Guide
Mordialloc Pier Squid Fishing
Mordialloc Pier squid fishing: foreshore parking and facilities, the creek side versus bay side call, shallow ground with submerged objects, following wind and brighter 3.0 jigs.
If you want the method behind the spot choice first, use the Eging Australia guide before narrowing the session to this location.
Mordialloc Pier is a useful Metro Port Phillip squid spot, but it needs to be read properly. The pier sits near the Mordialloc Creek entrance, so the water can look a little different from nearby open-bay shoreline even when the broader area is fishing clean.
For the wider structure, start with Melbourne Squid Fishing and Port Phillip Bay Squid Fishing. Mordialloc belongs in the metro Port Phillip group, but it has its own visibility and structure quirks.
June/winter update: Mordialloc is a visibility call first. If the creek side is dull, use Squid Jig Colours Australia before changing spots, then check what size squid jig to use and squid fishing regulations Australia before keeping a feed. Nearby, compare Beaumaris Pier for a sheltered pocket and Mornington Pier for small-jig wharf-style fishing.
Quick Local Summary
Mordialloc is a metro Port Phillip pier with a creek running alongside it. That single fact drives most of the decisions here: the pier can hold two different waters on the same day, the bottom is shallow and cluttered, and colour choice matters more than it does on a clean open-bay reef edge.
Park on the foreshore, read both sides before you cast, start with a brighter 3.0, and keep the jig off the bottom rather than letting it free-fall.
Parking, Access and Facilities
Mordialloc is one of the easier metro piers to arrive at. Parks Victoria lists the nearby foreshore reserves as offering parking, toilets, a playground, and picnic and barbeque facilities, so you can park close, walk on, and stay for a long session without planning around amenities.
That convenience is double-edged. Easy access means the pier also carries walkers, dog owners and boat traffic, especially in daylight and on weekends. Plan your casting position around people rather than expecting the pier to be empty, and keep rods out of walkways.
Read the Reef When the Water Is Clear
When the water is clean enough, the first job at Mordialloc is to look before you cast. Spend a few minutes watching the reef, weed and sand direction so you know where the jig should travel.
This matters because Mordialloc is not just about throwing straight out and hoping. If you can see where the reef line sits, you can work the jig along the edge rather than dragging it straight through rough bottom.
Clear water is useful here not only because squid can see the jig, but because you can see the layout. Once you understand the reef direction, your casts become much more deliberate.
Shallow Ground and Unexpected Submerged Objects
This is the part most general fishing pages skip, and it matters more to eging than to bait fishing.
Parks Victoria prohibits jumping and diving off Mordialloc Pier for a specific stated reason: there are shallow areas and often unexpected submerged objects. Read that as an official description of the bottom. Around this pier you are not fishing over clean, predictable sand.
For a squid jig that changes how you fish the sink. A jig left to free-fall until the line goes slack will eventually find something. Count the sink instead, stop it short, and work the jig at a height you have chosen rather than the height the bottom gives you.
If you are losing jigs here, the fix is usually sink discipline rather than a different jig. Read how to stop squid jig snagging and the Squid Jig Sinking Rate Guide Australia together - knowing your jig sink rate is what makes a counted sink possible.
Best Wind Direction for Mordialloc Pier
Mordialloc is much easier when you are fishing with a following wind or at least a wind that does not fight your line angle.
A following wind helps you cast cleaner, keep better contact and work the jig along the structure without the line bowing across the water. If the wind is pushing against you or dragging the line sideways, the jig becomes harder to control and more likely to fish badly.
Before leaving, check the Eging Tactical Radar and compare Mordialloc against nearby metro Port Phillip spots. This is one of those places where the same bay-wide forecast can still feel different once you are on the pier.
Creek Mouth Visibility and Water Quality
Mordialloc Creek is not the same as a major freshwater river mouth, but the entrance still affects the water. The visibility around the pier is often a little worse than nearby open-bay areas.
That does not mean Mordialloc is poor. It just means colour choice and jig visibility matter more here than they might at a cleaner reef edge. If the water has that slightly dull or mixed look, a very subtle natural jig can disappear too easily.
After rain or stronger movement around the creek entrance, be more cautious. If the water looks too dirty or lifeless, it may be smarter to compare nearby options rather than forcing the session.
Creek Side or Bay Side
Because Mordialloc Creek runs alongside the pier, you effectively have two waters to choose from on arrival, and they do not always look the same.
Walk the pier before you rig. Look at the creek side and the bay side separately and pick the one with better clarity and more life, rather than defaulting to whichever end you parked near. After rain the difference can be obvious; on a settled day it can be subtle enough that most people never check.
This is the single habit that separates a good Mordialloc session from an average one. It costs five minutes and it decides both where you cast and which colour you start with.
