Australia truly is a land and sea of opportunities for anglers of all varieties and skill levels. Regardless of whether you love fresh or saltwater fishing, New South Wales has something to offer all anglers.
With so many fantastic fishing opportunities, it’s hard to know where to start in New South Wales. Still, hopefully, after reading this NSW fishing guide, you’ll have a much clearer picture of the angling opportunities that are on offer in this beautiful state.
The deep and cool offshore waters attract game fishing enthusiasts from across the country and worldwide, along with excellent inshore fishing along the coast and estuaries and picturesque freshwater fishing opportunities.
In the following guide to fishing in New South Wales, we’ll cover:
If you’re looking to take your Australian fishing trips or adventures to the next level, be sure to check out our Melbourne Fishing: Your Comprehensive Guide, where we cover everything you’ll need to know about fishing in Melbourne, Victoria.
Fishbox App is a premium Fishing Forecasting app that gives you access to advanced technology, including the best time to go fishing in New South Wales and when you’re better off relaxing at home with a good book or cleaning out your tackle box.
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Top Fishing Species in NSW
In this section, we will cover some of the most sought-after fish species in New South Wales to help you plan your next fishing adventure in this beautiful state.
Blue, Black, and Striped Marlin – The Marlin Grand Slam
Summer fishing in NSW quickly goes from excellent to outstanding, and the most sought-after fishing trifecta is the Marling grand slam, which consists of Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, and Striped Marlin. February to March are the best months to target Marlin in NSW, but they’ll generally stick around until about May.
Heading off to the Continental Shelf is your best bet to locate Marlin, and if you find the bait, the Marlin shouldn’t be too far away.
Cold Weather Tuna Fishing In Winter
Just because the weather and water get slightly cooler doesn’t mean the fishing activity drops. The Tuna arrives in winter along with their cousins, Albacore. You’ll encounter Bluefin Tuna, Skipjack Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, and Albacore. The Tuna typically arrive around May and will stick around off the coast until October.
Trolling lures around schools of baitfish, which can typically be located by following the birds, is an effective method of catching Tuna, along with using burley to attract them from deeper water closer to your boat.
Reef and Inshore Fishing In NSW
If you’d prefer fishing the bottom or sticking closer to shore, where the action is a little more fast-paced, then reef fishing could be for you. Snapper, Mahi Mahi, Yellowtail Kingfish, Giant Trevally, Sharks, and many more are frequent in these areas.
For a hard fight, you can’t beat Yellowtail Kingfish. Not only are there heaps of them to catch, but once you hook one, you’re in for the fight of your life, especially on light tackle. Summer and autumn are the best times to chase Kingfish, with locations close to underwater structures being a prime spot.
Snapper tops the list as one of the most popular recreational fish species in NSW, and thousands of these delicious fish are caught yearly. Feeding in water depths between 20-200mt, Snapper can grow up to 20kg, but average fish weigh around 3-5kg, with spring and summer the best months to chase them.
If there was one fish in Australia and NSW that was the go-to take-home fish for anglers, it would have to be the Flathead. They may not look the greatest, but these bottom-dwelling fish taste delicious with sweet, flaky fish. However, beware of their spikes and spines, especially on their gills. Dawn and dusk are the best times to catch Flathead close to shore, but they’ll bite all day in deeper water, with soft plastic and baits such as Pilchards, Squid, and Octopus being the most effective.
These are just some of the most common and popular inshore fish species available in NSW. Anglers fishing the coast also have access to Sharks, Australian Salmon, Wrasse, Bream, Morwong, Tailor, Whiting, and so much more.
Freshwater Species In NSW
Undoubtedly, saltwater fishing in Australia and NSW gets a lot of attention, but there’s also a fantastic freshwater fishing scene. Trout fishing in NSW is made all that much sweeter by the locations. Fishing in areas like the Blue Mountains and the world-famous Snowy Mountains is just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for avid freshwater anglers.
Brown Trout are the biggest Trout on offer but don’t be fooled. They’re not always the easiest to deceive into taking a lure or fly. Rainbow Trout are a little smaller and like to live in smaller rivers and streams. The final Trout on offer is the Brooke Trout, which is also the smallest of the Trout trio.
Trout fishing in the lakes and rivers closes from July to September to give native fish the opportunity to spawn. If you want to do some winter fishing for Trout, the stocked dams are still open for fishing during winter.
