Advice for South NSW Coast accommodation - March.

[552Evo]

G’day all, I’m planning on taking my 6m fibreglass CC on a holiday with my wife in March. Heading from Melbourne up the southern coast of NSW.
I’d like some feedback on places to go - both where to stay safely with a boat trailer and prime fishing locations. I don’t have any experience on the waters up that way so I’m happy sticking close to shore ( within a 2 mile limit).
The plan is to get some inshore fishing done - my wife won’t be in the deal if I take her offshore it’s not her thing.
I’d like some ideas on any range of accommodations from hotels or cabins whatever we aren’t fussed but I’d like secure parking for the boat and trailer if anyone has experience I’d love to take your advice.
I’m guessing we will head from Melbourne direct to Eden way for the first stop, then make our way up the coast over 10 days. Might get as far up as Wollongong as the misses grew up there.
So any options from the Gong down to the border would be great.
Cheers
Jamie


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[NAGG]

3 places that would be on my list for someone in your situation -

Bermagui - It's got good safe access to the sea & the inshore fishing is very good (offshore particularly good at that time of year) - plenty of accommodation & as I have found caravan parks are pretty secure .

Narooma is a must ( with a caveat) Wagonga inlet is a fantastic fishery & you wont even need to go offshore - however if conditions allow a trip out through the Narooma bar is well worth it. ( pick your tides- don't go out on a run out tide - unless there is no sea running.) The 5km run to Montague Island is worth it ..... good fishing around the island (need to watch the green zone) - but the wildlife (seals & birds) can keep you well distracted.
Plenty of accommodation - but saying at the riverside caravan park is pretty hard to beat ....

If you play golf Narooma golf club is worth playing.

Batemans bay is the 3rd - The river has very good fishing at that time of year ...... you can literally do a 25km run up river just for the scenic value. Access to the sea is very good (safe) Fishing just in the bay can be pretty good - particularly for flathead...... but at that time of year anything could turn up within a 10 min run from the entrance. B
BB had plenty of accom ..... caravan parks etc - or you can stay on the river up at Nelligen - 10km from BB - It's a cracker of a caravan park though it might be busy with skiers on the weekend.

I'll throw another out there - Jervis Bay (Huskinson) The bay if well worth a fish , pretty easy to navigate & generally safe ...... it would be an ideal place to build your boating confidence . Spectacular scenery & some little gems were you can stop & have lunch / swim whatever ...... you could certainly spend several days here & if the weather is good..... you probably wouldn't want to leave. Accom is abundant - B&Bs , Hotels , caravan parks & a couple of resorts ......

These are my picks - there are others but these tick a lot of your box's & novice experience

Check them out on - you tube there are plenty of videos up on these places

Chris

[552Evo]

Thanks Chis I appreciate your time and information, that’s exactly what I’m after.
Cheers


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[Noelm]

Narooma is a great spot, been there hundreds of times, plenty of places to stay in the Illawarra area too, from Lake Illawarra, that should be great crabbing in March, and maybe even Prawning, plenty of fish to be had, and a good ramp at either Port Kembla or Shellharbour for those nice days when a run in the Ocean might take your fancy.

[littlejim]

Another recommendation for Jervis Bay.
I launch at Murrays Beach ramp, but there is an entry fee to enter the national park it is in.
If you are agin that fee you can launch at Woollamia, putt putt down the creek, and enter the bay at Huskisson.
In calm weather you can go out past the entrance to the bay.
Outside the bay, and inside, there are the likelihood to catch flathead, and snapper and other reef fish round the 'middle ground' reefs.

[552Evo]

Thanks Noelm and littlejim.


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[Noelm]

Just had a thought, the Fishries FAD will be out then, there is one off Port Kembla, and one off Kiama, both are not that far out, and some Dolphin fish might be a good option, zip out early, get a few, then some Flathead on the way home, get them all cleaned and in the esky, then Blue Swimmers the next day in Lake Illawarra, ready for a seafood feast......

[552Evo]

Now that sounds like a holiday Noelm.
I like your style.


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[552Evo]

Do the fisheries provide co ordinates for the FAD on their website?


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[Noelm]

Yes they do, they put them in the same place every year, I can give them to you if you can't find them, and give you some tips on crabbing if you come up this way too.

