Here’s a just a few landbased spots to try around Brisbane.
1. Brisbane River. Pinkenba rock wall is on the northern shore near the river mouth. It’s a fair walk out from the nearest parking area to this crumbling rock wall, but there are plenty of bream and the occasional mangrove jack and threadfin salmon to be caught. A rising tide inundates parts of the wall. Unfortunately this area has become quite littered. Elsewhere in the river, any foreshore might produce bream, but spots near manmade structure such rock walls and pylons are often best. Big threadfin salmon have been caught far up the river, usually on livebaits. Breakfast Creek mouth has easy access and fishes well at times, with some mulloway and threadfin caught.
2. Brisbane River freshwater. The access points upstream have bass and cod, which are stocked fish. Also consider the superb Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams.
3. Shorncliffe jetty, near Sandgate. Pike, bream, whiting, squid, catfish and stingrays. Bream and whiting along the Sandgate foreshore wall at high tide.
4. Nudgee (Schulz) Canal. The lower section has good bankside access, with whiting, bream, flathead and crabs. Nudgee Beach foreshore has whiting at high tide. Go here for more information about this great fishing spot.
5. Redcliffe/Scarborough beaches. Many of these relatively calm beaches have rocky reef within casting range. Quality bream and flathead are common, with small snapper off the rocky points, and occasional cod. See our detailed Redcliffe page.
6. Woody Point and Redcliffe have jetties. Also the Hornibrook Highway jetty. Many fishos do well at high tide fishing the shore near the jetties. Good run of crabs off Woody Point jetty. See our detailed Redcliffe page.
7. Moreton Island. Great beach fishing on the inside and outside beaches. The sheltered inside beaches have flathead and whiting, while anything can show up in the gutters on the ocean surf side.
8. Redland Bay has a good jetty, with mainly squid, flathead, bream and crabs.
9. The Logan River fishes well and has shore access in places, with whiting, bream and flathead, and ongoing rumours of barramundi captures.
10. Canal estate rock walls. From southern Brisbane through to the Gold Coast are numerous canals. The rock walls are good fishing spots. Bream and jacks are the main target but it is surprising how many different species make their way through these canals, including bull sharks, mulloway, mud crabs, jacks and trevally.
11. Gold Coast beach rock walls. There are numerous small rock groynes through to Kirra. These have surf species and luderick. The sandpumping jetty at Southport produces regular mulloway and tailor.
12. Tweed Heads to Pottsville. This area is an easy day trip for Brisbane fishos. Excellent surf and rock fishing with access to various beaches and headlands. Look for gutters. Tailor, flathead, bream, dart, mulloway and whiting. You’ll find more information about the Tweed region here.
13. The Tweed River has good landbased access near the mouth, with bream, luderick, jacks and flathead the main catch. There are footpaths along the river in places. You’ll find more information about the Tweed region here.
Note: You need a New South Wales fishing licence to fish south of the Queensland border.
Here’s a few landbased and yakking spots to fish around the Gold Coast and further south into New South Wales.
One of the best Gold Coast spots is the Southport seaway, with rock walls bordering deep water, and the nearby sand pumping jetty. Mulloway are caught here, along with flathead, whiting, bream, tailor, tarwhine, luderick and more.
The shallow, sandy Southport Broadwater is fished hard but still produces good flathead, whiting and bream.
Travelling south the crowds thin out, especially past Kingscliff and further south towards Pottsville. Here’s a few spots along the way …
1. Burleigh Heads – the north bank of Tallebudgera Creek mouth has tailor and bream. Rock groynes on the south bank and along Palm Beach (and through to Kirra) have tailor, bream, luderick in winter.
2. For yakkers, Palm Beach Reef has spotted mackerel in summer.
3. On big tides Tallebudgera Creek has bream, whiting, flathead, luderick, jacks, jewfish, queenfish, trevally, tarpon, giant herring and occasional mud
crab.
4. Currumbin Creek fishes much the same as Tallebudgera Creek. Currumbin Rock south of the creek has most species, with mackerel in season. There are big flathead at the creek mouth in spring.
5. Elephant Rock (north) and Flat Rock (south) have tailor, dart and bream, flathead on edges.
6. Snapper Rocks has great landbased fishing with bonito, tailor and tuna off the rocks between Rainbow Bay and Point Danger.
7. The Tweed River’s north and south rock walls have bitumen paths, easy access for landbased fishing. Fish turn of tide. Mainly bream, tailor, luderick, flathead. Mulloway after rain.
8. A footpath follows the Tweed River in places. Flathead, bream, whiting.
9. Good rock fishing at Fingal Head. A rock gaff is needed.
10. Terranora Inlet has Foysters Jetty off Mingjungbal Drive. Upstream, Cobaki Creek/Terranora Creek has the Pioneer Jetty, off Kennedy Drive.
11. Tidal fishing extends to the Tweed River’s weir. Bass are stocked upstream.
12. Cudgen Creek at Kingscliff has rock walls that produce most species. Luderick at bridge. Usual species in the surf.
13. Most species are caught off Norries Head. The road follows the coast. A permit is required to drive on beach.
14. Hastings Point has mulloway, tailor, bream and luderick. A hole on the beach north of the creek has whiting, bream, tailor aned mulloway. The local creek has luderick in winter, occasional jack in summer.
15. Schnapper Rock near Pottsville has tailor, bream in winter, occasional snapper and mulloway.
16. Pottsville Beach usually has good gutters.
17. Mooball Creek has whiting, some jacks.
18. Black Rocks is out of casting range from the beach but the adjacent beach has tailor, bream, dart, mulloway – there is a carpark nearby.
