Pier Fishing in Melbourne: A Lure Angler’s Guide to Success

Melbourne is home to a vibrant fishing community, and for good reason. The city’s extensive coastline is dotted with piers and jetties that are open to the public – and almost all produce fish at the right times. Local and visiting land-based anglers alike can enjoy easy access to a variety of lure fishing species with something on offer year-round. In this guide, we’ll explore the species you can target, seasonal factors to consider, and tips for successful pier fishing around Melbourne.

Contents

Key Pier Fishing Species On Lures
Tackle And Lures For Pier Fishing
Melbourne’s Best Fishing Piers
Tips For Pier Fishing Success

Key Lure Fishing Species From Melbourne Piers

Here’s a look at some of the more commonly encountered fish species you can catch from the city’s piers, wharves, jetties and breakwalls:

1. Australian Salmon

• • Season: Australian salmon can be caught year-round, but they are most abundant during the cooler months from autumn to spring.
  • Lures: Metal slugs, surface poppers, and soft plastics are highly effective for Australian salmon. These fish are aggressive feeders, and their tendency to school means that once you hook one, there’s a good chance more are nearby.
  • Tips: Watch for bird activity, surface splashes, or baitfish breaking the surface, as these are signs that salmon are feeding nearby. Be prepared to move along the pier or even change piers until you find the fish.

2. Silver Trevally

• • Season: Silver trevally are more active in the warmer months, typically from late spring through to autumn.
  • Lures: Small soft plastics, especially those in natural colours, are effective. Trevally are known for their strong fighting ability, so make sure your gear is up to the task.
  • Tips: Trevally often feed close to structure, so casting your lure around pier pylons or other submerged features can be productive. A slow, twitching retrieve will often entice a bite.

3. King George Whiting

• • Season: King George whiting are best targeted in the warmer months, from late spring through to autumn.
  • Lures: Small soft plastics that mimic prawns or worms are effective, particularly when fished close to the bottom where whiting tend to feed.
  • Tips: Whiting can be shy, especially in clear water on calm, sunny days. Light tackle and small lures are the key, and fishing around sandy patches or seagrass beds near the pier will increase your chances of success.

4. Bream

• • Season: Bream are available year-round, but the best time to target them is during the cooler months, from late autumn through to early spring, when they are more active and move into shallower waters to feed.
  • Lures: Small soft plastics that imitate baitfish, prawns, or crabs are highly effective. Hard-bodied lures, particularly shallow-diving minnows and crankbaits, also work well when fished around structure. Small topwater stickbaits can be very effective at times, too.
  • Tips: Bream can be very cautious, especially in clear water. Use light tackle and focus on fishing near structure like bridge pylons, jetties, and rock walls, where bream like to hide. A slow, subtle retrieve with pauses can entice more strikes, especially in colder water.

5. Snapper

• • Season: Snapper are most commonly caught during the spring and summer months, with the prime time being from October to December.
  • Lures: Soft plastic jerkbaits and slow-sinking jigs are particularly effective for snapper, especially when fished near the bottom.
  • Tips: Snapper often feed during the early morning or late evening. Casting your lure around deep water near the pier or any visible structure can yield good results. The period during and immediately after a big blow is prime time for snapper from Melbourne’s piers, don’t be offput by turbulent and dirty water.

6. Flathead

• • Season: Flathead can be caught year-round, but they are more active in the warmer months.
  • Lures: Soft plastics are the go-to lure for flathead. Paddle-tail plastics and grub-style lures work well when retrieved along the sandy bottom.
  • Tips: Flathead are ambush predators, so casting your lure along the edges of drop-offs or near structure can be very effective. A slow, bouncing retrieve is often the best way to provoke a strike.

7. Squid

• • Season: Squid can be caught year-round, with peak seasons in the cooler months, particularly from autumn to winter.
  • Lures: Squid jigs in natural or bright colours are highly effective. The choice of colour often depends on the water clarity and light conditions.
  • Tips: Squid are often found around weed beds and sandy patches near piers. A slow, jerking retrieve with frequent pauses will mimic the movement of a struggling prawn or baitfish, enticing squid to strike.

Tackle And Lures For Pier Fishing

Rod and Reel Combo’s

Having the right tackle can make lure fishing from piers more fun, and a whole lot more successful. Ideally, having a lightweight and compact kit makes the walk from where you parked the car to where you’ll wet a line easier.

A light, fast action spinning rod, around 7 to 8 feet in length, paired with a quality 2500 size spinning reel is perfect for many pier fishing situations. The fast action allows for long casts and solid hook sets, particularly when using soft plastic lures. Spool your reel with 6-10lb braided line and add a 10-15lb fluorocarbon leader for stealth and abrasion resistance when fishing around structure. You can drop down to 6 or 8lb leader for smaller species like bream and whiting, or if the water is super clear and the fish are shy. A quality rod such as Jabbers Limber Launcher will cover all of these requirements and make short work of the biggest bream, squid and flathead, whilst also taming Australian salmon and the odd snapper that takes a lure intended for other species.

A medium-fast action rod of around 8′ in length paired with a 4000 sized spin reel, 20lb braid and 20-25lb fluorocarbon leader is the perfect tool for tackling larger fish such as oversized Australian salmon, kingfish, snapper and mulloway. This setup is lightweight enough that you can fish with it all day, but capable of casting and working the larger, heavier soft plastics and metals required for this style of fishing.

Lures

The selection of lures that can be used from Melbourne’s piers is almost endless. But again, keeping things light and simple means you can toss all that you need into a backpack, making the walk from the car easy. It also makes it easy to move around until you find where the fish are at.

