Surrounded by sea, and with lakes and rivers aplenty,
Australia is a fisherman’s heaven.
Surrounded by sea, Australia is one of the world’s largest islands
and has more than 8,000 smaller islands around it, which means it’s a
fisherman’s heaven. Drop a line in a quiet brook, cast for trout across a
calm river or chase the big ocean fish – marlin and tuna. The locals
say you’ve got to think like a barramundi to catch Australia’s craftiest
fish. Hunt for lobster and crabs or go rock-hopping on the pools along
the continent’s shore. Seafood lovers or catch-and-release sports
fishermen, the choice is yours.
Black Marlin, Cairns, Queensland
North Queensland is the home of the legendary Black Marlin, the
fighting fish of the ocean that is found on the fringes of the Great
Barrier Reef. Departing from Cairns’ busy marina, head out for a day’s
fishing or sleep on a boat to squeeze every minute out of your holiday.
Lovers of serious luxury should snap up Cairns Reef Charters’
package that includes a stay at Lizard Island Lodge during September to
December, when the marlin are in town. Curious anglers may also be keen
to try saltwater fly fishing on the reef.
Trout and salmon fishing, Tarraleah, Tasmania
Swap the buzz of the city for the serenity of Tasmania’s highlands.
Listen to the singing of the line on the lake as you indulge in some of
the world’s best freshwater fishing.
Discover secret beauty spots where Atlantic salmon as well as brown,
rainbow and American brook trout can be found. The brown trout season
runs August to May, with early December the peak period.
Tiwi Adventures, Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory
Most anglers make the journey to chase the mighty barramundi, Australia’s great sporting fish.
If your idea of a holiday is somewhere less inhabited and remote, the Tiwi Islands
are the place. A 30-minute flight from Darwin, most anglers make the
journey to chase the mighty barramundi, Australia’s great sporting fish.
Other species that will give you a run include blue salmon, saratoga,
mangrove jacks and estuary cod. Off-shore the waters teem with another
great fighting fish, queenfish, as well as jewfish and snapper.
Australia’s first barramundi base, Bathurst Island Lodge, reopened in
March 2013. There are two other lodges on the Tiwi Islands, which are
also famous for their indigenous art and culture.
Trout Fishing, Snowy Mountains, NSW
Learn to fly fish in rivers and streams, pick up the tricks of
trolling, spin the lakes and hear the secrets of the best lures for
trout with fish guru Steve Williamson,
who has been fishing the waterways of the Snowy Mountains for 25 years.
Williamson is based in Jindabyne, two hours’ drive from Canberra. From
beginner fishing lessons to weekend adventures, it’s a year-round
fishing destination, but best during summer when the brown, rainbow and
brook trout come out to play.
Lobster Shack tours, Cervantes, Western Australia
Watch the skipper pull lobster pots from the deep blue sea and cook it up for your lunch. Lobster Shack Tours
launch from Cervantes, two hours’ drive north of Perth, to sail into
the Jurien Bay Marine Park to the isolated Cervantes Islands, home to
colonies of raucous sea lions and pods of dolphins. The locals have been
fishing these waters for generations, and are happy to share their
favourite beach fishing spots including Hangover Bay and Thirsty Point;
or just drop a line off Cervantes jetty.
Hunt and Gather Tour, Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
You reap what you sow on this tour
on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Dive for abalone, fish for salmon
straight from the beach, hunt for oysters and gather ‘pipis’ – sweet
little shellfish found on the seashore. Your personal chef will prepare
the catch of the day on this safari, staying at waterfront accommodation
in Coffin Bay. Too tame? Add a cage dive with a Great White shark, swim
with Blue Fin tuna, sea lions and dolphins, or head into the outback,
flying over Lake Eyre and the remote Oodnadatta Track.
Queenscliff fishing, Victoria
“Life’s short, fish hard” say the fishermen of the Bass Strait, the
stretch of sea that separates mainland Australia from Tasmania. Game Rec’s
charters depart from Queenscliff and Sorrento, either side of the bay
that encircles Melbourne, and your hook should snare seriously big
snapper, kingfish, barracouta and squid, not to mention delicious local
flathead. They’ll clean your catch ready for the barbecue, or you can
kiss the fish and send it back to sea.
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