Dromana Pier Squid Fishing

Dromana Pier is currently closed and fishing is not permitted while the pier is rebuilt. Parks Victoria also lists a marine exclusion zone around the construction site. Its project page says completion is expected in mid-to-late 2026, subject to weather and construction conditions—not that the pier is already open.

Check the official Dromana Pier project page before travelling. Do not enter the closed pier or fish inside the exclusion zone.

That closure changes what a useful Dromana guide should do. Advice based on the old deck, old lights or assumed casting positions may not transfer to the rebuilt pier. This page therefore separates what is confirmed now from a first-session method to test after reopening.

For broader trip planning, use Melbourne Squid Fishing and Port Phillip Bay Squid Fishing. For the casting and retrieve method, start with Eging Australia.

Current status: closed for reconstruction

Parks Victoria’s published project information confirms:

• Dromana Pier is closed during construction.
• Fishing from the pier is not allowed while it is closed.
• A marine exclusion zone remains in place around the work site.
• Completion is expected in mid-to-late 2026, but the timing may change.
• The rebuilt pier is intended to support fishing and boating access after it opens.

The project retains the fixed lower landing and adds a new pier structure with timber decking, tiered seating, accessible railings and new lighting. These are useful design facts, but they do not yet prove where squid will hold. New shadows, current breaks, public lighting and angler access will all need to be observed after reopening.

What not to carry over from the old pier

Avoid treating old Dromana advice as a permanent rule. In particular, do not assume:

• one tide direction will always outperform the other;
• the depth is uniform for the full fishable length;
• one jig size is automatically correct everywhere;
• yesterday’s light edge or productive rail position will exist on the new structure;
• reports from the former pier describe the rebuilt habitat.

Those claims require current observations. The first goal after reopening should be to map the new water, not to defend an old spot description.

First check after the reopening announcement

An expected completion window is not permission to enter. Before the first trip:

1. Recheck the Parks Victoria project page and any local closure notices.
2. Confirm that the pier—not only the surrounding foreshore—has officially reopened.
3. Look for any remaining fenced work areas, vessel restrictions or temporary fishing rules.
4. Check the weather and water clarity on the Eging Tactical Radar.

If access is unclear on arrival, choose another open venue. A construction fence or exclusion marker is not a casting boundary to work around.

Map the rebuilt pier in three passes

Once the pier is officially open, use the first session as reconnaissance. Divide it by observable features rather than assumed distances.

1. Access and light

Walk the public deck before rigging. Note where railings allow a safe retrieve and landing, where fixed lighting meets darker water, and where other users need clear passage. Fish the edge of a light transition rather than repeatedly casting into the brightest patch.

2. Depth and bottom clearance

Make a controlled cast into a safe, clear lane. Let the jig sink on slack line and count until bottom contact, then repeat from several legal positions. Shorter and longer sink counts reveal depth changes and help set a pause that stays above weed or reef.

3. Life and water movement

Look for bait, weed edges, ink, birds and visible current seams. These observations should decide the next cast. If a zone shows no life after a small number of clean presentations, move rather than assuming the pier is empty.

Choose the jig from conditions

Start with a size 2.5 jig as a neutral test, not as a permanent Dromana prescription.

• Stay with 2.5 when you can feel the jig, control its sink and keep it above the bottom.
• Move to 3.0 when wind or current bows the line, or when extra casting distance is genuinely needed.
• Use a slower-sinking option only when measured depth and weed height leave too little clearance.
• Fit light nose ballast before replacing the whole colour selection if the problem is control rather than visibility.

The Squid Jig Size Guide and Squid Jig Sinking Rate Guide Australia explain how to make those corrections.

Test tide and time instead of declaring a winner

The rebuild may alter the water and light patterns anglers used before closure. Record the actual conditions for several sessions before making a local rule:

• time and tide stage;
• wind direction and strength;
• water clarity;
• jig size, sink count and colour family;
• the observed feature beside each follow, touch or landed squid.

Compare similar sessions across both tidal directions. A result from one evening is a useful note, not proof that an incoming or outgoing tide is universally best.

Low light remains a sensible period to test because squid can use shadows to approach prey, but water clarity, safe access and lure control can matter more than the clock. The Best Time to Catch Squid Australia guide gives the broader framework.

A repeatable retrieve for the first sessions

Use a retrieve that exposes differences between zones:

1. Cast into a clear lane and count the jig down short of the measured bottom time.
2. Make two controlled lifts.
3. Follow the line as the jig sinks; do not pull it forward during the pause.
4. Wind in any slack, then repeat.
5. Shorten the count immediately if weed fouls the hooks or bottom contact is frequent.

Steady pressure is safer than a sharp strike when a squid loads the rod. For technique details, see How to Work a Squid Jig and When to Strike Squid Fishing.

Practical reopening kit

• Eging rod around 7’6”–8’3”
• 2500-size reel with light braid and fluorocarbon leader
• One size 2.5 jig and one size 3.0 jig with different sink rates
• Natural and high-visibility colour options
• Landing net or another legal landing aid suited to the rebuilt deck height
• Headlamp, eye protection and a way to record sink counts and conditions

Check current Victorian rules before keeping a catch. The Squid Fishing Regulations Australia and How to Measure Squid pages explain the checks to make, but official regulations remain the authority.

Alternatives while Dromana is closed

• Rosebud Pier — a nearby pier with an official Parks Victoria visitor page; check alerts before leaving
• Mount Martha Cliffs — a shore option only when access, wind and swell are safe
• Port Phillip Bay Squid Fishing — use the bay overview to choose a legal venue for the day’s conditions

Do not assume an alternative is open simply because Dromana is closed. Check the relevant land manager and current conditions for each trip.

FAQ

Is Dromana Pier open for fishing?

No. Parks Victoria’s current project page says Dromana Pier is closed during reconstruction and fishing is not permitted. A marine exclusion zone also remains around the work site. Check the official page again before travelling because the status can change.

When will Dromana Pier reopen?

Parks Victoria expects the rebuild to be completed in mid-to-late 2026, subject to weather and construction conditions. That is an estimate rather than a guaranteed reopening date.

What is changing at Dromana Pier?

The project replaces the deteriorated pier while retaining the fixed lower landing. The published design includes timber decking, tiered seating, accessible railings and lighting intended to limit impacts on aquatic life.

What squid jig should I try after Dromana Pier reopens?

Treat the rebuilt pier as a new venue. Start with a size 2.5 jig, measure the sink time, and change to 3.0 only if wind, current or casting distance makes contact difficult. Do not assume an old fixed size rule still applies.

Where can I fish while Dromana Pier is closed?

Choose an open legal venue that suits the day’s wind and swell rather than entering the construction area. Rosebud Pier is one nearby option, but check the relevant land manager’s alerts before every trip.

Related Guides

• Eging Australia
• Port Phillip Bay Squid Fishing
• Rosebud Pier Squid Fishing
• Squid Jig Size Guide
• Squid Jig Sinking Rate Guide Australia
• Best Time to Catch Squid Australia