Cowes Jetty Squid Forecast
Free 7-day squid fishing forecast for Cowes on Phillip Island: bite times, tides, moon, wind, swell, water temperature and the Inku jig to tie on.
Hour by hour
Today
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Inku squid brief
Reading the water…
Sun, moon and tide
Water and weather at the best hour
What's driving the score
Inku tackle box for these conditions
Tie these on
Inku Squid Tackle
Gear up for the big squid
Founded in Melbourne in 2020. Every Inku jig has a glow body, 3D eyes, natural feathers and sharp Japanese stainless crowns, designed and tested in Australian waters.
Season guide
When the big squid come in
Spot guide
Spot notes
Rules
Bag limits
How the bite score works
- Light (26%). Sunrise and sunset score highest. Darker nights score better than full-moon nights, because squid feed tighter around pier lights. Overcast days help.
- Tide (20%). The 30 minutes either side of a tide change scores highest, then the top of the tide and the run-in. Fast current lowers the score.
- Wind (20%) and swell (14%). Under 10 knots and under half a metre is ideal. Squid go quiet after a strong blow stirs the water.
- Water temp (10%). 13 to 19°C scores best. Big Western Port squid move in at 13 to 15°C.
- Clarity (6%) and pressure (4%). Rain in the last 24 hours and a falling barometer drag the score down.
Squid fishing at Cowes Jetty
Cowes Jetty on Phillip Island is a popular squid spot. Fish a few hours either side of high tide.
It is exposed to northerlies and fishes better in a southerly.
Best jigs for Cowes Jetty
A 3.0 in Inku Glow Tiger cuts through stained water after a blow. In clear water, try the Inku Gold Runner. Shop Inku squid jigs.
When to fish
Best window: A few hours either side of high tide, in a southerly or light winds.
Squid are in Western Port year round, with the main season from April to October. Big squid push in from Bass Strait around May as the water cools to 13 to 15°C, and the big spawners move onto the weed around Flinders in early spring.
Rules
Victorian bag limit: 10 per day combined across squid, calamari, octopus and cuttlefish, with no minimum size. No fishing in Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries.
Questions
When is the best time to catch squid at Cowes Jetty?
A few hours either side of high tide, in a southerly or light winds. Squid are in Western Port year round, with the main season from April to October. Big squid push in from Bass Strait around May as the water cools to 13 to 15°C, and the big spawners move onto the weed around Flinders in early spring.
What squid jig should I use at Cowes Jetty?
A 3.0 in Inku Glow Tiger cuts through stained water after a blow. In clear water, try the Inku Gold Runner.
What is the bag limit for squid at Cowes Jetty?
Victorian bag limit: 10 per day combined across squid, calamari, octopus and cuttlefish, with no minimum size. No fishing in Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries.
New to squidding? Read the free Inku Squidding Guide.
Squid fishing forecasts by spot