Merimbula, Pambula and Tathra fishing spots

The middle of the Sapphire Coast: Tathra and Merimbula wharves are classic land-based spots for squid, salmon, trevally and snapper, while Merimbula and Pambula lakes are clear estuaries known for flathead, bream, whiting and trevally. The Bega River mouth and the surf beaches add salmon, tailor and bream.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

7 spots here, all fished from land, plus 5 public boat ramps. Seasons follow our NSW South Coast species list for New South Wales. Positions are a guide only, not for navigation.

Under each spot, "Forecast for this spot" opens the app's forecast worked out for that spot: Go, Marginal or No-go for each day of the week ahead, with the best times, wind, waves and tide. Open the forecast.

Spots at a glance

7 spots: Merimbula, Pambula and Tathra
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Bega River mouth (Mogareeka)	Estuary	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
2. Tathra Wharf	Wharf	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
3. Merimbula Wharf	Wharf	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
4. Merimbula Lake & channel	Lake	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
5. Short Point, Merimbula	Headland	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
6. Pambula River mouth & lake channel	Estuary	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
7. Pambula Beach	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–

1. Bega River mouth (Mogareeka)

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Mogareeka boat ramp and reserve off the Tathra-Bermagui road.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead, sand whiting, estuary perch and Australian salmon. Also in season: yellowfin bream and luderick.
Best tide: Run-in tide over the sand spits.
Best wind: Sheltered behind the spit; westerlies are best for the beach side.
Note: Flat water and sand spits at the Bega River mouth: bream, flathead and whiting on the flats, luderick on the rocks, and salmon at the mouth when it is open.
Safety: The entrance opens and closes; currents are strong when open.
Zone: No marine park. Bega River upstream of Jellat Jellat Creek: no nets other than a landing net. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -36.69980, 149.98040 · Open in Google Maps (position: Mogareeka Inlet, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Tathra Wharf

Type: Wharf · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Wharf Road, Tathra: parking by the historic wharf on the headland.
What's good here: Peak in October: Australian salmon and snapper. Also in season: leatherjacket, silver trevally, eastern sea garfish, southern calamari and yellowtail kingfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Westerlies; easterly swell surges under the wharf. Faces E.
Note: Coordinate is Tathra Head, the headland the historic deep-water wharf stands on. Floats and baits for salmon, trevally, garfish and leatherjacket, with snapper and kingfish at times.
Safety: High deck: use a drop net and watch children. Swell surges in easterlies.
Zone: No marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -36.72340, 149.98450 · Open in Google Maps (position: Tathra Head, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Merimbula Wharf

Type: Wharf · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Merimbula Wharf car park at Merimbula Point.
What's good here: Peak in October: Australian salmon, snapper, dusky flathead and sand whiting. Also in season: southern calamari, silver trevally, tailor and yellowfin bream.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered from northerlies; south-easters roll into the bay.
Note: Coordinate is Merimbula Point, where the wharf runs out into Merimbula Bay. Squid in the cooler months, salmon and trevally on floats or live baits, and snapper and flathead off the end.
Safety: High deck: carry a drop net; watch children. Slippery after swell.
Zone: No marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -36.90090, 149.93540 · Open in Google Maps (position: Merimbula Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Merimbula Lake & channel

Type: Lake · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Foreshore paths around Merimbula; ramps at Merimbula South (Arthur Kaine Drive) and Top Lake; prawning around Spencer Park.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead, sand whiting and Australian salmon. Also in season: yellowfin bream, silver trevally, luderick, tailor and school and eastern king prawns.
Best tide: Run-in tide in the channel below the bridge; the flats on the top of the tide.
Best wind: Sheltered from most winds; strong southerlies chop up the top lake.
Note: Clear estuary: bream, trevally and luderick in the channel below the bridge, flathead and whiting on the flats, and prawns around Spencer Park in the warmer months.
Safety: Merimbula bar: lifejackets on when crossing; check the TfNSW webcam. Strong current in the channel.
Zone: No marine park. No shellfish may be taken below the Arthur Kaine Drive causeway bridge, and no hoop or lift nets anywhere in the lake. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -36.89840, 149.88460 · Open in Google Maps (position: Merimbula Lake, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Short Point, Merimbula

