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For information on fishing:
Bermagui
Tathra
Eden
Merimbula
Bermagui
Bermagui is 18km East of Princes Highway, the northern most town of the Sapphire Coast and Bega Valley Shire.
Access:
From Bega, turn off at Cobargo, road sealed all the way.
From Narooma, turn off 21km south of Narooma, road sealed.
From Tathra take coastal road north, 50km road, unsealed for 3km.
Population:
Bermagui township plus surrounding caravan parks total 2000.
Types of Fishing available:
Game Fishing
Deep Sea
Reef
Rock and Beach
Estuary
Game Fishing
Game Fishing is dependent upon warm currents flowing southward over the continental shelf. This warm water carries a great quantity of Pilchards, Mackerel and other small surface fish known as bait fish.
These bait fish attract larger predatory fish such as tuna, Sharks
and Marlin.
Bermagui is only 11 nautical miles from the shelf presenting easy access for game fishermen. The first of the game fish to appear are usually tuna. Yellowfin, Bluefin and Albacore appear over the shelf around mid November closely followed by Marlin.
During the peak period, January - May, water temperature rises to as high as 25 degrees Celsius and usually captured during the period 95% of those Marlin are tagged and released.
Other exotic fish also appear during this period. They include Broadbill, Wahoo, Cobia, Dolphinfish, Short Billed SwordFish and sometimes Sailfish.
Sharks also move in and come in various species, Hammerhead, Tiger, Thresher, Bronze Whaler are all common but Mako and Blues are usually the most prolific. This activity lasts through Summer and Autumn until water temperature drops back to 20 degrees Celsius when Marlin and the other exotics move on but Yellowfin and Albacore return. These Tuna usually remain through May, June and July but have been known to stay longer. The largest Marlin captured at
Bermagui was a Blue Marlin weighing 421kg captured in March 2000.
Deep Sea Fishing
This category covers fishing the floor of the ocean on sand flats.
Flathead is the most common species caught usually by drifting over the sandy bottom using a line with two or three baits attached. Flathead can be found at any depth from 10 - 120 metres. The most prolific area of Bermagui for large Flathead is north of the port directly east of Mount Dromadery, an area known as the step off Tilba. The depth of water fished there is between 28 - 40 metres and Flathead are there all year but does slow down in winter.
Other popular areas are Camel Rock in 30 - 40 metres, inside the 4-mile reef at 50 - 60 metres, Beares Beach in 15 - 20 metres and off Cuttagee Beach in 20 - 30 metres.
Other species often caught in these Flathead areas are Gummy Sharks, Gurnard and seasonal travellers such as Mackerel and Barracouta.
Reef Fishing
Bermagui is blessed with many productive reefs at various depths.
The most renown being the four mile reef which is due east in 60 metres, the six mile reef in 65 - 70 metres south east of the port, the twelve mile reef also south east but further out in 120 metres, the Brothers reef due south in 50 metres and further south there area number of shallow reefs off the Golan Head peninsular.
Species common on all these reefs are Snapper, Rubber lipped Morwong, Jackass Morwong, LeatherJackets, various rock cod and Wrasse and during summer and autumn Kingfish. The twelve mile reef also offers Tasmanian Trumpeter through the summer months.
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Tathra
Tathra is 18km from Bega via the Snowy Mountains Highway, a coastal town renowned for it's beaches, waterways and fishing.
Access: From Bega follow the Snowy Mountains Highway, the road is sealed all the way. From Merimbula take Sapphire Coast Drive till it meets the Snowy Mountains Hwy then turn right and follow that through to Tathra.
Population:
Tathra township plus surrounding areas Tanja and Wopengo total 2144.
Tathra is often promoted as the quiet alternative on many tourist brochures yet the fishing in the waters around Tathra is far from quiet.
Types of fishing available:
Game Fishing
Tathra is approximately 19kms from the continental shelf, which for gamefishing enthusiasts presents a short trip to where the large game fish are. Access is from the beautiful Kianinny Bay where there is an excellent boat ramp for trailers up to 26'.
The facilities are first rate with fish cleaning tables and boat washing available as well as a lovely picnic and BBQ area. Upon launching there is immediate access to the open ocean with no sandbars to cross which is common on the south coast.
December through to May coincides with the warmest water currents of the year bringing with them huge amounts of baitfish, which in turn attracts all the game fish species.
Bottom Fishing
This section commonly refers to fishing for Sand and Tiger Flathead, gurnard and Gummy Sharks. Flathead are a prolific species on the south coast and are commonly called the bread and butter fish of ocean fishing.
Thousands of holidaymakers and locals alike regularly put their boats in at Kianinny in the pursuit of Flathead. Generally Sand Flathead are found in much shallower water than the Tiger Flathead which makes them more accessible. Both species are caught using flesh baits of any kind and plastic jigs like Mr Twisters are a great alternative if bait not available. The best method is to drift fish enabling you to cover more territory.
For Sand Flathead try the outskirts of Tathra bay, lining up the pine trees on Tathra Headland or even straight out of Kianinny Bay. Tigers are generally caught out wider in areas such as approximately 3-5kms out from Tathra Headland, east of Whiterock reef.
Reef fishing
Kianinny Bay launching ramp provides access to the closest main reef section from Tathra, which is 6kms south of Tathra. Its easy to find by travelling south until you see the distinctive coloured white rocks. This reef system only starts 800 metres out and goes out for several kilometres.
