South Australia has had a historically marginal trout fishery, with diehard fishos chasing mostly brown trout on a small selection of stocked streams.

Rainbow trout have existed only tenuously in very few SA waters.

Climate change is making the state’s weather hotter and drier, and it remains to be seen if even the best streams will keep producing trout.

The future of the state’s trout fishing lies in its reservoirs.

Impoundments are being stocked and opened up to fishing, with trout stocking planned for mid 2020 at Myponga Reservoir.

Bundaleer Reservoir already contains brown and rainbow trout.

Hope Valley, Happy Valley, Little Para, Middle River, Millbrook, Myponga and Kangaroo Creek Reservoirs were listed for potential trout stocking in a 2018 RecfishSA report.

There may still be trout in marginal streams, so here’s a list of the (historically) best spots if you want to explore.

Broughton River

This river, 160km north of Adelaide, has been stocked in the past with trout in the section from Spalding to Koolunga.

The river is quite saline, which prevents irrigation use and helps guarantee good water levels, however siltation has slowed the flow and the river is mostly deep pools with reed-lined banks.

The reeds limit bankside access, but good trout have been caught.

Spawning is believed to be minor or nil.

Finniss River

This river flows into the lower Murray lakes 45km south of Adelaide.

Stocking was done in the middle section from Burma Road to Kondoparinga Homestead.

Irrigation and low rainfall makes this stream cease flowing in summer.

Redfin are present, with carp in the lower reaches.

Trout stocks have been self-maintaining in good years.

The author’s father fished this river in the late 1960s, and noted that the trout caught were thin.

Meadows Creek

This is a tributary of the Finniss River, about 40km south of Adelaide.

Trout have been stocked in a 5km section up from Burma Road.

The river has a slow flow and has produced large trout and redfin.

Bull Creek

This tributary of the Finniss River has had a spawning brown trout population, but it tends to run dry.

Currency Creek

This stream also flows into the Murray lakes, about 60km south of Adelaide.

It has been stocked over an 8km stretch in years past, from Mosquito Hill Road to the Goolwa-Mt Compass Road.

There is good access and in good years there is habitat suitable for trout spawning.

Redfin and carp are in the lower reaches.

Hindmarsh River

This river flows out at Victor Harbour, about 60km south of Adelaide.

The reach from the second waterfall down to the gauging weir has been stocked with trout in years past.

Access is limited because of terrain, but the fishing has been good in historic terms, with insect hatches reported.

Wakefield River

This river is 100km north of Adelaide, with the section from Undalya to Balaklava stocked in years past.

Conditions are similar to the Broughton River, with thick bankside reeds.

The river has a spring feed but irrigation uses much of the river’s water.

Torrens River

The trout fishing areas are in the city’s north-east metro area.

The river is now used to carry water pumped from the Murray River to a Hope Valley plant, and storage weirs have decreased the trout-fishing areas.

The lower Torrens in the city has many large carp. Stories of occasional large trout being caught in the city have never been backed up with photographs.

Sixth Creek

This Torrens tributary has a permanent flow, entering the Torrens at Castambul.

There have been self-sustaining trout populations in years past.

Redfin and carp are also present.

Light River

This river is 70km north of Adelaide.

It has been stocked historically from the Kapunda-Eudunda Road down to the bridge on the Kapunda-Adelaide road.

The pools are connected by channels through thick reedbeds.

It has been a productive fishery in years past, with alkaline water and springs providing a good food supply.

Onkaparinga River

This river is south of Adelaide, entering the sea at Port Noarlunga.

Above Mt Bold Reservoir it runs through farmland, with good fishing for those who can get access.

The river below Mt Bold to Clarendon Weir has produced big trout.

Below Clarendon the “Onk” runs through a gorge, with deep pools.

The lower tidal river has black bream, and is possibly a spot where one might catch a sea-run trout, although it has never been reported.

Cox Creek

This is a tributary of the Onkaparinga River above Mt Bold Reservoir.