Type: Headland · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Short Point reserve car park, Merimbula.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead and Australian salmon. Also in season: tailor, yellowfin bream and rock blackfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Westerlies. Faces E.
Note: Headland north of the lake entrance between Short Point Beach and Middle Beach: flathead off the sand edges, salmon and tailor in the gutters, drummer off the rocks.
Safety: Lifejacket on the rocks; swell surges.
Zone: No marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -36.88180, 149.93460 · Open in Google Maps (position: Short Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. Pambula River mouth & lake channel

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Pambula River mouth and Barmouth Beach area in Ben Boyd National Park, or the Pambula Lake ramp at Broadwater.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead, sand whiting and Australian salmon. Also in season: yellowfin bream, tailor, silver trevally and luderick.
Best tide: Run-in tide at the mouth.
Best wind: Sheltered behind Barmouth Beach; westerlies are best.
Note: Clear-water mouth and channel: salmon and tailor in the surf at Barmouth Beach, bream, flathead and whiting along the channel, and trevally inside.
Safety: Strong currents in the channel. Unpatrolled beach.
Zone: No marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -36.94800, 149.91640 · Open in Google Maps (position: Pambula Inlet, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

7. Pambula Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Pambula Beach village car parks.
What's good here: Peak in October: Australian salmon and sand whiting. Also in season: tailor and yellowfin bream.
Best tide: Rising tide.
Best wind: Westerlies; south-easters blow into Merimbula Bay. Faces NE.
Note: Beach on the southern side of Merimbula Bay where locals report good salmon, with tailor, bream and whiting in the gutters.
Safety: Rips; patrolled in season.
Zone: No marine park. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au.
Map: -36.93180, 149.90120 · Open in Google Maps (position: Pambula Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

5 public boat ramps are listed for Merimbula, Pambula and Tathra, with positions from Maritime NSW Boat Ramps. Lanes, parking and tide access are as the data says: check them on the day.

Boat ramps: Merimbula, Pambula and Tathra
Ramp	Notes	Position
Mogareeka Boat Ramp	2 lanes, 21-50 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, pontoon or jetty nearby, toilets (TfNSW record). Bega River mouth.	-36.70060, 149.97656 Google Maps
Kianinny Bay Boat Ramp	3 lanes, 21-50 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, pontoon or jetty nearby, toilets, fish-cleaning table (TfNSW record). Ocean ramp at Tathra; a launch fee applies.	-36.73694, 149.98294 Google Maps
Merimbula South Boat Ramp	3 lanes, 51+ car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, pontoon, toilets (TfNSW record). Main Merimbula launch; ocean access is across the Merimbula bar.	-36.89622, 149.91057 Google Maps
Top Lake Boat Ramp	1 lane, 21-51 car/trailer spaces, water access: shallow at times, toilets (TfNSW record). Merimbula Top Lake; can be shallow.	-36.89133, 149.89198 Google Maps
Pambula Lake Boat Ramp	2 lanes, 51+ car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, pontoon, toilets, fish-cleaning table (TfNSW record). Pambula Lake, with access to the river mouth and ocean.	-36.96714, 149.88452 Google Maps

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Merimbula, Pambula and Tathra in October: Australian salmon, dusky flathead, sand whiting, snapper and 4 more. Of the 29 species our NSW South Coast list has for this part of the coast, 8 peak in October 2026 and 14 more are in season.

Peak in October: Australian salmon, dusky flathead, sand whiting, snapper, estuary perch, sand and tiger flathead, mulloway and Australian bass.

Also in season: yellowfin bream, tailor, silver trevally, luderick, southern calamari, yellowtail kingfish, rock blackfish, leatherjacket, eastern sea garfish, school and eastern king prawns, tarwhine, blue swimmer crab, Australian bonito and yellowfin tuna.

Out of season in October: mahi mahi (best Dec–Apr); marlin (best Jan–Apr).

Seen now and then, so not rated: mud crab, mangrove jack, mackerel tuna, Spanish mackerel and cobia.

Seasons are closure-aware: a species is never listed as in season, for the area or at a spot, while it is closed there; a closure for part of the area says where. Species links go to our South East Queensland species guides, with Queensland's limits: New South Wales' own size and bag limits are on the official rules page.

