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Port Phillip Bay Fishing Report

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PORT PHILLIP BAY Report – 02.09.2024

Spring is here, however, the weather was horrendous last week with gale-force winds and a cold winter chill. As I cautoned in last week’s report please be very careful when planning your fishing trips. Monday the 2nd of September has winds up to 100 k/ph in some regions around Melbourne and Victoria, so don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger. Unfortunately, a poor angler lost their life this week at Rye Pier in very strong winds trying to recover some tackle that he dropped in the water. Our condolences go out to his family and all who knew him and is a friendly reminder to all to stay safe, no fish is worth risking your life. If you need some alternative fishing ideas from the bay whilst the weather is rough jump onto our freshwater fishing report which has all the info about the latest Stonker trout stocking.

The weather and the fishing here should start to improve quickly after Monday. Were already seeing some snapper catches around Port Phillip Bay which is remarkable so early on in the season, with catches around Black Rock, and closer to the entrance around St Leonards and Portarlington. The snapper fishing will remain very inconsistent until that water temperature gets above 15 degrees but that’s still very pleasing and gives us a variety of species we can start to target. As I always say peak fishing in Victoria generally starts around mid-October so we’re only weeks away from a very exciting fishing period.

Let’s get stuck into this week’s report

 

Weather Forecast Ahead

It will be another frustrating weather week ahead with very strong winds on Monday and Wednesday, from there scattered showers will settle in for the rest of the week. With heavy showers predicted on Friday and light showers over the weekend. The good news is the weekend ahead looks to have light winds and low volumes of rain. It’s been a frustrating 2-3 weeks of weather so let’s hope we get some better weather in the coming weeks. Do be careful if you plan to hit the water study met eye and always avoid going out if it’s unsafe, this week will have some days better suited to land-based fishing.

Weather conditions are always changing so study the weather forecast frequently before your fishing trip using tools like Meteye, Willys Weather & Windy ( links to these tools can be found in “helpful Links” ). Remember to check wind strength, direction, rain, and storm warnings. We have workshop refreshers that help you identify areas with low swell based on wind direction, so look at those if you’re unsure. Know the capability of your boat, kayak or jetski and never take unnecessary risks that might put you or your passengers in danger. Conditions on the water can change quickly so ensure you have all of the necessary safety equipment checked and ready. Remember to be sun smart during Summer as it’s easy to get sunburnt or dehydrated and to wear appropriate clothing in cold and wet conditions. 

 

Water Temp

Water temperatures dropped half a 0.3 of a degree this week because of the cold weather, strong winds and excessive rain. The water temp right now hovering around 12.5 degrees. Hang in there a few more weeks as when we get to mid-September we start to see the water temperature rise rapidly and that’s when the fishing gets exciting.

 

Moon Phase week ahead

The new moon is scheduled for Tuesday 3rd of September so we have very slow tides this week. This can be great for bread and butter fishing like targeting squid and flathead.

 

PINKY/SNAPPER REPORT

Snapper  

Port Phillip Bay’s water temperature is generally 3-4 weeks behind Western Port, that’s why we are seeing more catches in Western Port right now. There are some odd snapper being caught in Port Phillip Bay but it’s still very early on in the season to catch them with any consistently. I caught a beautiful 68cm fish in Port Melbourne this week flicking soft plastics around Princess Pier and a 50cm snapper of Altona Reef. My network of anglers pulled one or two 3-5 kilo fish out deep but overall it’s still very slow going. The snapper fishing in Port Phillip Bay relies on water temperature to be above 14 degrees to start and peak snapper fishing between 17 and 20 degrees so as you can see we are still 3-4 weeks away from good snapper fishing and 5-6 weeks away from peak snapper fishing. Every season is a little bit different but I monitor this very closely.

This past week fishing for pinkies was productive having a couple of great sessions around Williamstown opposite Anne Street Pier. I also caught plenty in the shallow reefs around Altona. Most of these pinkies were between 30 and 45 cm. They are heaps of fun to catch on light spinning gear especially if you enjoy fishing with soft plastics. The pinkies were also on the chew at Geelong opposite the waterfront area just out the entrance of the Patterson ramp and in the shallows around Carrum, Ricketts Point and Black Rock. I will do a big update of snapper marks in the coming week or two, it’s just very inconsistent right with odd catches here and there. Im a big believer that early-season snapper come through the heads and head straight for shallow waters to spawn. Typically early season I have caught most of my big reds in 4-8 meters deep. In areas like Mt Martha shallows, Rosebud reef, Mt Eliza, Altona reef, Williamstown reef, and Geelong around Limeburners.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Mt Martha – S038.13.392 | E144.54.878 ( sound around here )
  • St Leonards – S038.13.207 | E144.50.720 ( sound around here )
  • Mt Eliza – S038.08.850 | E145.03.339
  • Mornington – S038.08.029 | E144.57.860
  • Carrum inclose – S038.05.278 | E145.05.940
  • Seaford – S038.05.878 | E144.58.593
  • Frankston – S038.07.358 | E145.01.722
  • Werribee – S037.57.871 | E144.49.907
  • P2 – S037.55.597 | E144.53.225
  • Point Cook – S037.56.934 | E144.52.488
  • Black Rock ( Pinkies ) – S037.59.657 | E145.01.235
  • Ricketts Point ( Pinkies ) – S037.58.623 | E145.00.207
  • Williamstown ( pinkies ) S037.52.601 | E144.54.077
  • Altona ( pinkies ) – S037.52.591 | E144.50.255

 

SQUID REPORT

The winds made it almost impossible to target squid at the end of last week. With large swells the water clarity was terrible, but that should really settle later this week. It was fascinating to see massive swells belting into Point Lonsdale pier.