It has been stocked, and has also contained a spawning brown trout population.

Hay Flat Creek

This stream is 100km south of Adelaide is a tributary of Yankalilla River.

It has been stocked in the past but has been a minor fishery.

Inman River

This river is 80km south of Adelaide, flowing to sea at Victor Harbour.

A small section in the middle reaches has been stocked with trout in years past.

Carp and redfin are the main residents, with bream in the tidal reaches.

Little Para River and North Para River

These were once good trout streams but stocking ceased after the catchments were damaged. Carp are now the main catch.

Scott Creek

This is a tributary of the Onkaparinga River. A spawning population of trout has been present in years past.

Kangaroo Island

Rivers on Kangaroo Island were stocked in 1994.

Interestingly, Middle River had spawning rainbow trout.

Wilson River was stocked but few trout were reported afterwards.

Given ongoing climate change and the devastating fires of 2019, trout may have a hard time existing in the island’s streams, but there is hope for good local reservoir fishing.

Other waters

Other South Australian streams are known to contain trout that have survived from earlier stocking attempts.

Government surveys around 2013 showed there were trout in Deep Creek, Sturt Creek and Callewonga Creek.

If you have recent experience chasing SA trout, please leave a comment.

Some external videos filmed around Adelaide are featured below.

SA trout fishing

SA trout fishing

SA trout fishing

SA trout fishing

SA trout fishing

Adelaide hills redfin

Adelaide CBD carp

St Kilda tides
Port Parham tides
Port Wakefield tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks

NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.

The coastline immediately north of Adelaide forms the upper Gulf of St Vincent.

These relatively protected waters have shallow low-energy beaches and mudflats.

The sand and seagrass beds host a range of bread and butter fish, but the seasonal run of blue swimmer crabs is the big attraction for many fishos.

These are caught mostly by raking.

St Kilda

This town is at northern end of the Port River and is a well-recognised fish nursery.

It is reached from Port Wakefield Rd.

Bream, yellowfin whiting, mullet, salmon trout and blue swimmer crabs are the main catch, and despite being a shallow area, large snapper were caught here in years past.

St Kilda boat ramp gives access to Adelaide’s northern grounds.

A large rock wall is located between St Kilda and Chapman Creek Aquatic Reserve and Barker Inlet Aquatic Reserve.

Port Parham

North of St Kilda, the shallow coast continues and is a mecca for crabbers.

Access points include Middle Beach, Thompson Beach, Port Parham and Webb Beach.

Crab raking is the usual method of capture and bag limit catches are not uncommon.

Fishermen will also find quality yellowfin whiting in summer, flathead, squid and flounder.

Port Wakefield

Port Wakefield is located at the top of the Gulf of St Vincent.

The shallow waters have mainly whiting, garfish, flathead, snook, tommy ruffs and squid.

The boat ramp is in a creek that requires some tide for easy entry.

There are snapper in summer, including some big ones, but finding structure is hard.

Blue crabs are abundant in summer, with the biggest crabs taken in March.

There is a large marine sanctuary wide of Port Wakefield.

Quality yellowfin whiting can be caught on the rising tide, but king george whiting caught in the upper Gulf are often small.

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Some external videos filmed along the coast north of Adelaide are featured below.

St Kilda salmon and whiting

St Kilda flathead

St Kilda snook and squid

Port Parham crabbing

Port Wakefield drone footage

Venus Bay tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks

NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.

Venus Bay is a popular holiday fishing destination on South Australia’s west coast.

The bay itself is 16km wide, shallow and dissected in the middle by a marked channel, which runs from Port Kenny to the sea entrance at South Head.

The bay fishes well for gar, flathead, squid, tommy ruff, salmon, flounder and yellowfin whiting.

There are spotted whiting, but these are usually small.

The water is often clear and good presentation is therefore required. For this reason, night fishing is often more productive.

The town jetty fishes well at times.

The sea entrance can be unsafe, especially when wind and tide are opposed.

