New Landbased Spots for Spring

[Sebb]

I have often wondered about the virtues of the rocky shoreline at the foot of Olivers Hill in Frankston. It seem accessible by a path from the Olivers Hill boat ramp.

Can anyone comment on whether it is good, bad, or indifferent ?

Looks fishable but looks shallow too. Here's some pics from google image.

[whambamsam]

Yeah definitely not keen on going shoulder to shoulder... Mornington pier in the summer is already too awful for me (as are most piers on that peninsula). That's the reason I was mostly heading to the rocks, and have been exploring some of the odder jetties down Sorrento way, some of them I've saved as potential spots to try for fish since I had some success on the squid there.

Are there any other rock platforms to fish off in the bay down the Mornington side apart from Mt Martha? I've been thinking of trying the rocks near Portsea pier next time I'm in that area. Still chasing my first whiting and proper sized snapper.

Those rocks in mount Martha can get quite busy during the warmer months as well!
I’ve gotten out of my car and looked down to see people then hopped back in the car and gone to the next spot to find people there too.
But a great spot if you are after your first whiting/proper size snapper.

It definitely gets busy! But nowhere close to the chaos on the piers during that period haha

[Lightningx]

Yeah definitely not keen on going shoulder to shoulder... Mornington pier in the summer is already too awful for me (as are most piers on that peninsula). That's the reason I was mostly heading to the rocks, and have been exploring some of the odder jetties down Sorrento way, some of them I've saved as potential spots to try for fish since I had some success on the squid there.

Are there any other rock platforms to fish off in the bay down the Mornington side apart from Mt Martha? I've been thinking of trying the rocks near Portsea pier next time I'm in that area. Still chasing my first whiting and proper sized snapper.

Those rocks in mount Martha can get quite busy during the warmer months as well!
I’ve gotten out of my car and looked down to see people then hopped back in the car and gone to the next spot to find people there too.
But a great spot if you are after your first whiting/proper size snapper.

It definitely gets busy! But nowhere close to the chaos on the piers during that period haha

Yea that’s true but I remember being annoyed having to go to a few different spots to try and get a spot to fish!
But yea I’d take that anyday over say lagoon pier in peak snapper season :rofl:

[whambamsam]

So for some rocks gear (for snapper) - is something like this suitable? https://www.anglerswarehouse.com.au/pro ... _rod_15324

Guessing it'd be too heavy for whiting, but I can probably use a 7ft rod, or one of my heavier egi rods for that?

[Sebb]

So for some rocks gear (for snapper) - is something like this suitable? https://www.anglerswarehouse.com.au/pro ... _rod_15324

Guessing it'd be too heavy for whiting, but I can probably use a 7ft rod, or one of my heavier egi rods for that?

Yup, 9ft rod 9kg class.
You can use that on a pier too and spinning for aussie salmon off the beach casting 40gm metal lure.

[Lightningx]

So for some rocks gear (for snapper) - is something like this suitable? https://www.anglerswarehouse.com.au/pro ... _rod_15324

Guessing it'd be too heavy for whiting, but I can probably use a 7ft rod, or one of my heavier egi rods for that?

Yea mate would be alright!
Like Seb said casting some metals off the beach with that one would be alright as well :thumbsup:

[DougieK]

I have often wondered about the virtues of the rocky shoreline at the foot of Olivers Hill in Frankston. It seem accessible by a path from the Olivers Hill boat ramp.

Can anyone comment on whether it is good, bad, or indifferent ?

It's really shallow and really snaggy. Everyone once in a while a school of salmon blast through and it gets crazy for about 10 mins but other than that i've never really seen anyone catch anything there. It looks like it should be full of squid but I never saw one and there are no ink stains anywhere.

[4liters]

I have often wondered about the virtues of the rocky shoreline at the foot of Olivers Hill in Frankston. It seem accessible by a path from the Olivers Hill boat ramp.

Can anyone comment on whether it is good, bad, or indifferent ?

I've been over that area in the kayak, it's pretty shallow. Further down at Davy Bay you might get lucky with squid landbased as I've got them from the kayak often enough, but it's super shallow too.

[DougieK]

This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion but rock fishing really isn't that dangerous unless you're completely unaware of what it is you're getting yourself into. I've taken my 11yo stepson rock fishing dozens of times and the risk is only really as bad as you want to make it. There are an untold number of ledges along the back beaches / otways / wilsons prom / phillip island / kilcunda that are entirely fishable in reasonable conditions and will produce -much- more interesting days fishing than pretty much anywhere else in VIC. I've fished pretty much every accesable ledge on the peninsula, as well as a couple that you can't 'really' get to.

First, get some good footwear and a life jacket. Rock boots are anywhere form 70-100 bucks and have literally saved my life a couple of times. CarlG and Adtrac tell similar stories. I've been knocked off a ledge a few years back and would have come less close to drowning if i'd been wearing a life jacket, which is 100% of the time these days.

Next, identify which ledge you're going to fish. Use the navionics app and google maps to find one that drops into 5+ metres of water within about 100m of shore. That's a good place to start targeting some bigger species.

Next pick your day and time. I suggest the second half of the run out tide. Swell under 1m and a gentle or offshore wind. Willy weather helps and windy.com is amazing for planning rock trips.