Queenscliff has been a stand-out choice for a few weeks now and continues to fish well for squid. The last right now, with big squid up to 55cms hoods being caught. The majority of the action here is in close just outside the markers opposite Pilot Pier and down that stretch. You will see plenty of boats fishing in this area so just keep moving around and try to find your own patch. Despite windy conditions and quite cloudy water, we bagged out again during the week. St Leonards and Clifton Springs have also fished very well for squid. Many members have been fishing local grounds around Point Cook and Campbells Cove with squid being caught but most on the smaller side. Closer to the heads has been a lot more productive. Other areas also fishing well for squid include Blairgowrie, Sorrento, Rye, Swan Island, and Mud Island with the best windows during tide changes and slack tides. Slack tide means when you reach the peak of a high or low tide and the water stops flowing as it changes direction. These windows typically last about 40 minutes and 20 minutes on each side. This can be very important when fishing high tidal areas so planning your day is key.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Queenscliff – S038.16.507 | E144.39.456
  • Queenscliff – S038.16.436 | E144.39.785
  • Queenscliff – S038.16.493 | E144.38.984
  • Indented Heads – S038.06.906 | E144.42.238
  • Clifton Springs – S038.09.145 | E144.32.319
  • St Leonards – 38 10 804 | 144 43 409
  • Swan Bay – 38 14 047 | 144 41 813
  • Avalon – S038.05.528 | E144.25.824
  • Wedge Spit – 38 00 852 | 144 38 719
  • Point Cook – S037.55.472 | E144.48.747
  • Mud Island – 38 16 610 | 144 47 988
  • Campbells Cove – 37 57 153 | 144 44 281
  • Davey’s Bay Squid – 38 11 539 | 145 03 910
  • Point Wilson – S038.04.396 | E144.31.544
  • Kirks Point – 38 05 794 | 144 30 383
  • Pinnace Channel – 38 16 446 | 144 48 155
  • Mornington – S038.12.941 | E145.01.871
  • Mt Martha – S038.17.245 | E144.58.270
  • Rye – S038.20.873 | E144.48.745
  • Blairgowrie – 38 20 870 | 144 46 133
  • Portsea – 38 19 036 | 144 42 956
  • Sorrento – 38 19 115 | 144 46 197

 

KING GEORGE WHITING REPORT

Whiting

The whiting fishing has been solid this past few weeks but again in certain areas are fishing much better than others. I had bag-out sessions around Portarlington, Swan Bay and St Leonards this past week in rough conditions. Also, Tootgarook, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento, Queenscliff, Indented Heads, Leopold, Clifton Springs and St Leonards continue to be the stand-out areas. I got multiple bags this week at St. Leonards near the green stick in 4 meters and also caught plenty in the weed beds at Queenscliff and Indented heads. Just keep in mind some boat ramp work is being done at St Leonard’s so use an alternative ramp if you plan to launch around the area.

Fishing in depths from 2-5 meters deep as these shallow areas are full of thick weeds and sandholes. Make lots of small moves until you find a feeding school. On clear water days, you can look over the side and try to find the sand holes among thick weeds. When bait fishing anchor up, drop the berely pot, and fish a spot for 15 minutes if you don’t get any action then make a small move and repeat this process until you find them. Sometimes a small move literally 50 meters can make all the difference with whiting. Pipis, squid strips, and mussels rigged on a single paternoster whiting rig and the smallest sinker you can get away with and worm imitation soft plastics paired with an assist hook. I generally have both options with me and let the conditions come to me depending on what they prefer that day.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Swan Bay – S038.14.419 | E144.42.498
  • Portarlington – S038.06.639 | E144.42.404
  • Rosebud – S038.20.798 | E144.53.113
  • Blairgowrie –S038.20.878 | E144.46.125
  • Portsea – S038.19.036 | E144.42.986
  • Dromama – 38 19 311 | 144 57 751
  • Sorrento – S038.20.376 | E144.45.850
  • Pinnace Channel Mud 38 16 378 | 144 48 588
  • Queenscliff – S038.16.476 | E144.39.223
  • Clifton Springs – S038.09.116 | E144.32.318
  • Point Cook – S037.53.957 | E144.49.624
  • Point Wilson – 38 05 521 | 144 32 851
  • Wedge Spit – S038.02.147 | E144.34.154
  • Avalon – S038.05.573 | E144.25.969
  • Corio Bay – 38 05 001 | 144 32 869
  • Curlewis Bank – 38 09 043 | 144 28 389
  • Leopold – S038.08.848 | E144.27.353
  • Curl Lewis Bank – 38 08 973 | 144 31 855
  • Indented Heads – 38 06 751 | 144 41 526
  • Kirks Point – 38 02 850 | 144 34 017
  • Long Reef – 38 01 736 | 144 35 968
  • Limeburners – 38 04 479 | 144 24 369
  • Mud Island – 38 16 547 | 144 48 926
  • Point Lonsdale – 38 16 469 | 144 39 291
  • St Leonards – S038.12.396 | E144.46.491
  • Swan Bay – 38 15 628 | 144 41 215
  • Swan Island – 38 15 595 | 144 41 424
  • Tootgarook – 38 20 977 | 144 51 463

 