Soft Plastic Lures, Jigs and Hooks: In my opinion, these are the best lures for beginners and those who are making the switch from bait fishing. Soft plastic lures are extremely versatile, reasonably priced and deadly to fish with. For Melbourne pier fishing, I’d start with a selection of paddletails, soft prawns and jerkshads in sizes from 75 to 120mm. Match those to some suitable jig heads for fishing clean bottom and a few weighted EWG worm hooks for weedless fishing in snags, weed and around pylons, and you’re set. This is a general guide, so if you’re interested in a particular species then check out the discussion above and modify what you bring to the pier with you.

And by the way, if all of this sounds confusing, you might like to check out my Soft Plastic Lures Bootcamp, where we break it all down and take you through the A-Z of fishing with soft plastic lures.

Metal Slugs: Essential in every pier fishers arsenal, metal slugs are as deadly as they are simple. They cast like bullets, even in strong wind and can be worked super fast or sunk to the bottom and twitched along more gently. A range of sizes from around 25g to 75g will cover everything from trevally and flathead through to salmon, tailor and kingfish.

Surface Lures:, Salmon, tailor and occasionally kingfish will take a swipe at surface lures like stickbaits and poppers, so it’s worth having a few 3-5″ poppers in your kit, just in case.

Squid Jigs: Most of Melbourne’s piers fish well for squid at times, so it’s not a bad idea to have a few prawn-style jigs in your kit, ranging from size 1.5 to 3.0. If you need help selecting squid jigs, check out our squid jigging guide here.

Other Essentials

Aside from the usual spare leader, pliers, fishing knife and so on, it’s worth having some small lure clips, such as Mustad Fastach on hand. These allow you to quickly switch between soft plastic, squid jigs and metals when fish or squid suddenly appear. Sometimes these are fleeting opportunities, and they might be gone before you can cut of one lure and tie on another, hence the value of clips. A quality pair of polarised sunglasses is another essential. Being able to clearly see changes in the bottom structure, sand patches, and fish or squid moving around pylons is critical and the enhanced vision offered by good sunnies can’t be overstated.

Top Piers for Lure Fishing in Melbourne

Melbourne boasts a variety of piers, each offering its own unique fishing experience. Here are some of the top piers for lure fishing:

• St Kilda Pier: Located close to the city, St Kilda Pier is a popular spot for targeting Australian salmon, snapper, and squid. The breakwater at the end of the pier provides structure that attracts fish, making it a prime location for casting lures. Jerkbait and paddletail style soft plastics can be effective on the salmon and snapper, with salmon also being fond of poppers and metal slugs. Prawn-style jigs are effective for squid.
• Brighton Pier: Known for its clean water and sandy bottom, Brighton Pier is a great place to target King George whiting and flathead. Paddletails and soft prawns are the go-to lures in this area. The pier is also a good spot for squid fishing, particularly at night under the lights.
• Mornington Pier: Mornington Pier offers deep water access, making it ideal for targeting snapper, silver trevally, and squid. The nearby reef structure also attracts a variety of species, providing plenty of opportunities for lure anglers.
• Princes Pier: Productive for flathead and whiting year-round, Princes Pier is also a legendary land-based bream and snapper fishing spot. Soft plastics work best near the pylons during tidal changes, with grubs and prawns being deadly on bream and whiting, paddletails being the better choice for flathead and snapper..
• Altona Pier: Altona Pier is a favourite for flathead and whiting fishing, with the sandy bottom and seagrass beds providing ideal habitat. The pier is also a good spot for squid fishing, especially during the autumn and winter months.

Tips and Advice for Pier Fishing in Melbourne

• Use the Right Gear: Pier fishing often requires long casts, so a medium to light spinning rod with a fast action is ideal. Pair it with a reel loaded with 6-10lb braided line for sensitivity and distance. A fluorocarbon leader will help with stealth, especially in clear water.
• Watch the Tides: Tides play a crucial role in fishing success, particularly at piers in the Westernport, Portsea and Queenscliff areas, where strong currents occur on big tides. Remember that tidal movement attracts fish and adjust your strategy accordingly. Target snapper and bottom species around the turn of the tide when the flow slows down using weighted soft plastics. At the peak of tidal flow, use topwater lures or metal slugs to target pelagics like salmon and kingfish.
• Focus on soft plastic lures: Soft plastics are extremely versatile, so carrying a few styles in different sizes and colours enables pier fishers to target a wide range of species by changing the weight, rigging style or way that they work the lure.
• Fish During Low Light: Early mornings, late afternoons, and overcast days tend to be the most productive times for pier fishing around Melbourne. Fish are more active during these periods, and the lower light conditions make them less wary of lures. Conversely, calm, bright sunny days are usually the most challenging to catch fish.
• Stay Mobile: If you’re not getting bites in one spot, don’t be afraid to move along the pier. Different species may be holding at different depths or areas, so covering more ground can increase your chances of success.
• Use Polarized Sunglasses: These will help you see into the water, allowing you to spot fish, bait schools, and structure that might not be visible otherwise. They also protect your eyes from long-term damage caused by glare and UV light reflected from the water.

Conclusion

Pier fishing in Melbourne offers a diverse and rewarding experience for lure anglers. With a variety of species available year-round and a range of piers to choose from, there’s always something to catch, no matter the season. By understanding the habits of your target species, using the right gear, and adapting to seasonal changes, you can maximize your success and enjoy all that Melbourne’s piers have to offer. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or just starting out, pier fishing in Melbourne provides endless opportunities for an exciting day on the water.