For freshwater fishos, the Gold Coast’s Bjelke Petersen Dam has excellent bass fishing in summer.
A 1-3kg spin outfit is ideal for whiting, bream and bass. See eBay listing here.
A 3-6kg spin outfit is ideal for most southern Queensland estuary and freshwater fishing. See eBay listing here.
A medium surf rod-reel combo is ideal for most southern Queensland beach fishing for tailor, bream and small mulloway. See eBay listing here.
A heavy surf rod-reel combo is needed for larger mulloway. See eBay listing here.
For boat fishing, a short rod/spinning reel combo loaded with 10kg line is ideal for general reef fishing in water to around 20m deep, and can also be used to cast lures to pelagic fish. See eBay listing here.
Metal slice lures are ideal for tailor. See eBay listing here.
Soft plastic grubs are good all-round lures for a range of southern Queensland species. See eBay listing here.
Jig heads are needed for unrigged soft plastic lures. See eBay listing here.
Squid jigs are useful in southern Queensland. See eBay listing here.
Star sinkers or snapper leads are generally used on a paternoster rig for surf and boat fishing. For most other fishing, ball sinkers are used, as part of a running sinker rig. Listing on eBay here.
Hooks in mixed sizes (suggest 1# or #2 for whiting, 6# or #8 for garfish, 4/0 for tailor and flathead, 11/0 for large mulloway). Listing on eBay here.
Ganged hooks (joined chains of hooks) are used when fishing pilchard baits for tailor. Listing on eBay here.
BOATS FOR SALE in Brisbane - current eBay listings here.
The Tweed River, Fingal Head and coastal reefs near Cook Island are the focal points for fishing in this region.
The town of Tweed Heads at the Tweed River mouth marks the NSW/Queensland border.
Starting in Queensland at the Gold Coast’s Burleigh Heads and moving south, Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creeks are suitable for casting from a
canoe or cartopper. Expect bream, whiting, flathead, jacks and trevally.
The Kirra and Palm Beach inshore reefs fish well for mackerel and baitfish in season.
The Tweed River is a more serious venue.
The main arm of the river is about 60km long, and is tidal to a weir 2km upstream of Murwillumbah.
Significant Tweed tributaries are Cobaki Broadwater, Terranora Broadwater, Terranora Creek, Bilambil Creek, Rous River and Bilambil
Creek.
The Tweed River mouth rock walls have deep water, with quality bream, tailor, luderick, mulloway, jacks, flathead and whiting.
Strong currents make fishing tricky, plan to fish hard at the turn of the tide.
Mulloway are best during flooding when baitfish are pushed downriver, but can show up at any time.
Large flathead appear in the river in spring, as do queenfish.
In summer, spotted mackerel, sweetlip, cod, jacks, flathead, grunter, whiting and small mulloway are caught.
Squid are all year, while prawns are best in March-April just after the full moon, with mud crabs in summer.
Winter sees bream biting hard, as well as mulloway, luderick, tailor and hairtail.
For rockhoppers, Fingal Head produces good fish, and further south Kingscliff, Norries Head (Cabarita), Hastings Point and Pottsville all have good rock and surf fishing.
The surf beaches produce tailor, bream, dart, whiting and mulloway, with tailor best from July to February.
Vehicles are not allowed on beaches in the Tweed Shire, but there are access points along the roads.
South of the Tweed the various coastal communities have good surf beaches.
For boaters fishing out of Tweed Heads, there are three major reefs to explore within 9.25km south-east of the river mouth.
Of these the Nine Mile Reef, east of Cook Island, is most popular, as well as nearby South Reef.
The Nine Mile is about 7.4km out, with strong currents usually hitting the steep north face.
This reef rises to about 8m but averages 12m to 24m.
The rubble bottom lies at 40m.
Nearby Fido Reef also fishes well at times.
Further south are Windarra Bank and Black Rocks reefs.
Wahoo, cobia, kingfish and dolphin fish are popular targets.
Cobia of more than 40kg have been landed.
Mack tuna, longtail and yellowfin tuna are all caught.
Reefs in this area can break, so take care when boating.
The Tweed region has wider grounds called The Canyons, as well as reef areas named after their respective depths.
July is usually the best weather for boating, with light westerly winds, but summer brings the gamefish.
In winter striped marlin and yellowfin tuna are taken on the wide grounds, with reef fish such as pink snapper, teraglin, mulloway, pearl perch and tuskfish closer in.
The best action is usually early morning and late afternoon.
From July-Sept, yellowtail kingfish frequent the Nine Mile, with fish over 14kg common.
September usually brings the biggest kingfish, to 30kg.
Samson fish and amberjacks are generally caught all year.
Trolling and livebaiting around bait schools works well.
Black marlin inhabit the inshore reefs from January to April.
At the Nine Mile, wahoo appear any time from January to September, but March to June is best.
Cobia are all year, but best in spring/summer.
Spanish mackerel are best on the Nine Mile from Feb to May.
Mackerel tuna are thick all year, with occasional striped tuna, and small yellowfin in autumn/winter.
The presence of bait is often associated with heavy rain in the Tweed River.
Access through the Tweed River mouth is usually good in suitable conditions, but as with all bar crossings pick your weather and avoid the runout tide.
A similar spot to the Tweed River mouth is the Gold Coast Seaway, 30km to the north, which has rock walls bordering a deep sea entrance.
A 3-6kg spin outfit is the ideal all-rounder for most New South Wales estuary and freshwater fishing. See eBay listing here.