There is a boat ramp.

To the immediate south, Mt Carmel Beach produces salmon.

GPS Marks
Howard Rock (breaks)
33 14.855S 134 38.072E

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Some external videos filmed around Venus Bay are featured below.

Venus Bay drone footage

Southend drone footage, with campsites

Venus Bay shallow salmon fishing

Venus Bay abalone diving

Port Lincoln tides
Port Lincoln beaches
Lincoln National Park
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks
Return to SA fishing map

NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.

Port Lincoln is located within a highly regarded fishing region at the southern end of South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula.

There are good facilities for boaters, with excellent fishing grounds in close and out wide, and two good fishing jetties within the town, being the town jetty and tourist park jetty.

Other fishable jetties in the region are at North Shields, Tumby Bay, Coffin Bay and Mt Dutton Bay.

There are marinas at both Port Lincoln and Tumby Bay, with boat ramps at Tumby Bay, North Shields, Port Lincoln, Taylors Landing, Port Neill, Coffin Bay and Mt Dutton Bay.

With appropriate equipment and care, beach launching can be done at Louth Bay, Avoid Bay and Farm Beach.

Some of the best beach and rock fishing is near Port Lincoln in the Lincoln National Park. Entry permits are at the Port Lincoln Visitor Information Centre.

Landbased fishing near the town provide great salmon action at times, and kingfish are caught within the marina.

Port Lincoln Bay itself is shallow and has flounder, mullet, bream, gar, snook, tommies, flathead, blue crabs and yellowfin whiting.

Landbased whiting are caught at Tulka, from the rocks, while boaters get good catches of whiting at Proper, Spalding Cove, North Shore, Carcase Rocks, Taylors and Thistle Island.

Squid are found throughout the bays.

Blue crabs are best in the shallows around March, which is also a good time for gar.

Spotted whiting are usually good around Tulka, North Shore and Thistle Island.

Offshore fishing produces just about all SA species, depending on how far you are willing to travel.

A highlight is bluefin tuna, which often swim outside the local tuna aquaculture pens.

The Cabbage Patch and South Neptune Islands are go-to spots.

The more distant reefs hold big samsonfish, yellowtail kingfish, tuna, blue groper, blue morwong and more.

For those who want to fish the islands south of Port Lincoln the beach launch at Taylors Landing gives access to Taylor Island just 5km away.

Further on lie the islands of Thorny Passage.

Quality snapper and spotted whiting are caught within the passage, with samson, nannygai and morwong on the deep reefs outside.

This is not an ideal area for trailerboaters, with strong currents and the power of the Southern Ocean.

Charter services are recommended to fish the wide reefs and Neptune Islands.

For surf and rock fishermen, Sleaford Bay south of Port Lincoln has big salmon.

Rock platforms such as Millers Hole and Salmon Hole require a long gaff or drop gaff to land big fish.

Other regional spots include Elliston, which usually has salmon from the beaches between Sheringa and Mt Camel.

Talia Rocks produces big salmon with gummy and school sharks at night.

Tommies, squid and flathead are caught at Walkers Rocks.

Coffin Bay’s sheltered waters have mostly salmon trout, whiting, squid and tommies. The deeper water in Dutton Bay is best for gummy sharks.

Farm Beach has whiting, flathead, garfish, tommies, snook and squid. Offshore of Point Sir Isaacs there are nannygai, blue morwong and gummy sharks.

Whiting can be caught from the rocks at Frenchman’s Beach, with flathead at Gallipoli Beach and Coles Point.

Salmon are good at Gunyah Beach, Greenly and Convention Beaches.

A tug hull was sunk in Boston Bay in 1990 as an artificial reef, and it produces big snapper at times (snapper fishing is currently banned in SA).

Port Lincoln’s best fishing periods

KG whiting, snapper, salmon, samson, nannygai, sweep, snook, trevally, flathead, gummy and school sharks, tommy ruff, garfish, squid – all year, but with peaks at specific times.

