Geelong, Corio Bay and the Bellarine fishing spots

Corio Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula form Port Phillip's western shore, from Geelong's lit piers and rock walls to the tidal water off Portarlington, St Leonards and Queenscliff. Snapper (famously in winter in Corio Bay), King George whiting, calamari, flathead, salmon and trevally are the mainstays, with gummy sharks in the channels and very big calamari near Swan Bay in spring.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

10 spots here, all fished from land. Seasons follow our Port Phillip and Western Port species list for Victoria. Positions are a guide only, not for navigation.

Under each spot, "Forecast for this spot" opens the app's forecast worked out for that spot: Go, Marginal or No-go for each day of the week ahead, with the best times, wind, waves and tide. Open the forecast.

Spots at a glance

10 spots: Geelong, Corio Bay and the Bellarine
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Cunningham Pier	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
2. Wangim Walk	Breakwall	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
3. Rippleside Pier	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
4. St Helens rock wall & jetty	Breakwall	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
5. Limeburners Point breakwall	Breakwall	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
6. Clifton Springs jetty	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
7. Portarlington Pier	Jetty	Land-based and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
8. Indented Head	Beach	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
9. St Leonards Pier	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
10. Queenscliff Pier	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park; no-take zone nearby

1. Cunningham Pier

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Geelong waterfront at Western Beach; parking, cafes and toilets close by.
What's good here: Peak in October: snapper, silver trevally, sand flathead, southern calamari, black bream and leatherjacket. Also in season: King George whiting and Australian salmon.
Best tide: Any tide; night sessions under the lights are productive.
Best wind: Fishable in most winds; strong northerlies blow onto the waterfront.
Note: A 350 m pier into deeper water: snapper, whiting, salmon, trevally and flathead off the end, calamari after dark, and bream, leatherjackets and garfish down the pylons.
Safety: Busy tourist pier: watch your casts.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary, about 20 km south-east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.14140, 144.36230 · Open in Google Maps (position: Cunningham Pier, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Wangim Walk

Type: Breakwall · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Walkway on the Royal Geelong Yacht Club breakwater, Geelong waterfront.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream, snapper and sand flathead.
Best tide: Any tide; dawn and dusk.
Best wind: Sheltered from southerlies.
Note: This 440 m walkway stands on piles over open water: drop soft plastics or lightly weighted baits straight down beside the piles for bream and pinky snapper, and cast out onto the muddy bottom for flathead.
Safety: Keep clear of yacht club traffic.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary, about 20 km south-east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.14280, 144.36624 · Open in Google Maps (position: WANGIM WALK, Vicmap Hydro - Water Structure Line)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Rippleside Pier

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Rippleside Park, Geelong; upgraded pier with seating and ladders.
What's good here: Peak in October: silver trevally and snapper. Also in season: King George whiting and Australian salmon.
Best tide: Around high tide.
Best wind: Sheltered from westerlies.
Note: An easy pier for families without a boat: light rigs catch King George whiting, silver trevally, salmon and pinky snapper.
Safety: Supervise children; ladders are the only way out of the water.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary, about 22 km south-east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.12640, 144.35990 · Open in Google Maps (position: Rippleside Pier, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. St Helens rock wall & jetty

Type: Breakwall · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. St Helens boat ramp reserve, Geelong: drive right up to the lit rock wall.
What's good here: Peak in October: snapper, silver trevally and sand flathead. Also in season: King George whiting, southern garfish and yellow-eye mullet.
Best tide: Around high tide; night for big snapper, especially in winter.
Best wind: Sheltered from westerlies.
Note: Snapper, whiting, trevally and big flathead from the rock wall; the shellfish reef (Merv's Reef) sits about 60 m out, and the ramp pontoons draw garfish and mullet.
Safety: Uneven rocks: take a torch at night.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary, about 22 km south-east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.12280, 144.35970 · Open in Google Maps (position: St Helens Jetty, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Limeburners Point breakwall

Type: Breakwall · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Limeburners Point boat ramp, East Geelong; toilets and fish cleaning.
What's good here: Peak in October: snapper and silver trevally. Also in season: King George whiting.
Best tide: Dawn and dusk around high tide.
Best wind: Sheltered in westerlies.
Note: The breakwall at the ramp gives pinky snapper, trevally and whiting in low light.
Safety: Keep clear of boats at the ramp.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary, about 19 km south-east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.14340, 144.38490 · Open in Google Maps (position: Limeburners Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. Clifton Springs jetty

