Mordialloc Fishing – Awesome Fishing 24km from Melbourne

Mordialloc Fishing Overview

I have a soft spot for Mordialloc fishing.

I love fishing off the Pier. It’s one of my favourite Melbourne Piers. I love fishing for Bream in Mordi Creek. I catch and release due to pollution though. I love walking along the beach and the paths through the parkland. In the 1980’s I even bought my one and only V8 Torana (a story for another website) from a local in the town.

Mordialloc Fishing

There are some excellent fishing environments in the area that are popular with locals and people living further afield in Melbourne.

• Several Beaches. Including Mordi Beach, Mentone and Aspendale.
• Piers including the Mordialloc Pier, along with the Beaumaris Pier
• *A creek estuary – often polluted by excellent catch and release for Bream.
• A boat ramp for smaller vessels giving access to Port Phillip Bay

All within the local area or a few km surrounding.

Bream off the pier or the creek. Snapper off the pier, particularly during a strong westerly blow.

Pinkies through summer. Flathead (of course!) as well as whiting, mullet, gars and the odd Australian Salmon bust-up.

Not forgetting everybody’s favourite – squid. Right off the pier.

Mordialloc Fishing - Awesome Fishing 24Km From Melbourne Mordialloc Pier View From Water It’s around 24km from the city.

So the suburb is easily accessible from most places in Melbourne via the Nepean Highway.

A number of arterial roads feed into it. Such as Springvale and Warrigal Roads.

You can take a scenic bayside trip all the way from Port Melbourne via State Route 33.

This route (see map) would be great for a group on bikes doing a “pier crawl.”

Most of the route gives awesome views of Port Phillip Bay. With a lot of great piers and breakwaters to fish in between.

Parking When Fishing At Mordi

Parking near the pier and creek estuary is free before 8:00 am and after 8:00 pm. So you do need to pay during the day if you’re using it while fishing the pier and surrounds.

I use the EasyPark app on my phone. This makes it quick and easy and I end up paying for the time I need rather than guessing.

The area is serviced by public transport. This includes regular train service at the station on the Frankston line.

There is also a bus service connecting a number of suburbs.

Parks Victoria recently released a Depth Survey for the Creek.

This is useful as a note when using the boat ramp and when fishing the creek to identify the drop-off into the channel.

The image shows the channel lines where dredging has taken the channel down to 2.5 m (8.2 feet in the old measurements) in depth.

While taking care of boats it is possible to fish the drop-off for species less inclined to be exposed to shallower water.

In terms of boats navigating the channel. This depth should be sufficient for most craft under 4.7 metres.

Just make sure you know your draft and that the height of your vessel fits under the railway and main road bridges.

Fishing Mordialloc Pier

Mordialloc Pier is one of my favourite piers in metropolitan Melbourne.

It’s the spot I focus on the most when I go fishing in the area.

While at times, particularly in recent years, fishing activity can be quiet.

So it pays to fish on days where the conditions are right.

The pier features a shelter shed (which looks like a bus shelter) about 2/3rds of the way down the pier.

The shelter Affords some relief from the elements during a big blow from the West or East.

Some of the best snapper fishing can be had during one of these big Westerly or Southerly blows. But care must be taken!

It offers a wide variety of habitats. Including:

• Shelter under the pier for species like Bream, Pinkies and baitfish.
• Grass areas, interspersed with sandy patches for Squid and Whiting.
• Access off the end of the pier to a major reef. Attractive to larger snapper and flathead.

Fishing Mordialloc Creek

Mordialloc Creek Fishing offers easy access and at times some great sport for bream and mullet.

Not forgetting the odd flathead and pinky snapper.

This is one area where wheelchair access for fishing should be possible.

The concreted pathways adjoining the carpark and easy access to public toilets and the kiosk all aid with disability access.

Light tackle is all you need.

A spinning rod from 6 to 9 feet and a small matching reel should be perfect.

Keep sinkers light. There’s not a lot of current usually.

A ball sinker works well. But a weighted berley cage is very good with bream and mullet.

I always use a plastic berley cage instead of a sinker doing this kind of fishing.

I do this because it gets the berley near my bait and gives me enough weight.

You can pretty much use any common saltwater bait. Like:

• Pippis.
• Chicken,
• Squid
• Whitebait
• Bluebait
• Pilchards
• Prawns.
• Even sandworms should be fine here at times.

After heavy rains, regular earthworms are worth a try as they are washed into the creek from further upstream.

Fishing Mordialloc Beach

Mordialloc Beach Fishing is often overlooked.

However, it does in fact produce fish and can be worthwhile.

Species such as flathead, bream and mullet are all accessible from the beach.

As are the pinky snapper and at times whiting can be caught around the weed beds.

A beach rod – 10 feet or more – will help you get your bait out into the “zone.”

