Lure Fishing Phillip Island And Westernport Bay: A Lure Flickers Guide To Fishing Spots

Fishing in Pittwater: Barranjoey Headland and Palm Beach

The fishing around Westernport Bay isn’t always easy, but the rewards justify perseverance. A stones throw to the southeast of Melbourne, Westernport is a prime destination for lure anglers, offering diverse fishing opportunities across its vast tidal flows, numerous channels, and rich marine environments. Phillip Island is one of two islands in the bay and is a notable destination for lure fishers. With prized species like snapper, mulloway, kingfish, bream, whiting, flathead, and squid, Westernport Bay and Phillip Island are well worth exploring for both locals and visitors alike.

Phillip Island Fishing Spots

Cowes

Cowes Pier is a versatile location for the land-based anlger, offering deep water access and the chance to catch a variety of species. Boating anglers can launch from Cowes to access Phillip Island fishing spots and those in central Westernport Bay.

  • Snapper: Target snapper during the spring and early summer months. Soft plastics and jigs fished near the bottom in deeper waters are effective, particularly during the snapper run. Recommended lures include the Pro Lure Prey Minnow in 105 and 160mm sizes with a jig head of sufficient weight to get the lure to the bottom based on water flow and depth.
  • Calamari: The weed beds near the pier are excellent for squid fishing, especially during winter and spring. Natural and bright-coloured jigs work well, with the best times being early morning and dusk.

Rhyll

Rhyll offers a quieter fishing experience with opportunities to catch whiting, flathead, and bream.

  • King George Whiting: The estuarine environment around Rhyll is ideal for targeting whiting with small soft plastic grubs, yabbies and prawns, especially on a falling tide.
  • Flathead: The mudflats and channels also hold good numbers of flathead, which can be caught using paddletail soft plastics worked slowly along the bottom. These are best rigged on standard jig heads when fishing sandy or shelly bottom, or using weedless hooks for more snaggy areas.
  • Calamari: Rhyll is a well-known spot for squid, particularly around the jetties and shallow weed beds. Autumn and winter are the best seasons, with natural-coloured squid jigs being the most effective.
Phillip Island Fishing: Flinders Jetty is a top fishing spot

Flinders Jetty

Located on the Mornington Peninsula, Flinders Jetty is famous for its squid fishing.

  • Calamari: Spring is the best time to target large squid around the jetty, with some of the biggest specimens caught here. Natural-coloured squid jigs are most effective, particularly during the run-in tide. Both day and night fishing can be productive, with the area around the pylons being especially good.

Reef Island

Located north of Dickies Bay, Reef Island offers diverse fishing opportunities in shallow waters.

  • Flathead: The sandy and seagrass beds are productive for flathead, especially during the warmer months. Soft plastics that mimic small fish or prawns work well.
  • Calamari: The area around Reef Island is also excellent for squid fishing, particularly in the shallow waters near the island. Use natural-coloured squid jigs for best results.

Key Fishing Locations In Westernport Bay

San Remo Jetty _ Westernport Bay Fishing Spots

San Remo Jetty

San Remo Jetty is a prime location for targeting Australian salmon, King George whiting, and calamari.

  • Australian Salmon: Best targeted during the early morning and late afternoon when tidal movements are strong. Use fast-retrieved metal slugs or soft plastics to mimic baitfish, focusing on peak tidal flows, particularly in spring and early summer.
  • King George Whiting: Found near the channel edges, whiting can be targeted with small, natural-coloured soft plastics that imitate prawns or worms. This species is most active from late spring through summer.
  • Calamari: The weed beds around the jetty are ideal for squid fishing, especially during autumn and winter. Use natural or bright-coloured squid jigs, adjusting the colour based on water clarity. Early morning and dusk, particularly on a rising tide, are the best times to target them.

Dickies Bay

Located on the eastern side of the bridge, behind the police station, Dickies Bay offers excellent fishing opportunities in 1-2m of water, with patches of weed and sand providing habitat for key species.

  • King George Whiting: Target these fish with small, natural-coloured soft plastics near the sand patches. This area is highly productive, especially during the warmer months.
  • Calamari: The same weed and sand patches make Dickies Bay a great spot for squid, especially during their peak season in autumn and winter. Use natural-coloured squid jigs for the best results.

Cleeland Bight

West of the bridge, Cleeland Bight offers calm waters ideal for lure fishing when the wind is from the northwest.