Tuna and kingfish are best in late summer to autumn.

Yellowtail kingfish are best from November to April

Blue swimmer crabs are best November to May.

Southern rock lobster are best December to May.

Yelloweye mullet best in winter and autumn.

Port Lincoln and its nearby towns are popular during holiday periods so book early.

GPS Marks
Bronzewing Hull 34 40.912S 135 52.482E

Booking.com

Booking.com

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Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Some external videos filmed off the Port Lincoln coast are featured below.

iFish at Port Lincoln 1 – reef fish and white sharks

iFish at Port Lincoln – salmon

Port Lincoln’s Millers Hole

Port Lincoln landbased fishing

Port Lincoln underwater footage

Port Lincoln surf sharks

Port Lincoln blue crabs

Port Lincoln family fishing holiday

Stenhouse Bay tides
Pondalowie Bay tides
Browns Beach tides
Corny Point tides
Port Turton tides
Port Victoria tides
Port Hughes tides
Wallaroo tides
Port Broughton tides
Port Pirie tides
Port Augusta tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks
Browns Beach on Beachsafe
York Peninsula camp sites in Innes National Park
York Peninsula camp sites run by the council

NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.

Some of South Australia’s great fishing spots are located on the southern and western York Peninsula coast.

A special feature for touring fishos is the selection of camp sites run by York Peninsula Council.

Here are some of the more popular areas.

Stenhouse Bay

This is a superb fishing area within Innes National Park. Bush camping is available.

The jetty has produced yellowtail kingfish, but is better known for autumn/winter mullet and salmon.

Mulloway are caught in the bay.

A sanctuary exists south of the bay.

Pondalowie Bay

This bay is also within Innes National Park.

The beach launch provides access to exciting offshore grounds, but the weather must be right to contemplate fishing, and a swell can make launching impossible.

The fishing, from Emmes Reef north-west to Wedge Island, can be superb.

Wedge Island is inhabited, with several holiday houses that can be hired.

Boaters usually fish the calmer waters between Wedge and North Island for whiting and snapper.

The beach on the north side has big flathead and salmon.

Yellowtail kingfish are common around the island.

Browns Beach

Like some other great salmon beaches, this beach has an outlying reef, and salmon move inside on a rising tide.

Fishing is best in winter, but some salmon stay all year.

This is a somewhat famous fishing beach in SA.

Walking is required, and a permit for Inness National Park.

To the north, Dust Hole Beach has salmon in winter and big mulloway in summer, along with mullet, flathead and sharks.

It also requires walking, depending where the gutters lie.

North of the Dust Hole Beach is Daly Head and Gleesons Landing.

Gleesons has 4WD access and a reasonably sheltered beach launch.

The beach has salmon and mullet, with occasional mulloway.

Corny Point

This is at the north-west tip of Yorke Peninsula, with Berry Bay nearby and West beach to the immediate south.

There is free camping at Corny Point, from where you can walk off for a fish.

West Beach is the last proper surf beach heading north along this coast, as beaches in the gulf are more sheltered.

There is surf fishing at nearby Berry Bay for salmon and mullet.

There is a caravan park 4km east of the point, with a tractor available for beach launching.

Small boats can fish this reasonably sheltered area, and the local garfish, whiting and tommy ruff are big.

Further out are snapper grounds.

Point Turton

The marina is suitable for large boats.

The jetty produces the usual SA species, including kingfish.

Whiting, snook, gar, flathead and flounder are caught in close.

This is a protected area in a southerly, but north-westerly winds make it rough.

About 10km to the east, 4WD launching can be done at Hardwicke Bay.

The same applies at Port Rickeby to the north, which also has a small jetty.

Port Victoria

This town has most facilities, including a sheltered all-tide ramp and long jetty.

Wardang Island lies 10km offshore, providing a great deal of protected water to fish.

All the usual species are caught, with spotted whiting within and outside the bay.

Flounder are common in the bay and there is flounder spearing.

