Fishing in the Great Ocean Road

Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale and Ocean Grove on the Bellarine Peninsula have a number of charter boat operators offering game fishing tours in the ocean waters of Bass Strait. The fishing extends to larger sharks, southern bluefin tuna and smaller mackerel tuna. 

Lorne and Apollo Bay have great pier fishing. At the Lorne pier, mullet, garfish and trevally are targeted along with Australian salmon and barracouta. At Apollo Bay, the inshore fishing can be fantastic and the safe harbour and launching ramp make fishing very accessible. Good-sized catches of silver trevally, snapper, shark, King George whiting, Australian salmon and flathead are common. For offshore fishing, try Ingoldsby Reef out from Anglesea, with whiting and snapper on the inshore side and Australian salmon, kingfish and pike outside. Great river fishing is also on offer with popular spots including the Aire River near Glenaire and the Gellibrand River near Colac.

Large and consistent catches of bream can be found in the estuarine reaches of the Hopkins River near Warrnambool, a township providing good access to offshore fishing grounds boasting quality catches of snapper. To try for southern bluefin tuna and other offshore game fish, board one of the many charter boats that dock along the Moyne River at Port Fairy.

Portland, settled in 1834 as Victoria's first permanent settlement, offers sensational and varied fishing – offshore, inside the harbour, from the beaches or off the breakwall. For anglers keen to head offshore, look to fish around landmarks like Lawrence Rocks where you can find bluefin tuna, yellowtail kingfish, blue, gummy shark and snapper. You can find a safe and reliable launching ramp in the harbour, as well as protected bay fishing for large mulloway, snapper and yellowtail kingfish in summer.

If you’re looking for good catches of salmon and shark head to Narrawong beach, a fairly shallow beach that is best fished from dusk into the evening, and make sure you arrive while there’s still plenty of daylight available to assess the better spots along the beach. Discovery Bay, between Cape Bridgewater and the Glenelg River, is also renowned for producing large salmon, gummy shark, snapper and mulloway.

Further west at Nelson, the Glenelg River is a popular camping destination for families and offers anglers the opportunity to catch various estuarine species such as bream and whiting, as well as mulloway.