For wary fish in clear water, a 1-3kg spin outfit is ideal for estuary whiting, bream and bass. See eBay listing here.
A medium surf rod-reel combo is ideal for New South Wales beach fishing for tailor, bream and small mulloway. See eBay listing here.
A heavy surf rod-reel combo is needed for larger mulloway. See eBay listing here.
Metal slice lures are ideal for tailor, kingfish and salmon in the surf and off the rocks. See eBay listing here.
Soft plastic grubs are good all-round lures for a range of New South Wales saltwater and freshwater species. Listing on eBay here.
Jig heads are needed for unrigged soft plastic lures. Listing on eBay here.
Squid jigs are useful in New South Wales, especially in Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay. Listing on eBay here.
Star sinkers or snapper leads are generally used on a paternoster rig for surf and boat fishing. For most other fishing, ball sinkers are used, as part of a running sinker rig. Listing on eBay here.
Hooks in mixed sizes (suggest 1# or #2 for whiting, 6# or #8 for garfish, 4/0 for tailor, salmon and flathead, 11/0 for large mulloway). Listing on eBay here.
Ganged hooks (joined chains of hooks) are used when fishing pilchard baits for tailor. Listing on eBay here.
The deep channels through Noosa’s tidal lakes have bream, whiting, flathead, tailor, school mulloway, mangrove jacks and luderick.
Threadfin salmon are caught in the channel that links Lake Cootharaba and Cooroiba, and large prawns are a regular catch in the same area.
A popular spot is the deep hole on the first bend heading north after Lake Coroiba.
There is another hole further north opposite the camping area near John’s Landing.
Lake Coroiba has flathead and whiting, while the lower Noosa River has most species on a seasonal basis – mangrove jacks and whiting are
best in summer, bream and tailor are best in winter.
Fishing in the estuary tends to be best after storms, when the water is discoloured.
When the water is clear, fish at night and use light tackle and the freshest baits, such as nippers.
Surf and rock anglers can fish north or south of the national park to find the best conditions.
Teewah Beach can be accessed by 4WD after catching the Tewantin Ferry to the north bank and then driving down Maximillian Road and The Cutting.
The beach offers good fishing in the ever-changing gutters for bream, tailor, dart, whiting and occasional mulloway.
Noosa Head has several rock platforms where tailor and large mulloway are taken, and the surf beaches to the north and south fish well at times for bream, dart, mulloway and tailor in season.
For boaters, Noosa Bar is constantly shifting and crossings must be done with care, best at the top of the tide.
Noosa has several reefs within 5km of land, and another set of reefs about 15km out.
A mix of southern and tropical species are caught on a seasonal basis, including coral trout, cobia, sweetlip, red emperor, cod, snapper, tuskfish, yellowfin
tuna and spanish mackerel.
Small black marlin visit the reefs.
There is a boat ramp at Boreen Point, also in Doonella St, Tewantin, and two ramps at Noosaville in Gympie Terrace.
Noosa fishing spots and tips
*Munna Beach and sandspit fish best on falling tide for whiting, flathead. Deep water near the jetty has mulloway at night, turn of tide.
*Munna Bridge holds baitfish and jacks, trevally, bream, tailor. Mulloway at night.
*Lions Park has family fishing for bream, whiting. Other species at
dusk and dawn.
*The island side of Sheraton Bridge has bank fishing around the pylons for jacks, trevally, bream and cod.
*Woods Spit has bream, whiting and flathead during the day and jewfish along the drop-off at night.
*The river mouth has a nearby carpark with variety of fishing, best near high tide. The rock wall has luderick, tailor and bream in winter. Whiting
are caught along the foreshores and mulloway, bream and trevally are in the deeper water.
*Pylons around Weyba bridges hold most species. Easy bank access.
*Little Cove is sheltered and is best at dusk and dawn on weekdays.
*Sheltered Winch Cove has some reef fish, especially after prolonged rough weather, as well as mulloway and tailor.
*The area from Fairy Pools to Hells Gate has deep water access for land-based game fishing, and is fishable in most winds. Big mulloway,
kingfish, trevally, cobia, sharks.
A 1-3kg spin outfit is ideal for whiting, bream and bass. See eBay listing here.
A 3-6kg spin outfit is ideal for most southern Queensland estuary and freshwater fishing. See eBay listing here.
A medium surf rod-reel combo is ideal for most southern Queensland beach fishing for tailor, bream and small mulloway. See eBay listing here.
A heavy surf rod-reel combo is needed for larger mulloway. See eBay listing here.
For boat fishing, a short rod/spinning reel combo loaded with 10kg line is ideal for general reef fishing in water to around 20m deep, and can also be used to cast lures to pelagic fish. See eBay listing here.
Metal slice lures are ideal for tailor. See eBay listing here.
Soft plastic grubs are good all-round lures for a range of southern Queensland species. See eBay listing here.
Jig heads are needed for unrigged soft plastic lures. See eBay listing here.
Squid jigs are useful in southern Queensland. See eBay listing here.
Star sinkers or snapper leads are generally used on a paternoster rig for surf and boat fishing. For most other fishing, ball sinkers are used, as part of a running sinker rig. Listing on eBay here.
Hooks in mixed sizes (suggest 1# or #2 for whiting, 6# or #8 for garfish, 4/0 for tailor and flathead, 11/0 for large mulloway). Listing on eBay here.
Ganged hooks (joined chains of hooks) are used when fishing pilchard baits for tailor. Listing on eBay here.