To the north, Balgowan has an exposed boat ramp.

Port Hughes

This town has excellent boating facilities inside a marina, although it is shallow at low tide.

The long jetty fishes well for tommy ruff, gar and squid, with blue crabs and yellowfin whiting in summer.

Oversize whiting, snook and snapper can be caught on the wide grounds.

Tiparra Reef has a light and is good for gar, snook and squid, while snapper fishos should head out to the Steamer channel.

There are whiting, squid and gar grounds in close.

Gar dabbing is popular in northern Moonta Bay on a calm night, with good fishing for a variety of species at Walrus Rock and Bird Reef.

Tiparra Reef
34 03.913S 137 23.494E

Tiparra Wide
34 04.654S 137 18.261E

Wallaroo

The town’s long jetty fishes well, with snapper caught at the end, usually after rough weather, as well as occasional kingfish.

Otherwise it is best for gar, squid and blue crabs.

The town has excellent boating facilities.

Big snapper are reliable on grounds about 10km out.

There is an artificial reef of tyres 9km out.

Two small shoals within Wallaroo Bay are usually worth a look.

Wallaroo Tyre Reef
33 51.411S 137 34.384E

Moonta Shoal
33 53.883S 137 34.902E

Riley Shoal
33 53.220S 137 34.951E

Port Broughton

Yet another gulf town with a long fishing jetty.

Yellowfin whiting are a popular catch here. Use fine tackle and the freshest possible bait. Fish an evening rising tide for best results.

Big snapper are targeted out wide on the Illusion wreck and on Plank Shoal.

The boating facilities are excellent but the entrance channel is shallow and winding.

There is an artificial reef made from car bodies.

Car Reef
33 32.914S 137 51.483E

Port Pirie

This town sits in a fertile marine nursery area with numerous small creeks to the south and productive flats in Germein Bay.

Port Germein has a very long jetty over shallow water, which produces gar, squid and yellowfin whiting.

Small kingfish sometimes visit, being escapees from farms.

Snapper are caught in the Port Pirie shipping channel, with yellowfin whiting and blue crabs on the flats.

Big bream are caught within the port, and school mulloway.

Port Pirie has excellent boating facilities, but there is only beach launching at Port Germein.

There is an artificial reef of pipes 4km out of Port Germein. Port Pirie has a tyre reef about 12km by sea from the town ramp.

Germein Pipe Reef
33 03.614S 137 59.883E

Pt Pirie Tyre Reef
33 05.114S 137 54.381E

Port Augusta

The shallow waters of upper Spencer Gulf lead north to the town of Port Augusta.

It is an unusual marine area, being shallow and sheltered from all winds except southerlies.

A quirk of Port Augusta is the two power stations that have hot water outlets.

These are renowned for attracting big kingfish, with fish over 50kg taken.

Livebait and strong gear is needed.

Another odd local catch is the tropical dolphin fish (mahi mahi), which are occasionally brought in by warm currents passing the state.

Big snapper are caught in the channel, but most Adelaide snapper fishos travel onward to Whyalla and Arno Bay.

Otherwise, the waters here are best for yellowfin whiting, blue crabs, gar, bream and snook.

Boating facilities are good. There is a tyre reef 20km south of Port Augusta.

Augusta Tyre Reef
32 39.914S 137 45.879E

Explore South Australian accommodation

Booking.com

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Some external videos filmed off the eastern York Peninsula coast are featured below.

Stenhouse Bay shark fishing

Stenhouse Bay squidding

Diving Stenhouse Bay and Wedge Island

Pondalowie Bay fishing

Browns Beach fishing

Corny Point fishing

Point Turton fishing

Wallaroo kayak fishing

Port Augusta fishing

Exploring Mud Creek, Port Pirie

Price tides
Ardrossan tides
Black Point tides
Port Vincent tides
Stansbury tides
Wool Bay tides
Port Giles tides
Edithburgh tides
Marion Bay tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks

NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.

