Port Welshpool Long Jetty Fishing Guide & Forecast

Port Welshpool Long Jetty fishes best on the change of tide: the last hour of the run-out and the first two hours of the run-in, when squid, snapper, whiting and flathead work the deep water nearly 900 metres off the Gippsland coast.

It is fully accessible with rod holders, cleaning tables and lighting, and neap tides have slower current than big spring movements.

Port Welshpool Long Jetty reaches nearly 900 metres into Corner Inlet on the Gippsland coast. Rebuilt and reopened in 2018 after decades of decay, it puts land-based anglers over water around five metres deep at the end. That depth brings snapper, mulloway and big southern calamari squid within reach.

The practical bits are sorted too: rod holders, cleaning tables, lighting and full disability access. The car park is at the entrance, a trolley can roll straight to your spot, and the deck has room for several anglers. Across the inlet, Wilsons Promontory handles the scenery.

Tidal Currents and Best Times at Port Welshpool

Corner Inlet runs hard, with current at the jetty reaching up to 3 knots on a big tide. Fish the last hour of the run-out and the first two hours of the run-in, when the flow eases enough to hold a bait near the bottom without a pile of lead. The rising tide also pushes clean ocean water into the inlet.

Tide matters more than the clock here. A midday run-in on a neap tide can beat dawn on a fast spring tide. Check the chart and favour the smaller neaps if you can. Westerly and north-westerly winds are comfortable; a strong easterly blows straight up the inlet and makes the outer half unpleasant.

Target Species off the Long Jetty

Southern Calamari Squid

Squid fishing at Port Welshpool is productive year round, with autumn and winter bringing the bigger models. The jetty lights attract baitfish at night and the squid follow them in. A size 3.0 jig in a natural colour like a pilchard or prawn pattern works well. Cast out, let the jig sink to the bottom, then work it back with sharp lifts and pauses. The deeper water at the end of the jetty holds the bigger squid. Keep your jig near the bottom.

Snapper

Snapper move into Corner Inlet from late spring through autumn. The run-in tide brings them in from deeper water following bait schools. A running sinker rig with a pilchard, squid strip or fresh garfish fillet works best. Fish the last third of the jetty where the water is deepest. Dawn and dusk on a rising tide with a light northerly wind produce the bigger fish. Snapper here average 1 to 3 kilograms with the odd 5 kilogram fish in spring.

King George Whiting

King George whiting feed over the sand and weed flats either side of the jetty. A light running sinker rig with a pipi, mussel or bass yabby on a small long shank hook is the standard setup. Fish the first half of the jetty where the water is 2 to 3 metres deep. Whiting bite best on a rising tide, especially in the two hours after low. Summer and early autumn are the peak months. A 6 pound leader is enough. These fish are shy so keep your line light and your bait fresh.

Sand Flathead

Sand flathead sit on the bottom along the whole jetty. Bounce a pilchard fillet or strip of bluebait slowly over the sand on a paternoster rig. Kids can simply lower the bait to the bottom and wait. The run-out tide stirs bait from the sand and gives flathead more to chase.

Australian Salmon

Australian salmon school through the inlet chasing baitfish, especially in autumn and winter. A cast metal lure from the end of the jetty is the best way to find them. Look for birds diving over bait schools and cast into the action. A 40 gram metal slug retrieved fast gets the bite. They fight hard and run line. Bleed them straight away if you plan to eat them. Fish the deeper water at the end of the jetty for the bigger schools.

Mulloway

Mulloway patrol the deeper channel at the end, mainly at night. Set a live mullet or fresh squid head on a running sinker rig and cover the change of tide after dark. Use a rod with backbone and a smooth drag. Fish average 5 to 10 kilograms, with the odd one pushing 15. Winter and spring are the main seasons, particularly on a rising tide.

Garfish

Garfish school around the pylons in summer and autumn. Fish a tiny piece of pipi, prawn or dough under a quill float, with bread and tuna oil as berley. Keep the bait within a metre of the surface on a 4 pound leader and size 12 hook. Lift them gently when they reach the jetty.

Jetty Amenities, Depths and Family Tips

Rod holders line both sides of the jetty. Cleaning tables with running water sit near the entrance, with toilets and a fish-cleaning station by the car park. The deck is flat, wide and step-free, with lighting along its full length. A playground and picnic shelter sit beside the car park.

Depths range from 1.5 metres at the start of the jetty to about 5 metres at the end. Whiting and flathead work the shallower inshore half. Squid, snapper and mulloway prefer the deeper water at the outer half. The jetty faces south into Corner Inlet. A southwesterly wind gives you a clean cast. The Lewis Channel runs past the end of the jetty and is the main tidal thoroughfare. Fish the edges of the channel where the current breaks.

Access and Local Tips for Port Welshpool

Port Welshpool is on the South Gippsland Highway, about 2.5 hours from Melbourne and 1 hour from Wilsons Promontory. Turn onto Lewis Street at the Port Welshpool town sign and follow it to the jetty car park. The local general store sells bait, tackle and hot food. A boat ramp sits next to the jetty if you want to launch a boat. There is a caravan park in town for overnight trips.

Summer weekends and public holidays get busy, so arrive early if you want the end. Bring a berley pot for whiting and garfish, and size 3.0 slow-sinking squid jigs for the clear water. If the current becomes too strong to hold bottom, move shoreward. The flow eases before the fish disappear.

Check the tide before the drive, pack for the walk, and bring enough rigs to cover the shallow half and the deep end.