Fishing Carrum
The Patterson River flushes massive amounts of freshwater, baitfish, and nutrients straight into the bay. October and November bring an explosion of Snapper activity out in the 18 to 22-meter marks straight off the river mouth. Inside the river itself, anglers enjoy year-round fishing for Black Bream, Mulloway, and Australian Salmon.
Land-based fishers line the concrete rock walls of Patterson River and local ocean piers. Walking the river rock walls while casting soft plastics or live baits produces quality Black Bream and trophy Mulloway. Seaford Pier just to the south offers comfortable beach casting for Garfish, Flathead, and Squid.
Boaters launching from Launching Way enjoy ten launching lanes and immediate access to deep water. Heading straight out to the 20-meter mark lets you anchor up and berley for big spring Snapper. Drifting the nearby sand ridges or artificial 8-meter reef yields reliable bags of Flathead, Pinkies, and Gummy Sharks.
Top 10 Species
Landbased
- PATTERSON RIVER ROCK-WALLS: Long granite rock walls bordering the river mouth where freshwater meets the bay. Cast 2.5-inch motoroil soft plastics or live shrimps right along the rock face for Black Bream. Live baiting small mullet or pilchard slabs on a rising tide at night frequently hook trophy Mulloway.
- SEAFORD PIER: A long timber pier built over shallow sand flats just south of Carrum. Float-fish maggots or silverfish under a pencil float during calm morning conditions for dense schools of Garfish. Cast size 2.5 squid jigs over the dark weed patches at night under the pier lights for Southern Calamari.
- PATTERSON RIVER PONTOONS: Floating timber pontoons located inside the quiet river canal network. Drop unweighted peeled prawns, scrub worms, or micro soft-vibe lures right against the pontoon floats for educated Black Bream. Early morning sessions before boat traffic wakes up deliver the best action.
- CARRUM BEACH FORESHORE: Sandy ocean beach flanking the river entrance where surf fishers set up rod stands. Cast double-hook patternoster rigs baited with bluebait or squid strips beyond the shore break for Sand Flathead. Late afternoon tides during summer produce consistent feeds of Flathead.
- PATTERSON LAKES CANAL ENTRANCE: Estuarine structure where canal gates control tidal water flow inside the river. Cast small hardbody crankbaits or 2-inch paddletails into the bubbling water flow on a run-out tide for Black Bream and Flathead. Fish hit aggressively as bait gets flushed through the gate opening.
Offshore
- CARRUM 18M TO 22M MARKS: Deep mud bottom straight out from Patterson River mouth that forms Victoria's premier spring Snapper zone. Set anchor up-current of marked fish, establish a continuous pilchard berley trail, and soak snelled 5/0 hook rigs baited with whole pilchards or silver whiting. The prime bite window occurs during tide changes at dawn and dusk.
- CARRUM 8M ARTIFICIAL REEF: Man-made concrete reef modules placed in 8 meters depth straight off Carrum beach. Drift or anchor over the modules casting 4-inch soft plastics or bait rigs for Pinkie Snapper, Flathead, and Trevally. The heavy structure also attracts schooling Australian Salmon and Snook.
- PATTERSON RIVER BAR DROP-OFF: The shallow sandbar drop-off straight outside the river entrance dropping into 5 meters depth. Drift along the edge casting soft plastics or trolling shallow minnows for Sand Flathead and Australian Salmon. Watch for breaking swell waves over the shallow bar when exiting the river.
- SEAFORD DEEP SAND RIDGES: Wide sand ridges located in 10 to 14 meters depth off Seaford beach. Drift across the open sand using double-hook patternoster rigs baited with fresh squid strips or bluebait for limits of Sand Flathead. Deploying a drogue slows your boat speed and keeps your baits fishing effectively.
- CARRUM GUMMY SHARK MARKS: Deep sand and mud bottom located in 16 to 20 meters depth south-west of Carrum. Set heavy anchors at night with fresh fish fillets, salmon slabs, or squid heads for cruising Gummy Sharks. Use heavy 80lb monofilament leader to handle abrasive shark skin.
Hot Spots
- Patterson River Launching Way: Victoria's high-capacity boating hub providing fast access to deep bay Snapper grounds.
- Patterson River Mouth: A fertile estuarine exit point famous for land-based Black Bream, Mulloway, and Salmon.
- Carrum 20m Line: The gold-standard offshore Snapper zone straight out from the river in spring.
- Carrum 8m Artificial Reef: Man-made concrete reef structure holding Pinky Snapper, Flathead, and Trevally.
- Seaford Pier: A quiet land-based pier offering top-quality Garfish, Calamari, and Flathead fishing.
Local Bait Tips
- GLASS SHRIMPS (ESTUARY SHRIMPS): Scooped from submerged weed banks and pylon bases inside Patterson River and Patterson Lakes canals using a long-handled fine mesh dip net on low tide. Store in a bucket with a small aerated bubbler to keep lively for Bream and Flathead bait.
