Fishing Eden & Green Cape
General fishing in Eden & Green Cape is dominated by the wild, nutrient-rich currents that converge off the coast to create a world-class game fishing arena. The local bar conditions at nearby Wonboyn Lake can be highly hazardous, but the main bay offers deep, safe water in almost all weather conditions. Peak ocean temperatures during summer and autumn draw massive schools of baitfish, followed closely by giant tuna and marlin.
Land-based anglers are drawn to the region by the legendary, ocean-facing rock platforms of Green Cape, which offer world-class land-based game fishing. Wading the shallow sandbanks of the Kiah River or fishing the pristine surf at Aslings Beach also provides outstanding light-tackle sport for bream and flathead. Maintaining extreme caution and wearing a life jacket is absolutely mandatory when fishing from these exposed rock platforms.
Offshore and boat fishing in the area is exceptionally productive, with deep-water access provided by the state-of-the-art Quarantine Bay Boat Ramp. Vessels can quickly reach the nearshore reefs around Mowarry Point or make the short run to the edge of the continental shelf at Green Cape. During the game fishing season, boats focus heavily on the Magic Triangle to target striped marlin and southern bluefin tuna.
Top 10 Species
Landbased
- Pulpit Rock: This world-class Land Based Game platform relentlessly produces kingfish, marlin, and tuna for highly dedicated rock anglers. A heavy duty 15kg to 24kg live-baiting outfit is essential when deploying live yakkas or slimy mackerel offshore under a balloon. Always fish with a reliable partner and closely monitor the sea state, as the ledge is highly exposed to dangerous southerly swells.
- City Rock: This is an excellent south-facing rock ledge that consistently fishes well during a north or north-east prevailing wind. Spin with heavy metal slices or large poppers for bonito, tailor, and yellowtail kingfish strictly during the early morning hours. It is slightly more sheltered than Pulpit Rock, but it still requires extreme caution and a dedicated rock-fishing life jacket.
- Aslings Beach: This is an easily accessible surf beach right in the heart of Eden that reliably holds excellent beach gutters. Target Australian salmon and tailor by aggressively casting pilchards or metal lures beyond the shore break at dawn and dusk. Bream and sand whiting can also be consistently caught much closer to the shoreline using fresh beach worms or pipis.
- Kiah River Inlet: This highly sheltered estuarine spot is perfect for successfully targeting bream, flathead, and whiting on ultra-light tackle. Wading the shallow sandflats on an incoming tide with lightly weighted nippers or surface poppers rapidly yields great results. It is also a fantastic spot for children to safely catch silver trevally using small pieces of prawn on a light running sinker.
- Saltwater Creek Beach: This pristine wilderness beach in Beowa National Park offers incredibly consistent action for large Australian salmon and aggressive tailor. Look for the deeper, darker water indicating a gutter and fish the incoming tide with whole pilchards on a strong gang hook. The rocky outcrops located exactly at the northern end of the beach also hold highly respectable numbers of snapper and bream.
Offshore
- The Magic Triangle: A legendary offshore zone stretching from Red Point to Mowarry Point that is globally famous for producing trophy marlin and tuna. Trolling a spread of skirted lures during the warmer months will rapidly yield aggressive strikes from massive pelagic predators. When the currents cool, deep dropping large baits around the steep underwater canyons is highly effective for broadbill swordfish.
- Twofold Bay Canyons: These deep offshore structures continuously hold dense schools of baitfish which naturally attract large yellowfin and southern bluefin tuna. Cubing with pilchards or actively deploying live baits into a steady berley trail is the preferred method for targeting these ocean giants. A heavy game chair or a robust stand-up harness paired with 24kg to 37kg tackle is highly recommended to safely battle these fish.
- Mowarry Point Reefs: This prolific inshore reef system is located roughly 14 kilometres south of Quarantine Bay and is absolutely perfect for targeting snapper and kingfish. Drifting with fresh squid strips or heavily weighted soft plastics over the broken ground in 20 to 30 metres is highly effective. Trolling deep-diving minnows tightly around the rugged headland wash can also easily tempt resident yellowtail kingfish into striking aggressively.