BOATS FOR SALE in Brisbane - current eBay listings here.
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Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.
Some external videos filmed around Noosa are featured below.
NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.
Port River is a tidal inlet in Adelaide’s north, with the mouth flowing through Outer Harbour, and the “river” extending upstream past Torrens Island to a road causeway that joins the West Lakes manmade canal system.
The river’s North Arm extends around Garden Island and through to Barker Inlet, a nursery area for many species of fish.
The shallows of St Kilda lie to the north.
“The Port” is an important location for Adelaide fishos.
The main species are black bream and salmon trout, but mullet, mulloway, KG whiting, tommy ruffs, flounder, slimy mackerel, chow, snapper and flathead are also caught.
Big kingfish are found around the wharves near the Outer Harbour sea entrance, with mostly smaller fish caught upstream.
Large snapper occasionally show up at Outer Harbour and within the inlet, and historically very big snapper were caught in the Torrens Island shallows at night.
Mulloway, known by some older Adelaide fishos as butterfish, respond best to livebaits.
Winter fishing produces some better fish, but mulloway are caught all year.
Small western striped trumpeter (locally called “shitties”) are common in the river and make a good livebait for mulloway.
Some mulloway fishermen do well flicking lures under the lights of the three Port bridges near high tide.
Eagle rays, smooth rays and gummy sharks show up regularly and using lures avoids the attentions of these.
The Port’s big black bream are a prime target for lure fishos.
Using lures instead of bait helps get past small bream. Crab baits also work well.
Local tubeworms are an effective bait and bloodworms are a seasonal favourite, as well as peeled packet prawns, but all attract pickers.
Local bait shops stock the worms in season.
A boat helps when fishing the Port but there are some great landbased bream spots, including Snowdens Beach and the gravel foreshore at Birkenhead.
Schools of salmon trout move through the river and provide non-stop fishing when they are located.
The rock wall at Outer Harbour faces deep water and is a place where almost anything might be hooked, the author hooked and lost a small mako shark there many years ago, and caught several large mulloway and snapper from the wall.
Mulloway, salmon trout and flathead are the usual catch at Outer Harbour rock wall, with leatherjackets and zebra fish in close to the rocks.
When sufficient weed has accumulated on the beach adjacent to the rock wall a species of worm that looks like an earthworm can be dug from the sheets, and these are good bait for whiting.
Port River landbased fishing spots
Heading from the top of the river, going downstream …
Bower Road – this is the vicinity of the West Lakes/Port River causeway. Salmon trout in autumn/winter, with bream and mulloway all year and garfish in autumn.
Jervois Bridge – salmon trout from autumn to spring, bream all year, mulloway in summer, and kingfish in spring/summer. Where possible try fishing under lights for mulloway.
Birkenhead Bridge – salmon trout from autumn to spring, bream all year, mulloway in summer under lights. Fishing under lights for mulloway is sometimes effective.
Birkenhead Beach – this gravel beach is a great spot for big bream, it covers up at high tide. Fish the early incoming tide. Bream all year, mullet in autumn, and salmon trout autumn to spring.
Tom Derrick Bridge – mulloway in summer/autumn at night, best at low tide. Where possible try fishing under lights for mulloway. Salmon trout autumn to spring and bream all year.
Snowdens Beach – this sandy beach has produced a great many bream over the years. It is easily fished and there is no need to cast far. Mullet in autumn/winter on early incoming tide, salmon trout in autumn to spring on an early incoming tide. Bream from summer to winter on early incoming tides.
Torrens Island wharf – bream all year and salmon trout autumn to spring.
Torrens Island hot water outlet – this pumps hot water into the river and is good in the cold months. Mulloway autumn/winter and at low tide, with bream all year. Salmon trout autumn to spring.
Garden Island jetty – bream all year, with salmon trout autumn to spring on the incoming tide, and mullet in summer and autumn. Sometimes a lot of juvenile fish.
Torrens Island Bridge – bream all year, with salmon trout autumn to spring on the incoming tide, mulloway in summer and autumn at low-tide, and kingfish in spring.
Veitch Road – bream spring to autumn, with mullet in autumn and salmon trout autumn to spring on an incoming tide.
Mutton Cove – bream spring to autumn, with mullet in autumn and salmon trout autumn to spring on an incoming tide.
Snapper Point – bream in summer, mullet in autumn and salmon trout autumn to spring on an incoming tide.
Lastly, Outer Harbour has some great landbased fishing along the rock wall (breakwater).
West Lakes
This is a former marshland that was developed into a canal estate.
The tidal lake is connected to the sea via pipes at the southern end but the tidal movement is small, consequently the water is usually clear and the fish can be wary.
The canal system is a bream hotspot but success often requires a finesse approach using fresh bait or tiny lures, and light tackle.
The Bower Road causeway into the Port River is at the north end of West Lakes, with the area downstream of the weir flow into the Port River being a good bream spot, although with an abundance of small fish.
Within West Lakes itself some of the bream are stonkers, but they can be hard to tempt.
Mullet, salmon trout (small salmon), mulloway, squid, whiting, garfish and more are also caught in West Lakes.
The adjacent sea beaches are low energy locations good for large yellowfin whiting in summer, and yellow-eye mullet in winter.
The whiting respond best to worm baits presented on light tackle. Mullet are caught on small baits, with mince meat being a popular local bait.
The following advice applies mainly to the two gulfs.
Black bream - All year, best in winter/spring. Use live tube or blood worms, peeled prawn or tiny lures, best dawn and dusk, often at turn of the tide.