AUSTRALIAN SALMON

Salmon

Once again plenty of Australian Salmon on the bite this week. I found a massive school near the boat ramp at Queenscliff and also got stuck into a huge school opposite the footy oval at Williamstown. The pumps haven’t been on this past week and even the OpenNEM website was down so only a few getting about at the warmies after our crazy couple of weeks on them. Members also reported big schools of them around Port Melbourne, St Kilda, Geelong, Frankston, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento and Mt Martha.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Williamstown – S037.52.677 | E144.54.236
  • Rye – S038.21.232 | E144.48.493
  • Alcoa – S038.07.917 | E144.26.968
  • Altona – S037.52.514 | E144.50.593
  • Blairgowrie – S038.20.724 | E144.45.767
  • Campbells Cove – S037.56.634 | E144.44.645
  • Geelong – S038.08.587 | E144.26.774
  • St Kilda – S037.53.865 | E144.58.529
  • Sorrento – S038.20.401 | E144.45.269
  • Werribee – S037.57.940 | E144.42.969
  • Williamstown – S037.52.652 | E144.54.657

Land-based options in/out bay

  • Warmies along the rocks
  • Williamstown Clock Tower
  • 13th beach
  • Gunnamatta
  • Lorne Pier
  • Artillery Rocks
  • Fairhaven Beach
  • Jump Rocks
  • 90-mile beach

 

FLATHEAD REPORT

Flathead will slowly come back on the bite with the warmer water conditions, I’m getting a few in shallow waters however, the big numbers are still out in deeper waters beyond 6 meters. I prefer the warmer months when the bigger flathead come into the shallows but you can still catch a few all around Mud Island, St Kilda, Geelong Outer Harbour, Werribee, St Kilda, Kirks Point, Avalon, Black Rock, Alcoa Spoils, Point Henry, and St Leonards. I even landed a few decent ones this week at Williamstown reef which was a surprise. You should be able to drift around most areas and pick a few up. I also drift with paternoster rigs baited with squid strips/candles or pilchards ( squid strips fall off the hook less ), or drifting with soft plastics. The key to catching flathead in big numbers whilst drifting is to use your sounder and mark waypoints when you catch them. I do this nearly every time I catch one which helps so you can re-drift over productive grounds. It also helps you to start mapping out areas that fish are consistently holding.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Campbells Cove – S037.57.135 | E144.44.492
  • Altona – S037.52.548 | E144.49.644
  • Avalon – S038.05.466 | E144.25.792
  • Avalon – S038.05.449 | E144.25.305
  • Black Rock – S037.59.674 | E144.59.566
  • Clifton Springs – S038.08.897 | E144.33.372
  • Geelong Outer Harbour | | 38 08 512 – 144 29 108
  • Geelong shallows – S038.08.506 | E144.22.671
  • Mud Island – 38 18 249 | 144 50 215
  • Pinnace Channel – 38 18 022 | 144 47 317
  • Point Henry – 38 07 294 | 144 25 260
  • Point Wilson – S038.04.396 | E144.32.023
  • Point Wilson – 38 04 199 | 144 33 319
  • Kirks Point – 38 02 072 | 144 34 614
  • Werribee South in close – 37 59 813 | 144 41 578
  • Werribee South – 37 59 762 | 144 41 582
  • Williamstown – 37 52 564 – 144 53 416
  • Wyndham Harbour  – 37 58 403 | 144 44 158

 

GUMMY SHARK REPORT

Gummy Shark

With the water temperature slowly on the rise fishing for gummy sharks will slowly improve. For me, it’s been a bit inconsistent these past few weeks and a crazy amount of pest species bycatch.

If you plan on chasing gummies then Swan Bay, St Leonards Portarlington, and Queenscliff, Mud Island and opposite the south channel will also produce some big gummies. I have found venturing out deep in the right conditions and fishing between 10 and 20 meters has been productive and to sit through an entire tide change. Fresh baits are key to catching gummies and also spending some time to look for gutters and depth changes before anchoring up. The best baits currently include salmon, mackerel, trevally, pilchards, and squid. We have had great success using one of our no-pest species rigs or a dropper rig finished with a 7/0 for chunk baits which is my preference or gamakatsu circle or 8/0 incline circle for fillets. I think the strategy with these warmer temperatures is using the right rigs ( we have plenty of vids on this in our rigs and tips section ), using fresh baits and ideally getting out to deeper waters between 10 and 18 meters deep. Take a shot at areas like Werribee or focus your time and energy on the west channel near Portarlington, the south channel, Mud Island, Symonds Channel, and anywhere towards the rip or just outside the heads. But pick your conditions and study the winds and swell to ensure it’s safe to do so.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Out from Werribee | S038.00.977 | E144.47.254
  • St Leonards – S038.10.979 | E144.46.076
  • Mud Island – 38 16 921 | 144 49 805
  • South Channel – 38 18 550 | 144 44 555
  • South Channel – 38 18 916 | 144 47 862
  • West Channel – 38 10 911 | 144 45 997
  • West Channel – 38 10 942 | 144 46 705
  • Symonds – 38 15 801 | 144 44 494
  • Symonds channel – 38 15 509 | 144 45 038
  • Sorrento – 38 16 212 | 144 44 160
  • Offshore outside heads 38 18 499 | 144 34 483
  • Even managed a couple of gummies around P2 last week

 

 

GARFISH

Garfish

Garfish continue to fish really well in the shallows of Beaumarus just outside the pier edge in the shallow weed beds has been a standout spot aswell as Daveys Bay. Berley every 5 to 10 minutes is key to catching them. You can buy premade garfish berley or make your own using a variety of aniseed or tune oil mixed with, chook pellets, pilchards and bread. Tiny baits including dough, bread, prawn flesh, chicken, and pilchard on very small hooks and float rigs will be best. Get this right and you can catch a great feed, if you’re anchored up targeting another species it’s a fun way to keep the catches whilst you wait for a gummy or snapper.

