Fishing Ulladulla
General fishing in Ulladulla centers on the close proximity of the continental shelf and the dramatic nearshore reefs surrounding the harbor. Peak water temperatures during the summer and autumn months bring world-class runs of yellowfin tuna, southern bluefin tuna, and dolphinfish within striking distance of the port. Anglers must closely monitor ocean swell conditions, as the open coastline is fully exposed to raw southerly weather patterns.
Land-based anglers will find exceptional rock platforms to prospect, including the deep ledges at Warden Head where yellowtail kingfish are targeted. Safer, family-friendly casting is widely available along the Ulladulla Harbour breakwall for silver trevally, tailor, and squid. The sandy gutters of Mollymook Beach and Rennies Beach yield highly consistent runs of salmon and whiting during late afternoon rising tides.
Offshore and boat fishing operates primarily out of the protected harbor, utilizing the well-appointed Wason Street ramp facility. Small boat operators frequently target trophy dusky flathead and bream inside the productive waters of nearby Burrill Lake and Lake Conjola. Ocean-going vessels can quickly reach the offshore fish aggregating devices or the productive bottom-bouncing reefs to target prime table snapper.
Top 10 Species
Landbased
- Ulladulla Harbour Breakwall: This expansive breakwall provides a safe and highly accessible platform for shore-based anglers targeting tailor, salmon, and squid. The best fishing occurs during a rising tide in the late afternoon, as baitfish are pushed into the safety of the harbor. A medium spin rod casting metal lures or lightly weighted pilchards will easily connect you with the fast-moving pelagics patrolling the rocks.
- Warden Head: This prominent headland is a renowned rock fishing ledge offering direct deepwater access for experienced anglers chasing kingfish and snapper. Fishing here is strictly reliant on a low ocean swell and an incoming tide to safely manage the powerful wash zone. Heavy land-based game gear paired with live baits or large floating pilchards is absolutely essential to extract large fish from the reef.
- Burrill Lake Entrance Beach: The beach flanking the entrance to Burrill Lake is a highly productive zone for catching whiting, bream, and flathead. A run-out tide is highly advantageous here, as it flushes warm, nutrient-rich estuary water directly into the coastal surf gutters. Using a light surf outfit with freshly caught beach worms on a paternoster rig will guarantee a successful session in the suds.
- Mollymook Beach: This beach features perfectly formed sandy gutters that consistently hold large schools of Australian salmon and tailor during winter. Dawn is the ultimate time to fish this stretch, utilizing the low light to mask your line and terminal tackle from wary fish. Long surf casting rods equipped with ganged hooks and whole pilchards are the standard and most effective setup for this beach.
- Rennies Beach: This beach offers exceptional rock and beach fishing opportunities, highly favored by locals targeting large black drummer and bream. Fishing the top of the high tide when the whitewater provides ample cover brings these shy species out of their caves. A sturdy rock rod casting lightly weighted peeled prawns or cunjevoi into the wash is the best method to secure a strike.
Offshore
- Ulladulla FAD: The offshore Fish Aggregating Device is a summer magnet for acrobatic dolphinfish and small black marlin. Anglers find the most success arriving at first light before the intense boat traffic drives the fish deep into the water column. Casting unweighted pilchards or retrieving bright metal jigs on medium-heavy spin tackle will incite frenzied surface strikes from these colorful pelagics.
- Ulladulla Canyons: The deep underwater canyons along the continental shelf are legendary game fishing grounds for targeting massive yellowfin and southern bluefin tuna. The winter months are incredibly productive here, requiring anglers to monitor sea surface temperature breaks to locate the feeding schools. Heavy game fishing outfits in the twenty-four to thirty-seven kilogram class trolling skirted lures or cubed pilchards are mandatory to land these giants.
- North Bommie: This is a shallow, highly active reef system located just five minutes from the harbor that teems with snapper and kingfish. Drifting this reef early in the morning on a run-in tide provides the ideal current to present baits naturally over the structure. A medium boat rod utilizing lightly weighted soft plastics or fresh squid strips will easily fool the resident reef dwellers.