Some of South Australia’s great fishing spots are located from Port Wakefield and south down the York Peninsula coast.

The peninsula’s mostly sandy shallows are home to plenty of whiting, squid, flathead, gar and flounder, along with runs of blue crabs.

At the foot of the peninsula, places like Marion Bay have superb bluewater fishing for samsonfish and more.

Price

This community on the upper western Gulf of St Vincent has two creeks with mostly juvenile fish.

Launching by 2WD into Wills Creek is at high tide only if you don’t have 4WD.

Private (illegal) artificial reefs have been sunk and hold pink snapper in summer.

Ardrossan

This town has been somewhat famous for its great fishing jetty, but is now likely to be better known for having a purpose-built natural artificial reef.

The 4ha reef is made of reef balls, limestone, oyster shells and live native oysters.

Ardrossan otherwise has outstanding crabbing, squid, tommy ruff, gar and yellowfin whiting.

There are good all-tide launching facilities, and a hopper barge artificial reef 15km offshore that holds snapper in summer.

Black Point

This holiday community is on a wide shallow bay, and being on the west side of the gulf the winds are offshore in summer.

The main catch in the shallow bay are yellowfin whiting, flathead, flounder, yellow-eye mullet, gar, squid and blue crabs.

There are snapper offshore, but finding ground, or someone’s private artificial reef, can be difficult.

The Black Point launch site is exposed, and dries as the tide falls.

Nearby Port Julia has a small jetty that dries at low tide, and a basic launch site.

Squid are caught off the point.

Port Vincent

This small town has a marina that provides sheltered all-tide boat launching.

Unlike many gulf towns, there is no fishing jetty.

The attraction for boaters is Orontes Bank about 15km offshore, which produces spotted whiting, gar, snapper and squid.

The whiting are generally bigger than those in the upper gulf.

There is a blue crab run in summer.

North Spit north of Port Vincent is a great low-tide location for blue crabs.

Garfish dabbing is best on a dark night (no moon).

Stansbury

The jetty produces spotted whiting at the far end, and garfish, yellowfin whiting, tommy ruff, snook and squid.

There is a good summer run of blue crabs, usually raked around South Spit.

The boat ramp is excellent.

Along the coast north of Stansbury are excellent squidding grounds.

Wool Bay

There is a short jetty which produces mostly squid, gar and tommy ruff.

The launch site is poor and requires 4WD.

Port Giles

The long loading jetty here produced big snapper in years past.

Otherwise, tommy ruff, slimy mackerel, chow, trevally, squid and gar are the main catch.

The jetty is closed when grain is being loaded.

The rocks to the north are known to produce snapper, usually after a storm.

South of Port Giles, Salt Creek Bay at Coobowie has yellowfin whiting, mullet and flounder.

There is a tyre reef 3km off Giles Point.

Giles Tyre Reef approx 35 02.715S 137 47.483E

Edithburgh

The small jetty here punches above its weight, with tommy ruff, garfish, snook and squid. Night is best.

The boat ramp is adequate and king george whiting caught on nearby grounds are usually of a good size.

There is snapper and more at Troubridge Shoals, Tapley Shoal and Marion Reef for those with suitable boats.

Currents can be strong and fishing is best done at the turn of the tide.

Marion Bay

This large bay is under the “foot” of Yorke Peninsula.

It is one of two places where boats can be launched along the bottom end of the peninsula, the other being Pondalowie Bay.

It is not an ideal launch site however, being exposed and only a single lane.

Marion Bay jetty fishes well for squid, gar, tommy ruff and mullet.

The beach within the bay is renowned for its autumn mullet run.

Boaters who want to catch large spotted whiting should launch here and go 25km east to Foul Bay.

The beaches from Marion Bay east to Troubridge Point produce some big mulloway.

Big flathead are also caught.

The local charter operators visit the more distant hotspots and are worth considering.

Offshore grounds here and further west produce samson, blue morwong, harlequin fish, yellowtail kingfish, trevally, snapper, nannygai, sharks and more.