Garfish are all over the bay, you can anchor in so many different areas and berley hard to bring them in. The spots listed below are a guide to where we regularly catch them. Last week I fished at Wedge Spit targeting whiting, I noticed a few gars on the surface and threw out some berley and tiny baits and they came on strong. I’ve seen them on first light in Werribee, Altona, Wedge Spit and Geelong. However, most catches at this stage are still in the shallows in areas like Mordialloc, Beaumaris, Port Melbourne, and Mt Martha. It’s been fascinating to follow garfish patterns over the last couple of years. I am seeing more and more of these mini marlins widespread across the bay in huge numbers.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Beaumaris
  • Daveys Bay
  • Mt Martha (close to the cliffs )
  • Sorrento
  • Portarlington Old Steam channel
  • Mordialloc Pier
  • Princess Pier
  • Limeburners Lagoon
  • Wedge Spit in white marks above

 

TAILOR

Much quieter this week for Tailor as the pumps didn’t run much due to the spike in warm weather so the overflow wasn’t required. The OpenNEM website was down this week but you can still follow it to see if the pumps are running.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • The Warmies
  • Barwon River entrance

 

 

TREVALLY

Trevally

The trevally has slowed down a little this past week, the volume of catches that we were getting 3-4 weeks ago are not quite the same. I do suspect that they will still be around for another few weeks whilst we are at peak cold temperatures however peak time for these silver missiles is usually June and July. The Barown River is still a standout spot which generally fishes well for Silver Trevally this time of year. There have also been good volumes caught around Queenscliff Harbour. Getting the tides right is critical in these spots as the Trevally will often follow the bait and clean water. We have also managed plenty in the shallow reefs around Queenscliff, Port Melbourne, Mt Martha and Sorrento. I still find small grubz and paddle tails are the best and most consistent way to catch them. They will also take bait like squid strips.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Queenscliff harbour
  • Barwon River stretch between the golf course and Ozone Jetty

 

 

MULLOWAY

With the water temperature on the rise, Mulloway fishing has really started to slow down now. That peak window for me is usually May/June/July. There are still some odd catches around the Yarra, Patterson and Maribyrnong rivers at the entrances just of Port Phillip. You can target mulloway with fresh baits and ideally live baits. For fresh bait I will use large squid strips of tentacles of squid caught that day rigged in a pair of 3/0 or 4/0 snelled hooks however most catches have been using live yakkas and live mullet pinned carefully in the back or nose, so it pays to fish the morning and get your live bait and keep them alive using a livewll or portable aerator. You can catch live bait by taking very small hooks, small pieces of bait like prawn, raw chicken or pilchards on the lightest running sinker rig or suspended for a float. Berley hard and fish that isolated area. Sometimes it can take some time for that berley trail to work. I often do this around the Warmies or Flemington. Sometimes I will chase them at times with 2.5-inch grubz and 2.5-inch paddle tails lathered in s-factor or the ever-reliable 4-inch turtleback worm on a 1/16 or 1/12 jig head in the smallest hook gauge size.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Warmies
  • Yarra River
  • Patterson Rover entrance and near the bridge
  • Maribyrnong River
  • Docklands

 

OFFSHORE

Some barrels are starting to be caught out of the Port Phillip Heads beyond the rip, this is usually great grounds also for mako sharks and big schools of jumbo-sized Australian Salmon. With a few school tuna around aswell around Barwon heads, through to Torquay and also straight out the Rip. Trolling lures and skirts from 20 to 50 meters deep has been the most productive method as well as throwing big surface poppers and stick baits should you see busting up surface action, huge volumes of birds congregated in one area or masses of fish on your sounder holding the top third of the water column. It’s fun catching Tuna using lighter spin gear, I like using my Shimano Grappler Type C MH casting poppers and stick baits within visible bust-ups. I have been using some of the following lures with success Ocea Bubble Dip, Nomad DTX Minnows, Rapala X-Raps, Maria Pop Queen, Nomad RipTide Stickbaits and small skirts trolled around 6 knots.

Mako sharks continue to fish well outside the heads as well. Throwing out big baits like bonito, salmon or tuna suspended from a ballon has accounted for all our Makos. Just try and pick some nice calm conditions when you do this, otherwise, if it’s a bit choppy I’d prefer to move around in search of tuna. We also saw some massive Mako sharks and bronzies landed just outside the rip between 40 and 60 meters deep. If you wanna try and catch a big shark then big chunks of tuna, bonito, sting ray, salmon, and mackerel are all good options. Rigged on snelled 12/0 with wire trace coated in dacron and ideally a 300lb shock leader.

I remember for many years travelling 5 hours heading to Port Fairy and Portland to chase Tuna and kings and now you can launch locally in Port Phillip Bay and go through the heads and get these amazing fish just outside the heads. Going through the rip can be a scary thing for those new to fishing and we always encourage you to take extreme care. The best advice is to study the conditions, and only go through the rip in calm conditions with low swell and to plan your trips through the heads around Slack tide.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Portland Barrels – S038.25.832 | E141.29.722
  • Point Lonsdale – S038.17.991 | S038.17.991
  • Ocean Grove – S038.17.991 | E144.32.548
  • Barwon Heads – S038.19.579 | E144.30.520
  • Point Impossible – S038.19.579 | E144.23.750
  • Torquay – S038.22.321 | E144.20.054

 

Wrapping Up

Well, that has covered lots of ground. I genuinely hope these detailed reports help get you onto some cracking fish. Don’t forget to follow our podcast, tutorials, catch-of-the-month competitions & giveaways. Thanks for being a treasured FishingMad Member and don’t hesitate to reach out to me at alan@fishingmad.com.au with any questions and suggestions. Take care and good fishing, everyone.

