Yarra River Estuary Port Melbourne Fishing

Pontoon Jetty Yarra River Estuary

While there is a small floating pontoon jetty I’ do not recommend it.

Larger boats (like tugs) can and do put out some pretty big wakes at high speed – in spite of posted speed restrictions. This jetty becomes a bit of a trampoline at this point. Not for the faint-hearted.

Expect the Northern Pacific starfish (Asterias amurensis) to steal fresh and frozen bait. You may even reel some in.

This pest hitches a ride from South East Asian ports on ships in their water ballast.

When the ships purge their tanks the juvenile starfish are purged with the water.

They’ve managed to infiltrate Port Phillip Bay, the Yarra and even the Maribyrnong river as far upstream as Essendon!

Watch Out For The Ship Wakes

Your bait is going to be thrown about by both commercial and private boats and ships. It’s not unusual for a container ship to suck the water away from the bank, then it all coming back in a rush.

Some wakes can produce some sizeable wash.

This is an issue at other nearby locations, including the Warmies.

Parking facilities are fairly good early mornings, evenings and weekends. However, there’s hefty competition for parking spots during the week.

Toilets, however, are some distance away (2km) and were being rebuilt on my last visit. Expect to travel back to Port Melbourne or even South Melbourne if you need to avail yourself of these.

The tide can be strong. The incoming tide seems to be great for mullet and pinkies. The slack and outgoing tides have worked better for me when it comes to targeting flathead.

Use A Smaller Rig On At Least One Rod

I’d definitely recommend smaller hook sizes for most species. Consider between a 6 to 14 hook. Sounds small, but many of the fish in the Yarra estuary system have smaller mouths.

If you’re using berley the smaller fish will bring in larger fish anyway. You can always change up to a larger rig later.

Smaller rigs are great for kids, too. They’re more likely to “catch a fish”, albeit small, than with a larger tackle setup. That helps sustain their interest – and makes their – and your – day more enjoyable.

I’d definitely recommend using berley in the Yarra estuary. Attract the fish to you. You’re going to find that easier than casting about any which way. Aim your rod at a likely spot, then focus your berley there.

You can cast a berley cage out on your line. Used either a running sinker or a paternoster rig.

Try a fine breadcrumb berley mixture infused with tuna oil, a few drops of aniseed and even a touch of garlic can work well.

Just keep in mind – a little flavour goes a long way – and to much drives the fish away. Be subtle. Experiment!

Berley cages spread the slick around your bait, without “feeding the fish”. Increasing your chances of a hookup.

Yarra River Estuary Address