our local marine ecology.
Other highlights of the Hooked on Bellarine Festival program include Better Boating running trailer reversing tutorials at the Point Richards boat ramp – a necessary skill for the recreational fisher, Knox Boat Fishing Club will have a fishing simulator and Kelly Sports will be hosting activities for the kids, and the VFA Education Team will be running fly fishing demonstrations, casting clinics, giveaways, and virtual reality fishing. Don’t miss your chance for a selfie as VFA’s Pinky the Snapper mascot makes an appearance, and get up close with reptiles and native species at the animal experiences pop-up.
In a first for the festival, Hook on Bellarine has introduced a Fishing and Outdoor Swap Meet. Adapted from a Clothes Swap Meet, the Fishing and Outdoor Swap Meet allows locals to bring their unused, and unwanted fishing gear down to the site to swap it for something that they need or might get use out of. It’s a great way to clear out the shed and give items their life back.
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To help encourage people to give fishing a go, the requirement of a recreational fishing licence will be waived for the day not only on the Bellarine, but across the state.
Hooked on Bellarine is a great opportunity to learn more about the relaxing and rewarding recreation of fishing, as well as celebrate the impeccable marine offering of Portarlington.
To reserve a spot in a kids’ fishing clinic or boat reversing clinic, or to learn more about the Hooked on Bellarine event which runs from 10am till 4pm, go to www.vfa.vic.gov.au/hookedonbellarine