Squid Jig Size for Mordialloc Pier
A 3.0 is the best starting size at Mordialloc Pier.
It casts well from the pier, gives enough sink control around mixed structure, and still stays manageable if you are trying to work along visible reef edges. A 3.5 can be useful if you need extra distance or presence, but the core recommendation here is a controlled 3.0 rather than a heavy or overly aggressive setup.
For more detail, read what size squid jig to use and the Squid Jig Sinking Rate Guide Australia.
Squid Jig Colours for Mordialloc Pier
Because visibility is often a little worse around Mordialloc than nearby cleaner open-bay water, brighter colours deserve more attention.
A good starting rotation is:
- bright pink
- orange
- glow belly
- red foil or red-base patterns
Natural colours still have a place when the water is genuinely clear, especially if you can see the reef and the squid are cautious. But as a general Mordialloc starting point, a brighter 3.0 usually makes more sense than a very subtle natural jig.
For the full colour system, read Squid Jig Colours Australia.
How to Fish Mordialloc Pier Cleanly
The cleanest way to fish Mordialloc is to use the clear-water moments to map the structure, then cast along the reef direction rather than across it blindly.
Keep the jig moving just above the rougher ground. Let it pause, but do not let it keep falling until it drags through the reef. If you are touching bottom too often, shorten the sink count or use a slightly slower presentation.
The Best Squid Jig Australia guide is useful here because balance and sink angle matter more than just choosing a bright colour.
Fishing Mordialloc Pier at Night
Mordialloc is a busy daytime pier, so the practical case for night sessions here is partly about disturbance and partly about presentation. After dark the foot traffic and boat movement drop away, and you can work a position properly instead of casting between people.
Night also changes the colour logic. In water that is already a little less clear than the open bay, glow and high-contrast patterns do more work after dark than a subtle natural finish. Charge glow properly rather than assuming it is still lit from an hour ago.
For the full night system - light, charging, contrast and retrieve pace - read Night Squid Fishing Australia, and use how to work a squid jig for the rod work itself.
Landing and Local Practicalities
Mordialloc is a pier environment, so think about landing before the squid is beside the wall. If the water level, crowding or angle makes hand-lifting awkward, a gaff is worth having ready.
For landing-tool choice, compare options in the Best Squid Gaff Australia guide.
Rules That Apply on Mordialloc Pier
Worth knowing before you go, from the Parks Victoria site listing:
- Jumping and diving off the pier and other structures is prohibited for public safety.
- Dogs are allowed but must be kept on lead at all times, and you must clean up after your dog.
- No fires, no camping, no generators, and no vehicles beyond management access.
- Boating zones apply - the pier is also used for temporary berthing, so expect boat movement alongside it.
For what you can keep, check squid fishing regulations Australia, and measure before you pack up using the how to measure squid properly guide.
Recommended Mordialloc Setup
For a simple Mordialloc kit:
- A light egi rod and a 2500 reel.
- PE 0.6-0.8 braid with a fluorocarbon leader.
- A brighter
3.0as the first jig. - One glow
3.0for after dark and one natural3.0for the clear-water moments. - A landing net, or a compact telescopic gaff if the water level makes hand-lifting awkward.
Useful links:
- Open Eging Tactical Radar
- Squid jigs Australia
- Glow and UV squid jigs
- Egi rods Australia
- RUI 3.9m telescopic squid gaff
FAQ
What is the best wind for Mordialloc Pier squid fishing?
A following wind is usually best because it helps casting, line control and jig presentation along the reef structure.
Why is Mordialloc Pier water often less clear?
The nearby Mordialloc Creek entrance can reduce visibility compared with cleaner open-bay water, even though it is not the same as a major freshwater river mouth.
What squid jig size should I use at Mordialloc Pier?
Start with a 3.0. It gives the best balance of casting, control and sink behaviour around the pier and reef edges.
What squid jig colours work well at Mordialloc Pier?
Brighter colours such as pink, orange, glow belly and red foil are useful because visibility is often slightly worse than nearby open-bay areas.
Where do you park for Mordialloc Pier?
Use the nearby foreshore reserves. Parks Victoria lists parking, toilets, a playground and picnic and barbeque facilities along the foreshore beside the pier, so you can leave the car close and walk on.
Is the bottom at Mordialloc Pier snaggy?
Treat it as snaggy. Parks Victoria warns that there are shallow areas and often unexpected submerged objects around the pier, which is why it also bans jumping and diving. Count your sink instead of letting the jig free-fall to the bottom.
Should I fish the creek side or the bay side at Mordialloc Pier?
Mordialloc Creek runs alongside the pier, so the two sides can carry different water on the same day. Read both before committing: if the creek side looks dull or mixed after rain, work the cleaner bay side instead of forcing the dirty water.