Fishing – Mornington Peninsula

Cast a line into some of Victoria's most productive fishing grounds around the Mornington Peninsula.

Day and night, anglers try their luck on the dozens of piers that dot the shores of Port Phillip, Hobsons, Corio and Westernport bays. Both Port Phillip and Westernport bays consistently provide an excellent supply of whiting, gummy and school shark, squid, salmon, flathead and elephant fish. Snapper can be caught year-round, but the fishing really ‘hots up’ over the warmer months when the snapper start to run in October or November and continue through until February or March. Snapper weighing up to 10 kilograms are occasionally caught from boats, and occasionally from piers, jetties and rocky groynes.

In the cooler months, large schools of salmon and tailor provide a sensational lure for fly fishing enthusiasts and, in recent years, the much-prized yellowtail kingfish has returned to these waters.

For those unfamiliar with the bays or without a boat, there's a choice of charter boat operators who'll ensure you get a chance to fish the best the bays have to offer.

More adventurous anglers looking to fish further offshore can hire charter boats that will take them into the ocean waters of Bass Strait where the fishing extends to larger sharks, southern bluefin tuna and smaller mackerel tuna.

The surf beaches of Bass Strait, between Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, are rewarding spots for surf anglers. Popular beaches include Rye Back Beach, Gunnamatta and Point Leo.