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Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Some external videos filmed off the eastern York Peninsula coast are featured below.

Netting St Vincents Gulf with ET

Crab raking at Ardrossan

Ardrossan snapper

Stansbury drone footage

Stansbury blue crabs

Wool Bay shallows fishing

Edithbugh tommy ruffs

Port Giles drone footage

Marion Bay samsonfish

Marion Bay bluewater fishing

NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.

Deep Creek tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks
Blowhole Beach at Beachsafe
Boat Harbour Beach at Beachsafe
Tunkalilla Beach at Beachsafe

Blowhole Creek beach is at the western boundary of Deep Creek Conservation Park.

This is one of seven small beaches along a steep-cliffed and mostly inaccessible section of coast on the south side of Fleurieu Peninsula.

Two of these beaches in the Deep Creek Conservation Park are accessible to the public by 4WD, with the remainder backed by farmland.

The park is 100km of Adelaide, with five campgrounds, four of them accessible by 2WD vehicles.

The other campground is walk-in only on the Heysen Trail, which gives walking access to coastal areas.

There are 15 walking trails in the national park, with spectacular views of Backstairs Passage, Kangaroo Island and Deep Creek Valley.

Access to Blowhole Creek beach is via a steep 4WD track, but 2WD visitors can park at Cobblers Hill and walk a steep 2km to the beach and rocks.

A small creek runs across the beach, with fishable rocks extending seaward in each side.

The western side of the beach has a good platform.

The beach itself is small, being only 120m or so wide.

From the rocks anything might be caught, although the usual catch is tommy ruffs, salmon trout, silver and spotted whiting, red mullet, flathead and squid.

Those who take time to access the more remote rocks will find big leatherjackets, sweep and more.

Kingfish and silver trevally might show up on a good day.

Boat Harbour Beach

This is a straight 100m-wide steep cobblestone beach, with a low-tide sandbar.

It is at the end of a deep valley, with a 4WD access track zigzagging down the western spur.

Fishermen find this interesting spot to be hot or cold. Salmon trout are the most likely catch.

Tunkalilla Beach

To the east of Deep Creek National Park is Tunkalilla Beach.

This 5km beach is accessible from a carpark on a bluff above the western end of the beach.

It is a long walk, especially on the way back.

It should be fished in light weather, preferably a northerly.

It has good salmon fishing at times, with mulloway or snapper a chance at night in spring and summer.

It is renowned for sharks in summer.

Beaches further east include Callawonga Beach, Ballapanudda Beach and Coolawanga Beach.

These may be accessible off the Heysen Trail, but check with trail organisers first.

Interestingly, Callawonga Creek was shown to hold trout in a 2013 government survey.

Further to the east are Parsons and Waitpinga Beaches, which are long, high-energy surf beaches that are publicly accessible and well-proven salmon fisheries, with a chance of tailor, mulloway and sharks.

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Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Some external videos filmed around Deep Creek NP are featured below.

Blowhole Beach fishing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmvM5de1VmE

Boat Harbour Beach drone footage

Blowhole Beach drone footage

Lake Macquarie tides
NSW fishing regulations
NSW marine parks

Lake Macquarie is a vast estuary with 170km of shoreline.

The 11,000ha area averages 9.7m deep. The lake has an artificial reef system.

The main species caught are yellowfin bream, dusky flathead and sand whiting.

Luderick, snapper, chopper tailor, tarwhine, blue crabs and prawns are also abundant at times, as are flounder and squid.

Mulloway, kingfish, big tailor and trophy flathead are targeted by some, usually in or near the entrance channel.

Snapper and mulloway inhabit deeper areas, mostly biting at night.

Dolphin fish (dorado) have been caught in the lake, although this is unusual.

Fishing has improved markedly since commercial netting was stopped in 2002.

There is usually somewhere sheltered to fish in almost any wind, but the lake is shallow and can become rough, especially in a southerly.