Drift fishing is very popular with squid and all fleshes as bait. Snapper, Morwong, Flathead, Leatherjacket and Gummy Sharks are all regularly caught on this reef system.
To the north there are reef fishing opportunities around Bunga and Goalen Heads. Many good reef species get caught here and kingfish, sharks and tuna species are also around.
Beach Fishing
Tathra and its surrounding National Parks offer some spectacular beach fishing opportunities where Salmon, Tailor, Bream, Gummy Shark, Whiting and Mullet can be targeted. The northern end of Tathra beach fishes very well, as does Bournda Beach to the south and Middle Beach to the north.
For the Bream, Mullet and Whiting it's best to use beachworms, pippies, prawns or fresh nippers. For the Salmon, Tailor and Gummy Sharks, pilchards, fresh fish fillets or stripey tuna all work well.
Rock Fishing
Visiting fisherman who enjoy rock fishing will be pleasantly surprised with the fishing available from the rocks within Tathra and surrounds. Black and Silver Drummer, Leatherjacket, Groper, Luderick and Banded Morwong can be caught all year round using cunjy, abalone guts or cabbage weed for bait.
There are several spots between Tathra Headland and Kianinny Bay to pursue the above species. From December to may in the same stretches of rocks, , using live baits can target Bunito, Kingfish, Tailor and Salmon, tossing lures or using unweighted pilchards. Always remember to sit and watch any potential fishing spots to ensure that they are safe to fish.
River Fishing.
The Bega River, which meets the sea at Mogareeka Inlet, is a beautiful river system offering vast opportunities for bait fisherman to lure and fly-fishing. Blackfin and Yellowfin, Bream, Dusky Flathead, Jewfish, Whiting, Mullet, Tailor, Estuary Perch, Bass and Luderick can be caught regularly through the year. Within the river system there are excellent areas to pump nippers and bloodworms or catching poddy mullet for Flathead as well as dip netting for prawns on dark nights over summer.
At Mogareeka there is a lovely picnic and family area and boat ramp facilities to allow access to the picturesque Bega River.
For updated information and advice on fishing in the Tathra area either drop into the Tathra Wharf and speak to Scott or Matt or phone them on 02 64944062.
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Eden
A well-known fishing port on the south coast of NSW with no dangerous bar crossing.
Access: 34km south of Merimbula, Eden is on the Princes Highway when travelling from Sydney to Melbourne.
Ben Boyd National Park can be accessed via Edrom Road, 18km south of Eden or via Haycock Road just north of Eden.
Population: Eden township totals 3299.
Game Fishing
Eden is an excellent spot for game fishing from December to May. Hot currents from the north swirl down, quite often getting caught in behind Greencape, which pushes the warm water in very close to shore. Eden is a well renowned Tuna port having based the Heinz Cannery for years. Land based game fishing is also well known down here, fishing from the Pulpit and City Rocks. Likely catches are Marlin, Yellowfin Tuna and Sharks.
Reef Fishing
Reef fishing in Eden is excellent, as there are so many places to fish with great expanses all the way down to Greencape and Disaster Bay. There is nearly always good refuge to fish in any prevailing winds. With no dangerous bar crossing to worry about and good catches of Snapper, Morwong, Leather Jacket, Nannygai, Flathead and Gummy Sharks.
Wide Reef Fishing
Eden has excellent deep reefs from 50-250 fathoms for the keen dropliner chasing fish from Morwong & Leather Jacket to Trevally, Ling & Hapuka.
Sports Fishing
There are only two spots on the far south coast that offer Kingfish in good numbers and they are Montague Island and Mowarry Point from December to July. These prestigious, hard fighting monsters can be found up to 20kg, which test out the angler and the tackle to the limit.
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Merimbula - Pambula
Population of these two neighbouring towns totals 5325.
About the Fish
Fishing on sand and gravel around the Bournda, Tura Beach, Merimbula Bay and the Pinnacles areas produces some of the best Flathead and Gummy Sharks on the NSW Coast.
The Local Reefs
Snapper, Morwong, Deep Sea Bream, Trevally, Nannygai, Leatherjacket, not to mention the many varieties of Wrasses and Gropers, are a bottom bouncer's picnic, so if you're looking for a special variety of table fish, be assured the Sapphire Coast has them. Available all year round.
Trolling Season
The trolling season runs mid October to the end of June. The fish targeted are Yellow Fin Tuna, Albacore, Dolphin Fish, Wahoo and Marlin. Trolling with lures is one method used to hook these fish. Slow trolling with Slimy Mackerel, Cowan Young and Striped Tuna is another. The best live bait, slow trolling season for Marlin is February and March.
Live Bait Cubing Season
Drifting over the Tathra and Merimbula canyons with live bait and running a cube trail produce some of the best catches of Yellow Fin Tuna and Albacore on the eastern coast of Australia. Big Sharks, mainly Makos are another fish caught in burley trails during Tuna season.
Wide Reef
Some good reef peaks are located just 15 to 16 miles east of Merimbula and Eden. The rewards are excellent with Tasmanian Trumpeter up to 35lbs, although most fish are between 10 and 20lbs.
Also caught are Morwong, rubber-lip and Deep Sea Ling, Ocean Perch and Snapper. On the edges of the reef large Tiger Flathead.
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