Outer Harbour is the entrance to Adelaide’s Port River, a waterway perhaps better described as a large tidal inlet.

The harbour entrance is dredged and lined by giant rock walls, locally called breakwaters, with the southern wall being accessible on foot and the northern wall only by boat.

There is no footpath on the wall, so it is a long and dangerous hop, skip and jump along the rocks, and a very long way to the end, especially if you are carrying a lot of gear.

However there is no need to walk to the end, as good fishing can be had the full length of the wall.

Anything is possible along this wall – mulloway, pink snapper, kingfish, salmon, leatherjackets, flathead, bream, tommies, zebra fish, squid, sharks and rays all show up.

Night fishing is best for mulloway, but some fish are caught in daylight.

Use livebait for the mulloway, or fresh whole pilchards or gar.

Mulloway schools tend to come and go, making mulloway fishing hot or cold.

The turn of the tide is usually the best bite time.

Tidal flow along the walls is not usually strong enough to prevent fishing, but on the biggest tides fishing is easier on the turn.

Drifting baits along the rocks under a float is a good way to pick up bread and butter fish such as tommies, salmon trout, leatherjackets and zebra fish.

Salmon schools move through the harbour entrance, and seagulls will give away their presence.

A long-distance casting rod and chrome slice lure is best for the salmon, as they don’t always swim close to the wall.

Berleying off the rock wall is a great way to attract fish.

On the shallow sandy side of the wall mainly flathead are caught, with a few squid and leatherjackets.

Sharks and rays swim along both sides of the wall where it joins the bottom and can be a nuisance when fishing with large baits.

While the various species of fish are seasonal in abundance, there is usually something to be caught at Outer Harbour at any time of year.

The large shipping wharf at the base of the rock wall can no longer be fished, but was formerly a known mulloway spot, with occasional large snapper caught.

On the seaward side of the outer rock wall is a shallow area that holds swags of gar and blue crabs for boaters.

Immediately south of Outer Harbour, North Haven marina has smaller rock walls that offer good landbased fishing at times, mainly for salmon trout, flathead, bream and occasional mulloway.

Further south are Adelaide’s metro jetties, which produce good fishing, squidding and crabbing at times. These are Largs Bay, Semaphore, Grange, Henley, Glenelg and Brighton.

Another spot to try is West Lakes, a reclaimed marsh that is now a saltwater canal estate and a great spot to target large black bream.

North of Outer Harbour the shallow coastline is a mecca for crab-rakers, gar-dabbers and flounder spearers.

Outer Harbour tides
Outer Harbour webcam
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks

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

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Fowlers Bay is a tiny coastal community in the far west of South Australia.

It has a 340m jetty that is illuminated at night and fishes well for squid, along with garfish, tommy ruff and snook.

Boat launching is from the beach.

There is reef close in off Point Fowler but conditions must be calm to fish it, with unexpected wave breaks a possibility.

Scott’s Bay (Scott’s Beach) is on the west side of the peninsula and has good surf fishing for big mulloway in summer, with salmon in winter.

Lathe salmon schools are commonly at Scott’s Beach, with fish to a stunning 8kg+, along with attending whaler sharks and sometimes white pointers.

King george whiting and mulloway are also caught from this beach.

Offshore fishing produces king george whiting in close, with samson, kingfish, groper, nannygai, tuna, harlequin, morwong and snapper out wide.

East of Fowlers Bay is Tuckamore Beach, which usually has good gutters with mulloway, salmon, gummy and whaler sharks and even samson fish.

South of Fowlers Bay, the rocky point has ledges and beaches along a productive saection of coastline. Expect salmon, kingfish, snapper and even tailor.

September to March is the best fishing time here, but occasional mulloway will show up in winter.

There are usually plenty of crayfish on the reefs.

A 4WD is needed to reach spots on soft sand tracks at various beaches, and tyre deflation may be required, so carry a compressor.

A with anywhere, never drive on beached seaweed rafts, as bogging is inevitable.

Because of its remote location, Fowlers Bay is trophy fish country.

The bay is 900km from Adelaide, just 23km off the Eyre Highway.

The recommended road in is the signposted Fowlers Bay Road, off the Eyre Highway 45km West of Penong and 35km East of Nundroo.

This road is half sealed and half gravel.

From the west Fowlers Bay can be accessed via Coorabie on a rough road. Tallala Well Road is an unmaintained road best avoided.

Further west is Mexican Hat, Wandilla, Cabot’s Beach, The Lagoons, Snook Ground and the Yalata Indigenous Protected Area (IPA).

The Yalata IPA has natural dune camping areas adjacent to 40km of arguably the best remote surf fishing beaches in Australia.

There is also public access at the eastern end of this coastline outside the Yalata IPA.

The months either side of Christmas are best for mulloway, with the best results had fishing big tides of the full and new moons.

Salmon are caught in winter, and snapper and tailor visit the area.

The public access area outside Yalata IPA is at Dog Fence Beach and further east towards Fowlers Bay.

Yalata Beach is off limits.

Access to Dog Fence Beach is via Nallanippi Road.

Entering via Dog Fence crossing is deemed trespassing.

Fowlers Bay tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks
Fowlers Bay coastline

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Smoky Bay is a coastal holiday community on a relatively protected bay in western South Australia.

The bay has a long jetty that produces quality snook, gar, squid, whiting and tommy ruffs.

There are razorfish beds in the bay, providing great bait for king george whiting.

Garfish dabbing and flounder spearing are locally popular.

A 4WD vehicle gives access to coastal fishing spots on soft sand tracks.

For boaters who fish outside the protection of Eyre Island, there are numerous reefs with the usual run of SA’s offshore species, including tuna.

Franklin Island lies 30km out.

Smoky Bay has an all-tide sealed boat ramp, but note that a boat ramp permit is required from the general store or caravan park.

Camping within the town is only allowed at the two caravan parks.

Those with cartoppers or kayaks should try Acraman Creek, an inlet 15km south of Smoky Bay, with sheltered water and good fishing.

There is an artificial reef made from tyres at the southern end of the bay, 8km north of the township.

White sharks show up along this coast, something to keep in mind if you are contemplating berleying from a cartopper or yak.

To the north of Smoky Bay is Laura Bay, all part of Laura Bay Conservation Park.

The local oysters are a highlight of this region.

Smoky Bay tides
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks

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

Email corrections, additions, pictures or video here.