Clifton Springs, a few kilometers to the north of Drysdale fronting Port Phillip Bay is one of the Bellarine Peninsula’s most popular fishing locations.
The new Clifton Springs Boat Harbor has been created with the support of the State Government and City of Greater Geelong and now gives some of the best access to the bay in our region. The harbor consists of a huge breakwater and has created a protected beach making it easy to launch watercraft. Parking improvements and landscaping has also taken place and the place has been rejuvenated into a very pleasant place.
Clifton Springs is an ideal location to launch for fishing in both Port Phillip Bay and Corio Bay to the west.
Flathead are the most prominent catch in the bays. These scavenging fish take just about any bait and are relatively easy to catch. Whiting are also a very popular catch and great table fish. They are often caught around the grass beds in the area.
Towards the Port Richards Channel to the east of the boat ramp anglers do very well when fishing for pinkie snapper. Some large catches exceeding 10 kilograms have even been reported around the deep channels. Snapper fishermen usually do very well using pilchard for bait and the fish usually bite at dawn or sunset.
Schools of salmon are also a popular sight around Clifton Springs, fishermen usually look for the working birds to locate them. They bite at fish pieces and usually put up a good fight as to Gummy Sharks which are also a regular catch and are usually caught around the 5-6kg size.
The usual tranquil waters of Corio Bay and Port Phillip Bay can come up quite rough and at very little notice. Safety should always be the number one priority before undertaking any fishing activity. Stop and check you have all your safety equipment and it is working before heading off. Also remember that there are many ever changing rules and regulations on what you can fish, how many, size and where you can fish. These rules are in place to ensure that there are plenty of fish for future generations. Please take a moment to learn the rules before your fishing adventure- and most important of all- have fun catching your dinner.