- BASS YABBIES (GHOST SHRIMP): Harvested from intertidal mud and sand flats around Patterson River mouth and Bonbeach sandbars at low tide. Pump active siphon holes using a stainless yabbie pump, rinse slurry in a sieve, and keep on damp sponge in a cool bait box.
- LIVE YELLOWEYE MULLET: Caught inside Patterson River canals and around river mouth rock walls using a fine float rig with size 12 hooks baited with bread dough, or a legal bait hoop net. Pin alive through the top lip as unmatched bait for river Mulloway.
- SOUTHERN CALAMARI: Targeted off Seaford Pier and inshore weed patches straight off Carrum beach. Cast size 2.5 squid jigs along dark weed margins at dusk or under pier lights on high tide. Slice fresh tubes into thin fluttering strips for flathead bait.
Boat Ramps
- Patterson River Launching Way:
Patterson River Launching Way is located on the Patterson River in Carrum, approximately 28km southeast of Melbourne CBD. The high-capacity estuarine facility features a total of ten concrete launching lanes configured as two separate three-lane ramps and two separate two-lane ramps, protected from open bay wave action. Staging is supported by boarding pontoons equipped with two mechanical hoists to assist boaters with disabilities. Outbound vessels must navigate a dynamic river mouth bar subject to rapid sand build-up, strong river currents, and potential flash flooding, with depths monitored via live trip preparation cameras on the Boating Vic network. Amenities include a massive paved carpark with over 350 designated car-trailer spaces, public toilets, electric barbecues, lighting, and wheelchair-accessible picnic shelters, with free parking and launching.
- Kananook Creek Boat Ramp:
Kananook Creek Boat Ramp is located off Pier Promenade at the mouth of Kananook Creek in Frankston. The sheltered estuarine facility features eight concrete launching lanes and boarding finger jetties. The creek mouth is highly prone to severe siltation and sand accumulation, requiring a continuous maintenance dredging program utilizing an on-site pontoon sub-dredge to maintain a minimum navigable depth of 1.0 meter below chart datum. Landside amenities include a large paved car-trailer parking area, a high-quality fish cleaning table, public restrooms, and lighting, with free parking and launching for trailer-attached vehicles.
- Governor Road Boat Ramp:
Governor Road Boat Ramp (Mordialloc Boat Ramp) is located on Mordialloc Creek off Governor Road in Mordialloc, managed by the City of Kingston. The sheltered estuarine facility features a multi-lane concrete launching ramp equipped with new concrete floating pontoons at the ramp, complemented by a DDA-compliant accessible floating pontoon established nearby at Pier Road for temporary pick-up and drop-off. Navigational hazards include heavy creek siltation that requires regular maintenance dredging to ensure tidal clearance, with outbound vessels navigating under the Nepean Highway Bridge (Pompei’s Bridge) assisted by two tide boards indicating creek depth. The reconfigured asphalt carpark includes nine formalized car-and-trailer spaces, a dedicated trailer queuing lane to eliminate congestion, improved drainage, lighting, and landscaping, with free launching and parking.
- Oliver’s Hill Boat Ramp:
Oliver’s Hill Boat Ramp is located at the base of Oliver’s Hill on the Nepean Highway, Frankston South, on the eastern shore of Port Phillip Bay. The open-water beach facility features a two-lane concrete ramp slab and a central boarding pontoon. The ramp is highly exposed to westerly winds which generate dangerous shore chop, with shallow waters and exposed sandbars either side at low tide, protected by a 465-meter bluestone masonry seawall. Landside facilities include a paved carpark accommodating 47 car-and-trailer units (free for trailer-attached vehicles), public toilets, rubbish bins, lighting, walking paths, and a nearby fish and chips trailer, though there are no dedicated fish cleaning tables on-site.
Bait and Tackle
- GONE FISHIN: 29 Lathams Road, Carrum Downs VIC 3201 | Phone: (03) 9770 8142
- COMPLEAT ANGLER DANDENONG: 241-243 Princes Highway, Dandenong VIC 3175 | Phone: (03) 9794 9397
Basecamp & Accom
- BIG4 Mornington Peninsula Holiday Park: 2 Robinsons Rd, Frankston South VIC 3199 - Ph: (03) 5971 2333
- Carrum Downs Holiday Park: 116 Frankston-Dandenong Rd, Carrum Downs VIC 3201 - Ph: (03) 9786 1120
- Frankston Motel: 120 Bloomfield Rd, Frankston VIC 3199 - Ph: (03) 9783 7077
Emergency & Safety
- Coast Guard Carrum (CG03): Launching Way, Patterson River, Carrum VIC 3197 - Ph: (03) 9772 3881 / Emergency 000 - VHF Ch 16 / 67
