Fish encountered in northern Australia tend to be bigger, even in close around the estuaries and along shorelines.

Barramundi, threadfin salmon, queenfish, trevally, cod and golden snapper (fingermark) are all caught from shore at times, and they are often big fish.

For this reason heavier gear is generally used than in the southern temperate waters.

And before we go any further with our tackle recommendations, a reminder that large crocodiles are common in northern waters. Don’t take risks.

Much tropical estuary and river fishing involves casting and trolling lures around snags, where a lure desnagger soon pays for itself. The simplest type is simply dropped down on a cord … see an eBay listing here. Telescopic poll desnaggers are also available, and some fishos prefer them.

For a fair dinkum, true blue Aussie lure desnagger, try this one … eBay link here.

When targeting barramundi and other large tropical estuary fish a baitcaster combo is the best option. The small overhead reels on these combos allow thumb control when casting, making lure placement easy. However practise is required to cast these reels and they do not cast tiny lures easily.

A baitcaster combo loaded with 10kg braid will handle most barramundi and threadfin salmon, with 15kg+ line better for large dam fish among timber and when trolling big rivers. See a suitable baitcaster listing on eBay here. The listed rod-reel combo can be used for trolling and casting.

Single-handed baitcaster rods are an option for day-long casting sessions, these combos have a short butt section often with a pistol grip. DO NOT buy a low-quality baitcaster reel as they can be awful to use – if on a tight budget buy a spinning reel (eggbeater type) instead.

A 6kg spin outfit with eggbeater type reel is fine for much tropical estuary and freshwater fishing. Lighter outfits aren’t recommended as you may hook big fish in tropical waters. A 6-10kg rod-reel combo is needed for barramundi and threadfin salmon and this can also be used to cast lures to pelagic fish such as mackerel and tuna. A 3kg spin outfit is ideal for whiting, bream and flathead. See eBay listings here.

For boat fishing, a shorter, stouter rod-reel combo loaded with at least 10kg line is ideal for general reef fishing in water to around 20m deep, and with a spinning reel this outfit can also be used to cast lures to pelagic fish. See eBay listings here.

Rods around 7′ long are ideal for boat fishing. Heavier gear will be needed when fishing around wrecks and artificial reefs to stop hooked fish swimming into the structure, always using braided line as its thin diameter is less affected by currents.

Soft plastic paddletail lures are popular and effective all-round lures for tropical estuary species, and these lures also work in freshwater locations. See eBay listings here. Choose large sizes for barramundi, and smaller sizes for most other fish.

Weighted jig heads are needed to rig most soft plastic lures, although some have the jig head built in. See eBay listings here. It pays to use the lightest jig head possible. Light resin jig heads allow an angler to present a more realistic suspending lure action.

Bibbed hardbody minnows by quality brands such as Reidys and Classic are generally used for barramundi fishing. Barramundi are strong fish that can tear apart the split rings and hooks on cheaply made lures, so buy wisely. Tropical tackle shops are well stocked with suitable lures.

Sabiki bait jigs are great for catching tropical sardines and herring, buy them on eBay here. Remove some droppers (rigged hooks) if required to stay legally compliant, cutting a complete rig in half will usually make two legal sets.

For northern squidding, where tiger (longfin) squid are generally the largest species encountered, standard unbaited squid jigs such as these work well, see listings here.

Tiger squid and the smaller arrow squid can also be targeted with baited spike jigs such as these … see eBay listings here.

The secret for successful squid fishing is to fish dusk, darkness and dawn, when the water is clear. Tiger squid can often be found in the shallows around reef edges.

Star sinkers or snapper leads are generally used on a paternoster rig for northern boat fishing. For most other fishing, ball sinkers are used, as part of a running sinker rig where the sinker slides along the line, allowing a fish to easily run with a baited hook. See eBay listings for ball sinkers here, see star sinkers here and snapper leads here.

Hooks in mixed sizes (suggest 1# or #2 for whiting, 6# or #8 for garfish, 4/0 for flathead, 11/0 for barramundi, jewfish and reef fish. Small heavy gauge hooks will catch small fish but have enough strength not to bend if you hook a big fish. Fine gauge hooks are better for livebaiting as the hook won’t overly damage the livebait. See various hook listings on eBay here.

Ganged hooks (joined chains of hooks) are used when fishing pilchard or sauri baits for mackerel. Listing on eBay here.

Redclaw crayfish are found in most northern freshwater locations. Strict regulations apply to the type of gear used to catch them. Ebay sellers have a variety of crayfish traps, be sure to buy one that complies with local regulations.