Back to Reports

PORT PHILLIP BAY Report – 02.09.2024

Spring is here, however, the weather was horrendous last week with gale-force winds and a cold winter chill. As I cautoned in last week’s report please be very careful when planning your fishing trips. Monday the 2nd of September has winds up to 100 k/ph in some regions around Melbourne and Victoria, so don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger. Unfortunately, a poor angler lost their life this week at Rye Pier in very strong winds trying to recover some tackle that he dropped in the water. Our condolences go out to his family and all who knew him and is a friendly reminder to all to stay safe, no fish is worth risking your life. If you need some alternative fishing ideas from the bay whilst the weather is rough jump onto our freshwater fishing report which has all the info about the latest Stonker trout stocking.

The weather and the fishing here should start to improve quickly after Monday. Were already seeing some snapper catches around Port Phillip Bay which is remarkable so early on in the season, with catches around Black Rock, and closer to the entrance around St Leonards and Portarlington. The snapper fishing will remain very inconsistent until that water temperature gets above 15 degrees but that’s still very pleasing and gives us a variety of species we can start to target. As I always say peak fishing in Victoria generally starts around mid-October so we’re only weeks away from a very exciting fishing period.

Let’s get stuck into this week’s report

 

Weather Forecast Ahead

It will be another frustrating weather week ahead with very strong winds on Monday and Wednesday, from there scattered showers will settle in for the rest of the week. With heavy showers predicted on Friday and light showers over the weekend. The good news is the weekend ahead looks to have light winds and low volumes of rain. It’s been a frustrating 2-3 weeks of weather so let’s hope we get some better weather in the coming weeks. Do be careful if you plan to hit the water study met eye and always avoid going out if it’s unsafe, this week will have some days better suited to land-based fishing.

Weather conditions are always changing so study the weather forecast frequently before your fishing trip using tools like Meteye, Willys Weather & Windy ( links to these tools can be found in “helpful Links” ). Remember to check wind strength, direction, rain, and storm warnings. We have workshop refreshers that help you identify areas with low swell based on wind direction, so look at those if you’re unsure. Know the capability of your boat, kayak or jetski and never take unnecessary risks that might put you or your passengers in danger. Conditions on the water can change quickly so ensure you have all of the necessary safety equipment checked and ready. Remember to be sun smart during Summer as it’s easy to get sunburnt or dehydrated and to wear appropriate clothing in cold and wet conditions. 

 

Water Temp

Water temperatures dropped half a 0.3 of a degree this week because of the cold weather, strong winds and excessive rain. The water temp right now hovering around 12.5 degrees. Hang in there a few more weeks as when we get to mid-September we start to see the water temperature rise rapidly and that’s when the fishing gets exciting.

 

Moon Phase week ahead

The new moon is scheduled for Tuesday 3rd of September so we have very slow tides this week. This can be great for bread and butter fishing like targeting squid and flathead.

 

PINKY/SNAPPER REPORT

Snapper  

Port Phillip Bay’s water temperature is generally 3-4 weeks behind Western Port, that’s why we are seeing more catches in Western Port right now. There are some odd snapper being caught in Port Phillip Bay but it’s still very early on in the season to catch them with any consistently. I caught a beautiful 68cm fish in Port Melbourne this week flicking soft plastics around Princess Pier and a 50cm snapper of Altona Reef. My network of anglers pulled one or two 3-5 kilo fish out deep but overall it’s still very slow going. The snapper fishing in Port Phillip Bay relies on water temperature to be above 14 degrees to start and peak snapper fishing between 17 and 20 degrees so as you can see we are still 3-4 weeks away from good snapper fishing and 5-6 weeks away from peak snapper fishing. Every season is a little bit different but I monitor this very closely.

This past week fishing for pinkies was productive having a couple of great sessions around Williamstown opposite Anne Street Pier. I also caught plenty in the shallow reefs around Altona. Most of these pinkies were between 30 and 45 cm. They are heaps of fun to catch on light spinning gear especially if you enjoy fishing with soft plastics. The pinkies were also on the chew at Geelong opposite the waterfront area just out the entrance of the Patterson ramp and in the shallows around Carrum, Ricketts Point and Black Rock. I will do a big update of snapper marks in the coming week or two, it’s just very inconsistent right with odd catches here and there. Im a big believer that early-season snapper come through the heads and head straight for shallow waters to spawn. Typically early season I have caught most of my big reds in 4-8 meters deep. In areas like Mt Martha shallows, Rosebud reef, Mt Eliza, Altona reef, Williamstown reef, and Geelong around Limeburners.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Mt Martha – S038.13.392 | E144.54.878 ( sound around here )
  • St Leonards – S038.13.207 | E144.50.720 ( sound around here )
  • Mt Eliza – S038.08.850 | E145.03.339
  • Mornington – S038.08.029 | E144.57.860
  • Carrum inclose – S038.05.278 | E145.05.940
  • Seaford – S038.05.878 | E144.58.593
  • Frankston – S038.07.358 | E145.01.722
  • Werribee – S037.57.871 | E144.49.907
  • P2 – S037.55.597 | E144.53.225
  • Point Cook – S037.56.934 | E144.52.488
  • Black Rock ( Pinkies ) – S037.59.657 | E145.01.235
  • Ricketts Point ( Pinkies ) – S037.58.623 | E145.00.207
  • Williamstown ( pinkies ) S037.52.601 | E144.54.077
  • Altona ( pinkies ) – S037.52.591 | E144.50.255

 

SQUID REPORT

The winds made it almost impossible to target squid at the end of last week. With large swells the water clarity was terrible, but that should really settle later this week. It was fascinating to see massive swells belting into Point Lonsdale pier.