  • Flathead: The edge of the sandbar is particularly productive for flathead, which can be targeted using soft plastics retrieved along the bottom. The best time is during an incoming tide.
  • King George Whiting: Further west towards the two green channel markers, whiting can be caught in 3-4m of water. Use small soft plastics that mimic small crusaceans or worms.
  • Calamari: The bight is also a prime spot for squid, particularly in 2.5-3m of water near the sandhill and public mooring buoys. Both artificial and baited jigs work well, with natural-coloured jigs being most effective.

Corinella

Corinella is a top spot for boat and kayak anglers, offering excellent opportunities to target snapper, flathead, squid, and mulloway. Many of these species can also be caught from the Corinella Jetty, including snapper and mulloway at times.

  • Snapper: The deeper waters and channels around Corinella are well-known for snapper, particularly during the spring run. Soft plastics or jigs fished near the bottom along the channel edges are effective.
  • Squid: The shallow areas near the weed beds around Corinella are perfect for targeting calamari, especially during autumn. Natural-coloured jigs work best, particularly during the early morning and dusk.
  • Mulloway: Corinella is also a productive spot for mulloway, especially during the warmer months and at night. Target the deeper channels using large paddletail soft plastics or vibes, focusing on the periods around the full or new moon.
  • Bream: Target bream around the pylons and nearby structure using small soft plastics or crankbaits. The best results are usually found during the warmer months, especially around high tide.

Tortoise Head Bank

Tortoise Head Bank, located on the southern side of French Island, is an excellent spot for boat and kayak anglers targeting snapper, kingfish, and mulloway.

  • Snapper: The deeper channels around Tortoise Head Bank are ideal for snapper fishing, especially during the spring and early summer. Drift fishing with soft plastics or slow-jigging near the bottom is highly effective.
  • Kingfish: Kingfish can be targeted in the strong tidal currents here. Trolling with deep-diving lures or casting heavy jigs into the current are effective methods.
  • Mulloway: The deeper waters and strong tidal flows at Tortoise Head Bank also make it a prime spot for mulloway. These fish are best targeted during the night or in low light conditions, using large paddletail plastics or soft vibes.

Cape Schanck

A challenging yet rewarding spot for experienced anglers, the cape is just outside of Westernport Bay and is fishable by those with a seaworthy boat when the weather permits. The rugged coastline and deep reefs provide prime habitat for Australian salmon, snapper and kingfish.

  • Australian Salmon: Best targeted during the winter months using metal slugs or fast-retrieved soft plastic jerkbaits in the strong currents around Pulpit Rock and Bushrangers Bay.
  • Snapper: Snapper can be caught during spring and early summer using soft plastics or slow-sinking jigs near the bottom in deeper water.
  • Kingfish: Kingfish can be caught during summer, especially in the deeper channels. Use surface lures like poppers or stickbaits for kingfish, and large soft plastics focusing on tidal changes and low light conditions.

Hastings Jetty

The jetty and surrounding waters are known for several key species, making it a popular spot for both shore-based and boat anglers.

  • King George Whiting: Prevalent during the warmer months, these fish are typically found in the sandy patches near the jetty. Small, natural-coloured soft plastics that mimic prawns or worms are effective.
  • Australian Salmon: Can be targeted during the cooler months using metal slugs or fast-retrieved soft plastics, particularly during periods of strong tidal movement.
  • Silver Trevally: A year-round light tackle target for those fishing with soft plastics or small jigs close to the structure, especially on a rising tide.
  • Flathead: The sandy areas near the jetty are productive for flathead, particularly during the summer months. Soft plastics retrieved slowly along the bottom are the best method for targeting these fish.
  • Squid: The weed beds around Hastings Jetty make it a good spot for squid, especially during autumn and winter. Natural-coloured squid jigs are effective, with early morning and late afternoon being the best times to fish.
  • Bream: Abundant around Hastings Jetty, particularly around the pylons and other structures. Small soft plastics or crankbaits are effective, especially during the warmer months.

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    Best Times To Fish Phillip Island And Westernport Bay

    Seasonal Tips

    • Spring: This is when the snapper begin to fire. Other species that can be caught year-round, such as mulloway, silver trevally, King George whiting and squid become more active during spring as the water warms.

      Phillip Island And Westernport Bay Fishing Calendar

    • Summer: The snapper and whiting bites continue in full swing through the summer months, along with mulloway and silver trevally. Summer also marks the start of the best months for targeting kingfish.
    • Autumn: The snapper and whiting start to fade towards the end of summer, but can still be caught for those who persevere. Kingfish remain in full swing and Australian salmon and calamari start to become more prevalent.
    • Winter: Winter is best for targeting calamari, with Flinders Jetty being a standout spot. Flathead and bream are also active in the shallower waters around Rhyll and Cleeland Bight, with soft plastics fished slowly along the bottom being effective. Australian salmon are also present in good numbers.