Best Fishing Spots in New South Wales
Now you know the popular fish species that are available in New South Wales and, more importantly, how to catch them, the final piece of the puzzle is where to go fishing. With thousands of kilometers of coastline to choose from, picking the most productive spot to drop a line isn’t always the easiest.
Luckily for you, we’ve done the hard work for you and compiled a list of the best fishing destinations in New South Wales, so you don’t have to! If you arrive at one spot and it’s too busy or not productive, just try a little further down the road. There are a lot of fishing spots and plenty of fish to be caught.
Inshore Fishing Locations In NSW
Sydney
It’s no surprise that the capital city of NSW, Sydney, is at the top of the best places to fish in New South Wales. Around Sydney, you can fish for various species, including Flathead, Bream, Australian Salmon, Tailor, and many other inshore species. If you have access to a boat or want to get a charter, you can head out of Sydney into the ocean and fish for larger fish such as Bluefin Tuna, Marlin, and Sharks.
Eden
Eden is a small coastal town in NSW but a fishing hub for recreational anglers looking to target inshore species such as Snapper and Yellowtail Kingfish. Head further out, and you’ll be hooking into Marlin and Tuna. Freshwater enthusiasts can head inland to one of the many rivers or lakes searching for Salmon and Trout.
Offshore Fishing Locations In NSW
Bermagui
Bermagui is much more than just a tourist destination. It’s also one of the best places to go if you have big game fishing on your mind. From large Sharks to Billfish, and Tuna, you’ll find it all close to Bermagui in NSW.
Port Stephens
Any serious Billfish angler is already familiar with Port Stephens. It’s the home of Billfish enthusiasts. Side note, the largest and most popular fishing tournament in Australia, the NSW Interclub, is held here, so you know there’s plenty of hot fishing action to be had.
Merimbula
Thanks to its close proximity to the fishing homeland, the Continental Shelf, Merimbula is always going to be one of the best places to go fishing in New South Wales. It’s all about big game fishing in Merimbula, with Australia’s game fishing trio, the Striped, Blue, and Black Marlin, all known to lurk off the coast of Merimbula.
Freshwater Fishing Locations In NSW
Snowy Mountains
For freshwater enthusiasts, the Snowy Mountains is the perfect place to start, with plenty of wild Trout available in the many pristine rivers, streams, and lakes. Lake Eucumbene is open to anglers year-round for Trout fishing.
Bega River
The Bega River is another fantastic freshwater fishing destination in New South Wales. It’s well known for its variety of species including a variety of estuary fish such as Estuary Perch, Bream, Flathead, and Whiting. If you head up to Brogo Dam, you can target Australian Bass.
Fishing Techniques
Fishing in NSW is easy simply because there are so many different techniques available, and even if you don’t have access to a boat, there are still a lot of ways you can catch some great fish.
Boat Fishing
If you have access to a boat, you have two main options. If you have a larger boat, you can head offshore and fish for larger species such as Marlin, Tuna, and Sharks. However, if you don’t want to venture far from shore, you can still catch great fish like Yellowtail Kingfish, Australian Salmon, Trevally, and Snapper. Bait fishing and trolling are the most effective ways to fish from a boat, and they are also a great way to catch a variety of top and bottom dwelling fish.
Kayak Fishing
For anglers who want to venture a little further from the shore but don’t want to make a larger investment, a kayak will be perfect. It’s a low-budget, easy way to get off the coast, and you’d be surprised at how even that small distance off the beach can open up a world of opportunities. Along with saltwater, a kayak is a great way to fish dams and lakes if you don’t mind a little freshwater action.
Beach and Shore Fishing
If you’re limited to shore fishing in NSW, don’t worry as there’s still plenty of great action and excellent fishing opportunities throughout the state. Moving a little further away from the big population centers will significantly increase your chances of catching fish as there’s less fishing pressure. Fishing from the beaches and rocky outcrops will produce Yellowtail Kingfish, Australian Salmon, Tailor, Bream, Flathead, Trevally, Sharks, and much more. Bait fishing, soft plastics, and spinning lures will produce great results.
Fly Fishing
While learning how to fly fish can be difficult and require a bigger initial investment, this versatile fishing technique can be utilized in both fresh and saltwater. However, fly fishing for Trout and Salmon in streams and rivers is where fly fishing excels. When you arrive at a new fishing location, take your time looking around the area. Matching the local insects and bugs fish feed on with your flies is the most effective way to catch a fish.
Freshwater Fishing Opportunities
Anglers typically split into two groups, freshwater and saltwater. There’s nothing wrong with either method, with both having unique pros and cons. In this section, we’re going to take a look at freshwater fishing, including the best freshwater fishing locations in NSW.
