Fishing Wooli and Minnie Water
General fishing in Wooli and Minnie Water follows the season, with DPI rating sand whiting best from November to April and Spanish mackerel from February to May. The northern arm and central basin of the Wooli Wooli River above the forks are a sanctuary zone, and crab traps are banned in the upper river. The rest of the river below the forks is open to line fishing.
Land-based anglers can fish the lower river banks, Wooli Beach and parts of Minnie Water Back Beach, where shore-based line fishing is the only fishing allowed. The Jones Beach and Jones Point sanctuary zone starts on Jones Beach near the southern breakwall, so check the FishSmart app before you cast on that side. Wear good shoes on the rocks and stay off them in big swell.
Offshore and boat fishing starts from the two-lane lower ramp on Wooli Road, which is listed as high tide only, and crosses the Wooli River bar. Everyone on board must wear a lifejacket when crossing, and the incoming tide is the safer time. Offshore, small sanctuary zones sit at North West Rock and on the western side of North Solitary Island, so check your position before you fish.
Top 10 Species
Landbased
- Lower Wooli Wooli River: From the forks down to the mouth the river is open to line fishing, while the northern arm and central basin above the forks are a sanctuary zone. DPI lists bream, flathead, luderick and whiting in the region's estuaries, and sand whiting peak from November to April. Fish live nippers or marine worms on a size 1 to 1/0 circle or long shank hook with a running sinker and about a metre of 2 to 5kg trace.
- Wooli Beach: The ocean beach along the village is open to line fishing outside the Jones Beach and Jones Point sanctuary zone, which starts near the southern breakwall at the river mouth. DPI says mulloway are taken off the beaches of the region. Spearfishing is only allowed in the last 20m at each end of the beach.
- Minnie Water Back Beach: DPI says shore-based line fishing is the only fishing allowed on large parts of this beach, shown hatched on the marine park map next to the offshore sanctuary zone. No bait collecting, trapping or spearfishing is allowed on those sections. Cast from the sand only, and use the FishSmart app to see where the hatched sections start and end.
- Minnie Water Beach: VisitNSW describes this beach as over a kilometre long in two parts, with good anchorage in the shelter of the southern reef. Transport for NSW lists a sand launch off Beach Street that is shallow at times and in poor condition, with a fee payable and no facilities. DPI says mulloway are taken off the beaches of the region, so the open sections of the beach are worth a cast.
Offshore
- Wooli Lower Boat Ramp: The lower ramp on Wooli Road is a two-lane concrete ramp in good condition, with lighting, a fish cleaning table and 11 to 20 car and trailer spaces. Transport for NSW lists it as high tide only, so plan launches and retrieves around the top of the tide. Jet skis may only use the river to reach the ocean from the lowest ramp, at no more than 4 knots.
- Wooli River Bar: Transport for NSW lists the Wooli River entrance as a coastal bar. Everyone on board must wear a lifejacket at all times when crossing. Cross on the incoming tide when you can, because the outgoing tide is the most dangerous time.
- North West Rock: DPI names North West Rock as a Spanish mackerel hot spot, with the run peaking from February to May. Troll fast diving hard-bodies or vibes on a short single-strand wire trace, or float chin-weighted live or fresh yellowtail, pike or tailor on a wire rig. A small sanctuary zone surrounds the rock and the marine park has a public mooring here, so fish outside the zone and never from the mooring while it sits inside it.
- North Solitary Island: A sanctuary zone covers the water off the western shore of this island, and no bait fishing is allowed within 200m of the grey nurse shark site. Within 500m of the island, wire traces may only be used for trolling from a moving boat. Outside the zone, troll for Spanish mackerel from February to May around the island, as DPI suggests for the islands, headlands and shoals of the region.
Hot Spots
- North West Solitary Island: Outside the sanctuary zone on its western side, this island is open water for trolling Spanish mackerel from February to May.
- Diggers Camp: Shore-based line fishing is allowed on the hatched sections nearby, but no bait or shellfish may be collected from the rock platform except rock and slipper lobster.
- Minnie Water Lagoon: Clean fish and gear only at the designated cleaning facilities, never in the lagoon water.
- Wooli River Caravan Park Boat Ramp: This single-lane ramp off Riverside Drive is a second river launch, though Transport for NSW lists it as shallow at times and in poor condition.
- Crab Protection Area: From 1km below the forks up to the tidal limit of the river, crab traps are banned, though line fishing stays open outside the sanctuary zone.
Know the Rules
- FISHING FEE: You must pay the NSW Recreational Fishing Fee and carry your receipt when you fish, unless you are exempt. It covers hand lining, bait collecting, hand gathering and trapping, and even having fishing gear near the water. It costs $7 for 3 days, $14 for a month, $35 for a year or $85 for 3 years, from Service NSW online or on 1300 369 365.
- MARINE PARK: Wooli and Minnie Water sit inside the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Sanctuary zones are no-take, so no fishing of any kind, no bait or shellfish collecting and no anchoring on reefs. Line fishing is allowed in the habitat protection and general use zones.
