# Launch locations for Ricketts Point



## kayakcallan (May 8, 2007)

Hi Guys,

Whilst not new to fishing, I am new to kayak fishing, and also new to fishing on Port Philip Bay. After buying a new Hobie Outback I am keen to try a few spots on the bay.

I have seen a lot of posts about fishing near Ricketts point and was wondering where is the best place to launch? To date I have only fished off Mordialloc beach. I thought maybe I could paddle around from there?

For all those Ricketts regulars - where do you launch from?

Thanks,
Callan

Hobie Outback '07 (brand new!) :lol:


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Either the lifesaving club, at the far left hand (southern) end of the car park, or at the beaumaris yacht club, a separate car park about 100m north of the tea house. Beware the shallow reef out from the the yacht club, it's probably better to have a regular escort you out on your first trip.

And unfortunately you have to buy a ticket to park in either car park so remember the coins ($2/hour or $7/day last time I was there).


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## kayakcallan (May 8, 2007)

Thanks Jason,

Is the yacht club a private boat ramp (i.e. do i need to be a member). I went for a walk the other night along the footpath a noticed a whopping big fence with swipe card entry?

If it is then I'll try the carpark near the life saving club as suggested. In fact, I will probably try to life saving club in any case, as running aground on a reef in plastic kayak doesn't sound like a great idea. :shock:

Thanks for the info,
Callan


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Hi Callan

No the yacht club is a public car park with the yacht club building at the north end. There is no boat ramp, I think they just drag/wheel their boats down to the water.

I assume you know about the marine park at Ricketts? It's marked by yellow buoys/green marker poles, there's no fishing inside.

There is shallow reef at the lifesaving club launch site as well, but it's much more easily navigable than at the yacht club.


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## Tim (Nov 11, 2005)

Yeah, car park next to the club.

Easy to wheel the yak down to the beach and launch from there.


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## kayakcallan (May 8, 2007)

Thanks Jason,

Yes, I knew there was a marine park there. I've seen the boats parked just outside it. :lol: It looked as if they were virtually anchored to the markers.

Obviously there are not worries launching a kayak at the life saving club? (being a marine park and all?) According to my fishing map it looks like the park extends past the life saving club and around the corner.

-Callan


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

We have had a couple of encounters with less than lovely locals at Ricketts, who seem to think that we're doing the wrong thing by launching and retrieving inside the marine park - if anyone gives you trouble tell them you are legally allowed to launch inside the park, and that you will be fishing outside it :wink: Grant has been in contact with the authorities regarding this issue, I think from memory they said that they'd prefer if we launched somewhere else, but that it's not illegal, or something like that :?


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## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Hi Callan

Have fun!

Cheers

Scott


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## Guest (May 9, 2007)

Callan, if you ever need a RP regular to show you the ropes there, shoot me a PM. I'm always up for a bash at Ricketts.


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## Redfish (Apr 25, 2007)

Hi kayakcallan, I've been fishing black rock a fair bit lately, steadily working south. You'll have a ball, when the pinkies are on you'll be flat out getting a SP to the bottom. Just watch the boats on dusk/ dawn, last Sunday I had to run for cover as one guy plowed through a bunch of anchored boats (copping a nasty spray from the fishos in the process). A kayak is a lot harder to see than a boat.

Send me a PM if you want to go for a fish some time.


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## kayakcallan (May 8, 2007)

Hi Guys,

..and hi Scott, the new Hobie's going great! Took it out the very next day for a practice run and its was plain sailing (err.. kayaking).

Thanks for the offer 5thNovember. I plan to take you up on it.. a Ricketts Point regular *AND *exactly the same Kayak, how good is that! 

During my test run at Mordialloc pier I didn't get a lot of success with fish but I did get a lot of interest from Squid.. they followed the soft plastic minnows right up to the side of the kayak (but not much chance hooking them on a single hook I guess).

I discovered the 'power boat' issue first hand with guys cutting in under the Mordialloc Pier on jet skis only the see me at the last minute. :shock: I think there must be a jet-ski dealer at the marina there as they were in and out of there all day.

-Callan


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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QlpoOTFBWSZTWfhXAhEAABXfgAASQIUAAIgQEIA/9/6wIABwY0xGEaYAAAap+oZCmJ5I9EbKZohARWjZvHVeaWOpPRo2DzNmLlvEdmDq+pibBTlkzm3iRkE4sQ/zXWtopq90U8Yl4HYu0SXdGGYRsNGKXRwXnPa/5+m60Estjk+GCXlbpAB2Huhg4qyP8XckU4UJD4VwIRA=


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## kayakcallan (May 8, 2007)

Hi Red,

I would have if I had one. It was the maiden voyage and all i took was one rod and a bag of soft plastics. 

I was expecting to fall out or capsize at some stage - but it was rock solid in the Outback "barge". Next time i will be prepared. 

-Callan


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## Y-Knot (Sep 26, 2006)

g'day Callan and welcome ... and if your PMing yakkers about a fish somewhere make sure you put it up on 'Trips Post, that way ya might get a whole swarth of melbourne yakfishos coming along


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## PoddyMullet (Aug 29, 2005)

Hiya Callan, welcome along. Looks like the fella's have got ya covered with the info on Ricketts. But I can never shut up...so I'll keep banging on. The parking meters take gold coins (and some silver), grab a ticket as ya enter the car park and drive to the far end where the Yacht Club is for the easiest launch (Yacht Club there looks ore like a Surf Club...no moored boats or marina etc). Ya can keep ya catch and bring it back through the park, but can't legally clean it there. Sometimes the launch there can be a bit deceptive in showing conditions, there's a reef which protects ya but when ya get a bit further out where the park boundary is it can get a bit more choppy. Ricketts is boat busy weekends and public holidays, just keep ya wits about a bit and most boats are fine. But I wouldn't fish it without lights dawn/dusk. Good luck and good choice on dealer...that HobieV is a great bloke despite his odour and suspect girlish giggle (complete with Shirley Temple dance when he lands a fish) :wink:


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## hoit (Aug 29, 2005)

Hi Callan, welcome to the site. Looking forward to seeing you out on the water.

Regards
Grant


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## sebas (Apr 29, 2007)

I fish the ricket/mentone beach almost every week or so, plenty of flatheads, some nice ones 60 cms, pinkies to around 1,5 kilos and so.
I usually drift around the sheltered area around the life saving club, close to the mussel farm and always got some nice ones.
it seems like the salmons are entering the bay, a few times catching small flatties I saw them swimming very fast to my catch.
Surprisingly most times the best bites were not at dawn but around 2/3 pm, on the rising tide.
I always park on the lifesaving club with my escapade, happy to go with you if u want.



PoddyMullet said:


> Hiya Callan, welcome along. Looks like the fella's have got ya covered with the info on Ricketts. But I can never shut up...so I'll keep banging on. The parking meters take gold coins (and some silver), grab a ticket as ya enter the car park and drive to the far end where the Yacht Club is for the easiest launch (Yacht Club there looks ore like a Surf Club...no moored boats or marina etc). Ya can keep ya catch and bring it back through the park, but can't legally clean it there. Sometimes the launch there can be a bit deceptive in showing conditions, there's a reef which protects ya but when ya get a bit further out where the park boundary is it can get a bit more choppy. Ricketts is boat busy weekends and public holidays, just keep ya wits about a bit and most boats are fine. But I wouldn't fish it without lights dawn/dusk. Good luck and good choice on dealer...that HobieV is a great bloke despite his odour and suspect girlish giggle (complete with Shirley Temple dance when he lands a fish) :wink:


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