Other items you may need are wire trace to stop toothy fish such as mackerel, wahoo, barracuda and sharks biting through your line, see eBay listings here, swivels to stop line twist when using spinning lures here, a filleting knife to clean your fish here, a waterproof torch here, a sharpening stone for knives and hooks here, bait jigs to catch baitfish such as tropical sardines and herring for bait here, a sharpening stone for knives and hooks here, and of course a tackle box here.

Lastly, Australia’s tropical waters have saltwater crocodiles, stonefish, box jellyfish, irukandji jellyfish and ever-present sharks. These can all show up where you don’t expect them, including in the shallows around boat ramps, and beaches next to tourist resorts. Don’t take risks. Don’t camp near the water. It is safer not to use a burley bucket from a small boat in northern waters, and canoes are not suitable craft where large crocodiles may be present.

Back to the NSW/ACT Fishing Map
Back to the NT Fishing Map
Back to the Queensland Fishing Map
Back to the SA Fishing Map
Back to the Tasmanian Fishing Map
Back to the Victorian Fishing Map
Back to the WA Fishing Map

Email corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Coastal landbased fishing, inshore boat fishing and trout fishing in Tasmania generally requires only light gear.

For chasing freshwater trout and wary sea runners in clear, shallow water, a 3kg spin outfit is ideal. See eBay listings here.

A 6kg spin outfit is popular for general estuary and light boat fishing in Tasmania. See eBay listings here.

The above light outfit can be used on shallow, low-energy beaches to catch cocky salmon and yelloweye mullet, but a dedicated light surf rod is better for this purpose.

A reasonably heavy surf rod combo is required for Tasmanian West Coast salmon fishing, see eBay listings here. Elsewhere in Tasmania, a light surf rod with around 6kg line is better suited to the species and fishing conditions likely to be encountered.

For offshore boat fishing, a rod/reel combo loaded with 15kg to 30kg line is ideal for general reef fishing, and can also be used to cast lures to pelagic fish such as bluefin tuna, albacore and kingfish. See eBay listing here. Rods around 7′ long are ideal for boat fishing. Many Tasmanian fishos use rod combos with overhead reels to troll for bluefin tuna, and with big tuna around 30kg line is not out of place.

There are many lures suitable for chasing trout, but a proven local favourite is the Tassie Devil. See eBay listings here.

Another proven favourite is the Rapala Trout 3cm minnow. See eBay listings for this and similar lures here.

Fly fishing combos, complete with rod, reel, tapered leaders, flyline and flies, are available in various sizes. A 3-weight is OK for small rivers while a 6-weight is better for lakes. See eBay listings here.

Good-quality tapered leaders are important when fishing with light line. See eBay listings here. These are an item where it might pay to invest in a quality brand.

Carry an assortment of flies suited to Tasmanian fishing. See eBay listings here.

Tasmanian waters are cold, and a good set of waders are essential if you are going in the water. Choose warmer neoprene rather than the colder PVC. See eBay wader listings here.

Metal slice lures work well on Tasmania’s salmon, silver trevally, flathead and barracoutta. See eBay listings here.

Use larger metal slice lures on high-energy beaches where big salmon are expected.

Soft plastic grubs work well on bream, cocky salmon, escaped Atlantic salmon and freshwater redfin and trout. See eBay listing here.

Soft plastic paddle tail lures are popular and effective lures in the smaller sizes, see eBay listings here.

Weighted jig heads are needed to rig most soft plastic paddle tail lures, although some have the jig head built in. See eBay listings here. It pays to use the lightest jig head possible, and light resin jig heads allow an angler to present a more realistic suspending lure action.

Squidding is popular in Tasmania, with large calamari squid and smaller arrow squid both being abundant. Unbaited squid jigs such as these work well on both types of squid, see listings here.

Baited ‘spike jigs’ work well on large calamari squid. These jigs are cast under a float and left out until a squid takes the bait. Bait the jig with a small fish such as tommy ruff or mullet. These large baited jigs look clumsy compared with the smaller jigs more commonly seen, but they are effective … see listings here. The barbed version is even better if you can find them for sale.

Smaller squid can be targeted with baited spike jigs such as these … see eBay listings 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 some Tasmanian species. 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 where the sinker slides along the line, allowing a fish to easily run with a baited hook. See eBay listings for ball sinkers here, see listings for star sinkers here and for snapper leads here.

Hooks in mixed sizes are needed. Suggest 4# to #8 for whiting, mullet and snotties, 10# to #12 for garfish, 1/0 for bream, and 4/0 for salmon and flathead. See eBay listing here.