[catshark]

As mention above ,Start with Bermagui, acres of good fishing and safe harbour, good safe accomodation in the whole town. you should see this town during fishing tournaments, theres about a million or two dollars worths of boats,cars etc....second is Moruya launch from here and fish off tuross heads for good snapper, good access, safe crossing accomadation limited, try dolphin caravan park right on the beach Moruya heads great....
Now Narooma? if you havent crossed this bar before or studied it ..DONT CROSS IT it is dangerous, blokes have tried this bar because its a stone throw to the kingfish grounds, but it will flip a 6 metre boat easy, launch from bermagui if you want the king fish at montague island, takes 40 minutes but safer. skip batemans bay its flogged out by all the canberra fishos, that come down , but try river for jewfish and sharks, up north heard jervis bay is also good, back to merimbula is a must stop, as well as tathra..WARNING/////// once you see tathra/merimbula you may want to live up here permanent.

[552Evo]

Yes they do, they put them in the same place every year, I can give them to you if you can't find them, and give you some tips on crabbing if you come up this way too.

Thanks Noelm that sounds great. I’ll have a search to find the FAD locations.
I’ve never tried crabbing, all know is I have to leave a name and possibly a phone number on a tag on each pot ?
That reminds me I’d better get a NSW fishing license for me and the deckie !


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[552Evo]

As mention above ,Start with Bermagui, acres of good fishing and safe harbour, good safe accomodation in the whole town. you should see this town during fishing tournaments, theres about a million or two dollars worths of boats,cars etc....second is Moruya launch from here and fish off tuross heads for good snapper, good access, safe crossing accomadation limited, try dolphin caravan park right on the beach Moruya heads great....
Now Narooma? if you havent crossed this bar before or studied it ..DONT CROSS IT it is dangerous, blokes have tried this bar because its a stone throw to the kingfish grounds, but it will flip a 6 metre boat easy, launch from bermagui if you want the king fish at montague island, takes 40 minutes but safer. skip batemans bay its flogged out by all the canberra fishos, that come down , but try river for jewfish and sharks, up north heard jervis bay is also good, back to merimbula is a must stop, as well as tathra..WARNING/////// once you see tathra/merimbula you may want to live up here permanent.

Thank you catshark your info is gold. I have been dalmeny way before but was only able to fish off the beach back then. I agree that whole region is beautiful.
Cheers


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[552Evo]

Just had a thought, the Fishries FAD will be out then, there is one off Port Kembla, and one off Kiama, both are not that far out, and some Dolphin fish might be a good option, zip out early, get a few, then some Flathead on the way home, get them all cleaned and in the esky, then Blue Swimmers the next day in Lake Illawarra, ready for a seafood feast......

Thanks again Noelm just did a quick search and got the whole list - cool.


Saltwater fishing, boat mad but has a job that gets in the way.

[NAGG]

As mention above ,Start with Bermagui, acres of good fishing and safe harbour, good safe accomodation in the whole town. you should see this town during fishing tournaments, theres about a million or two dollars worths of boats,cars etc....second is Moruya launch from here and fish off tuross heads for good snapper, good access, safe crossing accomadation limited, try dolphin caravan park right on the beach Moruya heads great....
Now Narooma? if you havent crossed this bar before or studied it ..DONT CROSS IT it is dangerous, blokes have tried this bar because its a stone throw to the kingfish grounds, but it will flip a 6 metre boat easy, launch from bermagui if you want the king fish at montague island, takes 40 minutes but safer. skip batemans bay its flogged out by all the canberra fishos, that come down , but try river for jewfish and sharks, up north heard jervis bay is also good, back to merimbula is a must stop, as well as tathra..WARNING/////// once you see tathra/merimbula you may want to live up here permanent.

The Narooma bar demands respect (hence my caveat) ....... I've crossed it maybe 100 times - & I've been there when a couple of boats went over . (big seas & a run out tide are not favourable) - that said ...... There have been plenty of days you could ski through it .