Crabs, blue swimmer - Best in summer/autumn. Rake them or use nets baited with fish frames, fish day or night.
Crabs, sand (two-spot) - May to June. Use drop nets baited with fish frames, tide dependent, their presence is usually noted when they start stealing fishing baits.
Flathead - All year. Use baits of bluebait, whitebait, small pilchards, squid, fish strips or lures, they bite all day.
Flounder - All year. Will take tiny baits of peeled prawn, worms or squid at night tide, but the usual method is spearing in the shallows at night.
Garfish - Best in summer/autumn. Use tiny baits of maggots, prawn, cockles presented on a float or just drifted back from boat, or dab at night with a net and light, they bite all day.
Mullet - Strong run of fish in autumn/winter. Use tiny baits of mince meat, seaweed worms or cockles. They bite in daylight, usually in very close along beaches at high tide.
Mulloway - Best in summer but can be caught all year. Use live baits or fresh fish fillets or freshly caught squid. Fish dusk into the night at turn of tide.
Salmon - Best in autumn/winter but they show up all year. Use baits of peeled prawn, bluebait, whitebait, cockles, pilchards or lures. Best at high tide at dusk and dawn.
Snapper - Best in spring/summer. Use baits of squid, pilchards, fish fillets or jigs. Best at dusk and dawn and they come in close after stormy weather.
Snook - Bite all year. Use lures, pilchards or fish strips. They bite well at night under jetty lights.
Squid - Available all year but best in summer. Use artificial jig lures or baited wire jigs. Best at dawn when the water is clear, but also at dusk and night.
Tommy ruffs - All year. Use maggots, peeled prawn, cockles. Best at night.
Whiting, king george - These bite all year but often better in winter, use baits of cockles, peeled prawn or squid on the edge of seagrass beds, they bite all day, often tide dependent.
Whiting, silver - All year. Use tiny baits of cockles, worms or peeled prawns.
Whiting, yellowfin - All year but best in summer. Use fresh or live worms or peeled prawns. Some fishos do OK on tiny lures.
Fishing tackle recommendations for South Australia
A 3-6kg spinning outfit is suitable for general estuary and light boat fishing in South Australia. See this eBay listing for a suggested spinning combo here.
The above light outfit can be used on shallow, low-energy beaches to catch SA's yellowfin whiting and yelloweye mullet, but a dedicated light surf rod would be better for this purpose.
An 8-12kg spin outfit suits fishing for large salmon and mulloway on South Australia's high-energy ocean surf beaches. See eBay listing here.
Small metal slice lures work well on South Australia's salmon trout, silver trevally, flathead, barracoutta, tommies and snook. See eBay listing here.
Use larger metal slice lures on high-energy beaches where big salmon are expected.
Soft plastic grubs work well on bream, salmon trout and tommies, and freshwater fish such as yellowbelly, redfin, cod and trout. See eBay listing here.
Jig heads are needed for unrigged soft plastic lures. See eBay listing here.
Squid jigs are an essential item in South Australia as large squid are usually abundant in gulf waters and are readily available on jetties. Baited jigs are popular in South Australia - these can be cast and left out until a squid arrives. Bait these jigs with a tommy ruff or mullet and set this under a float. If you don't want to use baited jigs, standard lure jigs such as these work well ... see eBay listing here.
The secret for successful squid fishing is to fish dusk, darkness and dawn, when the water is clear. Summer is usually best.
Floats are useful for suspending a bait, and work well when fishing for South Australia's sweep, tommy ruffs, salmon trout and trevally. The polystyrene floats in the following listing are slid onto the line and a stopper is placed above the float to set the depth fished. See eBay listing here.
Star sinkers or snapper leads are generally used on a paternoster rig for surf and boat fishing. For most other fishing, ball sinkers are used, as part of a running sinker rig. See eBay listing here.
Hooks in mixed sizes are needed. Suggest 4# to #8 for whiting, mullet and tommy ruffs, 10# to #12 for garfish, 1/0 for bream, 4/0 for salmon and flathead and 11/0 for large mulloway. See eBay listing here.
Flounder spearing is popular in South Australia. A submerged light is generally used to find the fish, see eBay listing here.
Crabbing is popular in the South Australian shallows, using a crab rake. See eBay listing here.
NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.
Cape Jervis, at the southern end of Fleurieu Peninsula 88km south of Adelaide, is a gateway to the waters of Backstairs Passage and Kangaroo Island.
The coastline here is mainly rocky, with some beaches flanked by rock, reef and seagrass beds.
Boaters will find exceptional fishing, with good grounds along the coast and in the passage.
There are excellent KG whiting grounds for those who make the 18km voyage across to Kangaroo Island.
Cape Jervis jetty is well worth fishing, with tommy ruffs (tommies) in winter and calamari and arrow squid in summer.
Shore-based fishing the relatively low energy beaches in this region produces yellowfin whiting in summer and yellow-eye mullet in winter, with salmon trout all year and the chance of salmon, tailor and mulloway.
Beach fishing is at Fishery Bay to the south and Morgans Beach to the north, which are easily accessible by road.
For those willing to walk north from Morgans, Tea Tree Creek Beach may produce larger resident fish such as leatherjackets.
Fishery Bay produces mostly smaller fish like mullet, juvenile salmon and tommy ruffs.
Rock fishing throughout this region produces leatherjackets, sweep, salmon trout, tommies, squid and garfish.
Species caught out wide include yellowtail kingfish, nannygai, tuna, snapper, harlequin, blue morwong, silver trevally, snook, gummy and school sharks.