- Bittangabee Bay Offshore: A highly productive patch of reef located just 300 metres off the bay that holds outstanding quality snapper, morwong, and leatherjackets. Anchoring up and establishing a continuous berley trail is the absolute best way to concentrate the fish directly beneath your boat. Dropping paternoster rigs baited with squid or pilchards on a medium 5-8kg boat rod will easily secure a fast feed of table fish.
- Green Cape Canyon: This incredibly steep drop-off on the edge of the continental shelf is heavily favoured by game boats actively chasing giant marlin and sharks. Trolling large skipbaits or skirted lures strictly along the distinct temperature breaks will drastically maximise your chances of a marlin hookup. Heavy 24kg to 37kg game gear is absolutely essential, as the massive fish encountered in this deep-water zone are incredibly powerful.
Hot Spots
- Eagles Claw: This brilliant rock platform is heavily known for reliable luderick and drummer fishing deep in the sudsy wash.
- Snug Cove Wharf: This is an incredibly reliable spot to easily catch yakkas and squid for use as offshore live bait.
- Wonboyn Lake: This totally pristine estuary is highly rated for stealthily chasing dusky flathead on lightly weighted soft plastics.
- Boydtown Beach: The clean sandflats of this sheltered beach hold excellent numbers of sand whiting on a rising tide.
- Red Point: A prominent headland that attracts schools of kingfish, bonito, and salmon close to the deep-water ledge.
Local Bait Tips
- Calamari Squid: You can catch fresh calamari squid over the shallow weed beds in Twofold Bay or gather live bait directly from the rock platforms at Green Cape. Keep in mind that while cast nets are completely prohibited in NSW, and enclosed traps are subject to strict regulations (though specifically approved gear like poddy mullet traps are legal), you will need to rely on hand-pumping or standard scoop nets for your bait collection.
- Slimy Mackerel: Sabiki jigs tipped with small pieces of bait are highly effective for catching live slimy mackerel in Snug Cove. These should be transferred immediately to a live bait tank with high water flow to keep them in prime condition.
- River Nippers: Pumping live nippers near the mouth of the Kiah River is best executed on an low tide over the sand flats. You should use a hand-operated suction pump to extract them from their burrows.
Boat Ramps
- Quarantine Bay Boat Ramp:
Quarantine Bay Boat Ramp: Located off Quarantine Bay Road (near 15 Quarantine Bay Road) in Eden, this premier facility is managed by Bega Valley Shire Council and serves as a major deep-water portal in Twofold Bay. It features a high-durability grated reinforced concrete four-lane ramp serviced by a heavy-duty FRP pontoon, with the nearby Quarantine Bay Jetty acting as an overflow boarding and mooring platform during busy peak periods. While highly protected from heavy offshore swells, the bay can experience localized wind-driven chop, and navigators must watch for deep-water commercial shipping traffic in Twofold Bay. Onsite facilities are extensive, including an adjacent sealed parking area, public toilets, waste disposal, six fish cleaning tables, and a dedicated engine flush/boat washing area.
- Wonboyn Lake Boat Ramp:
Wonboyn Lake Boat Ramp: Situated in Wonboyn and managed by Bega Valley Shire Council, this estuarine ramp provides access to Wonboyn Lake. It is designed principally for smaller vessels and tinnies, and is extensively used by recreational fishers, boaters, and commercial oyster growers.
Bait and Tackle
- Pickles Fishing & Outdoors: 203 Imlay St, Eden NSW 2551 | Phone: 0409 156 747
- Twofold Bay Quality Bait Supplies: Weecoon St, Eden NSW 2551 | Phone: (02) 6496 3296
- Eden Shell Service Station (After-Hours): 1 Princes Hwy, Eden NSW 2551 | Phone: (02) 6496 1122
Basecamp & Accom
- Discovery Parks - Eden: 1 Ballantyne Dr, Eden NSW 2551 | Phone: (02) 6496 1172
- Saltwater Creek Campground (Beowa National Park): Beowa National Park, Eden NSW 2551 | Phone: 1300 072 757
- Seahorse Inn Hotel: 2 Boydtown Park Rd, Boydtown NSW 2551 | Phone: (02) 6496 1361
- Eden Beachfront Holiday Park: 441 Princes Hwy, Eden NSW 2551 | Phone: (02) 6496 1651
Emergency & Safety
- Emergency: 000 | Marine Rescue Eden, Snug Cove, Eden NSW 2551 | Phone: (02) 6496 1657 | VHF: Channel 16
