Port Franklin (Franklin River Harbour)

Port Franklin is a small fishing village on the lower Franklin River where it meets Corner Inlet, and a base for the inlet's small commercial fleet. The village harbour on the river, with a viewing platform over the moorings and a boardwalk out into the wetlands, is the land-based spot: a sheltered tidal river edge where flathead and mullet are the likely fish on a high tide, with silver trevally and whiting possible when the bigger tides push inlet water up the river. It is not a place for big fish or crowds. It is a place for a light rod, a bucket and an hour either side of high water in a town that has been fishing Corner Inlet for longer than anyone has been writing about it.

Fish the tide as it fills the river. A light running sinker rig with pipi, mussel or squid strip on a small long-shank hook, cast to the edge of the channel, is the bread-and-butter approach for mullet, trevally and whiting. Flathead hold on the soft bottom along the channel edges and take a pilchard strip or a small soft plastic hopped slowly back. At low tide the river shrinks to its channel and the banks turn to mud, so the session is built around high water.

Flathead, yelloweye mullet and silver trevally are the realistic catches, with King George whiting a bonus on the bigger tides. Most fish here are modest in size, so light gear gets the most out of them. Nobody comes to Port Franklin for a trophy, and the flathead seem to respect that. Victorian limits: flathead 27 cm with a combined 20; mullet no minimum with a combined 40; silver trevally 20 cm; King George whiting 27 cm and 20 a day.

This is a working harbour: keep clear of moored commercial boats, their lines and the loading area, and do not fish from berths in use. Fish the hour or two either side of high tide. The Franklin channel has a marked swing-mooring area, so expect boats moving at the top of the tide.

Port Franklin is a few minutes west of Toora, and the drive in runs through enough green dairy paddocks that the cows have the better view of the inlet. Park in the village near the harbour; the viewing platform and boardwalk are a short, flat walk. There are no shops in Port Franklin — Toora and Foster are the nearest towns for food and bait. There are no fees.

The river harbour is sheltered from swell and from most of the wind that makes the open inlet hard work, which is its main appeal on a blustery day. Tide height decides everything: big high tides push clean inlet water and fish up the river; neap low tides leave little water to fish. After heavy rain the river runs brown and the fishing slows.

The riverbanks and wetland edges are soft mud at low tide — stay on the boardwalk and firm ground. Keep children back from the edge around moored boats and moving vessels. Mosquitoes can be fierce on still evenings.

Yes. The Franklin River harbour at Port Franklin is a sheltered tidal river edge where flathead and mullet are the likely fish on a high tide, with silver trevally and whiting possible on the bigger tides. It is a working fishing harbour, so keep clear of commercial boats and berths in use.

Around high tide. The river shrinks to a narrow channel at low water, and the bigger high tides bring inlet water and fish up into the harbour.

Park in the village near the harbour; the viewing platform and boardwalk are a short, flat walk. Keep clear of the loading area and commercial moorings, which are in daily use.