In close, boaters will find KG whiting, squid, leatherjackets, red mullet, flathead and garfish.
Good offshore spots include grounds around Sanders Bank and south of The Pages.
Yilki Bay and West Island grounds produce whiting, sweep, red mullet, flathead and squid.
Squid are reliable when drifting broken or weedy grounds off Cape Jervis, and Wirrina to the north.
About 12km north-east of Cape Jervis, Rapid Bay has a great fishing jetty, although the huge limestone loading jetty it replaced was far better.
Unfortunately the old jetty was closed to the public in 2004.
About 15km north-east of Cape Jervis lies Second Valley, which has a short jetty that produces mainly squid. There are some easily accessible rock platforms that look very fishy, but it is generally a busy place on weekends.
Further north-east is Wirrina, which has a large marina with extensive rock walls.
Mainly garfish, KG whiting and snook are caught off Wirrina and Carrackalinga.
Fishing sanctuaries exist off Rapid Head and north of Carackalinga, so check the boundaries before you fish.
About 26km north of Cape Jervis, Normanville has a 7km beach into which flow the intermittent Yankalilla River, Bungala River and Carrickalinga Creek.
Mulloway are a chance off the beach when the creeks flood and the mouths open.
The beach is otherwise good for yellow-eye mullet in autumn/winter, salmon trout, flathead, silver whiting and yellowfin whiting.
Normanville has a small jetty that fishes well at times, and Haycock Point at the northern end is also worth trying.
Boats can be launched at Lady Bay and Normanville.
Some of the beach is narrow and steep, with seagrass growing to within 50m of shore.
Backstairs Passage itself is the home of big snapper (when you are allowed to catch them).
The Passage is not easily fished, being subject to strong currents and standing waves, and big sinkers are required even when fishing the turn of the tide.
The Pages Island group in the passage includes a marine sanctuary and no-go zones.
There is a boat ramp within the marinas at Cape Jervis and Wirrina.
The following advice applies mainly to the two gulfs.
Black bream - All year, best in winter/spring. Use live tube or blood worms, peeled prawn or tiny lures, best dawn and dusk, often at turn of the tide.
Crabs, blue swimmer - Best in summer/autumn. Rake them or use nets baited with fish frames, fish day or night.
Crabs, sand (two-spot) - May to June. Use drop nets baited with fish frames, tide dependent, their presence is usually noted when they start stealing fishing baits.
Flathead - All year. Use baits of bluebait, whitebait, small pilchards, squid, fish strips or lures, they bite all day.
Flounder - All year. Will take tiny baits of peeled prawn, worms or squid at night tide, but the usual method is spearing in the shallows at night.
Garfish - Best in summer/autumn. Use tiny baits of maggots, prawn, cockles presented on a float or just drifted back from boat, or dab at night with a net and light, they bite all day.
Mullet - Strong run of fish in autumn/winter. Use tiny baits of mince meat, seaweed worms or cockles. They bite in daylight, usually in very close along beaches at high tide.
Mulloway - Best in summer but can be caught all year. Use live baits or fresh fish fillets or freshly caught squid. Fish dusk into the night at turn of tide.
Salmon - Best in autumn/winter but they show up all year. Use baits of peeled prawn, bluebait, whitebait, cockles, pilchards or lures. Best at high tide at dusk and dawn.
Snapper - Best in spring/summer. Use baits of squid, pilchards, fish fillets or jigs. Best at dusk and dawn and they come in close after stormy weather.
Snook - Bite all year. Use lures, pilchards or fish strips. They bite well at night under jetty lights.
Squid - Available all year but best in summer. Use artificial jig lures or baited wire jigs. Best at dawn when the water is clear, but also at dusk and night.
Tommy ruffs - All year. Use maggots, peeled prawn, cockles. Best at night.
Whiting, king george - These bite all year but often better in winter, use baits of cockles, peeled prawn or squid on the edge of seagrass beds, they bite all day, often tide dependent.
Whiting, silver - All year. Use tiny baits of cockles, worms or peeled prawns.
Whiting, yellowfin - All year but best in summer. Use fresh or live worms or peeled prawns. Some fishos do OK on tiny lures.
Fishing tackle recommendations for South Australia
A 3-6kg spinning outfit is suitable for general estuary and light boat fishing in South Australia. See this eBay listing for a suggested spinning combo here.
The above light outfit can be used on shallow, low-energy beaches to catch SA's yellowfin whiting and yelloweye mullet, but a dedicated light surf rod would be better for this purpose.
An 8-12kg spin outfit suits fishing for large salmon and mulloway on South Australia's high-energy ocean surf beaches. See eBay listing here.
Small metal slice lures work well on South Australia's salmon trout, silver trevally, flathead, barracoutta, tommies and snook. See eBay listing here.
Use larger metal slice lures on high-energy beaches where big salmon are expected.
Soft plastic grubs work well on bream, salmon trout and tommies, and freshwater fish such as yellowbelly, redfin, cod and trout. See eBay listing here.
Jig heads are needed for unrigged soft plastic lures. See eBay listing here.
Squid jigs are an essential item in South Australia as large squid are usually abundant in gulf waters and are readily available on jetties. Baited jigs are popular in South Australia - these can be cast and left out until a squid arrives. Bait these jigs with a tommy ruff or mullet and set this under a float. If you don't want to use baited jigs, standard lure jigs such as these work well ... see eBay listing here.
The secret for successful squid fishing is to fish dusk, darkness and dawn, when the water is clear. Summer is usually best.