Narooma is a must ...... fish the estuary & if conditions allow - the bar crossing is fine (local information , weather , seas ..... then stand at the breakwall & watch)

Batemans Bay ...... I was there again this weekend , my 8th trip since July ........ I fished 3 reefs in perfect conditions & saw no more than 5 boats within eyesight at any given time (360 deg) - so no it's not as flogged as has been mentioned ....... the trick is finding the fish & not encroaching on the Marine Sanctuary's - that's the real issue . there is more fishing pressure in the Clyde river

chris

[catshark]

hit the nail on the head about the marine sanctuarys , a map is a must so you dont get pinched plenty of areas you can drift into the red zone if your not carefull. i believe they stopped netting narooma estuary some years back, stories of big green back tailor and good jew are to be caught there. but yes my pick for the ultimate accomadation/fishing is bermagui. everything is close, convenient and safe. from the horseshoe bay hotel you can cast your line straight into the sea, Tip.......at dusk big bream are to be caught opposite the hotel on fresh tuna flesh, no sinker...and if that fails well back to the bar for a schooner...

[NAGG]

hit the nail on the head about the marine sanctuarys , a map is a must so you dont get pinched plenty of areas you can drift into the red zone if your not carefull. i believe they stopped netting narooma estuary some years back, stories of big green back tailor and good jew are to be caught there. but yes my pick for the ultimate accomadation/fishing is bermagui. everything is close, convenient and safe. from the horseshoe bay hotel you can cast your line straight into the sea, Tip.......at dusk big bream are to be caught opposite the hotel on fresh tuna flesh, no sinker...and if that fails well back to the bar for a schooner...

Man are they problem (sanctuaries) - fortunately my plotter has up to date charts .... The tollgate Island down to black rock is a difficult one ..... (specially east of black rock ) it would be so easy to be caught out & there is no little yellow buoy that you can see for a fair distance .
Narooma is a great place .... Wagonga can throw up some awesome fishing with big flat head , jew & bream ...... many a good kingy has been caught in there . The Whiting on the sand flats in front of the riverside caravan park can be something else. We used to catch elbow slappers by walking the flat (high tide) and dragging nippers 20 yards behind as we walked (a form of trolling) - I go a genuine 1kg whiting there doing that - LOVE NAROOMA

[552Evo]

Thanks everyone great information honestly I can't wait to get there. Hopefully I catch something ha ha ha.


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[Rob0046]

Jamie, wherever you decide to fish on S coast will be well worth the stay..as these other guys have said , Bermagui, Narooma , Sussex Inlet, Jervis Bay , Shoalhaven Bight..all geat spots to fish...I spent 35 years there and know the area well..BUT be warned any bar can be dangerous given the right conditions..you can check them all out easily tho..just type in Narooma bar crossing , for instance and you will see what can happen...even Bermagui can be nasty..best thing get local knowledge and advice...we don't want you to be famous for any other reason than for enjoying yourself..Rob

[Noelm]

Man are they problem (sanctuaries) - fortunately my plotter has up to date charts .... The tollgate Island down to black rock is a difficult one ..... (specially east of black rock ) it would be so easy to be caught out & there is no little yellow buoy that you can see for a fair distance .
Narooma is a great place .... Wagonga can throw up some awesome fishing with big flat head , jew & bream ...... many a good kingy has been caught in there . The Whiting on the sand flats in front of the riverside caravan park can be something else. We used to catch elbow slappers by walking the flat (high tide) and dragging nippers 20 yards behind as we walked (a form of trolling) - I go a genuine 1kg whiting there doing that - LOVE NAROOMA
we must have crossed paths at Narooma at sometime, we used to spend from Boxing Day until mid Jan every year for over 20 years, plus a few other times during the year, always stayed at Riverside, and "trolled" Nippers just as you described.

[NAGG]

we must have crossed paths at Narooma at sometime, we used to spend from Boxing Day until mid Jan every year for over 20 years, plus a few other times during the year, always stayed at Riverside, and "trolled" Nippers just as you described.

We could have ..... I used to go down there for a week from Boxing day during the mid 80's to mid 90s - stayed with a mate and his family . Our spot was on the powered sites opposite the water front ....... My mate had his shark cat (Kitty Kat) or Marlin broadbill there .
That trolling nippers was a cracker of a technique hey ? ...... from memory it was the former managers Ron & Julie Butler that showed me

Chris

[Noelm]

I used to fish with a mate that had a Kevlacat called "Bloodsport" there was a few families went there every year, caught some ripper Whiting, saw a big Flathead dead on the bank one day, measured it with a stick and measured the stick back at the park, well over a metre long....we also got good Whiting over near Taylor's in the inlet itself, plus legal Snapper trolling small lures along the Oyster leases way up the inlet.