Rosebud Pier

Rosebud Pier sits opposite Jetty Road and runs about 300 m into the bay, with the shipping channel passing close to its end. It is mostly shallow until the last third, where it drops into a few metres of water, and calamari after dark are the main catch. A berley trail adds salmon, flathead, mullet and the odd King George whiting. Then there is the twist: every summer, dedicated anglers catch large bronze whalers off the end at night — which is a very different evening from the one the families with squid jigs had planned.

Walk to the last third of the pier, where the depth is — the first two-thirds are scenery. For squid, cast jigs at dusk and after dark. Run a light berley trail and fish small baits on a paternoster for salmon, mullet and whiting. The shark crowd fish big fresh baits on heavy gear from the end at night — that is specialist work, not a side-line.

Calamari are the main catch after dark; salmon, flathead and mullet come up a berley trail, and whiting are occasional. Limits: squid (including calamari), octopus and cuttlefish combined bag 10; salmon 21 cm and 20 combined with Australian herring; flathead 27 cm and 20; mullet no minimum and 40 combined; King George whiting 27 cm and 20. Sharks other than gummy and school shark are 1 of each species per person per day, and white sharks are protected.

Rays can't be kept within 400 m of a pier, so release them at the surface. Public berthing is allowed on the pier for up to 48 hours, so leave room for boats tying up; the skippers have usually had a longer day than you. Berley is capped at 10 litres in Port Phillip.

The pier is opposite Jetty Road on the Rosebud foreshore, which has an all-abilities playground and picnic and barbecue spots overlooking the swimming beach. The deck is flat and long, so allow a walk to the deep end. Foreshore camping runs from late October to early May and peaks over the summer holidays, so expect a crowd in that window. Dogs must be on a lead. On summer weekends half of Melbourne seems to make the pilgrimage down the Peninsula, and a fair share of it ends up on this foreshore.

The pier faces north into the bay. A northerly or north-westerly puts chop and weed on it, while southerlies are offshore and calm. The shallow approach means the higher half of the tide fishes best, and night is when the squid and the sharks are most active.

Watch for deep water, submerged obstacles, strong currents and a slippery deck. The inshore section is very shallow — no jumping or diving, which is prohibited anyway. Ships pass close to the end in the channel. Handle any shark with extreme care and cut the trace rather than drag a big fish onto the deck. Wear a lifejacket if you fish the lower landings or ladders — adults AS 4758 level 50S or greater, level 100 or greater for children.

About 300 m, from opposite Jetty Road. It is mostly shallow until the last third, where it deepens to a few metres.

Yes — calamari after dark are the main catch. Fish the deeper last third with jigs at dusk and into the night.

Yes. Big bronze whalers are taken off the end on summer nights by anglers targeting them. Other sharks are limited to 1 of each species per person per day, and white sharks are protected and must be released.