But don’t fish too heavy, unless the wave action and currents require it.

Stay as light as you can!

Look – with the option of fishing Mordialloc Pier and Mordialloc Creek fishing – fishing the beach is largely overlooked.

But there’s fish to be caught there!

Mordialloc Boat Ramp

Mordialloc Boat Ramp is usually in pretty good condition.

But – it’s only suitable for smaller watercraft.

While not really a fishing hotspot itself the ramp gives you access to Port Phillip Bay fishing hotspots.

The ramp is protected very well from most weather conditions.

The exception is SW, S SE strong winds.

These winds can create a swell when moored to the boardwalk.

So make sure you have fenders deployed.

The clearance on the rail and road bridges over the creek is only 2m in normal tide conditions.

Note that king tides may reduce this clearance.

There is free trailer parking. Boat washing facilities and public toilets.

The ramp gives you access to Port Phillip Bay.

There are some good reefs offering snapper, whiting, flathead and other common bay species.

If you have a boat capable then Ricketts Point to the North and the reefs from Carrum down to the South are accessible.

But don’t overlook the Mordialloc fishing reefs just inshore either.

Extra Mordi Fishing Tips

Keep in mind the following:

• Fish the hatch if you can.
• Survey the water (Polaroids are good for this.)
• See what the fish might be eating if you can. Bait-fish, shrimp etc.
• After heavy rain earthworms and even beach worms can work in an estuary.
• Fish light in most places, with the exception of the beach and the end of the pier.
• You may need heavier tackle on the beach and end of pier zones.

Mordialloc Fishing Target Fish Species

Fish Species	Quick Info
Calamari Sepioteuthis australis	Known commonly as Squid or Calamari. Best fished when waters are clear with little turbulence. Top times can be during June to September. Bait: Fish mounted on squid bait jigs
Pinky Snapper (Juvenile Snapper) Mugilidae sp	Much more prevalent during warmer months. This name applies to juvenile specimens of Snapper. Bait: Bluebait, Chicken Breast, Flathead Fillets, Mullet Fillets, Mussels, Pilchards, Pipis, Prawns, Sandworms, Squid Hoods, Squid Tentacles, Whitebait, Whiting Fillets
Snapper Mugilidae sp	Much more prevalent during warmer months. This name applies to juvenile specimens of Snapper. Bait: Bluebait, Chicken Breast, Flathead Fillets, Mullet Fillets, Mussels, Pilchards, Pipis, Prawns, Sandworms, Squid Hoods, Squid Tentacles, Whitebait, Whiting Fillets
Flathead Platycephalus sp	But much more prevalent during warmer months.. Bait: Bluebait, Chicken Breast, Flathead Fillets, Mullet Fillets, Mussels, Pilchards, Pipis, Prawns, Sandworms, Squid Tentacles, Whitebait, Whiting Fillets
Australian Salmon Arripis trutta	Common for schools to move through, chopping up the water before moving on. Can be common during cooler months. Bait: Bluebait, Chicken Breast, Flathead Fillets, Mullet Fillets, Mussels, Pilchards, Pipis, Prawns, Sandworms, Squid Hoods, Squid Tentacles, Whitebait, Whiting Fillets
Whiting Sp	Generic Name for a number of Whiting Species found in Australia. Bait:
Mullet Mugilidae sp	Can sometimes be the only game in town during cooler weather. Bait: luebait, Chicken Breast, Earthworms, Mussels, Pilchards, Pipis, Prawns, Squid Tentacles
Southern Black Bream Acanthopagrus butcheri	Can become less active during Winter. Activity picking up in late August. Active during warmer months. Bait: Bluebait, Chicken Breast, Crabs, Earthworms, Mussels, Pilchards, Pipis, Prawns, Sandworms, Whitebait

Mordialloc Fishing Review Summary

In my opinion, the strongest feature of fishing in the Mordi area is that it offers so many different styles of fishing.

• Accessible estuary fishing for the elderly, disabled and young families.
• Squid fishing off the western side of the first third of the Pier.
• Snapper, flathead, whiting and bream fishing off the whole pier.
• A small craft., protected boat ramp on the creek.
• Beach fishing – great when the creek and pier and full of other fishos!
• The area is only 24km from the city its accessible from most Melbourne suburbs.

That means it’s usually under an hour’s drive for most people.

So overall I rate it a 5/5.

Pros

• A lot of varied fishing environments to choose from
• Great family spot (with Children under supervision as water is always dangerous to small children.)
• An easy drive from most Melbourne suburbs Often quite good fishing

Cons

• Can get pretty busy during summertime, especially on warmer days
• Has become popular with some youth gangs at times
• Parking is good – but can be expensive if needed all-day

Fishing opportunities include the Pier, Creek, and Beach as well using the Boat Ramp to access inshore and offshore hotspots.