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Clifton Springs foreshore by the boat ramp; car park fills fast in summer.
What's good here: Peak in October: southern calamari, snapper and sand flathead. Also in season: King George whiting, southern garfish, yellow-eye mullet and Australian salmon.
Best tide: Rising tide (salmon off the breakwall on the flood).
Best wind: Some shelter from northerlies.
Note: Since its rebuild the jetty runs about twice as far out, over seagrass that holds whiting, calamari, garfish, pinky snapper and flathead, with mullet closer in; try the breakwall for salmon on the flood.
Safety: Busy ramp area.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, about 11 km south-east. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.14600, 144.56490 · Open in Google Maps (position: Clifton Springs Jetty, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

7. Portarlington Pier

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and kayak. Portarlington harbour (Docklands ferry terminal); parking and toilets nearby.
What's good here: Peak in October: sand flathead and snapper. Also in season: southern garfish, Australian salmon and King George whiting.
Best tide: Any tide; after dark for big snapper.
Best wind: Sheltered from southerlies.
Note: A modern pier with a VFA artificial reef within casting range: garfish, salmon, flathead and pinky snapper, big snapper at night, and whiting and flathead off the beaches either side.
Safety: Ferry movements: keep clear of berths.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, about 10 km south. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.11127, 144.65257 · Open in Google Maps (position: Portarlington Jetty, Piers and Jetties - City of Greater Geelong)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

8. Indented Head

Type: Beach · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Indented Head foreshore and boat ramp off The Esplanade.
What's good here: Peak in October: southern calamari and sand flathead. Also in season: King George whiting.
Best tide: Rising tide over the seagrass.
Best wind: Westerly winds are offshore here; easterlies blow in. Faces E.
Note: Seagrass and broken ground with sand patches: calamari over the weed, and whiting and flathead in the sand holes, from the shore or a short paddle out.
Safety: Strong tides further offshore.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, about 6 km south-west. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.14740, 144.71980 · Open in Google Maps (position: Indented Head, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

9. St Leonards Pier

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. St Leonards foreshore; parking near the pier and ramp.
What's good here: Peak in October: southern calamari, snapper, sand flathead, silver trevally and leatherjacket. Also in season: King George whiting and Australian salmon.
Best tide: Around high tide.
Best wind: Sheltered from westerlies.
Note: Plenty of seagrass on the inside for calamari, whiting, salmon, pinky snapper and flathead, with trevally and leatherjackets down among the pylons.
Safety: Exposed to strong easterlies.
Zone: Nearest no-take area: Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park, about 4 km south-west. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.17030, 144.72078 · Open in Google Maps (position: ST LEONARDS PIER, Vicmap Hydro - Water Structure Line)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

10. Queenscliff Pier

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. End of Symonds Street, Queenscliff: parking at the foot of the pier, toilets and shops nearby.
What's good here: Peak in October: southern calamari, snapper, sand flathead, silver trevally and gummy shark. Also in season: King George whiting, Australian salmon and southern garfish.
Best tide: Low light at either end of the day, as the tide floods towards high.
Best wind: For snapper, pick a night once a blow has dropped away; the pier gives some cover when the weather turns.
Note: Weed beds and deep water are within easy reach: calamari are the main draw, and snapper, whiting, salmon, flathead, garfish, trevally and the occasional gummy shark also turn up.
Safety: Strong tidal currents this close to The Heads.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park (Swan Bay section) is about 700 m north-west: no fishing of any kind inside it. Check the boundary markers or the VicFishing app. Guide only, not for navigation: check vfa.vic.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -38.26780, 144.66780 · Open in Google Maps (position: Queenscliff Pier, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

Victoria's boat ramp register isn't published under an open licence we could confirm, so we don't list its ramps yet.

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Geelong, Corio Bay and the Bellarine in October: snapper, sand flathead, silver trevally, southern calamari and 5 more. Of the 21 species our Port Phillip and Western Port list has for this part of the coast, 9 peak in October 2026 and 7 more are in season.

Peak in October: snapper, sand flathead, silver trevally, southern calamari, black bream, leatherjacket, gummy shark, southern bluespotted flathead and mulloway.

Also in season: King George whiting, Australian salmon, southern garfish, yellow-eye mullet, rock flathead, estuary perch and flounder.

Out of season in October: yellowtail kingfish (best Dec–Apr); elephant fish (best Mar–May).

Seen now and then, so not rated: southern bluefin tuna, luderick and tailor.

Seasons are closure-aware: a species is never listed as in season, for the area or at a spot, while it is closed there; a closure for part of the area says where. Species links go to our South East Queensland species guides, with Queensland's limits: Victoria's own size and bag limits are on the official rules page.