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    Recommended Tackle For Fishing Phillip Island And Westernport Bay

    This area is renowned for deep water and strong flows mixed with shallow, calm waters. The recommended tackle reflects this variability, along with the wide variety of fish species and techniques that can be employed.

    Light Tackle: A 7′ spin rod in the 6-14lb line class and capable of casting light lures from 3 to 20g is ideal for bream, whiting, flathead, silver trevally. This should be coupled with a 1500-2000 size reel and 8-10lb braid with a leader from 6-14lb, depending on conditions and the target species. This outfit is a little heavier than might normally be used for these species as it needs to be capable of handling Australian salmon, plus smaller snapper and mulloway that take a lure intended for smaller species.

    Medium Tackle: A 6’6″ to 7’4″ spin or baitcast rod in 10-20lb line class (PE1.5) is a great option for casting soft plastics, hard bodies and squid jigs. Coupled with a 2000-3000 sized spin reel or 150 size baitcast and loaded with 12-16lb braid, this is a versatile and formidable weapon for targeting quality snapper, mulloway and kingfish around Phillip Island and Westernport. The Jabbers Urban Beats Deft Flicker is a great rod option for soft plastic fishing, whilst the Wanderlust is brilliant if you want a single rod that can be used for casting and jigging.

    Heavy Tackle: Needed for casting heavy lures when fishing in strong currents, and also for the lrger snapper, mulloway and kingfish that turn up in some locations. A 6’6″ spin or baitcast rod in the PE2.5 to PE4 range gives the strength and control needed without becoming too heavy to comfortably cast over a full day session. Loaded with 25-40lb braid and tipped with a 25-50lb fluorocarbon leader, this outfit won’t be needed too often, but you’ll be glad to have it when it is needed.

    Lures for Fishing Phillip Island And Westernport Bay

    Soft plastics prawnsSmall prawns are deadly on bream, whiting and trevally. Larger versions are perfect for snapper and mulloway. These are best rigged on regular jig heads and fished with a “hop, hop, pause” retrieve, but can also be rigged weedless when working weed banks and rocky or snaggy areas.

    Soft plastic grubsLethal on bream, whiting, silver trevally and flathead. Rig these on a regular jig head or a nedhead jig

    Soft Paddletails: Smaller paddletails are very effective on bread and butter species like bream, flathead and trevally, whilst mulloway are suckers for the larger 4-6″ versions. Depending on the use case, these lures can be rigged on a jighead with an exposed barb or can be rigged weedless either unweighted or belly weighted.

    Jerkshads: Jerkshads are great for deeper water and faster currents because of their fast sink rates and ability to be worked quickly. They’re deadly on snapper, mulloway and kingfish and are usually rigged on large, heaby jig heads. Jerkshads require a little more work from the angler to impact lure action than other soft plastics.

    Yabbies: Small soft plastic yabbies can be lethal on whiting, bream and flathead. Rig these on either standard jig hooks or weedless, belly weighted hooks as required. Ned rigging on sand flats is effective, especially when yabby holes are visible or fish have been “mudding”.

    Small Hardbody StickbaitsGreat during the warmer months when bream and whiting are taking prawns and baitfish from the surface, but also deadly on flathead and silver trevally. Work them with a continuous action for whiting or throw in occasional pauses for bream.

    Large Stickbaits: These can be daedly on salmon and kingfish. Work them slowly with plenty of twiches and hang on.

    Metals: It’s worth carrying a range of high speed metal lures ranging from 25g to 75g. These can be cast or trolled where Australian salmon and/or kingfish are feeding, cast into washes or even jigged in deeper water for mulloway.

    Soft Vibes: The 90-100mm, 20g versions are the most useful and definitely worth fishing for mulloway and snapper, though some quality flathead will also jump onboard, at times. When fishing from a boat, work these lurese with hops and pauses, the bite usually comes on the pause and you’ll need to be alert and react fast to set the hook. 

     

    Podcast Episodes About Fishing Phillip Island And Westernport Bay

    Episode 530: Phillip Island Squid With Nev Hayes

    Episode 530: Phillip Island Squid With Nev Hayes

    Squid are a great target at Phillip Island at any time of year, but today’s guest, Nev Hayes, reckons the winter months are when the really big squid come out to play. To qualify this statement, he caught a 50cm hood length squid just a week before this interview!

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