Located along the Mornington Peninsula is one of Melbourne’s most famous land based fishing destinations.

What makes Mornington Pier so special is that you can fish it anytime of the year and always expect to have a good crack at catching a few calamari. It has easy access and is a short drive from Melbourne. But be prepared, this area can hold an excellent variety of species, including, big snapper, kingfish and salmon.

The beauty about fishing the pier and surrounding rock platforms along the Peninsula is that everyday is a good day to go fishing, weather permitting. In saying that, when the weather turns really ugly during snapper season, this is generally the best time to target big knobby head reds, as they come in close and are a real possibility fishing from the pier.

When fishing land-based for squid you want to maximize the time your jig spends in the water. This is where a quality rod and reel outfit is useful. A light 7-8ft graphite rod like the NS Hurricans Black Water Egi rods are perfect. They allow you to cast all day without it being a nuisance and really punch a lure out a long way. Matched up with a quality 1000-2500 sized spin reel and light 6-10lb braid and you’re ready to get out on the water and catch a few.

Squid can be real finicky at the best of times, especially in crystal clear water and bright sunny days. A long length of light 4-6lb fluorocarbon leader is essential for best results. An Egi snap is also a fast and effective way to change jigs quickly without cutting your leader and shortening the length every time you decide to change a jig.

Bait fishing with a paternoster rig is an easy way to catch a variety of fish, just try to fish as light as possible.

It’s always good to have a variety of jigs in different sizes and colours in the arsenal. A couple of favourites and must-have jigs are the Yamashita Egi Oh Q Live series in 2.0 and 2.5 sizes.

They have an awesome colour range and come in sizes to suit all styles of squid fishing. For this area the smaller models are best as they are not too heavy and won’t plummet to the bottom and snag up.

Just remember to always be patient. It might not happen in the first 30 minutes or even first trip, but this pier holds some of the biggest and best fish Melbourne has to offer for the land-based group.

Always stick to your bag limits and make sure you are up to date with size limits as well. Fisheries often patrol the area and are right on it if anglers are doing the wrong thing, whether it ‘s intentional or not.

It’s worth getting a can of Egi Max Spray when going squid fishing. This is a pheromone-based scent that can be sprayed onto your jigs. I always have it in the bag and is a fantastic item to have. It can be the difference between an alright session and an awesome session.