Queenscliff has been a stand-out choice for a few weeks now and continues to fish well for squid. The last right now, with big squid up to 55cms hoods being caught. The majority of the action here is in close just outside the markers opposite Pilot Pier and down that stretch. You will see plenty of boats fishing in this area so just keep moving around and try to find your own patch. Despite windy conditions and quite cloudy water, we bagged out again during the week. St Leonards and Clifton Springs have also fished very well for squid. Many members have been fishing local grounds around Point Cook and Campbells Cove with squid being caught but most on the smaller side. Closer to the heads has been a lot more productive. Other areas also fishing well for squid include Blairgowrie, Sorrento, Rye, Swan Island, and Mud Island with the best windows during tide changes and slack tides. Slack tide means when you reach the peak of a high or low tide and the water stops flowing as it changes direction. These windows typically last about 40 minutes and 20 minutes on each side. This can be very important when fishing high tidal areas so planning your day is key.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Queenscliff – S038.16.507 | E144.39.456
  • Queenscliff – S038.16.436 | E144.39.785
  • Queenscliff – S038.16.493 | E144.38.984
  • Indented Heads – S038.06.906 | E144.42.238
  • Clifton Springs – S038.09.145 | E144.32.319
  • St Leonards – 38 10 804 | 144 43 409
  • Swan Bay – 38 14 047 | 144 41 813
  • Avalon – S038.05.528 | E144.25.824
  • Wedge Spit – 38 00 852 | 144 38 719
  • Point Cook – S037.55.472 | E144.48.747
  • Mud Island – 38 16 610 | 144 47 988
  • Campbells Cove – 37 57 153 | 144 44 281
  • Davey’s Bay Squid – 38 11 539 | 145 03 910
  • Point Wilson – S038.04.396 | E144.31.544
  • Kirks Point – 38 05 794 | 144 30 383
  • Pinnace Channel – 38 16 446 | 144 48 155
  • Mornington – S038.12.941 | E145.01.871
  • Mt Martha – S038.17.245 | E144.58.270
  • Rye – S038.20.873 | E144.48.745
  • Blairgowrie – 38 20 870 | 144 46 133
  • Portsea – 38 19 036 | 144 42 956
  • Sorrento – 38 19 115 | 144 46 197

 

KING GEORGE WHITING REPORT

Whiting

The whiting fishing has been solid this past few weeks but again in certain areas are fishing much better than others. I had bag-out sessions around Portarlington, Swan Bay and St Leonards this past week in rough conditions. Also, Tootgarook, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento, Queenscliff, Indented Heads, Leopold, Clifton Springs and St Leonards continue to be the stand-out areas. I got multiple bags this week at St. Leonards near the green stick in 4 meters and also caught plenty in the weed beds at Queenscliff and Indented heads. Just keep in mind some boat ramp work is being done at St Leonard’s so use an alternative ramp if you plan to launch around the area.

Fishing in depths from 2-5 meters deep as these shallow areas are full of thick weeds and sandholes. Make lots of small moves until you find a feeding school. On clear water days, you can look over the side and try to find the sand holes among thick weeds. When bait fishing anchor up, drop the berely pot, and fish a spot for 15 minutes if you don’t get any action then make a small move and repeat this process until you find them. Sometimes a small move literally 50 meters can make all the difference with whiting. Pipis, squid strips, and mussels rigged on a single paternoster whiting rig and the smallest sinker you can get away with and worm imitation soft plastics paired with an assist hook. I generally have both options with me and let the conditions come to me depending on what they prefer that day.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Swan Bay – S038.14.419 | E144.42.498
  • Portarlington – S038.06.639 | E144.42.404
  • Rosebud – S038.20.798 | E144.53.113
  • Blairgowrie –S038.20.878 | E144.46.125
  • Portsea – S038.19.036 | E144.42.986
  • Dromama – 38 19 311 | 144 57 751
  • Sorrento – S038.20.376 | E144.45.850
  • Pinnace Channel Mud 38 16 378 | 144 48 588
  • Queenscliff – S038.16.476 | E144.39.223
  • Clifton Springs – S038.09.116 | E144.32.318
  • Point Cook – S037.53.957 | E144.49.624
  • Point Wilson – 38 05 521 | 144 32 851
  • Wedge Spit – S038.02.147 | E144.34.154
  • Avalon – S038.05.573 | E144.25.969
  • Corio Bay – 38 05 001 | 144 32 869
  • Curlewis Bank – 38 09 043 | 144 28 389
  • Leopold – S038.08.848 | E144.27.353
  • Curl Lewis Bank – 38 08 973 | 144 31 855
  • Indented Heads – 38 06 751 | 144 41 526
  • Kirks Point – 38 02 850 | 144 34 017
  • Long Reef – 38 01 736 | 144 35 968
  • Limeburners – 38 04 479 | 144 24 369
  • Mud Island – 38 16 547 | 144 48 926
  • Point Lonsdale – 38 16 469 | 144 39 291
  • St Leonards – S038.12.396 | E144.46.491
  • Swan Bay – 38 15 628 | 144 41 215
  • Swan Island – 38 15 595 | 144 41 424
  • Tootgarook – 38 20 977 | 144 51 463

 