When you are freshwater fishing in NSW, you can choose to fish dams, rivers, lakes, or streams. Each environment has its own challenges. The most popular freshwater fish species in New South Wales include Brown, Rainbow, and Brook Trout, along with Salmon, Australian Bass, and Perch.
Some of the more notable lakes and dams in NSW include Lake Jindabyne, Lake Eucumbene, Tantangara Reservoir, Three Mile Dam, Thompsons Creek Dam, Khancoban Pondage, Murray 2 Pondage, and the Talbingo Reservoir.
Saltwater Fishing
After reading everything above about the fantastic locations and fish species available to saltwater anglers in NSW, it’s pretty clear that saltwater fishing in this state is almost perfect. The balance between summer and winter weather, with warm and cool water and the species those temperature changes bring with them, make the fishing practically too good to be true.
You have three main ways to go saltwater fishing, including:
- Offshore Fishing.
- Inshore Fishing.
- Shore-Based Fishing from Beaches, Rocks, and Structure.
Some of the most popular inshore and shore-based saltwater species include Flathead, Bream, Australian Salmon, Snapper, Tailor, Yellowtail Kingfish, Whiting, Squid, Morwong, and many more. When you head offshore, you’re likely to catch Bluefin and Yellowfin Tuna, Striped, Blue, and Black Marlin, large Sharks, Albacore, Swordfish, and many more.
Fishing Regulations in NSW
While you aren’t required to purchase a regular fishing ‘license’ in New South Wales, every angler is required to pay the New South Wales Recreational Fishing Fee, regardless of whether you’re planning on going fishing in fresh or saltwater.
The NSW Fishing Fee costs are:
- $7 for three days;
- $14 for one month;
- $35 for one year;
- $85 for three years.
Once you pay the fee, you’re required to carry proof of purchase with you at all times while fishing or carrying fishing equipment. Even if you plan on heading out on a charter fishing trip in NSW, you must still pay the fee.
Anyone under the age of 18, concession card holders, Indigenous Australians, and pensioners aren’t required to pay the NSW Fishing Fee. Before you head out on the water, head over to the NSW DPI website and ensure that you’re up-to-date with all fishing rules and regulations, including season, size, and bag limits.
Best Times to Fish in NSW
Like most of Australia, New South Wales is blessed with almost year-round fishing. Both summer and winter offer unique fishing opportunities depending on your target fish species and where you plan to fish. The only thing limiting your ability to get out on the water year-round in NSW will be your time and the weather, but for tough anglers, the weather won’t stop you!
Between November and May is your best opportunity if you’re targeting Blue Marlin, Black Marlin, and Striped Marlin. While you’re fishing during this period, it’s also your best opportunity to catch Yellowtail Kingfish, Hapuka, and Mahi Mahi or Dolphin Fish.
As the cold weather and cooler currents roll into NSW during winter, so do the Tuna. Both Yellowfin and Bluefin Tuna are active, along with their smaller cousin, the Albacore Tuna. Pro tip, Albacore is arguably one of the best-eating of all the Tuna species, so taking a few of these home is 100% recommended. Along with Tuna in winter, you have Trevally, Mako Sharks, Gemfish, Australian Salmon, and Pink Snapper on the menu.
A Complete Guide to Fishing in New South Wales | Conclusion
There you go! Everything you need to know about fresh and saltwater fishing in the beautiful state of New South Wales. If you’re planning a fishing trip to NSW, Australia, or have moved there and are finding your way around the angling scene, we’re sure you’ll be well on your way to landing some fantastic fish.
It’s not always easy to find the best fishing spots in NSW or know the best time to go fishing, but thanks to the information above, you’ll be out on the water, landing some excellent fish in no time at all.
If we want to continue the fantastic fishing that NSW has to offer, we’ll all need to do our part as responsible anglers. What’s a responsible angler? A responsible angler follows all licensing requirements, bag, season, and size limits. They take only the fish they need and, where possible, safely return any excess fish back into the water while leaving fishing areas as clean, if not cleaner, than how they found them. By being responsible anglers now, future generations will enjoy the same, if not better, fantastic fishing opportunities in New South Wales that we all enjoy now.
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Do you have some top fishing spots in NSW, or do you have advice you’d like to share with other anglers? Drop a comment below! We love hearing your thoughts and feedback, and we’re sure new anglers will appreciate it.