Then go and have a look at it on a nice day with very limited gear. When on a scouting run, I just carry my 9 foot salmon rod in a sling on my shoulder and a pack with a waist strap and chest strap that will stay attached to my back no matter what I'm doing. When scouting I like to have both hands free so I can take videos, scramble up and down difficult terrain, scratch my balls etc.

While you're having a look at your ledge, stop above it and watch it for a solid 20 minutes. I try to arrive halfway through the runout tide. Is it wet? Are waves rolling over it? If one does occaisionally, is it crashing into a wall behind you or just sort of washing along? If that wave knocks you over are you going to get a sore butt or is it going to drag you back in and under? Now look behind you. Is there any chance of water getting behind you and pushing you back in? What about the tide coming up a bit and cutting you off? All of these are things you need to consider BEFORE you set foot on the ledge.

So you've found a dry spot. Climb out there. Have a really solid look around it. Are there cracks? Is it uneven? Is it slippery? Which bits are safe to stand on and which bits put you at risk? Where can you stand to cast without slipping? If you do hookup, how are you going to land a fish without putting yourself at risk? Which WAY is the swell coming from? Is there weed / bommies/ snags at your feet that you need to be aware when retrieving your lure.

NOW have a few casts and see how it feels. If you hook up great, and if you don't, no problem, just remember you're here to scout the location and not necessarily land a fish.

Now go buy the biggest, tankiest reel you can (the penn spinfisher 10500V is insanely powerful for $159 odd bucks, fin or lethal 100 also a budget option) and put it on a 10-20kg 12 foot rod. Float squid strips, flesh baits or liveys if you can get them 2 metres under a float or a balloon. Spin lures while you wait with a second setup. Kingfish, sharks and big salmon on ledges are infinitely more interesting than 99% of other kinds of fishing you can do, and when you get to be in locations like these with nobody standing next to you a fish is just a bonus to what is a very enjoyable day out.

Quite a few people have told me i'm out of my mind but don't let that dissuade you from experimenting, as long as you do your research and plan your trip the risk is actually extremely limited. Staring into the deep blue completely isolated you might just find something that you didn't know you had.

[rb85]

This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion but rock fishing really isn't that dangerous unless you're completely unaware of what it is you're getting yourself into. I've taken my 11yo stepson rock fishing dozens of times and the risk is only really as bad as you want to make it. There are an untold number of ledges along the back beaches / otways / wilsons prom / phillip island / kilcunda that are entirely fishable in reasonable conditions and will produce -much- more interesting days fishing than pretty much anywhere else in VIC. I've fished pretty much every accesable ledge on the peninsula, as well as a couple that you can't 'really' get to.

First, get some good footwear and a life jacket. Rock boots are anywhere form 70-100 bucks and have literally saved my life a couple of times. CarlG and Adtrac tell similar stories. I've been knocked off a ledge a few years back and would have come less close to drowning if i'd been wearing a life jacket, which is 100% of the time these days.

Next, identify which ledge you're going to fish. Use the navionics app and google maps to find one that drops into 5+ metres of water within about 100m of shore. That's a good place to start targeting some bigger species.

Next pick your day and time. I suggest the second half of the run out tide. Swell under 1m and a gentle or offshore wind. Willy weather helps and windy.com is amazing for planning rock trips.

Then go and have a look at it on a nice day with very limited gear. When on a scouting run, I just carry my 9 foot salmon rod in a sling on my shoulder and a pack with a waist strap and chest strap that will stay attached to my back no matter what I'm doing. When scouting I like to have both hands free so I can take videos, scramble up and down difficult terrain, scratch my balls etc.

While you're having a look at your ledge, stop above it and watch it for a solid 20 minutes. I try to arrive halfway through the runout tide. Is it wet? Are waves rolling over it? If one does occaisionally, is it crashing into a wall behind you or just sort of washing along? If that wave knocks you over are you going to get a sore butt or is it going to drag you back in and under? Now look behind you. Is there any chance of water getting behind you and pushing you back in? What about the tide coming up a bit and cutting you off? All of these are things you need to consider BEFORE you set foot on the ledge.

So you've found a dry spot. Climb out there. Have a really solid look around it. Are there cracks? Is it uneven? Is it slippery? Which bits are safe to stand on and which bits put you at risk? Where can you stand to cast without slipping? If you do hookup, how are you going to land a fish without putting yourself at risk? Which WAY is the swell coming from? Is there weed / bommies/ snags at your feet that you need to be aware when retrieving your lure.

NOW have a few casts and see how it feels. If you hook up great, and if you don't, no problem, just remember you're here to scout the location and not necessarily land a fish.

Now go buy the biggest, tankiest reel you can (the penn spinfisher 10500V is insanely powerful for $159 odd bucks, fin or lethal 100 also a budget option) and put it on a 10-20kg 12 foot rod. Float squid strips, flesh baits or liveys if you can get them 2 metres under a float or a balloon. Spin lures while you wait with a second setup. Kingfish, sharks and big salmon on ledges are infinitely more interesting than 99% of other kinds of fishing you can do, and when you get to be in locations like these with nobody standing next to you a fish is just a bonus to what is a very enjoyable day out.

Quite a few people have told me i'm out of my mind but don't let that dissuade you from experimenting, as long as you do your research and plan your trip the risk is actually extremely limited. Staring into the deep blue completely isolated you might just find something that you didn't know you had.

I don't disagree observing and understanding the conditions is a fundamental of any type of fishing situation even more so when your at the mercy of the open ocean. Sound advice and some good photos as well.