Botany Bay Fishing Spots: A Hidden Gem On Sydney’s Doorstep

Botany Bay is not only a popular fishing destination but also home to the expansive Towra Point Aquatic Reserve. Spanning 1400 hectares, this reserve consists of a sanctuary zone and a refuge zone. Fishing and collecting invertebrates or marine vegetation are prohibited in the sanctuary zone, while limited fishing is allowed in the refuge zone. Specific fishing restrictions also apply around the runaways and at Port Botany.

The fishing in Botany Bay benefits from the presence of three artificial reefs, including the Yarra Bay reef ball network, the Sydney Offshore Artificial Reef, and the Southern Sydney “JD” Reef. These reefs attract various species such as bream, kingfish, silver trevally, and bonito.

Botany Bay offers excellent fishing access along its foreshores and boasts convenient boating facilities. Estuary species like bream, dusky flathead, mulloway, silver trevally and whiting are abundant, while pelagic sportfish such as kingfish, bonito, Australian salmon, and tailor can be targeted during warmer months.

Well-known Year-round Land-based Botany Bay Fishing Spots

Henry Head (La Perouse Point):

Located at the southernmost tip of Botany Bay, Henry Head provides a rocky shoreline that attracts a range of species. This spot is particularly renowned for bream, flathead, and tailor. Casting soft plastics near the rock ledges can yield great results.

Towra Point Nature Reserve:

Situated on the western side of Botany Bay, Towra Point Nature Reserve offers a tranquil fishing experience. The shallow sand flats and channels are ideal for targeting flathead, whiting, and flounder. Wade along the flats or drift with the tide while using small soft plastics to entice these species.

Woollooware Bay:

Woolooware Bay and the western shore of Botany Bay offer protected fishing spots, ideal for lure fishing. Expect excellent catches of bream, flathead, and whiting. Drift and cast 70-90m soft plastics for flathead. Big whiting can be found in the upper reaches of the Georges River in the warmer months.

The Oil Wharf:

Located on the eastern side of Botany Bay, the Oil Wharf is a productive spot for fishing enthusiasts. This structure attracts an array of pelagic species, including kingfish, bonito, and salmon. Casting metal slices or trolling with lures near the wharf can yield exciting results, especially during the warmer months.

Yarra Bay:

Situated near the mouth of Botany Bay, Yarra Bay offers a sandy beach and calm waters, making it ideal for families and beginner anglers. The area is known for whiting, bream, and flathead. Small soft plastic paddletails or curly tails, metal blades and shallow diving hard bodies are perfect for these bread and butter species.

Botany Bay Fishing By Season

Spring

As the water temperature rises, many fish species become more active, so the lure fishing in Botany Bay heats up in spring too. Species like bream, whiting, flathead, and Australian salmon are commonly targeted during spring. Using a combination of surface lures, shallow-diving minnows, and soft plastics can yield great results. Focus on shallow flats, sandy areas, and weed beds where fish are actively feeding. Experiment with different retrieve speeds and lure colors to entice strikes. Later in the season the kingfish, bonito and jewfish can start to appear.

Summer

Lure fishing in Botany Bay during the summer months can be exhilarating. Australian salmon, kingfish, tailor, and flathead are among the popular targets in the warmer months. Surface poppers, metal slugs, and soft plastics are effective lure choices. Focus on areas with structure, such as rock walls, jetties, and drop-offs, where predatory fish gather in search of prey. Early mornings and late afternoons are ideal for topwater action, while deeper water can be explored during the hotter parts of the day.

Autumn

Autumn is a fantastic time to fish Botany Bay for bream, whiting, flathead, and trevally. Opt for small to medium-sized hardbody lures, soft plastics, and metal blades to entice the fish. Focus on shallow areas, sand flats, and weed beds where these species are known to feed. As always, low light periods can provide exciting surface action, particularly the afternoons when the shallower water has been warmed all day by the sun. Squid are a year-round capture, but can become larger and more prolific in Autumn.

Winter

Winter fishing in Botany Bay offers its own unique charm and opportunities. The colder temperatures reduce boating traffic, but the bay remains active and species like snapper start to really come on the chew around the reefs and drop-offs. Flathead continue to be abundant, and drift casting with soft plastics is a great option. Bream and trevally are also present, and the number and quality of squid caught in the bay also increases during winter.

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