Calling all boaters, fishers, and ESPECIALLY those boat-fishers! Always be on the lookout for new fishing spots. Go by yourself or take your family; it's always a good time! Fishing has been found to have many therapeutic effects, and especially for those of us preoccupied with the hustling and bustling of life in modernity, a little mindfulness always helps. 

We’ve compiled a list of must-go places for new and experienced fishers around Sydney, where you can let your mind at ease, as well as experience some new species of fish you haven’t seen or heard about before!

The Tucoerah River, also known as George’s River, is an intermediate tide-dominated drowned valley estuary located to the south and west of Sydney. This used to be a commercial fishing hotspot since 1790 but has since been turned into a recreational fishing haven in 2002. Here you can set yourself up along the many spots in the estuary where you can catch bass, bream, flathead, whiting, tailor, luderick, kingfish, mullet, mulloway, and perch. George’s River operates on a first-come-first-serve basis, so make sure you’re early if you want to get a good spot!

There are, of course, restrictions, as George’s River regulation is intended to support sustainable fishing that allows growth and breeding of the fish stock to happen. There are standards for catch size limits, bag limits, restrictions on nets and a prohibition on selling all recreational fish. 

The best time to visit the Tucoerah River for your fishing needs seems to be in winter. Since this is an estuary, the water is mixed with seawater as well as salt water, and this makes the water not too rough or hard on your watercraft. Many who sail these waters opt for a smaller craft like the Quintrex Top Ender or similar competitive freshwater fishing boats, as they have deep sides with a hull and a flared bow to allow gliding through the water. During the winter months, George’s River National Park offers amazing opportunities to try your hand at catching some of the yellow-finned bream stock available in its waters.

Bobbin Head forms part of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and features a marina (why we’re here!), a restaurant, gas barbeques and scenic views to have fun with the family. Bobbin Head offers its own boat hire, as well as allowing you to come on your own and reach the great fishing spots you will launch from Appletree Bay.

After launching from Appletree Bay, this area opens up into Cowan Creek, which goes down a couple of kilometres before eventually dipping into the South Pacific. You will often find boats from the smallest kayakers to full-blown yachts out on the water! Sometimes the water tends to get rough, so if you want to go far out into the creek, you should have at least a medium-sized boat, perhaps like the Quintrex Trident, which has a strong base capable of withstanding the rolling water. Bobbin Head has so much variety, too! People claim to have caught flatties, bream, snapper, and even jewfish. As long as you have a recreational fishing licence and inform the marina operators where you are going to launch, you should be fine, so long as you get there early enough to get a spot.

Chowder Bay is a great spot adjacent to the Clifton Gardens urban locality in the suburb of Mosman. This area could be considered Sydney's high town, which has beautiful residential areas overlooking several beaches and wharves in Sydney Harbour National Park. Interestingly, this area used to be away from the eyes of the public as it used to house a naval base.

This spot feels like a little bit of paradise. As being part of the South Pacific Ocean, the waters will get a bit rougher than freshwater settings, and as such, you should come prepared. Chowder Bay is wide and open, so if you want to do some cruising with a group of friends, this spot is the one for you. Popular fish in the area depends on the season, if you go in summer you catch varieties like the yellowtail kingfish, bonito and the Australian salmon which are quite big if you are lucky! The Quintrex 481 Fishabout comes with sizable underfloor storage, so make sure to look for something with this kind of capability if you want to make a big haul. This spot has some cool winter varieties too, as fish like to occupy this region during those months.

For this picturesque setting, nothing fits in more like the Quintrex Fishabout. This was built like a luxury car on water, perfect for going out with the family and lounging about, even if you do not necessarily want to fish. This has capacity for five people and goes up to 140 horsepower, which shows that this machine was meant to cruise, look good and feel good.

 

Always make sure that before you do end up going out for your trip to have your recreational fishing licence at the ready, or at least a receipt showing your payment of the recreational fishing fee. This is a requirement for all fishing in NSW waters, both fresh and saltwater, and whether you are near NSW waters and have fishing gear with you. For more information, you can read about NSW recreational fishing laws here. Always make sure to find out if you would need to pre-book to secure a docking site before pitching up at a site, however, these three sites listed here usually operate on a first come first serve basis as they are part of the National Parks system.

Enjoy your fishing!