Floats are useful for suspending a bait, and work well when fishing for South Australia's sweep, tommy ruffs, salmon trout and trevally. The polystyrene floats in the following listing are slid onto the line and a stopper is placed above the float to set the depth fished. See eBay listing here.
Star sinkers or snapper leads are generally used on a paternoster rig for surf and boat fishing. For most other fishing, ball sinkers are used, as part of a running sinker rig. See eBay listing here.
Hooks in mixed sizes are needed. Suggest 4# to #8 for whiting, mullet and tommy ruffs, 10# to #12 for garfish, 1/0 for bream, 4/0 for salmon and flathead and 11/0 for large mulloway. See eBay listing here.
Flounder spearing is popular in South Australia. A submerged light is generally used to find the fish, see eBay listing here.
Crabbing is popular in the South Australian shallows, using a crab rake. See eBay listing here.
Lake Pedder is a vast impoundment in south-western Tasmania, about a two-hour drive from Hobart.
The lake feeds nearby Lake Gordon with water for generating hydro-electricity, via McPartlan Canal.
Lake Pedder formed in 1971 when a controversial dam was completed and the original much smaller Lake Pedder was flooded.
The Gordon hydro scheme formed Australia’s largest freshwater impoundment. Lake Pedder has a 242 square kilometre area, and Lake Gordon is 272 square kilometres.
Pedder’s water levels are relatively static, but Lake Gordon has regular large drawdowns, exposing much of the bare shoreline. Gordon also often rises quickly.
Both Pedder and Gordon have tannin-stained water that is usually clear enough for lure and fly fishing.
Lake Pedder was famous for fishing in its early years as the trout grew huge on the abundant food supply, and multiple catches of trophy fish were common.
This has since changed.
The lake is still full of trout but they now average 500g to 1kg.
Big fish may exist but they are not common.
The lake is famous for its scenery.
This huge waterbody sees relatively little fishing pressure, and provides a true wilderness experience.
Unfortunately its landbased fishing potential is fairly limited.
What little shoreline is accessible does produce fish.
Boaters must watch the weather as this is alpine country and it gets rough and very cold at short notice.
Most fishing methods work at Lake Pedder.
The lake experiences some insect hatches, unlike Lake Gordon, which fluctuates too much to sustain insect hatches.
Midge fishing and windlane fly-casting works in the daytime.
Early mornings in summer and autumn are the best time for windlane fishing.
Some windlanes can carry many feeding fish.
Fly or lure fishing the shoreline is best in the morning and late afternoon.
Lure or fly type does not seem to be critical.
Trolling over structure often works, as well as deep trolling.
Any location with an inflowing creek is worth fishing.
In the 1980s Pedder’s big trout were often caught at night using surface lures, with braver souls saying winter was the best time to use this method.
One would think that with trout being abundant throughout the lake, there would be big cannibal trout caught.
Trout in Irish and Scottish lakes are known to grow large and prey on other trout, read about the original ferox trout here.
However there does not seem to be a record of a trout bigger than 1.5kg being taken from Pedder in recent times.
Lakes Pedder and Gordon are managed as wild trout fisheries.
Brown trout are the main catch, with a few rainbows.
Angling is allowed all year.
Lake Pedder is within South West National Park.
There are campgrounds at Teds Beach, Edgar Dam and Huon Inlet.
Camping fees do not apply but National Parks Passes are required.
There is a lodge at the lake with accommodation and a heated pool.
There are boat launch sites at Serpentine Dam, Strathgordon, Teds Beach, McPartlan Pass, Edgar Dam and Scotts Peak Dam.
Lake Pedder has two threatened native fish species present, the Pedder galaxias and swamp galaxias. Both have a maximum length around 10cm.
Nearby Lake Gordon has redfin, which may become established in Lake Pedder.
In recent times Lake Gordon has been drawn down to almost empty because of low rainfall, but it rises fast during rain events.
Book accommodation at Lake Pedder Wilderness Lodge
Lake Gordon is a vast impoundment in southern Tasmania, topped up by nearby Lake Pedder to provide hydro electricity.
These two impoundments together make up Australia’s largest water storage.
Both lakes contain brown and rainbow trout, and Gordon has redfin, which will likely eventually become established in Lake Pedder.
Lake Gordon is characterised by fast-changing water levels from hydro draws, which leave much of the bare bank exposed.
Lake Pedder’s water level fluctuates far less.
Both lakes have tannin-stained water that is usually clear enough for lure and fly fishing.
In recent Lake Gordon has been drawn down to almost empty because of low rainfall, but it rises fast during rain events.
The lake is vast at about 272sqkm when full, and is not heavily fished, so the fish are not educated and often aggressively take lures.
However distances to the best spots by water are great, and submerged timber is a navigation hazard, especially near low water.
Lake Gordon fishes best with rising water levels, and can be a difficult location to find fish when it is falling.
After rain, try the arms of shallow bays, with fish feeding anywhere water is rising over new ground.
For boaters, the locations where streams flow in are worth a try.
A good spot is Adams Bay, which has a spectacular waterfall entering from Adams River.
The Gordon River inflow is a great area that tends to fish well regardless of the lake level, unlike other spots. Huge boulders lie on the bottom here and there are large eddies in the current.
Fish with lures where the river enters the lake, and expect some big fish.
Lake Gordon is chockers with small redfin, and large trout feed on these.
Strangely, the trout here do not seem to go mad on summer gum beetles as they do on other lakes, and mudeye and other insect hatches are rare because the water levels change so much.