- WOOLI WOOLI RIVER ZONES: The northern arm and central basin of the river above the forks are a sanctuary zone, with no fishing or collecting of any kind. Crab traps are banned from 1km below the forks up to the tidal limit of the river.
- COASTAL ZONES: The Jones Beach and Jones Point sanctuary zone starts near the southern breakwall at the river mouth. Shore-based line fishing is the only fishing allowed on the hatched sections of Minnie Water Back Beach, and no bait or invertebrates except rock and slipper lobster may be taken from the Diggers Camp rock platform. Clean fish and gear only at the cleaning facilities at Minnie Water Lagoon, never in the lagoon water.
- OYSTER LEASE ZONE: In the Wooli Wooli River oyster special purpose zone you may only fish with a hook and hand-held line, by hand, or with a dip, scoop, landing, hoop or lift net, and spearfishing is not allowed.
- PASSING THROUGH A ZONE: You may travel through a sanctuary zone with your gear stowed and your lines unbaited. The zone lines are not marked on the beach, so check the free FishSmart NSW app, which tracks where you are against the zones in real time. Jet skis may only use the river to reach the ocean from the lowest boat ramp, at no more than 4 knots.
- ESTUARY AND BEACH LIMITS: Yellowfin bream must be at least 25cm, with a bag limit of 10 in total with tarwhine. Sand whiting must be at least 27cm, with a bag limit of 20. Dusky flathead must be 36cm to 70cm, with a bag limit of 5, and luderick and tailor have a bag limit of 10 each, at 27cm and 30cm minimum.
- MULLOWAY, JACKS AND CRABS: Mulloway must be at least 70cm, with a bag limit of 1 and a boat limit of 2 when 2 or more fishers are on board. Mangrove jack have no size limit and a bag limit of 5. Mud crabs must be at least 8.5cm, with a bag limit of 5.
- REEF FISH LIMITS: Snapper must be at least 30cm, with a bag limit of 10. Pearl perch must be at least 30cm, with a bag limit of 5. Yellowtail kingfish must be at least 65cm and Spanish mackerel at least 75cm, with a bag limit of 5 for each.
- EVERYTHING ELSE: Any fish not on the DPI list has a bag limit of 20. Eastern blue groper are release only, and DPI has kept the line fishing ban on them for three years from 1 March 2025.
- BAIT LIMITS: The limit is 20 beach worms, 100 saltwater nippers and 100 other worms. Poddy mullet under 15cm have a limit of 20 and are for live bait only. Pipis are for bait only, must not be taken more than 50m from the high tide mark, and count toward 50 in total with cockles and mussels.
- GEAR RULES: Cast nets are banned in NSW, and a nipper pump barrel must be no wider than 85mm. Spearfishing is not allowed in any estuary in the park, or on ocean beaches except the last 20m at each end of the beach.
- GREY NURSE SHARKS: Bait fishing is not allowed within 200m of the grey nurse shark sites at North Solitary and South Solitary islands. Within 500m of those islands, wire traces are for trolling only and must not be used from a still or anchored boat.
- BEACH RULES: Council lifeguards patrol Wooli Beach and Minnie Water Beach during the NSW and Queensland school holidays, and volunteers patrol Minnie Water on weekends and public holidays from September to April. Fish well away from the flags.
Rules change. Check the state fisheries website or app before you fish.
Local Bait Tips
- Nippers: Pump nippers from sand flats in the lower river below the forks with a stainless steel nipper pump, which by law must have a barrel no wider than 85mm, and keep to the limit of 100. Never pump above the forks, where the river is sanctuary zone, and keep them alive in a bucket of clean seawater out of the sun.
- Beach Worms: Beach worms are taken by hand picking on the ocean beaches, with a limit of 20 whole or part in total. Never collect them on the hatched sections of Minnie Water Back Beach or inside a sanctuary zone, and keep them cool and damp until use.
- Pipis: Pipis may only be taken for bait, and you must not take them more than 50m from the high tide mark. Feel for them by hand in the wet sand outside sanctuary zones, but never on Minnie Water Back Beach or the Diggers Camp rock platform, and keep to the limit of 50 in total with cockles and mussels.
Bait and Tackle
- Wooli Bait & Tackle: 43 Riverside Drive, Wooli NSW 2462 | Phone: (02) 6649 7100
- The Wooli Shop: 381 North Street, Wooli NSW 2462 | Phone: 0473 675 629
Basecamp & Accom
- Wooli Holiday Park: 25 Riverside Drive, Wooli NSW 2462 | Phone: (02) 6649 7671
- Solitary Islands Resort: 383 North Street, Wooli NSW 2462 | Phone: (02) 6649 7519
- Minnie Water Holiday Park: 646 Minnie Water Road, Minnie Water NSW 2462 | Phone: (02) 6649 7693
Emergency & Safety
- Marine Rescue Wooli: Emergency: 000 | Address: 92 Main Street, Wooli NSW 2462 | Radio: VHF 16, 27MHz 88 | Phone: 0437 423 797