AUSTRALIAN SALMON

Salmon

Once again plenty of Australian Salmon on the bite this week. I found a massive school near the boat ramp at Queenscliff and also got stuck into a huge school opposite the footy oval at Williamstown. The pumps haven’t been on this past week and even the OpenNEM website was down so only a few getting about at the warmies after our crazy couple of weeks on them. Members also reported big schools of them around Port Melbourne, St Kilda, Geelong, Frankston, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento and Mt Martha.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Williamstown – S037.52.677 | E144.54.236
  • Rye – S038.21.232 | E144.48.493
  • Alcoa – S038.07.917 | E144.26.968
  • Altona – S037.52.514 | E144.50.593
  • Blairgowrie – S038.20.724 | E144.45.767
  • Campbells Cove – S037.56.634 | E144.44.645
  • Geelong – S038.08.587 | E144.26.774
  • St Kilda – S037.53.865 | E144.58.529
  • Sorrento – S038.20.401 | E144.45.269
  • Werribee – S037.57.940 | E144.42.969
  • Williamstown – S037.52.652 | E144.54.657

Land-based options in/out bay

  • Warmies along the rocks
  • Williamstown Clock Tower
  • 13th beach
  • Gunnamatta
  • Lorne Pier
  • Artillery Rocks
  • Fairhaven Beach
  • Jump Rocks
  • 90-mile beach

 

FLATHEAD REPORT

Flathead will slowly come back on the bite with the warmer water conditions, I’m getting a few in shallow waters however, the big numbers are still out in deeper waters beyond 6 meters. I prefer the warmer months when the bigger flathead come into the shallows but you can still catch a few all around Mud Island, St Kilda, Geelong Outer Harbour, Werribee, St Kilda, Kirks Point, Avalon, Black Rock, Alcoa Spoils, Point Henry, and St Leonards. I even landed a few decent ones this week at Williamstown reef which was a surprise. You should be able to drift around most areas and pick a few up. I also drift with paternoster rigs baited with squid strips/candles or pilchards ( squid strips fall off the hook less ), or drifting with soft plastics. The key to catching flathead in big numbers whilst drifting is to use your sounder and mark waypoints when you catch them. I do this nearly every time I catch one which helps so you can re-drift over productive grounds. It also helps you to start mapping out areas that fish are consistently holding.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Campbells Cove – S037.57.135 | E144.44.492
  • Altona – S037.52.548 | E144.49.644
  • Avalon – S038.05.466 | E144.25.792
  • Avalon – S038.05.449 | E144.25.305
  • Black Rock – S037.59.674 | E144.59.566
  • Clifton Springs – S038.08.897 | E144.33.372
  • Geelong Outer Harbour | | 38 08 512 – 144 29 108
  • Geelong shallows – S038.08.506 | E144.22.671
  • Mud Island – 38 18 249 | 144 50 215
  • Pinnace Channel – 38 18 022 | 144 47 317
  • Point Henry – 38 07 294 | 144 25 260
  • Point Wilson – S038.04.396 | E144.32.023
  • Point Wilson – 38 04 199 | 144 33 319
  • Kirks Point – 38 02 072 | 144 34 614
  • Werribee South in close – 37 59 813 | 144 41 578
  • Werribee South – 37 59 762 | 144 41 582
  • Williamstown – 37 52 564 – 144 53 416
  • Wyndham Harbour  – 37 58 403 | 144 44 158

 

GUMMY SHARK REPORT

Gummy Shark

With the water temperature slowly on the rise fishing for gummy sharks will slowly improve. For me, it’s been a bit inconsistent these past few weeks and a crazy amount of pest species bycatch.

If you plan on chasing gummies then Swan Bay, St Leonards Portarlington, and Queenscliff, Mud Island and opposite the south channel will also produce some big gummies. I have found venturing out deep in the right conditions and fishing between 10 and 20 meters has been productive and to sit through an entire tide change. Fresh baits are key to catching gummies and also spending some time to look for gutters and depth changes before anchoring up. The best baits currently include salmon, mackerel, trevally, pilchards, and squid. We have had great success using one of our no-pest species rigs or a dropper rig finished with a 7/0 for chunk baits which is my preference or gamakatsu circle or 8/0 incline circle for fillets. I think the strategy with these warmer temperatures is using the right rigs ( we have plenty of vids on this in our rigs and tips section ), using fresh baits and ideally getting out to deeper waters between 10 and 18 meters deep. Take a shot at areas like Werribee or focus your time and energy on the west channel near Portarlington, the south channel, Mud Island, Symonds Channel, and anywhere towards the rip or just outside the heads. But pick your conditions and study the winds and swell to ensure it’s safe to do so.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Out from Werribee | S038.00.977 | E144.47.254
  • St Leonards – S038.10.979 | E144.46.076
  • Mud Island – 38 16 921 | 144 49 805
  • South Channel – 38 18 550 | 144 44 555
  • South Channel – 38 18 916 | 144 47 862
  • West Channel – 38 10 911 | 144 45 997
  • West Channel – 38 10 942 | 144 46 705
  • Symonds – 38 15 801 | 144 44 494
  • Symonds channel – 38 15 509 | 144 45 038
  • Sorrento – 38 16 212 | 144 44 160
  • Offshore outside heads 38 18 499 | 144 34 483
  • Even managed a couple of gummies around P2 last week

 

 

GARFISH

Garfish

Garfish continue to fish really well in the shallows of Beaumarus just outside the pier edge in the shallow weed beds has been a standout spot aswell as Daveys Bay. Berley every 5 to 10 minutes is key to catching them. You can buy premade garfish berley or make your own using a variety of aniseed or tune oil mixed with, chook pellets, pilchards and bread. Tiny baits including dough, bread, prawn flesh, chicken, and pilchard on very small hooks and float rigs will be best. Get this right and you can catch a great feed, if you’re anchored up targeting another species it’s a fun way to keep the catches whilst you wait for a gummy or snapper.

