Moruya and Tuross Head fishing spots

The Moruya River's breakwalls and lower reaches are reliable for salmon, trevally, bream, luderick and flathead, while Tuross Lake is a recreational fishing haven famous for trophy dusky flathead and surface-lure whiting on its shallow flats. Coila Lake, the Congo coast and Tuross Head add lake, beach and rock fishing.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

6 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

6 spots: Moruya and Tuross Head
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Moruya Heads breakwall	Breakwall	Land-based	Ocean coast	Batemans Marine Park
2. Moruya River (Preddys Wharf)	River	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	Batemans Marine Park; no-take zone nearby
3. Congo Point	Headland	Land-based	Ocean coast	Batemans Marine Park; no-take zone nearby
4. Coila Lake	Lake	Land-based and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	Batemans Marine Park; no-take zone nearby
5. Tuross Lake	Lake	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	Batemans Marine Park
6. Tuross Head rocks	Headland	Land-based	Ocean coast	Batemans Marine Park

1. Moruya Heads breakwall

Type: Breakwall · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Car parks at Moruya Heads, then walk out along the training walls.
What's good here: Peak in October: Australian salmon and mulloway. