South Australia Fishing

 Gday Everyone,

 

We are soon to embark on a trip arond Australia and fishing is top of the agender. South Australia first stop. Are there any South Aussies hereabouts , or anyone else that could shed some info on beach fishing around Adelaide please.  Namely areas of Yorke & Eyre Peninsular and down towards Cape Jervis and Victor Harbour.  Would be doing beach and estuary fishing I am thinking. And I suppose I will have to sneak around to Coffin Bay and get into a few oysters .   At this stage maybe thinking of the smaller fish like KG whiting, Herring etc. But certainly not limited to those species .....

Thanks in advance for any guidance.


sunshine's picture

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Date Joined: 03/03/09

Butlers Beach down near Marion Bay on the Yorke

Wed, 2018-01-31 18:30

 Brilliant beach and rock fishing. My favourites being Gartrells Rocks and, on a rising tide, the rock island at Treasure Cove for huge snook and KGW.   You have to pay a small entry fee into the property but worth every cent

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Date Joined: 26/03/17

I worked on the yorke

Wed, 2018-01-31 19:00

I worked on the yorke peninsula for my first 2 years out of uni (bout 10 years ago) in a town called Kadina...we used to snorkel off north beach in the summer and catch stacks of big crabs. just swim out to thee weedlin and cruise along and u will find them, of if u got a bot with nets, even better., would also find some good abalone and occasional scallops too.
we used to catch heaps of cuttlefish off the shore (cant remember the time of year)these were really tasty, but I found it hard to keep them coz they are awesome to see when snorkelling!

didn't have a boat at the time, but snapper and big king geroge where often targeted, as wella s big snook, used to see salmon schools when snorkelling around Moonta and north beach, and did catch a ytk off a kayak.
people tended to use cockles or bloodworms mostly for the whiting.

down the bottom end of the yorke peninsula is good, some relaly pretty camping areas in the national park, and good fishing too.

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Date Joined: 06/11/13

Fleurieu and Yorke peninsulas

Wed, 2018-01-31 22:59

Between Cape Jervis and Victor are Waitpinga and Parsons Beachs' both good for Salmon trout, good mullet, small Salmon (well crow eaters think they are big .. that's until till they see what comes or way around Easter) and herring.  The Bluff at Victor as well as Granite Island jetty etc also worth a try.   Not sure if you can still access Rapid Bay jetty but if it's open, it's good for herring,  gar and squid plus occasional YTK.   Back towards suburban adelaide along the coast the best is probably Port Noarlunga jetty for herring, garfish, squid.    Any of the Adelaide suburban jetties and/or off the local suburban beaches are usually good for herring, gar and sand whiting.   Over on Yorkes, any of the jetties produce good bread and butter species, especially at night as well as a good feed of blue swimmer crabs.   Ardrosssn jetty best for crabs if I recall.  Croweaters will tell you the crab run is during those months that have an "R" in them ... so should be ok till May

southern ends of both Yorke and Eyre peninsulas all produce very good land based fishing spots.  Best engage the ear of a local to get the best intel there.

 

hope it helps 

 

 

 

 

 

IncognitOh's picture

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Date Joined: 29/04/17

Cactus beach

Thu, 2018-02-01 02:01

 just south of Penong used to be awesome for big salmon......haven't been there for years tho

davmor's picture

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Date Joined: 29/11/11

 Fowlers Bay is close by to

Thu, 2018-02-01 12:23

 Fowlers Bay is close by to Cactus. Plenty of Salmon on the beaches to the west of Fowlers. KG's and huge squid off the jetty. The great thing about the Eyre Penninsula is the prolific number of jetties. If only the WA goverment could wake up to the tourism potential.

Terry's picture

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Date Joined: 04/12/05

Thanks everyone

Fri, 2018-02-02 12:40

 

To all of you that have provided information I thank you very much. It should make out fishing adventures a bit easier. Hopefuly will have 

some photos to post on here some time down the track.

 

Cheers

Terry

Paul H's picture

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Date Joined: 18/01/07

 As above fowlers area

Fri, 2018-02-02 15:09

 

As above fowlers area (scotts beach etc) is good - even fowlers jetty yeilds good mulloway and kings at times anythings possible - (don't recommend a swim off the end of the jetty)

Pt Sinclair Jetty or the cliffs at cactus (need a cliff gaff or good lifting rod and be carefull near the edges) KG/snook and more

from there I'd try Smoky Bay - great jetty - crabs, KG, big snook (particularly at night) crabs, gar and tommies.

Streaky and Elliston Jettys good too but not as good as smoky IMO.  Backs beach at streaky good for salmon - sunrise / sunset best (2 holes about a k or so north of the carpark - pack light sand is soft and hard work to walk on)

Coffin bay - great place - want to retire there.  Surf Beaches in National park great for salmon and some of the more sheltered ones good for bread and butter species, also try the ledge opposite the township or seal corner (ask at the store/caravan park)

Lincoln - national parks good as above.

Yorkes great too plenty of spots all along the coasts.

Adealide beaches not so great other than gar and yellowfin whiting early mornings or crabs and maybe a squid from the jettys

Down around Victor etc can be okay (Waitpinga / Parsons beaches)

 

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timboon's picture

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Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Keep us posted on the trip

Fri, 2018-02-02 22:29

 Keep us posted on the trip and if you give us a llittle notice as to when you'll be in certain areas i'm sure those of us that know it can help.... If you get to Fowlers you have already driven past the best Mulloway fishing in the country.... As soon as the cliffs at the head of the bight stop hit the beach where ever/how ever you can.....

Permits are required and perhaps they've stopped access in the best areas but fuck it, go catch yourself a 60lb'er and pay the fine later.....

 

Crabs/Razor fish/KG's/Crays/Squid are all abundant on the WC of SA..... Take your time it is Gods country but if you're heading of soon it will be hot!!

 

Dont spend too long around Adelaide if you can help it....

 

Drop into Snowtown, its a barrell of laughs.....

Doc's picture

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Date Joined: 29/05/16

 Have a good trip Terry. How

Sat, 2018-02-03 09:51

 Have a good trip Terry. How long you going for? We leave Tassie on the 26th next month and then do the Murray again for a couple of months. 

Terry's picture

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Date Joined: 04/12/05

How long ?

Mon, 2018-02-05 17:29

 Well, at this stage we have no real plans. Except to say we will be touring WA for a few months first. Then SA. Like your outfit Doc. That is something I had wishes of a while a go but the boss said NO !. Now she see's the error of her ways....lol....but we got no spare $$$ now...one powerball.

May see you on the road some where, some time. 

Safe travels

 

Cheers

Terry

Doc's picture

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Date Joined: 29/05/16

 No worries Terry, if you

Wed, 2018-02-07 11:34

 No worries Terry, if you have an iPad or similar, get an app called wikicamps. That has a map showing all the free camping spots, plus caravan parks. It’s constantly being added to by people on the road who review each site. And the maps still work outside of phone areas. Just save everything to the offline content. A lot of outback pubs will have areas to park up and generally won’t charge anything if you have a meal or something, and some of them outback pubs have the best meals too. Careful if your travelling with a dog, that will exclude you from nearly every national park in the country. Quite a few Showgrounds around the country will allow people to park up if there’s no events being held. Some will charge a small fee and some just work on donations. A lot of towns are becoming recreational vehicle friendly, they understand if people come into town to empty out their dump spots, then the same people will probably spend a few dollars at the bakery or fuel up at the servo. WA is getting better and better, we will probably do that after the Murray River, starting from Esperance.

Good luck with it, it will be a constant learning.

ranmar850's picture

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Date Joined: 12/08/12

Used to live in Lincoln and did a bit around south oz.

Sat, 2018-02-03 10:24

 Bottom of the Eyre peninsula below Lincoln is great, we used to go down to a place called memory cove. was a rough track to get in-probably have a road in there now. if yu are still allowed to camp, great spot. used to go down and catch fresh brekkie off the bech in the corner, fresh mullet. Then go out and fish off the rocks out the point. Caught a really good pinky there once, middle of the day , on light gear. Scattered rocks through the shallows amongst the tape weed had lots of big green lip abs. You could walk the cliffs along Whalers Way and see the big blue groper feeding tails up in the shallows below. Salmon were in the corners of the beaches.

Paul H's picture

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Date Joined: 18/01/07

 Still a dirt road and

Sun, 2018-02-04 08:23

 Still a dirt road and corregated but a great spot

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timboon's picture

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Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Yep Greenlip everywhere on

Sat, 2018-02-03 14:19

 Yep Greenlip everywhere on the Eyre....

 

In the shallows too....

 

A very under rated stretch over there, If West Ozzies didnt have Ningaloo Reef a days drive north of Perth the West Coast of SA would be much more on the radar of WA crew....