Can you fish here? Rules and safety

Recreational Fishing Licence (RFL) needed for all fishing incl. bait, shellfish, prawns, spearfishing unless exempt. From 1 Jul 2026: 3-day $10.00, 28-day $24.70, 1-yr $40.80 online ($43.30 agent), 3-yr $111.20 ($117.40). Exempt: under 18, 70+, Seniors Card, some pension/DVA cards, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: Victoria's limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Rules at Geelong, Corio Bay and the Bellarine

Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park includes parts of Swan Bay, Point Lonsdale and Mud Islands: no fishing there. Point Lonsdale Pier sits inside the park; fishing is allowed only from the pier itself.
Clarence and Joanna historic shipwreck zones (100 m radius) lie off St Leonards: no entering or fishing without a permit.
Port Phillip intertidal rules apply along the Bellarine and Corio Bay shores.
Bait nets are banned in Port Phillip; skates and rays cannot be taken within 400 m of a pier.

Marine parks and no-take zones

The zone notes here name Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park. A no-take zone starts close to Queenscliff Pier: its zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Geelong, Corio Bay and the Bellarine

Very strong tides towards Queenscliff and The Rip: plan around the tide changes and stay clear of the shipping channel.
Corio Bay is a working port: keep clear of ships and channels when anchoring.
Currents off Queenscliff are strong for kayaks: keep close to shore in Swan Bay and Lonsdale Bight, and watch the marine park boundaries there.

Victoria: official links

Read the official forecast and warnings in the Bureau of Meteorology's own words: Vic coastal and local waters forecast map and current warnings.

Boating: Victoria boating safety, crossing coastal bars and lifejacket rules. Lifejackets: Wear on boats <=4.8m, and on boats up to 12m at heightened risk: crossing a bar, Port Phillip Heads, alone, at night, restricted visibility, or under a BOM gale/storm/severe weather warning.

Heading out on the water? Log on and off with Victoria Marine Search and Rescue (MSAR) network and Australian Volunteer Coast Guard (Victorian flotillas). Log on with TripWatch on the Coast Guard website, or with your local flotilla.

Marine parks and closed areas: Marine national parks and marine sanctuaries (VFA list with maps), Parks Victoria (park pages and boundary coordinates) and Australian Marine Parks (South-east network).

Rock fishing lifejacket zones: Lifejacket required at high-risk rock fishing zones incl. Cape Bridgewater, Lorne area, Point Nepean-West Head, Phillip Island sites, Bore Beach-Kilcunda, Point Roadknight. Fines apply. More.

Victoria's official rules: size and bag limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Emergency: 000 (112 from mobiles) · VHF channel 16 for distress.

Nearby fishing areas

Mornington Peninsula (Port Phillip side) (about 36 km south-east)
Melbourne and northern Port Phillip (about 45 km north-east)
Western Port (about 70 km east)
Phillip Island and San Remo (about 81 km south-east)

Distances are between the middle of each area. Every area in Victoria · all fishing spot guides.

Sources and checked dates

Spot and ramp positions: Composite Gazetteer of Australia (Geoscience Australia and the state and territory naming authorities), CC BY 4.0, ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 (2021) (Australian Bureau of Statistics), CC BY 4.0, Vicmap Hydro - Water Structure Line (State of Victoria (Department of Transport and Planning)), CC BY 4.0 and Piers and Jetties - City of Greater Geelong (City of Greater Geelong), CC BY 3.0 AU; gazetteer and ABS positions through our place index. Guide only, not for navigation.
Spot research checked 9 Oct 2026 and fact-checked 9 Oct 2026; species seasons and rules checked 9 Oct 2026; safety links checked 9 Oct 2026. Text in our own words.
Research sources: vfa.vic.gov.au (Geelong piers, Clifton Springs, Portarlington, St Leonards, Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale (VFA)); vfa.vic.gov.au (St Helens rock wall, Limeburners breakwall and Corio Bay (VFA)); vfa.vic.gov.au (Queenscliff and Cunningham pier guides (VFA)); vfa.vic.gov.au (Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park map); vfa.vic.gov.au (Clarence and Joanna protected zones); data.gov.au (Portarlington Jetty coordinate (City of Greater Geelong, CC BY 3.0 AU)); vfa.vic.gov.au (Port Phillip intertidal restrictions); vfa.vic.gov.au (No fishing of any kind in marine national parks and sanctuaries; list and maps); ga.gov.au (Spot coordinates: the site place index (Composite Gazetteer of Australia and ABS localities, CC BY 4.0)); discover.data.vic.gov.au (Jetty, pier and breakwater coordinates (Vicmap Hydro water structure lines, CC BY 4.0; midpoint of the named feature)); safetransport.vic.gov.au (Ramp coordinates, lanes, tide access and facilities from the Safe Transport Victoria boat ramp register (boating.vic.gov.au), CC BY 4.0); discover.data.vic.gov.au (Marine national park and sanctuary boundaries used for the zone checks (PARKRES, CC BY 4.0)).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.