The historic Victorian settlement of Portland has great fishing within Portland Bay, and provides safe sea access for boaters to productive offshore grounds.
A feature of this area is a consistent run of big southern bluefin tuna from about March to August, along with albacore.
The tuna are generally caught by fast-trolling skirted lures.
The harbour produces mainly squid, whiting, garfish, small salmon, trevally and mullet.
The long harbour rock walls have great fishing at times, with a chance of snapper and gummy sharks.
Minerva and Julia Reefs about 3km offshore produce snapper, kingfish, crayfish and more.
December to March are the best months for yellowtail kingfish.
Snapper are usually best from October to March.
Mako and thresher sharks are caught just 5km or so offshore.
Between the boat harbour and Snapper Point are grounds that produce snapper, flathead, king george whiting and mulloway.
For landbased fishos, the rock wall along Dutton Way produces snapper after storms in spring, as well as salmon and whiting.
The Fitzroy, Surrey and Glenelg Rivers, and Yambuk and Bridgewater Lakes, are popular destinations within reach of Portland.
Makos and thresher sharks are targeted by Portland sportsfishermen, with blue and gummy sharks, whalers and school sharks also available.
A popular offshore species is blue morwong, with the deeper grounds also producing Tassie trumpeter, knifejaw, snapper nannygai and blue-eye trevalla.
Torpedo and calamari squid are abundant around Portland, best in calm warm weather.
Whale watching is popular off Portland in winter.
Freshwater and estuary fishing locations in this general region include …
Aringa Reservoir, Port Fairy – off the Port Fairy-Hamilton Road, 6.5km from Port Fairy, through private property. Follow track to the left past house and through two gates. Brown and rainbow trout and redfin. Stocked regularly with brown trout and rainbow trout.
Branxholme Reservoir, Branxholme – a 1ha waterway about 2.5m deep, bank fishing only, redfin.
Bridgewater Lakes, Cape Bridgewater – 200ha, has smelt, galaxias, pygmy perch, blackfish, redfin, tench. Formerly stocked with trout.
Eumeralla River, Codrington – flows to Yambuk Lake, contains eels, tench, goldfish, congoli, river blackfish, galaxia, pygmy perch, gudgeon. May have brown trout. The estuarine section has estuary perch, salmon, yellow-eye mullet and black bream.
Fitzroy River, Heywood – public access to riverbank at Heywood, the Princes Highway bridge and boat ramp at river mouth. Contains eels, congoli, river blackfish, lamprey, galaxias, gudgeon, pygmy perch. The estuary section extends 16km and has black bream, estuary perch, flounder, yellow-eye mullet, salmon and sea mullet. Some brown trout. There is access to the estuary through private property at Wrights Bridge but ask permission.
Moyne River, Port Fairy – eels, congoli, tench and brown trout, along with galaxias, gudgeon, lamprey and pygmy perch. The estuary extends 4.8km, with estuary perch, mullet,salmon, bream, barracouta, flounder, snapper, whiting, yellow-eye mullet, silver trevally and mulloway. There is plenty of space for bank fishing.
Shaw River, Yambuk – as well as native fish there are some brown trout.
Surrey River, Heywood – access is restricted to road crossings. Occasional brown trout and river blackfish. The estuarine section extends 3km and has bream, yellow-eye mullet, flounder and salmon.
Yambuk Lake, Yambuk – 80ha, an estuary fed by the Shaw and Eumeralla Rivers. Boat and bank fishing for black bream, yellow-eye mullet, salmon, estuary perch, flounder, eels.
Here is a list of recommended tackle for Victorian waters.
Portland tides
Portland coastline
VIC fishing regulations
VIC marine parks
Return to the VIC fishing map
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