Garfish are all over the bay, you can anchor in so many different areas and berley hard to bring them in. The spots listed below are a guide to where we regularly catch them. Last week I fished at Wedge Spit targeting whiting, I noticed a few gars on the surface and threw out some berley and tiny baits and they came on strong. I’ve seen them on first light in Werribee, Altona, Wedge Spit and Geelong. However, most catches at this stage are still in the shallows in areas like Mordialloc, Beaumaris, Port Melbourne, and Mt Martha. It’s been fascinating to follow garfish patterns over the last couple of years. I am seeing more and more of these mini marlins widespread across the bay in huge numbers.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Beaumaris
  • Daveys Bay
  • Mt Martha (close to the cliffs )
  • Sorrento
  • Portarlington Old Steam channel
  • Mordialloc Pier
  • Princess Pier
  • Limeburners Lagoon
  • Wedge Spit in white marks above

 

TAILOR

Much quieter this week for Tailor as the pumps didn’t run much due to the spike in warm weather so the overflow wasn’t required. The OpenNEM website was down this week but you can still follow it to see if the pumps are running.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • The Warmies
  • Barwon River entrance

 

 

TREVALLY

Trevally

The trevally has slowed down a little this past week, the volume of catches that we were getting 3-4 weeks ago are not quite the same. I do suspect that they will still be around for another few weeks whilst we are at peak cold temperatures however peak time for these silver missiles is usually June and July. The Barown River is still a standout spot which generally fishes well for Silver Trevally this time of year. There have also been good volumes caught around Queenscliff Harbour. Getting the tides right is critical in these spots as the Trevally will often follow the bait and clean water. We have also managed plenty in the shallow reefs around Queenscliff, Port Melbourne, Mt Martha and Sorrento. I still find small grubz and paddle tails are the best and most consistent way to catch them. They will also take bait like squid strips.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Queenscliff harbour
  • Barwon River stretch between the golf course and Ozone Jetty

 

 

MULLOWAY

With the water temperature on the rise, Mulloway fishing has really started to slow down now. That peak window for me is usually May/June/July. There are still some odd catches around the Yarra, Patterson and Maribyrnong rivers at the entrances just of Port Phillip. You can target mulloway with fresh baits and ideally live baits. For fresh bait I will use large squid strips of tentacles of squid caught that day rigged in a pair of 3/0 or 4/0 snelled hooks however most catches have been using live yakkas and live mullet pinned carefully in the back or nose, so it pays to fish the morning and get your live bait and keep them alive using a livewll or portable aerator. You can catch live bait by taking very small hooks, small pieces of bait like prawn, raw chicken or pilchards on the lightest running sinker rig or suspended for a float. Berley hard and fish that isolated area. Sometimes it can take some time for that berley trail to work. I often do this around the Warmies or Flemington. Sometimes I will chase them at times with 2.5-inch grubz and 2.5-inch paddle tails lathered in s-factor or the ever-reliable 4-inch turtleback worm on a 1/16 or 1/12 jig head in the smallest hook gauge size.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Warmies
  • Yarra River
  • Patterson Rover entrance and near the bridge
  • Maribyrnong River
  • Docklands

 

OFFSHORE

Some barrels are starting to be caught out of the Port Phillip Heads beyond the rip, this is usually great grounds also for mako sharks and big schools of jumbo-sized Australian Salmon. With a few school tuna around aswell around Barwon heads, through to Torquay and also straight out the Rip. Trolling lures and skirts from 20 to 50 meters deep has been the most productive method as well as throwing big surface poppers and stick baits should you see busting up surface action, huge volumes of birds congregated in one area or masses of fish on your sounder holding the top third of the water column. It’s fun catching Tuna using lighter spin gear, I like using my Shimano Grappler Type C MH casting poppers and stick baits within visible bust-ups. I have been using some of the following lures with success Ocea Bubble Dip, Nomad DTX Minnows, Rapala X-Raps, Maria Pop Queen, Nomad RipTide Stickbaits and small skirts trolled around 6 knots.

Mako sharks continue to fish well outside the heads as well. Throwing out big baits like bonito, salmon or tuna suspended from a ballon has accounted for all our Makos. Just try and pick some nice calm conditions when you do this, otherwise, if it’s a bit choppy I’d prefer to move around in search of tuna. We also saw some massive Mako sharks and bronzies landed just outside the rip between 40 and 60 meters deep. If you wanna try and catch a big shark then big chunks of tuna, bonito, sting ray, salmon, and mackerel are all good options. Rigged on snelled 12/0 with wire trace coated in dacron and ideally a 300lb shock leader.

I remember for many years travelling 5 hours heading to Port Fairy and Portland to chase Tuna and kings and now you can launch locally in Port Phillip Bay and go through the heads and get these amazing fish just outside the heads. Going through the rip can be a scary thing for those new to fishing and we always encourage you to take extreme care. The best advice is to study the conditions, and only go through the rip in calm conditions with low swell and to plan your trips through the heads around Slack tide.

Productive areas to concentrate your time on include.

  • Portland Barrels – S038.25.832 | E141.29.722
  • Point Lonsdale – S038.17.991 | S038.17.991
  • Ocean Grove – S038.17.991 | E144.32.548
  • Barwon Heads – S038.19.579 | E144.30.520
  • Point Impossible – S038.19.579 | E144.23.750
  • Torquay – S038.22.321 | E144.20.054

 

Wrapping Up

Well, that has covered lots of ground. I genuinely hope these detailed reports help get you onto some cracking fish. Don’t forget to follow our podcast, tutorials, catch-of-the-month competitions & giveaways. Thanks for being a treasured FishingMad Member and don’t hesitate to reach out to me at alan@fishingmad.com.au with any questions and suggestions. Take care and good fishing, everyone.

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