Portarlington’s free annual Hooked on Bellarine festival will return in October, set to delight seafood lovers and recreational fishers alike.
The event will take place on the Portarlington foreshore on Sunday 13 October, coinciding with National Gone Fishing Day and will feature fishing activities for the whole family as well as fresh Victorian seafood available to buy – including the area’s famous blue mussels.
Angling club volunteers and Fishcare will offer 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.
Women in Recreational Fishing and Boating Network leaders will demonstrate 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.
Expert filleting demonstrations will teach participants how to turn their catch into a delicious meal, with cooking presentations and seafood recipes giving real life inspiration to home chefs. Other event attractions include:
- Stalls selling freshly cooked seafood and local produce, including mussels
- Educational talks from the VFA team about snapper, whiting and calamari, fish anatomy and aquaculture
- Better Boating teaching trailer reversing at the nearby Point Richards boat ramp
- Kids activities from the VFA Education Team – such as fly fishing demonstrations, casting clinics, giveaways, virtual reality fishing, and selfies with VFA’s ‘Pinky the Snapper’ mascot
- Fishing simulator with Knox Boat Fishing Club and Kelly Sports activities for children
- Animal experiences with reptiles and native species
- Food and live music by local artists, while enjoying waterfront views.
In celebration of Gone Fishing Day in Victoria, and to encourage newcomers to give fishing a go, a recreational fishing licence will not be required on Sunday 13 October anywhere in the state.
To reserve a spot in a kids’ fishing clinic or boat reversing clinic, or to learn more about the event which runs from 10am till 4pm, go to www.vfa.vic.gov.au/hookedonbellarine
