Portsea Pier Squid Fishing: Mastering the Deep and the Drift

Portsea Pier is one of Victoria’s more serious land-based eging locations. Sitting near the southern end of Port Phillip Bay and close to the influence of The Rip, it has deep water, heavy tidal movement and a genuine chance of better Southern Calamari.

It is also not an easy pier. Portsea can punish light jigs, sloppy line control and poor timing. If you fish it like a shallow inner-bay pier, your squid jig may never spend enough time in the strike zone.

For the broader area, read Melbourne Squid Fishing and Port Phillip Bay Squid Fishing before planning a Portsea session.

Deep Water and Heavy Flow

Portsea is close enough to the bay entrance that the tidal flow can be much stronger than at inner-bay piers like Brighton, Mordialloc or Rye.

During peak tidal movement, a standard-weight jig can get swept up and away before it reaches the productive water near bottom or mid-depth structure. You may be working the rod, but the jig is not really fishing.

That is why Portsea demands heavier, more controlled eging. Carry size 3.5 and 4.0 jigs, and be prepared to adjust sink rate rather than stubbornly casting the same setup into moving water.

Best Tide Window for Portsea Pier

Slack water is the most forgiving window at Portsea.

The pause around the top of the high tide or the bottom of the low tide gives your jig time to sink naturally and stay readable. Once the tide starts pushing hard, the whole session becomes more technical.

This does not mean squid only feed at slack tide. It means slack tide gives land-based anglers the best chance of keeping the jig in the zone long enough to be eaten.

Before leaving home, check the Eging Tactical Radar and pay attention to wind, swell and local water movement. If swell around the heads is uncomfortable, Portsea can feel bouncy and difficult to fish.

Clarity Is King

At Portsea, water clarity is often more important than simply choosing a tide stage.

Southerly and south-westerly winds often help bring cleaner ocean-influenced water into the area. Strong northerly wind can make the surface choppy and stir up sand, which makes jig control and visibility worse.

Winter is a strong period for anglers hunting larger squid around deeper water, but Portsea can still produce outside winter when clarity, tide and wind line up.

Squid Jig Size and Sink Rate

A size 3.5 is the practical baseline for Portsea Pier. A 4.0 belongs in the box when the current is stronger, the water is deeper or you are deliberately targeting larger squid.

A 3.0 can work during softer water or cleaner slack-tide windows, but it should not be your only option here. Portsea is one of the places where under-gunning yourself makes the session harder than it needs to be.

The trap is thinking deep water always means fast sink. Portsea squid can still intercept jigs in the mid-water column, especially during calmer windows. Use standard or deeper jigs when flow is strong, but consider slower or shallower models during slack water when you want more hang time.

For more detail, read the Squid Jig Size Guide and Squid Jig Sinking Rate Guide Australia.

When to Add Nose Weights

If the current is still too strong for a 3.5 or 4.0 to reach the zone, clip-on nose weights can help.

The goal is not to destroy the jig’s action. The goal is to add enough sink speed so the jig gets down before the tide sweeps it away.

Use nose weights when:

• the braid keeps sweeping sideways before the jig settles
• you cannot feel bottom or mid-depth contact
• a standard jig is riding too high in the water
• the current is too strong for normal sink control

Once the tide slows, remove the extra weight and return to the cleanest presentation you can manage.

Fishing Cleanly Around Kelp and Pylons

Portsea has heavy kelp, old pier structure and deeper shadows. That mix can hold squid, but it also punishes lazy line management.

Strong current creates line belly in your braid. Keep the rod angle controlled and use the reel to stay connected without dragging the jig unnaturally. If your line has a huge curve in it, you will miss the first touch from a squid.

At night, pay attention to the shadow line. Squid often sit just outside the light and move in to ambush bait. Cast along the edge of the light rather than blindly throwing straight into the brightest water.

The Best Squid Jig Australia guide is useful here because Portsea rewards jigs that cast cleanly, sink predictably and stay stable in difficult water.

Colours for Portsea Pier

Keep colour choices practical.

For dawn and dusk, gold-base, natural prawn and translucent bodies can work well when the water is clean. At night or in deeper water, purple, deep red, red foil and high-glow patterns are useful because they hold visibility better.

If the water is dirty or the tide is running hard, colour will not save a jig that is not reaching the zone. Fix sink control first, then rotate colour. For the full colour system, read Squid Jig Colours Australia.

Cuttlefish and Better Calamari

Portsea is one of the areas where better-size squid are realistic, and cuttlefish are also a genuine possibility.

That comes with the territory: deeper water, stronger flow, kelp edges and channel influence all create a different environment from the shallower family-style piers. Do not be surprised if something heavier than an average squid grabs the jig.

Use gear that can handle the water and the landing, not just the hook-up.

Landing and Safety

Portsea Pier sits high enough above the water that landing matters. Do not try to pole-lift a large squid or cuttlefish with the rod. That is how rods break and good catches fall off.

A long gaff is essential here. A 3.9m landing gaff or longer gives you a much better chance of landing a better squid safely, especially when current is moving.

The pier can also become slippery when wet or covered in squid ink. Wear high-grip footwear, move carefully and do not let the excitement of a hook-up pull you into a bad position.

For landing options, read the Best Squid Gaff Australia guide.

Recommended Gear

For Portsea Pier, build around control, depth and landing safety:

• Shop RUI Squid Jigs
• Open Eging Tactical Radar
• Shop 3.9m Telescopic Squid Gaff

FAQ

What squid jig size should I use at Portsea Pier?

Start with a size 3.5, and carry a 4.0 for stronger current or deeper water. A 3.0 can work during softer slack-water windows but should not be your only option.

When is the best tide for Portsea Pier squid fishing?

Slack water around the top of the high tide or the bottom of the low tide is usually the most forgiving because the jig can sink and stay readable.

Should I use nose weights at Portsea Pier?

Use nose weights when the current is too strong for your jig to reach the strike zone. Remove them when the tide slows so the jig can swim more naturally.

Do I need a gaff at Portsea Pier?

Yes. A long squid gaff is strongly recommended because the pier is high, the current can be strong and better-size squid or cuttlefish are possible.