Metung, VIC

Fishing Metung

Top 10 Species

Landbased

• Metung Boardwalk: Metung Boardwalk is a stunning timber walkway providing exceptional shore-based access to deep water holding large black bream. Fishing this structure during a run-out tide with a gentle breeze will mask your presence from wary fish. Casting lightly weighted soft plastics parallel to the pylons is a highly effective way to trigger a strike.
• Shaving Point: Shaving Point is a prominent land-based location offering access to strong tidal flows where tailor and trevally congregate. You will find the best action here fishing the top of the tide when the water is crystal clear. A medium spin outfit casting small metal slugs or suspending pilchard baits will consistently produce fish.
• Nungurner Jetty: Nungurner Jetty is a quiet and secluded timber structure perfect for targeting king george whiting and bream. Anglers should fish this jetty early in the morning on a rising tide before the boat traffic increases. Using a light running sinker rig with fresh pipis or local sandworm is the most reliable method here.
• Bancroft Bay Foreshore: Bancroft Bay Foreshore provides easily accessible shallow banks where shore-based anglers can comfortably wade for flathead. Wading on a warm afternoon during the run-out tide pushes the baitfish into the slightly deeper channels. Casting shallow diving hardbody lures or paddle tail plastics on finesse tackle will result in constant action.
• Chinaman Creek Banks: Chinaman Creek Banks offer a sheltered estuarine environment where land-based fishers can target elusive estuary perch. Fishing during the low light periods of dusk with absolute silence is essential to avoid spooking the fish. Casting small surface poppers or shallow diving hardbodies on ultralight tackle is incredibly effective in this specific location.

Offshore

• Metung Artificial Reef: Metung Artificial Reef is a fantastic boat-based structure located in Lake King that holds massive aggregations of bream and pinkies. Boaters should anchor slightly away from the reef modules on a slack tide to present baits naturally. Dropping unweighted local prawns or live bass yabbies directly onto the structure will produce massive silver trevally.
• Nungurner Artificial Reef: Nungurner Artificial Reef provides another excellent underwater habitat concentrating fish in a highly accessible boating zone. You should drift slowly over the reef area using an electric motor to locate the thickest schools of fish. Casting sinking vibes or deep diving crankbaits over the reef will trigger aggressive strikes from schooling fish.
• Lake King Drop-offs: Lake King Drop-offs act as a major ambush zone for large dusky flathead waiting for baitfish to flush from the shallows. You should drift along these steep underwater ledges during the peak tidal flow to locate feeding fish. Casting heavily weighted soft plastics down the face of the drop-off is the best way to hook large flathead.
• Tambo River Mouth: Tambo River Mouth is a wide deep channel accessible by boat that holds massive aggregations of bream during their spawning run. You should fish this junction during a neap tide when the water currents are easily manageable. Casting crab imitations or small paddle tail plastics tightly into the drop-offs yields the best results.
• Bancroft Bay Deep Holes: Bancroft Bay Deep Holes provide refuge for large tailor and silver trevally during the colder winter months. Anchoring slightly up-current of these holes on a slack tide allows you to present baits in a natural manner. Dropping pilchard fillets on a paternoster rig with a heavy leader is the preferred method for hooking these species.

Hot Spots

• Boxes Creek entrance: Boxes Creek entrance is a fantastic shallow area to cast soft plastics for feeding flathead.
• Mosquito Point sandbars: Mosquito Point sandbars hold excellent numbers of yellowfin bream that respond well to surface lures.
• Lake King Steamer Channel: The Lake King Steamer Channel is a highly productive drift zone for catching large silver trevally.
• Bancroft Bay Moorings: Bancroft Bay Moorings provide exceptional vertical structure where luderick graze heavily on encrusted weed.
• Nungurner Bay Shallows: Nungurner Bay Shallows offer calm backwaters where kayak anglers can sight-cast for elusive estuary perch.

Local Bait Tips

• Sandworms: Sandworms are a highly effective local bait that can be pulled from the sandy beaches using a piece of pipi. You must collect these worms completely by hand to comply with Victorian regulations which strictly forbid the use of cast nets.
• Bass Yabbies: Bass yabbies can be hand-pumped from the exposed estuarine mudflats during a low tide. This manual harvesting method perfectly aligns with Victorian rules that ban cast nets and enforce strict daily limits.
• Sand Crabs: Sand crabs are easily gathered by hand amongst the shallow weed beds during a running out tide. Collecting these crabs must be done manually without prohibited cast nets while adhering to all Victorian catch limits.

Boat Ramps

• Metung – Shaving Point Boat Ramp:

  Metung – Shaving Point Boat Ramp: Located at Shaving Point on Metung Road in Metung, this facility provides access to Bancroft Bay on the Gippsland Lakes. It consists of a dual-lane concrete ramp with an adjoining concrete turning apron that was fully resurfaced in 2023. Staging and boarding infrastructure features a floating pontoon on the western side of the ramp designed to offer all-abilities access, along with a fixed timber jetty on the eastern side that was replaced with a new structure equipped with integrated wave screens. Critical hazards and tidal limits include vulnerability to local sand accumulation on the ramp and open exposure to heavy chop and wind-driven sea states across Bancroft Bay, which are highly influenced by strong south-westerly and easterly winds.

• Nungurner Boat Ramp:

  Nungurner Boat Ramp: Located in Nungurner, this facility launches into Bancroft Bay on the Gippsland Lakes. The ramp’s lane configuration is unspecified, but it is supported by the nearby Nungurner Jetty. The primary hazard is exposure to wind-driven sea states across Bancroft Bay, which is highly affected by south-westerly and easterly winds.

Bait and Tackle

• GIPPSLAND BAIT & TACKLE: 69 Main Street, Bairnsdale VIC 3875 | Phone: (03) 5152 4477
• DUFFRODS: Gippsland Lakes Region VIC | Phone: 0411 037 418

Basecamp & Accom

• Metung Holiday Villas | 10-42 Storth Ryes Avenue, Metung VIC 3904 | 03 5156 2611
• McMillans of Metung Coastal Resort | 155 Metung Road, Metung VIC 3904 | 03 5156 2283
• Metung Waters | 11/13 Stirling Road, Metung VIC 3904 | 03 5156 2111

Emergency & Safety

• Emergency: 000 | Paynesville Coast Guard, 49 Langford Parade, Paynesville VIC 3880, VHF Channel 16