Parkdale Beach

Parkdale Beach sits on the long sandy run between Mentone and Mordialloc, and the water from Parkdale toward Black Rock is excellent inshore reef with smaller patches of weed — outstanding for calamari, pinky snapper and King George whiting, with salmon schools turning up regularly. Most of that is fished from boats and kayaks, but the inshore edges come within casting range of the beach. It is a quiet, local-feeling stretch between two busier piers, which is half the appeal. Further out, the artificial Rhys Reef off Aspendale sits in about 11 m of water for the boat crowd.

Parkdale is the one stretch of this beach with inshore reef in range: work the dark reef-and-weed edges toward Mentone with small jigs at dusk for calamari, and a pilchard cast long over the reef for a pinkie. Whiting sit on the sand fringes on a light paternoster. Walk until the bottom goes dark, then stop. Squid ink on the foreshore path is the local sign that someone got there before you.

Calamari (squid combined bag 10) are the reef's best feed, and the reason to carry a jig at dusk. King George whiting (27 cm, bag 20) and garfish (combined 40) work the weed edges. Salmon (21 cm, combined bag 20 with herring) pass through in the cooler months, and pinkies (28 cm, bag 10, no more than 3 at 40 cm or more) are a dusk chance over the reef.

Fish early or late — on summer days this sand fills with swimmers, so keep well clear of them and of any patrol flags. In Port Phillip Bay's intertidal zone you may only take worms, bass yabbies and cephalopods, so bring bait. Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary starts a few kilometres north-west at Table Rock Point in Beaumaris — no fishing past its boundary markers. A head torch with a red setting keeps the reef edge dark enough for the squid at dusk. Beach Road on a sunny weekend is a cycling peloton with a few cars in it, so cross carefully with the rods.

Access is from Beach Road at Parkdale, with foreshore parking and paths; the Mentone and Mordialloc life saving clubs patrol their own beaches either side in summer. Walks to the sand are short. Bring everything — facilities are spread along the foreshore rather than at every access point.

The beach faces south-west into the bay, and the reef only fishes in clear water — a run of easterlies or northerlies is the window. A westerly blow stirs it to soup for days. Dusk on a rising tide is the pick, and summer sea breezes make mornings calmer.

The reef edges are slippery and sharp underfoot if you wade — wear shoes and don't climb onto exposed rock. Swimmers use the beach in summer, so cast well away from them and from any patrol flags. Onshore blows bring weed and dumping shore-break.

Yes. Fish the reef-and-weed edges toward Mentone early or late, away from summer swimmers and any patrol flags.

Calamari, pinkies and King George whiting over the inshore reef and weed toward Mentone, with salmon schools in the cooler months.

Dusk on a rising tide after a few days of easterlies, when the reef water is clear — that's squid and whiting time.