Loch Sport Marina Jetty (Lake Victoria)

Loch Sport is a small township on the shore of Lake Victoria, and its Marina Public Jetty is the town's public fishing platform. The predominant catch on Lake Victoria is bream, with tailor showing up regularly and flathead on the drop-offs and edges in the warmer months. Loch Sport is also the gateway to some of the most remote parts of Ninety Mile Beach, across the causeway over Lake Reeve, where the salmon fishing is the town's calling card. That gives a two-for-one town: lake fishing at the jetty, surf fishing over the causeway. The Lakes National Park, at the eastern end of town, adds more jetties and picnic spots. Lake on one side, Bass Strait on the other — this is the only town where 'which water?' is a genuine breakfast debate.

At the jetty, fish lightly weighted baits close to the structure for bream, and cast small metal lures or soft plastics for tailor when they show. Flathead sit along the edges and drop-offs in summer. For the surf, cross the causeway to the beach car park and fish the gutters with a long surf rod for salmon, with gummy sharks and occasional snapper at night.

Black bream are the main lake catch, with tailor, mullet and flathead. On the ocean side, salmon are the mainstay, with gummy sharks after dark. Black bream inside the Gippsland Lakes and their tributaries carry a slot — 28 cm minimum and 38 cm maximum — and a bag of 7, and they must stay whole or in carcass form until you are off the water (filleting on a boat-ramp cleaning table is fine). Salmon have a 21 cm minimum and a combined bag of 20 with Australian herring.

Sand build-up has closed the Loch Sport jetties before — the Marina Public Jetty was shut for excavation, screening and redecking in April–May 2025 — so check Gippsland Ports notices before you go. On the lake, the shallows around Loch Sport heat up in summer, so the drop-offs are where flathead hold. The beach is rarely packed, even at Christmas.

Loch Sport is about 45 minutes from Sale via Longford. The Marina Public Jetty runs along the sand spit that shelters the marina entrance off Basin Boulevard — park near the marina and walk out along the spit; the Seagull Drive and Charlies Street boat ramps are the other lake access points. There is a car park and toilet block across the causeway at the beach. The jetty is flat; check the state of the decking after recent works. No fee applies.

Lake Victoria is relatively easy to navigate with an average depth of about 5 m, but shallows towards McLennan Strait and wind-driven chop are common. Strong westerlies and easterlies roughen the lake, which between them covers a fair bit of Lake Victoria's weather. Ocean conditions on the beach side follow the swell; a northerly flattens the surf.

At the jetty, watch for uneven boards and any works fencing. On the ocean beach, rips form in the gutters and the beach is remote, so do not wade deep and tell someone your plans. Snakes are possible in the coastal scrub in summer. Check for blue-green algae warnings on the lakes in summer.

Usually. Sand build-up can close it, as it did for excavation and redecking works in April–May 2025, so check Gippsland Ports notices before you go.

On Lake Victoria, bream are the main catch with tailor and summer flathead. On Ninety Mile Beach across the causeway, salmon are the specialty, with gummy sharks and occasional snapper at night.

Cross the causeway over Lake Reeve to the beach car park and toilet block, then walk to the sand. The beach is rarely crowded.