Clifton Springs Fishing
Fishing Areas and Conditions
- Weed beds and reefs cover the shallows. The 2–5 m water has extensive weed beds used for squid and whiting.
- From the boat ramp, the stumps on the right are a suggested starting point. Beyond the channel markers, the article identifies grounds for snapper, flathead and gummy sharks.
- TheClifton Springs jetty offers land-based fishing for squid, whiting, garfish and mullet. Baits cast far enough from the jetty can also reach flathead and pinkies.
- Squid and whiting can be caught throughout the day; dawn and dusk, especially on an incoming high tide, are productive times.
Rigs, Bait and Lures
- For squid, use a 7½–9 ft light or egi rod. Smaller size 2.5 or 3.0 squid jigs worked slowly can help avoid snags. Let the jig sink, then retrieve with lifts and pauses.
- For garfish and whiting, use small hooks such as a size 12 long shank. Berley with breadcrumbs and tuna oil.
- Bait options include pilchards, silver whiting, pipis, raw chicken, squid strips, maggots and silverfish. A basic paternoster rig with fresh bait is also suggested for the area.
- Soft plastics can be used for pinkies and flathead, provided conditions allow a cast far enough out. Sinkers and jig heads are prone to snagging on the rocky bottom.
- For fishing beyond the channel markers, suggested heavier setups include a 3–5 kg rod with a 3000 size reel and 8 lb line, or a 4–7 kg rod with 20 lb braid.
Access and Hazards
- The main boat ramp is on Jetty Road, with multiple launching areas and ample parking. It can be busy at peak times.
- Kayaks can launch from the beach to the left of the ramps. Squid and whiting grounds are accessible by kayak without travelling far from shore.
Can Getfished tell if fish are biting at Clifton Springs, today?
No. Because a forecast cannot truthfully guarantee whether fish are biting at a specific spot right now. Getfished shows the current fishing conditions instead: tide movement, solunar timing, weather, wind, pressure, marine conditions and fishing report derived species history.
Use this information to make informed decisions about where to fish, and to compare conditions across nearby locations. We hope you enjoy using Getfished to find your next great fishing spot!
✨Find out what we learned from analysing 20,000 fishing reports about moon times and fish told us.
Clifton Springs is a location within the region of:
Bellarine Peninsula.
Summer Fishing
Australian Salmon, Flathead, Gummy Shark, King George Whiting, Pike, Snapper, Squid and Whiting can be targeted at the location during summer. Activity is strongest for these species during the warmer part of the year. Actual catches will vary according to temperature trends, localised weather and tides.
Autumn Fishing
Flounder, Garfish, King George Whiting, Snapper and Squid are a good choice for anglers to target during autumn. With the water temperature dropping the location provides an opportunity to concentrate on these species.
Winter Fishing
Australian Salmon, Gummy Shark, King George Whiting, Squid and Whiting are the species to focus on because Winter is when the water drops below 15c and this location is no different. Fish can be slower to bite with reduced activity levels. As always what you catch varies with the prevalent temperature trends, localised weather and of course tides.
Spring Fishing
Spring sees the water temperature begin to rise with Australian Salmon, Flathead, Gummy Shark, King George Whiting, Pike, Snapper and Squid becoming more active. Later in spring summer species such as Australian Salmon, Flathead, Gummy Shark, King George Whiting, Pike, Snapper, Squid and Whiting begin to move into the area and can become more common at the location.
🛈 Getfished Fishing Report, Solunar & Conditions Summaries SourceFishing report summaries are derived from Getfished’s structured fishing report database system. More information on this on how we collect and structure fishing report data can be found on our Fishing reports information.
Forecasts are based on the Getfished Meteorological and Solunar Forecasting System, which combines data from the BOM, and other sources. Our custom software systems use these inputs to establish solunar, tides and other forecasts for fishing conditions.
For more information on our systems and data sources please see our Datasources page. You can also Contact us for more information or details on commercial reuse.
