Inverloch & Anderson Inlet, VIC

Fishing Inverloch & Anderson Inlet

Top 10 Species

Landbased

• Screw Creek Mouth: Anglers should fish the outgoing tide where the tea-tree stained water meets the main inlet channel to find schooling fish. Light spin tackle paired with small soft plastics or unweighted natural baits works best in this shallow margin. The wind-protected banks allow for accurate casting even when stiff southerly breezes hamper other exposed shorelines.
• Flat Rocks: This ocean-facing rock ledge requires careful footing but provides direct access to deep wash zones and scattered reef. A medium-heavy surf rod is necessary to cast large baits over the initial rock shelf and control hooked fish in the surge. Fishing the run-in tide during periods of low swell yields the best results while keeping safety paramount.
• The Pines: Situated along the main channel, this sandy stretch is a favourite for those targeting cruising flathead and whiting. Light monofilament lines and small running sinker rigs allow baits to drift naturally with the strong tidal flow. Casting just beyond the drop-off into the deeper water as the tide starts to recede concentrates the feeding activity.
• Inverloch Jetty: The main timber structure is a hub of activity where families and dedicated anglers cross paths to intercept passing schools. Dropping baits vertically beside the pylons on a slack tide often tempts resident fish seeking shelter from the current. Anglers should use robust leaders here to prevent getting busted off on the barnacle-encrusted wooden poles.
• Pensioners Point: This accessible stretch of sand provides a highly reliable ambush zone for wandering whiting during the top of the tide. Using fresh pipi baits on small long-shank hooks will quickly attract bites from these highly prized table fish. Anglers must stay vigilant of the fast-flowing water as the dropping tide rapidly drains the adjacent mudflats.

Offshore

• Anderson Inlet Main Channel: The deep central artery of the inlet acts as a superhighway for larger marine predators moving with the tide. Drifting with the current while bouncing soft plastics along the sandy bottom is a proven method for securing large flathead. Anglers must constantly monitor their depth sounder to stay within the narrow trough as the surrounding sandbanks shallow up rapidly.
• Stevies Gutter: This renowned inner-estuary depression holds a highly concentrated population of schooling whiting during the warmer months. Anchoring slightly up-current and deploying a steady berley trail will quickly draw fish out from the adjacent weed beds. A paternoster rig loaded with fresh local baits is essential for targeting the deeper holes within this specific channel.
• The Entrance Bar: Crossing the bar to fish the immediate offshore drop-offs demands extreme respect and a highly capable offshore vessel. Trolling deep-diving hardbody lures just past the breakers often results in explosive strikes from aggressive pelagic species. Fishing is only viable during calm weather windows on a high slack tide to avoid the treacherous standing waves.
• Point Smythe Reefs: Located just outside the inlet, these scattered nearshore reefs provide prime habitat for snapper and large sharks. Dropping heavy baits on heavy braided lines ensures you can muscle fish away from the jagged bottom structure. The current here is immense, requiring heavy sinkers and strategic anchoring to maintain your position over the strike zone.
• Venus Bay Offshore Grounds: Venturing wider into the open ocean reveals deeper channels where massive gummy sharks patrol the sandy corridors. Drifting with fresh fish baits on large circle hooks is the standard approach for these deep-water bottom dwellers. Always check your marine weather forecast before heading out here as conditions in Bass Strait deteriorate incredibly fast.

Hot Spots

• Townsend Bluff Drop-off: A steep sandy ledge that holds large flathead waiting to ambush baitfish on the falling tide.
• Upper Channel Snags: A submerged timber cluster high up the inlet where big estuary perch hide during daylight hours.
• Pelican Point Flats: Extremely shallow weed beds that require stealthy wading and surface lures to tempt spooky whiting.
• Point Smythe Shallows: Clear sandy flats where large school fish feed on the moving tides.
• Inverloch Esplanade Rocks: A structural shoreline point holding trevally and mullet on high water.

Local Bait Tips

• Bass Yabbies: Locate soft mudflats in the lower estuary at low tide and look for their distinct small burrows. Use a metal hand pump to extract them from the wet sand and store them in fresh saltwater.
• Pipis: Search the wet sand of the intertidal surf wash zones along ocean beaches just as the wave recedes. Twist your feet into the sand to locate the hard shells and collect them by hand.
• Sand Worms: Lay a wet mesh bag containing oily fish frames in the active surf wash on an outgoing tide. Watch for the worm heads emerging from the sand and use specialized pliers or your fingers to pull them out quickly.

Boat Ramps

• Inverloch:

  Location: Off The Esplanade, Inverloch, accessing the Port of Anderson Inlet. Subject to strong tidal flows, wind-driven wave energy, and shifting sand shoals, crossing the ocean entrance bar is highly dangerous due to changing depths, strong currents, and severe sea states. This dual-lane concrete ramp was upgraded in late 2024 with a non-slip traction mesh, an extended pedestrian access ramp, and a top-jetty handrail added in early 2025. It features a new fixed western jetty with large wooden wave screens, solar lighting, a non-slip decking surface, rubber fenders, and a lower landing for low-tide boarding. Landside amenities include a resurfaced carpark, an additional 30 trailer spaces in a grassed overflow area, and dedicated rigging and tie-down lanes. The facility is managed by the Bass Coast Shire Council, with the jetty and tide board managed by Gippsland Ports.

• Mahers Landing:

  Location: Southern shore of Anderson Inlet, off Mahers Landing Road, Mahers Landing. Designed to resolve historical flat-gradient launching limitations, this upgraded facility is subject to Anderson Inlet’s strong tidal currents, shifting channels, and restricted speed zones (10 knots upstream, dropping to 5 knots at night near the ramp). This newly upgraded dual-lane concrete boat ramp extends 80 metres into the channel to provide all-tide launching, alongside a tiered fixed jetty designed for DDA compliance with tiered horizontal landings (Landings 1 to 5). Landside infrastructure has been modernised to include an asphalt carpark with 55 car-trailer spaces, 5 car spaces, 2 DDA accessible spaces, and 2 dedicated rigging and waiting lanes. It features sand trap infiltration swales to filter stormwater runoff and prevent contaminants from reaching the intertidal zone. The facility is managed by the Bass Coast Shire Council.

• Venus Bay:

  Location: At the car park locally known as ‘The Rocks’ along the Venus Bay-Tarwin Lower Road, Venus Bay, accessing Anderson Inlet. Access is highly restricted to the Venus Bay Boat Ramp Channel, which is shallow, prone to fine silt, and navigable only by shallow-draught vessels under favourable tidal conditions. A speed limit of 10 knots upstream of Mahers Landing applies, dropping to 5 knots at night and near the car park. The facility is managed by the Bass Coast Shire Council. Ramp lane configuration and surface materials are not specified in official sources, and there are no documented staging or boarding facilities.

Bait and Tackle

• INVERLOCH MARINE & TACKLE: 2 Cuttriss St, Inverloch VIC 3996 | Phone: (03) 5674 1502
• WONTHAGGI TACKLE & OUTDOORS: Graham St, Wonthaggi VIC 3995 | Phone: (03) 5672 4488

Basecamp & Accom

• BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Inverloch: 2 Cuttriss Street, Inverloch, Phone: 03 5674 1447
• Inverloch Holiday Park: 20-26 Cuttriss Street, Inverloch, Phone: 03 5674 1447
• Inverloch Motel: 10 Bass Highway, Inverloch, Phone: 03 5674 1711

Emergency & Safety

• Coast Guard Port Welshpool: Emergency: 000, VHF: 16, Phone: 03 5688 1419