Flounder spearing is popular in Tasmania. A submerged light is generally used to find the fish, see eBay listing here.

Worms are an excellent bait for trout, see worm farm listings on eBay here.

Other items you may need are wire trace to stop toothy ish such as barracoutta or sharks biting through your line, see eBay listings here, swivels to stop line twist when using spinning lures here, a filleting knife to clean your fish here, a burley bucket to attract fish to your area here, a waterproof torch here, a sharpening stone for knives and hooks here, bait jigs to catch baitfish such as slimy mackerel and snotties here, a sharpening stone for knives and hooks here, and of course a tackle box here.

Lastly, if don’t want to use traditional smelly baits, you can try a commercial bait product such as this.

Back to the NSW/ACT Fishing Map
Back to the NT Fishing Map
Back to the Queensland Fishing Map
Back to the SA Fishing Map
Back to the Tasmanian Fishing Map
Back to the Victorian Fishing Map
Back to the WA Fishing Map

Email corrections, additions, pictures or video here.

Southern WA offers a range of great fishing experiences, and you’ll need more than one rod-reel combo to enjoy it all.

That said, a lot of fishing can be done with a light spin outfit.

A 6kg spin outfit is the ideal all-rounder for WA’s temperate estuaries and sheltered waters, chasing bream, flathead, herring, small salmon, skippy and whiting. See some eBay listings here.

For chasing wary bream and whiting in clear water, such as the Swan River, a 3kg spin outfit is ideal for estuary whiting, bream and bass. See eBay listing here.

A heavy-duty surf rod is needed for surf mulloway, snapper and gummy shark fishing, see eBay listings here. A lighter surf rod can be used for tailor, salmon, skippy, herring and the like.

For boat fishing, a shorter, stouter 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. Rods around 7′ long are ideal for boat fishing.

Metal slice lures are ideal for tailor, kingfish and salmon in the surf and off the rocks. See eBay listings here.

Soft plastic paddle tail lures are popular and effective all-round lures in estuaries, on the reefs and in stocked dams. They can be cast or jigged up and down. See eBay listings here.

Weighted jig heads are needed to rig most soft plastic paddle tail lures, although some have the jig head built in. See eBay listings here. It pays to use the lightest jig head possible, and light resin jig heads allow an angler to present a more realistic suspending lure action.

Sabiki bait jigs are great for catching WA herring, yakkas and slimy mackerel, buy them on eBay here. Remove droppers if required to stay legally compliant, cutting a complete rig in half will usually make two legal sets.

For WA squidding, standard unbaited squid jigs such as these are effective, see listings here.

Baited ‘spike jigs’ work well on large calamari squid. These jigs are cast under a float and left out until a squid takes the bait. Bait the jig with a small fish such as tommy ruff or mullet. These large baited jigs look clumsy compared with the smaller jigs more commonly seen, but they are effective … see listings here. The barbed version is even better if you can find them for sale.

Smaller squid can be targeted with baited spike jigs such as these … see eBay listings here.

The secret for successful squid fishing is to fish dusk, darkness and dawn, when the water is clear. Summer is usually best.

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 where the sinker slides along the line, allowing a fish to easily run with a baited hook. See eBay listings for ball sinkers here, see listings for star sinkers here and for snapper leads 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). Listings on eBay here.

Ganged hooks (joined chains of hooks) are used when fishing pilchard or garfish baits for salmon, tailor and mackerel. Listings on eBay here.

Shrimp and yabbies are great baits for freshwater fishing. Strict regulations apply to the type of gear used in WA to catch freshwater crayfish, see marron regulations. Ebay sellers have a variety of yabby and shrimp traps, be sure to buy one that complies with local regulations.

Worms are an excellent bait for freshwater fishing, see worm farm listings on eBay here.

Other items you may need are wire trace to stop fish such as mackerel or sharks biting through your line, see eBay listings here, swivels to stop line twist when using spinning lures here, a filleting knife to clean your fish here, a burley bucket to attract fish to your area here, a waterproof torch here, a sharpening stone for knives and hooks here, bait jigs to catch baitfish such as herring or slimy mackerel for bait here, a sharpening stone for knives and hooks here, and of course a tackle box here.

Lastly, if don’t want to use traditional smelly baits, you can try a commercial bait product such as this.

Back to the NSW/ACT Fishing Map
Back to the NT Fishing Map
Back to the Queensland Fishing Map
Back to the SA Fishing Map
Back to the Tasmanian Fishing Map
Back to the Victorian Fishing Map
Back to the WA Fishing Map

Email corrections, additions, pictures or video here.