Portarlington Squid Forecast
Free 7-day squid fishing forecast for Portarlington on the Bellarine Peninsula: 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 Portarlington
The inshore seagrass and broken ground around Portarlington is excellent squid country. Try off Grassy Point Road, Governors Reef and towards St Leonards.
Fish the slower water for calamari, and drift the edges of the weed from a boat or kayak.
Best jigs for Portarlington
In spring, a size 3.0 in white or pink has been the go-to: try the Inku Dynawhite or Glow Pink, with bright 3.5s for bigger squid. Shop Inku squid jigs.
When to fish
Best window: Slower water around the tide change, early morning or late afternoon.
Calamari are in Port Phillip all year. April to August is the steadiest pier fishing, with cooler, clearer water. The big spawners gather on the seagrass in the south and west of the bay from September to November.
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 Portarlington?
Slower water around the tide change, early morning or late afternoon. Calamari are in Port Phillip all year. April to August is the steadiest pier fishing, with cooler, clearer water. The big spawners gather on the seagrass in the south and west of the bay from September to November.
What squid jig should I use at Portarlington?
In spring, a size 3.0 in white or pink has been the go-to: try the Inku Dynawhite or Glow Pink, with bright 3.5s for bigger squid.
What is the bag limit for squid at Portarlington?
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