Seaford Pier
Summary for 18 Oct 2026
Bite Compass is showing a high fish activity bite score on 18 Oct 2026. Wind is around SE at 8 km/h. Solunar feeding windows are listed below.
Feeding Windows
Local Knowledge
Seaford Pier is relatively short and surrounded by sand with some reasonable habitat, and it's a popular spot for fishing, swimming and sightseeing. The best bet is a berley trail over the isolated weed beds and rubble for garfish, with the occasional whiting or even a flounder. Casting for salmon is more reliable, and a big blow can fire them up around the pier. Every so often a long cast toward deep water produces a good snapper, just to keep the regulars honest.
Set up a fine berley trail and drift small baits under a float for garfish over the weed patches. For salmon, cast metals or a paternoster with whitebait into the wash, especially when wind is pushing onto the beach. Whiting take small baits fished on the sand between the weed. A squid jig is worth carrying for the occasional calamari, and a long cast with a snapper bait toward deeper water is the lottery ticket. Seaford's snapper are rumoured more often than caught, which has never once stopped anyone bringing the big rod.
Salmon (21 cm, combined 20 with herring) are the most reliable fish, garfish (combined 40) the berley fish, and King George whiting (27 cm, bag 20) and calamari (squid combined bag 10) the occasional bonuses. Snapper (28 cm) are an occasional catch for those casting long. Flounder (23 cm) turn up too. Rays can't be taken within 400 m of the pier.
The car park charges fees, so bring a card or the app. Berley is the key here — keep it fine and steady, and under the 10 litre limit for Port Phillip Bay. In the bay's intertidal zone you can't collect mussels or crabs for bait. A big blow is salmon time — dress for it.
Access & Conditions
The pier runs off the Seaford foreshore, with the local shopping strip, cafes, toilets and bins close by. On a hot day the ice-cream queue on the shopping strip can be longer than the line of rods on the pier. The deck is flat and short, which suits kids and less-mobile anglers. Dogs must be on a lead.
Seaford faces west into the bay. A westerly or south-westerly blow is what fires the salmon, while calm easterly or northerly days give clear water over the weed for garfish and whiting. The afternoon sea breeze arrives on most summer days; mornings are calmer.
Onshore blows push waves and spray onto the pier — the salmon conditions are also the slippery conditions. Swimmers use the beach beside the pier in summer, so cast away from them. Jumping and diving off the pier is prohibited because of shallow areas and submerged objects.
Gear & Rigs
Salmon: a 7–8 ft 2–4 kg rod, 2500–3000 reel, 10–15 lb braid, 20–30 g metals or a paternoster with whitebait or pilchard pieces. Garfish: quill float, size 10–12 long-shank hooks, prawn, maggots or dough, plus fine berley. Whiting: paternoster with size 6–4 long-shanks on pipi or squid. Snapper: a 9–10 ft 4–8 kg rod and 4/0–5/0 hooks on pilchard for the long cast.
Seasons
Salmon run March to September and fire after onshore blows. Garfish are about from November into July, whiting from November to April. Calamari are best April to October. Snapper are a spring-to-autumn long shot.
If This Spot's Blown Out
Frequently Asked
Yes — salmon are the most reliable target, with garfish, whiting, flounder and calamari over the weed and rubble and the occasional snapper on a long cast.
Yes, the foreshore car park is paid, so bring a card or the app.
March to September, and particularly after a big onshore blow, which can fire salmon up around the pier. Salmon are 21 cm minimum.