Swan Lake Fishing near Phillip Island, Victoria

• Overview

  Set in Bass Coast, Victoria, this is Swan Lake. It sits in dry hill. With some 16 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Ground here is low by Victoria standards. Phillip Island is the closest town at 6.7 km. For a city, City of Port Phillip is 77 km off. Rules here are straightforward: one set of state rules.

• Where to Fish on Swan Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. This is tidal water: the state of the tide decides where fish sit, so plan the session around it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover shortfin eel, grassy flathead and South Australian roughy. Take Swan Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 10°C in July up to 19°C in February. Fishing runs all year, with summer the awkward season. The shoulder seasons either side of summer are the ones to aim for. April and May steady things again after the summer heat. The season on Swan Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Leave the car at Swan Lake Path - Parking Area, about 590 m from the bank. Public toilets are recorded roughly 1.1 km off. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Green Lake sits 0.9 km off and takes the overflow. None of that is settled for Swan Lake in what we hold.