Insect hatches are better on nearby Lake Pedder because of the more stable water level.
Other good fishing areas to try include:
Ragged Basin – empty at low levels but otherwise a good spot. It is popular mainly because it has a boat ramp off the Gordon River Road.
The north end of Holley Basin and Pokana Bay fish well when the level is rising.
If you launch at the power station ramp between the water intake and the dam wall then Knob Basin is good with a rising water level.
Boyes Basin is perhaps the best area of all, accessed from Clear Hill Road.
Launching here is done off the loggers road and it can be hard even with 4WD. Take a chainsaw in case trees fall over the track.
You made need to obtain a key from Forestry Tasmania – ask if the track gate will be locked.
Trolling Boyes Basin can be successful. Use deep trolling methods if the fish are hanging low.
Elsewhere, the former river bed fishes well and at low levels this can be done followed simply by going through the timber.
For many, redfin are a highlight of the lake rather than a nuisance feral fish. There are some big redfin, to 2kg+, but a lot of small ones mixed in.
Some external videos filmed at Lake Gordon are featured below.
Being a relatively cool state with areas of reasonably consistent rainfall, Victoria has some great trout fishing at times, but with strong seasonal fluctuations in fishing quality.
Some of Victoria’s rivers and lakes support natural recruitment of trout, while others are stocked with trout and other salmonids.
The annual stocking regime includes thousands of fingerlings as well as some “school holiday fish” that are big enough to be caught immediately.
See this link for the latest school holiday stocking schedule.
Trout were introduced into Victoria in the 1860s and stocking continues today.
2019 Salmonid Stockings
Brown trout 412,502
Rainbow trout 536,390
Chinook salmon 50,000
Cheetah trout 2,450 Total 1,001,342
Brown trout are the main salmonid species caught, along with a good number of rainbows and a small resource of chinook and Atlantic salmon.
Redfin and native Australian fish are caught alongside trout in most Victorian trout waters.
The best Victorian trout waters are Goulburn River (between Eildon and Molesworth), Rubicon River, Acheron River, Steavenson River, Tanjil River, King River, Ovens River, Kiewa River, Mitta Mitta River, Lake Catani, Lake Eildon, Lake Purrumbete, Lauriston Reservoir, Hepburn Lagoon, Newlyn Reservoir, Tullaroop Reservoir, Lake Toolondo, Lake Hume, Lake Bullen Merri, Lake Wendouree, Eildon Pondage and Lake Dartmouth.
For a full list of Victorian waters recently stocked with trout click here.
There are also many privately stocked dams.
Trout stocks in some waters are periodically assessed by fisheries staff and report cards are released.
When choosing a trout fishing location it pays to assess various destinations to determine which are fishing well.
Fishing quality varies with the vagaries of the seasons, both on the short and long term.
Localised rain events provide fish with food as water levels rise and this produces fatter, healthier fish.
Rain can discolour water in otherwise clear streams and lakes.
A general rule is to fish using lure or fly in clear water, with bait more productive in discoloured water.
Consecutive years of good rain bring on the best overall trout fishing.
Here’s a summary of Victoria’s trout fishing regions.
Victoria’s north-eastern trout rivers
The high country rivers hold naturally spawned brown and rainbow trout.
Spots to try include the upper Yarra and Goulburn River catchments, the upper Ovens and King Rivers, and the Nariel and upper Murray River catchment streams.
The Mitta Mitta River is well regarded.
Any cold clear-water creeks flowing into these systems are likely to hold fish.
Try fishing just before and after the closed seasons for best results.
Victoria’s crater lake trout fishing spots
The state has unusual volcanic crater lakes that are deep and fertile and produce big fish.
Lakes Bullen Merri and Purrumbete are famous for producing trophy brown trout, with fish to 5kg caught each year, along with rainbow trout and chinook salmon.
The trout caught in these lakes are few, probably because the big fish are cautious, but their size makes it worth the effort.
Try casting lures near the shorelines in mornings and afternoons.
Deep trolling can work well on chinooks and rainbows.
Victoria’s southern trout rivers
These coastal rivers are stocked annually.
The Hopkins, Merri and Moyne Rivers all have good fishing at times, with sea runners in late winter/spring.
Try casting lures while walking the banks when the water is dirty, or use a fly rod when the water is clear.
Other mostly smaller coastal rivers and creeks, such as the Barham (near Apollo Bay), Aire and Gellibrand also turn on good fishing and all may produce occasional sea runners.
Victoria’s highland lakes trout fishing spots
Moorabool, Wendouree, Newlyns, Hepburn, Bostock and Tullaroop impoundments are places worth fishing in the Ballarat region.
Winter fishing can be good in these locations when big trout are chasing smelt and feeding on mudeyes.
Look for deep water near flats or weedbeds and the fish won’t be far away.
Victoria’s western lakes trout fishing spots
Tooliorook, Deep Lake, Toolondo and Lake Bolac are stocked and have good trout fishing, but with season variations.
Trout fishing tips
Studies show that Victoria’s stream-dwelling trout tend to head far upstream during hot weather, possibly because there is more shade and cooler water in the upper reaches of rivers.
Use the lightest possible tackle for best results in clear water.
Tiny soft plastic lures are often successful on trout, but bigger fish will take minnow lures.
If you hike into a remote section of stream you may find better fishing.
Pay attention to the weather, and river and lake levels, and don’t expect instant results if this is your first shot at trout fishing.
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Email us any corrections, additions, pictures or video here.
Some external trout fishing videos filmed around Victoria are featured below.
