Kananook Creek

Kananook Creek runs about 9.6 km, much of it parallel to the coast behind the dunes from Carrum to its mouth beside Frankston Pier — locals call the strip between creek and sea "Long Island". The creek holds black bream and yelloweye mullet, and the trail along it gives you the banks to yourself. The mini pier on the bank is a quiet spot to drop a bait away from the beach crowds. It is a small, gentle creek fishery — the bream are the reward, the kingfishers are the competition.

Fish lightly weighted baits close to the banks, reeds and structure for bream — sandworms, bass yabbies or prawn on small hooks. A float and a pinch of berley bring mullet. Small soft plastics worked slowly along the edges also suit bream. Fish the run-in tide when salt water pushes up from the mouth. The resident ducks have strong opinions about bread and none at all about bream.

Black bream (28 cm, bag 10) and yelloweye mullet (no minimum, combined bag 40) are the creek's fish. Silver trevally (20 cm) can wander in from the bay in the warmer months. Expect a lot of small bream — measure every one.

The creek has suffered fish kills during dry, low-flow spells, so if the water looks stagnant, fish the bay instead. The creek mouth beside Frankston Pier is dredged and used by boats — keep clear of the channel there. Bait nets are banned in Port Phillip Bay waters and cast nets are illegal everywhere in Victoria. "Long Island" is a generous name for a strip of dune between a creek and a beach.

The Kananook Creek Trail follows the creek from the Frankston foreshore north through Seaford. The mini pier is off the trail near McCulloch Avenue, Seaford, with a small car park beside it and foreshore toilets nearby; parking is limited along some other sections. Paths are flat and suit families.

The creek is sheltered, so it fishes when the bay is blown out. Rain freshens and colours it; long dry spells can leave it low and stale. The incoming tide is the window.

Soft, muddy banks and deep water in places — keep kids back from the edge and don't wade. Shared paths carry cyclists. Water quality can be poor after long dry spells or heavy storms.

Yes, from the banks and the mini pier off the creek trail. Keep clear of the boat channel at the mouth.

Black bream and yelloweye mullet, with the odd silver trevally from the bay in summer.

At Frankston, beside Frankston Pier, after running parallel to the coast behind the dunes from Carrum.