Skippers should watch for flats that trap boats on a falling tide.

Swansea Channel is the pick of the spots and has an easily accessible wall along the entrance’s north shore, but is problematic because strong currents flow despite small local tides.

The artificial reef is productive.

In recent years Salts Bay has been home to large numbers of salmon, and mulloway and pink snapper captures have increased.

Being shallow and clear, the lake should be fished with light tackle and fresh bait.

Week days may fish best when there is less boat traffic.

Summer sees prawns taken at night on the run-out tide and dark moon.

Squid are best at the channel entrance and near the bridge. Hire boats and canoes are available.

Lake Macquarie Artificial Reef

The reef system is off Galgabba Point in 6m of water.

There are six sites, comprising 600 hollow concrete reef balls, each 1m square, within a 3sqkm area.

About 42 species are known to live on the reefs.

The GPS supplied here is the central mark followed by four corner marks for each site.

Site 1.
33 05.604S 151 36.612E
33 05.614S 151 36.616E
33 05.605S 151 36.602E
33 05.597S 151 36.607E
33 05.606S 151 36.624E
Site 2.
33 05.680S 151 36.738E
33 05.697S 151 36.738E
33 05.670S 151 36.748E
33 05.666S 151 36.739E
33 05.692S 151 36.728E
Site 3.
33 05.764S 151 36.790E
33 05.755S 151 36.787E
33 05.759S 151 36.782E
33 05.773S 151 36.791E
33 05.770S 151 36.799E
Site 4.
33 05.814S 151 36.891E
33 05.807S 151 36.885E
33 05.813S 151 36.877E
33 05.822S 151 36.899E
33 05.817S 151 36.905E
Site 5.
33 05.880S 151 36.879E
33 05.879S 151 36.870E
33 05.885S 151 36.874E
33 05.884S 151 36.888E
33 05.875S 151 36.881E
Site 6.
33 05.985S 151 36.942E
33 05.978S 151 36.949E
33 05.976S 151 36.942E
33 05.990S 151 36.933E
33 05.997S 151 36.942E

There are also some ‘private’ (illegal) artificial reefs in the lake.

Lake Macquarie (Newcastle) Offshore Artificial Reef

This reef is 3.5km north-east of the Swansea bar, offshore from Blacksmiths Beach, at a depth of 28.5m. It was deployed in August 2019.

The reef is two single steel pinnacle towers of 7.8m wide by 10.9m deep and 6.4m high, each having a central vertical tower of 12m.

Yellowtail kingfish, snapper, silver trevally, mulloway, yellowtail and slimy mackerel exist around the reef.

Site 1.
33 04.300S 151 42.018E
Site 2.
33 04.380S 151 41.891E

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Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Some external videos filmed around Lake Macquarie are featured below.

Lake Macquarie fishing

Lake Macquarie fishing

Lake Macquarie flathead

Lake Macquarie bream

Lake Macquarie jewfish

SA reservoir water levels
SA conditions of reservoir access
SA reservoir fishing permits
SA fishing regulations

Myponga Reservoir is on the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia, south of Adelaide.

For decades, fishermen driving south of Adelaide to fish bluewater spots would look wistfully as they passed Myponga Reservoir.

There were stories of big redfin and even trout existing in the lake, but fishing was not allowed.

Dreams of fishing the lake have now come true, with 32,000 murray cod and 30,000 each of silver perch and golden perch released in early 2020.

Trout were to be stocked in mid 2020.

Redfin are abundant.

Fishing access is only allowed from shore.

The Myponga dam was built in 1958-1962 on the Myponga River, and the impoundment still helps supply Adelaide with water.

Adelaide’s biggest dam is Mt Bold, on the Onkaparinga River, historically one of the state’s better trout streams.

Fishing is not allowed at Mt Bold, but hopefully – as it did at Myponga – that situation will change.

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Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

External videos of SA reservoirs are featured below.

Myponga Reservoir drone footage

Mt Bold Reservoir drone footage