Fishing Hawkesbury River
General fishing in Hawkesbury River is heavily influenced by the extreme tidal flow pushing through narrow river bends. Anglers focus their efforts on accessible rocky points where the current forms natural back-eddies to trap migrating baitfish. Fishing the deep drops during the change of tide is the most effective strategy for targeting large bottom-feeders and seasonal pelagics.
Land-based anglers frequently cast into the murky depths from Brooklyn Public Wharf, utilizing lightly weighted prawn baits for flathead. Tracing the steep rocky banks of Berowra Waters requires stealth and accurate casting among the moored boats to secure large silver trevally. The shoreline at Wisemans Ferry provides excellent family-friendly access, where a simple running sinker rig works best for passing schools of bream.
Offshore and boat fishing dynamics in this river system rely on using marine electronics to locate submerged drop-offs and deep holes like The Vines. Boaters routinely anchor on the edge of these massive depressions to deploy large live baits for predatory jewfish holding near the bottom. Navigating the river requires caution during maximum tidal flows, as the moving water creates treacherous standing waves around sharp, rocky bends.
Top 10 Species
Landbased
- Brooklyn Public Wharf: This popular timber structure provides excellent access to deep water right in the heart of the lower river system. Anglers catch huge amounts of bream and flathead by casting lightly weighted prawn baits into the pylons during the run-in tide. The location is heavily protected from southerly winds, making it a comfortable spot for evening sessions.
- Spencer Village Foreshore: This tranquil stretch of muddy shoreline is famous for producing large flathead and schooling whiting during the warmer months. Casting soft plastics parallel to the bank on a run-out tide perfectly imitates retreating baitfish flushed from the mangroves. The area can be muddy after heavy rain, so wearing appropriate footwear and fishing during dry spells is highly recommended.
- Mooney Mooney Point: Situated directly beneath the massive highway bridge, this rocky point offers prime access to deep, fast-flowing water. Heavy tackle and large sinkers are required to keep baits pinned to the bottom during the main tidal run. Slack water periods are the absolute best times to fish here, significantly reducing the chances of snagging on the rough bottom.
- Wisemans Ferry Park: The grassy banks here provide a fantastic family-friendly environment with easy casting access into the murky river water. Using fresh local baits on a simple running sinker rig works best for targeting passing schools of bream and estuary perch. It is a highly tidal zone, so timing your trip to coincide with the high tide change ensures your bait is perfectly positioned.
- Berowra Waters Edge: Fishing the steep rocky banks of this deep tributary requires stealth and accurate casting among the moored boats. Dropping fresh baits straight down the rock faces accounts for excellent catches of luderick and large silver trevally. The enclosed valley blocks most coastal winds, providing glass-like conditions that make bite detection incredibly easy.
Offshore
- The Vines Drop-off: This famous underwater ledge plunges steeply into the main river channel, acting as a prime ambush point for giant mulloway. Anchoring accurately upstream and drifting live baits back onto the ledge during the slack tide yields the biggest fish. Heavy braided line and robust leaders are absolutely necessary to stop hooked fish from slicing your line on the sharp rocks.
- Gunyah Point Deep Hole: Located near the entrance to Cowan Creek, this massive depression holds huge concentrations of baitfish during the winter months. Dropping heavy metal jigs or large soft plastics into the depths is an incredibly effective way to trigger strikes from resting predators. The currents here swirl unpredictably, meaning the captain must constantly adjust the boat positioning to stay over the strike zone.
- Eleanor Bluffs: The sheer rock faces dropping directly into the river create a vertical habitat loaded with bream and estuary perch. Casting small diving lures or lightly weighted plastics right against the stone wall on a high tide produces explosive surface strikes. Wind funneling down the river can make drifting difficult, so using an electric motor is highly advantageous for boat control.
- Bar Point Flats: These expansive shallow mudflats border the main river channel, warming quickly in the summer sun to attract massive flathead. Drifting silently across the flats while casting weedless lures allows anglers to cover a massive amount of productive water. The run-out tide concentrates the fleeing baitfish into the deeper channels, making the edges the perfect place to set up a drift.
- Juno Point: This exposed headland marks the transition zone between the river mouth and the open ocean swells of Broken Bay. Trolling deep-diving minnows around the turbulent wash zones is a proven method for catching large tailor and migrating salmon. Boaters must remain highly vigilant here, as conflicting tidal flows and ocean swells can combine to create hazardous boating conditions.
Hot Spots
- Pumpkin Point: Trolling small hardbody lures past the submerged timber here reliably produces hard-fighting estuary perch in the late afternoon.
- Milson Island Channels: Fishing fresh squid strips in the deeper channels surrounding the island is a local secret for catching oversized summer flathead.
- Broken Bay Wide: Pushing just outside the river mouth to the first set of ocean reefs provides fantastic action for schooling yellowtail kingfish.
- Dangar Island Spit: Wading the sandy spit on a run-out tide with soft plastics effectively targets large aggregations of hungry flathead.
- Cowan Creek Junction: Anchoring near the junction marker and deploying a deep live bait during the slack water guarantees solid mulloway strikes.
Local Bait Tips
- Poddy Mullet: Harvesting live poddy mullet with approved clear-plastic traps is a fully legal and highly effective method for targeting local dusky flathead and mulloway inside the estuary. While cast nets are strictly illegal in NSW, approved clear-plastic poddy mullet traps are perfectly legal and permitted in NSW estuarine creeks for harvesting live bait.
- Saltwater Nippers: These prime baits can only be collected using a hand-suction nipper pump on intertidal sand flats during low tide, ensuring you stay within the maximum 85mm barrel diameter limit. NSW regulations strictly prohibit the use of spades or forks in these sensitive habitats to protect the underlying seagrass beds.
- Yellowtail Scad: These essential live baits are easily caught around public wharves using an ultra-light sabiki bait-catching rig heavily sweetened with small pieces of prawn. Using burley like breadcrumbs keeps the school active around your lightly weighted rig, ensuring you gather a healthy supply legally.
Bait and Tackle
- Windsor Bait And Tackle: 1/141 George St, Windsor NSW 2756 | Phone: 02 4577 6265
- Anaconda Hornsby: 108/114 George St, Hornsby NSW 2077 | Phone: 02 9477 7888
- BP Mooney Mooney: Pacific Hwy, Mooney Mooney NSW 2083 | Phone: 02 9985 9123
Basecamp & Accom
- Del Rio Riverside Resort: Chaseling Rd, Wisemans Ferry NSW 2775 | Phone: 02 4566 4330
- Hawkesbury River Motel: 31 Brooklyn Rd, Brooklyn NSW 2083 | Phone: 02 9985 7111
- Percys Place Caravan Park: 190 Hall St, Pitt Town NSW 2756 | Phone: 02 4572 8222
Emergency & Safety
- Emergency: 000 | Marine Rescue Hawkesbury: Deerubbun Reserve, Mooney Mooney NSW 2083 | Phone: 02 9985 9012
