Fishing in Merimbula and the Sapphire Coast

Whether you are casting off from the beach, trying for the big one out at sea, biding your time on a pristine lake or enjoying the view from a jetty, the Sapphire Coast is a great destination for fishing.

From the wharf

The most famous place to fish on the Sapphire Coast is arguably the heritage-listed Tathra Wharf. With a cafe on site ,and views to Tathra Beach and up to Mimosa Rocks National Park, it won’t matter if you catch any or not. In Merimbula, you can fish from Merimbula Wharf, which has the fantastic Wharf Restaurant, or Mitchies Jetty, which is one of the most photogenic boatsheds in town. Hire gear or top up your tackle box at Tackleworld Merimbula or Compleat Angler.

From the beach

Bermagui is front and centre for fishing in this region with its bustling harbour home to fishing tours, charter boats and the excellent Fishermen’s Wharf complex, where you’ll find restaurants, a wine bar and eye candy in the shape of boats and trawlers. Get tips from the locals and discover their favourite fishing spots.

South of Bermagui is Mimosa Rocks National Park, another great fishing spot, with Wapengo Lake, several beaches and lagoons. Tathra Beach is great for salmon, tailor and sand whiting, with bream and flathead there for the taking in the Bega River up from the mouth.

The waters off Eden are perfect for beach, game and reef fishing. In the spectacular wilderness of Ben Boyd National Park, to the north and south of Eden, are wonderful bays, beaches and rock platforms.

Hire a boat

Wallaga Lake, just north of Bermagui is a popular coastal waterway for fishing and boating. You can join South Coast Estuary Charters for guided fishing experiences in pristine estuaries, where you can catch flathead, bream, mulloway, whiting and other species. You’ll find boat ramps and excellent bait shops, such as Bermagui Bait and Tackle, where you can get tips from the locals and discover their favourite fishing spots.

In Merimbula, hire a boat from Top Lake Boat Hire and take in the scenery while waiting for a bite. Afterwards, have lunch at the cafe on the dock. Boat hire is also available from Mitchies Jetty, with some fine reefs and fishing grounds less than 20min from the Jetty. Nearby Pambula is enticing for estuary or beach fishing.

Fishing charters

Fishing charters regularly depart from Bermagui, Merimbula and Eden. In Bermagui, the continental shelf is only 20km offshore with the waters famous for black marlin. Fishbermi Charters can take out anyone from beginners to experts for a variety of fishing charters targeting reef fish, kingfish, tuna and sharks.

In Bermagui and Merimbula, Headland Fishing Charters offer reef or game fishing charters on a boat that can take up to 12, while Fishpen Charters cruise out of Mitchies Jetty for reef fishing and family fishing trips. In Eden, Sapphire Coastal Adventures (Merimbula Marina) offers fishing charters and coastal discovery cruises on True Blue, setting off from Eden Wharf. Freedom Charters offers a range of reef, sports and game fishing trips, departing from Eden Harbour.

For seafood sourcing of a different kind, join a tour of an oyster estuary to sample famous Sydney Rocks fresh from the water. Captain Sponge’s Magical Oyster Tour operates out of Pambula and takes visitors on a two-hour tour of an oyster farm on the pristine Pambula Lake. 

Remember your lifejacket if rock fishing or in a small boat under 4.8 metres. Unless fishing under the supervision of a licensed guide, you will need to pay the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee to fish in the waters of Eurobodalla and throughout NSW. Licenses span from three days to three years, and you will need to carry your receipt with you when you fish.