Merricks Beach
Summary for 14 Oct 2026
Bite Compass is showing a low fish activity bite score on 14 Oct 2026. Wind is around SE at 16 km/h. Solunar feeding windows are listed below.
Feeding Windows
Local Knowledge
Merricks Beach is a long, quiet sandy stretch on the Western Port side of the Mornington Peninsula, at the end of Merricks Beach Road. It is the Western Port beach for gummy shark, and the long sand gives room for plenty of rods, with King George whiting, salmon, yelloweye mullet and flathead also on the cards. Gummy fishing here is mostly sitting in the dark watching a rod tip not move, which regulars insist is relaxing. There is no structure and no crowd — just sand, a yacht club and a tide to plan around.
The beach fishes best at high tide, particularly when the top of the tide falls early in the morning, with an evening high also worth fishing. Gummies are a night game: fresh pilchard, squid, salmon or mullet fillet, or cured eel on a running sinker or paternoster rig, fished on a rising tide around the full and new moon. Whiting and mullet take small baits on lighter rigs in the shallower water.
Gummy sharks are the target — 45 cm partial length minimum and two gummy and/or school shark combined, kept whole until you are off the water. King George whiting (27 cm, bag 20) and salmon (21 cm, combined bag 20 with herring) are the daytime fish. Flathead (27 cm, combined bag 20) and yelloweye mullet (combined bag 40) make up the rest.
A high tide just after dark is the session to circle on the calendar. Set the rod in a holder and stay within 50 m of it and in sight — Victorian rules require it. Pack a headlamp with a red setting and leave the dune tracks as you found them.
Access & Conditions
There is a car park at the end of Merricks Beach Road, and toilets near the yacht club. The walk to the sand is short. Facilities are basic, so bring water and food. This is the side of the Peninsula that never got around to installing a crowd.
The beach faces south into Western Port, so it is sheltered from ocean swell but exposed to southerly winds, which pile weed and chop onto the sand. Calm, overcast evenings on a big high tide are ideal for gummies. The water is shallow over sand and weed, so the tide height matters more than the wind.
Night fishing on a dark beach means trip hazards and a tide that creeps up quickly — set up above the high water line and keep gear together. Stingrays share sandy shallows, so shuffle your feet if wading. Carry a phone and tell someone where you are fishing.
Gear & Rigs
For gummies, a 10–12 ft rod, 20–30 lb line, a 40–60 lb trace, 4/0–6/0 circle hooks and a 2–4 oz sinker. For whiting, a light 2–3 kg outfit with size 6–8 long-shank hooks and pipi or mussel. For mullet, a quill float and sandworm or a pinch of dough — the one bait the kids can make themselves and only the mullet will eat.
Seasons
Gummies peak from March to October, and the cooler months are the core of the season here. Whiting are best from late spring to autumn. Salmon and mullet run from about March to September.
If This Spot's Blown Out
Frequently Asked
Yes — Merricks is Western Port's best-known beach for gummy shark. Fish at night on a rising tide, ideally around the full or new moon, with fresh oily baits. The bag is two gummy and/or school shark combined, 45 cm partial length minimum.
High tide. The beach fishes best at high tide, especially early in the morning, with an evening high tide also productive. At low tide the water is too shallow to fish well.
Yes, near the yacht club, and there is a car park at the end of Merricks Beach Road.