- Burrill Lake Drop-offs: For small boat operators, the deep drop-offs inside Burrill Lake are prime territory for hunting trophy-sized dusky flathead. Fishing the bottom half of the outgoing tide forces the baitfish off the shallow flats and directly into the waiting mouths of the flathead. Bouncing heavy jigheads rigged with large soft plastic swimbaits along the sandy drop-offs on a light spin outfit is highly effective.
- Lake Conjola Weed Beds: This lake features expansive, healthy weed beds that serve as a massive nursery and hunting ground for bream and whiting. The top of the tide on a calm day allows boaters to drift silently over the submerged grass and cast to visible fish. A finesse spin setup utilizing surface poppers or lightly weighted soft plastics provides explosive visual strikes in less than a meter of water.
Hot Spots
- Bannisters Point: A rugged headland offering thrilling rock fishing for snapper and drummer in the turbulent wash zones.
- Narrawallee Inlet: A serene, shallow estuary system perfect for kayak anglers throwing surface lures at aggressive summer whiting.
- Tabourie Lake: A peaceful coastal lake that sporadically opens to the sea, providing excellent light-tackle fishing for bream and flathead.
- The Blockhouse: A nearshore reef structure renowned for producing massive hauls of quality table fish like morwong and snapper.
- Burrill Lake Broadwater: A massive stretch of shallow water containing extensive weed beds that hold excellent numbers of squid and bream.
Local Bait Tips
- Pink Nippers: Collect these premium baits by pumping nippers using a hand-operated suction pump on intertidal sand flats during a low tide. Keep them alive in shallow saltwater or on a damp sponge in a cool container to maintain their natural movement.
- Poddy Mullet: Gather these hardy baits by using a legal, clear plastic poddy mullet trap baited with bread crumbs in the shallow estuary margins. Ensure the trap is checked frequently and any undersized or excess fish are immediately returned to the water.
- Beach Worms: Locate these exceptional surf baits on local beaches by dragging a stinky fish frame through the receding waves to entice them to rise. Once the worm extends its head, use your thumb and forefinger with a small pinch of dry sand to extract it cleanly.
Boat Ramps
- Ulladulla Harbour Southern Boat Ramp:
Ulladulla Harbour Southern Boat Ramp: Positioned on Wason Street along the southern foreshore of Ulladulla Harbour, Ulladulla, NSW 2539, this facility is managed by Shoalhaven City Council. The existing dual-lane concrete ramp is highly deteriorated and non-compliant with a steep 1:10 grade, making it challenging for boaters and completely unusable at low tide. Because of its insufficient length, propeller-wash from trailering has excavated a dangerous underwater void at the toe of the ramp, presenting an axle-trapping risk for trailers. Staging is serviced by a central access pontoon. Funded by a Transport for NSW grant, the ramp and pontoon are undergoing a complete replacement and upgrade (scheduled for late 2026), which will extend the ramp to prevent voids and formalize an accessible parking space at the northern end of the carpark.
Bait and Tackle
- Compleat Angler Ulladulla: 274 Green St, Ulladulla NSW 2539 | Phone: (02) 4455 7881
- Ulladulla Ship Shape: 150 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla NSW 2539 | Phone: (02) 4455 7200
- bp Truckstop Termeil (After-Hours): 1600 Princes Hwy, Termeil NSW 2539 | Phone: 0433 873 456
Basecamp & Accom
- Holiday Haven Ulladulla: 104 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla NSW 2539 | Phone: (02) 4455 1299
- BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Lake Conjola: 1 Lake Conjola Entrance Rd, Lake Conjola NSW 2539 | Phone: (02) 4456 1138
- Ulladulla Guest House: 39 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla NSW 2539 | Phone: (02) 4455 1796
Emergency & Safety
- Emergency: 000 | Marine Rescue Ulladulla: Ulladulla Harbour, Ulladulla NSW 2539 | Phone: (02) 4455 1111