 

What were you doing over there Ralph?

ranmar850's picture

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Oh, just left Sydney in the Kombi in 1975

Sat, 2018-02-03 15:48

 Ended up in Lincoln for 15 months, worked on a whiting netting boat and also as an ab diver under the relief diver scheme which was in place at the time, where the sheller could go in the water to gain some experience, looking forward to the time when the licence holders got too old and a new crop of divers would come through. Supposed to be limited to an hour a day, often did all day. Bent twice. Physically hard game, cold water and your back ended up aching intolerably because the thick wetsuit was making you try to float up at each end while a heavy weight belt was pushing you down in the middle. or you were following the diver and shelling the last bag of abs at the same time. Had a good time, saw lots.

Posts: 4577

Date Joined: 01/02/10

 I used to do a bit of work

Sat, 2018-02-03 18:09

 I used to do a bit of work out on the nullabor and there were a few convoys that came through towing boats. Full of chest freezers. Be in for a week then towing backs through heading home. Obviously had a beach launch in there somewhere. 

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Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

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Date Joined: 18/01/12

 Ceduna to Liincoln, magic

Sat, 2018-02-03 20:35

 Ceduna to Liincoln, magic bit of coastline.
What are you travelling in Terry, I see you sold the Toyota?

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 Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...

 

 

The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.

Everyone's just winging it.

 

Terry's picture

Posts: 458

Date Joined: 04/12/05

Toyota

Sun, 2018-02-04 10:59

 Gday Rob,

Sold the dualcab and bought a 200 series. A bit more comfy and a bit better to drive as well.  Towing our 23ft caravan.  Just about got the van in order with just a couple small jobs to do then we are off. No time frame for return or where we go. Both of us are looking forward to this trip. Something I have to do while I can still remember things....lol

timboon's picture

Posts: 2957

Date Joined: 14/11/10

 The border to Adelaide

Sun, 2018-02-04 07:48

 The border to Adelaide Rob....

 

But Ceduna to Lincoln certainly is epic.....

 

Wowsers Ralph, you certainly woiuld've seen some sights Ab diving over there....

 

Were you strictly Lincoln based or did you get up the West or out to the Islands like Thistle/Neptunes/Spilsby?

 

I got on the beers with 4 Ab divers a couple of years ago at Streaky pub, i was amazed to find out they shell as they go.....

 

Their theory was Whites dont eat abs, my theory is NOTHING would go over the side if i was swimming over there!!

ranmar850's picture

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Date Joined: 12/08/12

GW numbers were in decline

Sun, 2018-02-04 08:19

 At that time, the numbers definitely were going down--I spent a lot of time in and on the water, and did not actually see one close up.   We had one tangled in a whiting net out at The Group once ( between Reevesby and Partney)--we worked up towards it, then ran the net back out ( 700m on a drum reel) and started from the other end. It had bitten its way out by the time we arrrived from the other direction. remember spending an extremely uncomfortable night anchored in behind Spilsby in a screaming s/easter, sleeping back on the bare deck of a 20' Star. Stuck out at the group for 3 days in a big blow on that boat, reduced to snook and rice, and running out of water. Netted as far south as the north end of Thistle, but the ab diving was done between Lincoln itself, not far outside ( we stayed away from Dangerous Reef, too may GW's) Coffin Bay, Drummonds, and Elliston out into the big bay heading north from Watergrove island. GW's were certainly on peoples' minds still--Donny Morrison was developing the first shark cage, got a $10,000 grant from the SA government for it, was laughing that he would've done it anyway, thanks for the free money.The guy I did most of my diving with was shacked up with Terry Manuels' widow--Terry had been infamously bitten clean in half up near Streaky Bay a few years earlier. Everyone had big sets of jaws and pics. 

Yeah, ab guts and crook shell went back over the side as you went, ultimate burley trail. Mostly sweep and parrots, but the big eagle rays would be below, and huge blue groper. You'd turn around to your bag on the bottom and find it smothered in big eagle rays, belting them with the ab iron to get them off. Groper were the worst, though, they would put those big wrasse front teeth into the mesh trying to get a feed of ab, and rip the prawn net, eventually.

 

timboon's picture

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Date Joined: 14/11/10

 Good times.... One of the

Sun, 2018-02-04 10:40

 Good times....

 

One of the best waves in the country breaks along the southern tip of Spilsby....

 

Massive south swell required to push in there and combined with a Nth/Nth Wester and its world class!!

 

Scary spot to dangle the legs IMO!!

 

I bought dad a boat rod once, an Abu 6500 and an ugly stick or something, he did a trip King Crabbing on my uncles boat up towards the neptunes.

 

They pulled in behind Sth Neptune for the night and had a fish, Dad sat his rod down and couldn't catch it in time as what i suspect would've been a big blue pulled it over board...

 

I'd love to fish the islands from Lincoln to the border heading west for big Kings and big Blues....