The following advice applies to the Adelaide metro coast and gulf waters.
Black bream – All year, best in winter/spring, day or night. They move further up waterways in summer.
Crabs, blue swimmer – Best in summer, day or night.
Crabs, sand (two-spot) – May to June. Their presence is usually noted when they start stealing fishing baits.
Flathead – All year, they bite all day.
Flounder – All year, but the usual method is spearing in the shallows at night in summer.
Garfish – Best in summer/autumn but bigger fish often caught in winter. Dab netting is usually done at night with light at night in summer.
Mullet – Strong run of fish in autumn/winter. They bite in daylight, coming in very close along beaches at high tide.
Mulloway – Best in summer but caught all year. Fish dusk into the night at turn of tide. Also under bridge lights.
Salmon – Big fish best in autumn/winter but small fish show up all year. Best at high tide at dusk and dawn.
Snapper – All year best in spring/summer. Best at dusk and dawn and they come in close after stormy weather. Severe restrictions currently apply.
Bluefin tuna – these appear off western SA before Christmas, reaching Port Lincoln about late February, and the eastern SA coast around March, depending on currents. Early season brings the biggest fish, along with albacore.
Snook – Bite all year but best in summer. They often bite well at night under jetty lights.
Squid – Available all year but best when the water is clear, dawn, dusk and night.
Tommy ruffs – All year, bigger fish in winter. Best at night.
Whiting, king george – All year but often better quality fish in winter, they bite all day but often tide dependent.
Whiting, silver – All year.
Whiting, yellowfin – All year but best in summer in spots well away from swimmers.
Kingfish – summer.
Silver trevally – summer.
Chow (yakkas) – summer.
Red mullet – all year.
Leatherjackets – all year.
Sweep and zebra fish – all year.
Sharks – all year but better in summer.
Native freshwater fish – summer.
Here is a list of recommended tackle for SA waters.
Here is the SA seasonal fishing calendar for various fish species.
Adelaide (Outer Harbour) tides
West Beach webcam
SA fishing regulations
SA marine parks
SA stocked dams
SA dam water levels
Murray River fishing spots
NOTE: Special snapper rules apply in South Australia – more info here.
Email corrections, additions, pictures or video here.