Can you fish here? Rules and safety

NSW Recreational Fishing Fee needed to fish NSW saltwater (incl. spearfishing, hand gathering, bait collecting, prawning): $7 3 days, $14 1 month, $35 1 year, $85 3 years (Oct 2026). Exempt: under 18, Aboriginal people, Pensioner Concession Card and DVA TPI/EDA Gold Card holders (other cases, e.g. some DVA payments or a charter or guide with an exemption certificate, are on the exemptions page). Interstate licences are not an exemption. Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: New South Wales' limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Rules at Merimbula, Pambula and Tathra

Merimbula Lake: no shellfish may be taken below the Arthur Kaine Drive causeway bridge; no hoop or lift nets.
Bega River upstream of Jellat Jellat Creek: no nets other than a landing net.
Sandy Beach Creek and Bournda Lagoon: no nets other than prawn scoop or dip nets and landing nets, and no spearfishing.
Spearfishing is banned on NSW ocean beaches except the last 20 m at each end.

Marine parks and no-take zones

Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Merimbula, Pambula and Tathra

Merimbula bar: lifejackets on when crossing; check the TfNSW webcam. Conditions on the bar can stop charter trips.
Bega Valley is not a declared rock-fishing area, but lifejackets are strongly advised on rock platforms.
The wharves have high decks: carry a drop net.

New South Wales: official links

Read the official forecast and warnings in the Bureau of Meteorology's own words: NSW coastal and local waters forecast map and current warnings.

Boating: New South Wales boating safety, crossing coastal bars and lifejacket rules. Lifejackets: Boats <=4.8m: always on open waters and bars (L100+); enclosed waters when alone or at night. >4.8m: all wear L100+ crossing bars. Under-12s: always on <=4.8m; open areas <=8m underway.

Heading out on the water? Log on and off with Marine Rescue NSW. Log On when you head out and Log Off when you return. Call your Marine Rescue NSW base on VHF Channel 16 or use the free Marine Rescue NSW app. If you don't Log Off, volunteers start searching.

Marine parks and closed areas: NSW marine parks (Cape Byron, Solitary Islands, Port Stephens-Great Lakes, Jervis Bay, Batemans, Lord Howe Island), NSW aquatic reserves, Intertidal protected areas (Sydney) and Australian Marine Parks (Temperate East network, Lord Howe).

Rock fishing lifejacket law: Lifejacket required by law when rock fishing in declared areas (Rock Fishing Safety Act 2016): Ballina, Central Coast, Kiama, Lake Macquarie, Northern Beaches, Port Stephens, Randwick, Richmond Valley, Sutherland, Wollongong. $100 fine. More.

New South Wales' official rules: size and bag limits and closed seasons and areas (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Emergency: 000 (112 from mobiles) · VHF channel 16 for distress.

Nearby fishing areas

Eden and Twofold Bay (about 29 km south)
Bermagui and Wallaga Lake (about 48 km north)
Narooma and Wagonga Inlet (about 71 km north)
Mallacoota (VIC) (about 80 km south)

Distances are between the middle of each area. Every area in New South Wales · all fishing spot guides.

Sources and checked dates

Spot and ramp positions: Composite Gazetteer of Australia (Geoscience Australia and the state and territory naming authorities), CC BY 4.0, ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 (2021) (Australian Bureau of Statistics), CC BY 4.0 and Maritime NSW Boat Ramps (Transport for NSW), CC BY 4.0; gazetteer and ABS positions through our place index. Guide only, not for navigation.
Spot research checked 9 Oct 2026 and fact-checked 9 Oct 2026; species seasons and rules checked 9 Oct 2026; safety links checked 9 Oct 2026. Text in our own words.
Research sources: sapphirecoast.com.au (Tathra Wharf, Mogareeka, Merimbula Lake, Short Point, Middle Beach, Pambula Beach and mouth species); sapphirecoast.com.au (Merimbula Wharf species and best time); merimbulanewsweekly.com.au (Merimbula Wharf and lake channel catches (local report)); visitnsw.com (Pambula River mouth and Barmouth Beach); tradeaboat.com.au (Pambula Lake and channel species); apps.environment.nsw.gov.au (Tathra Wharf location on the headland); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Far South Coast closures (Merimbula Lake, Bega River, Sandy Beach Creek)); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Merimbula Lake shellfish and net closures); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Bega River net closure); nsw.gov.au (Merimbula coastal bar webcam and lifejacket rule); spatial.industry.nsw.gov.au (No marine park in this area); opendata.transport.nsw.gov.au (Boat ramp locations and facilities).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.