Stranded Vic couple, baby rescued

A couple and their 16-month-old baby have been rescued after becoming stranded during a fishing trip in Victoria's east.

The family departed from Sandy Point in south Gippsland for an afternoon of fishing in Shallows Inlet, but failed to return home on Monday night as expected.

An air and water search, involving the police air wing, water police, State Emergency Service and local surf club, found the trio beached on a bank of the inlet.

They were winched to safety by the air wing just after 1am (AEDT) on Tuesday.

The trio had left their boat to fish off the bank, but were left stranded when the tide receded.

Water Police Sergeant Andrew Lilly was concerned the family were unprepared for emergencies and said the rescue could have been avoided.

"To venture out on a vessel with no mobile phone and no radio is a recipe for disaster," he said.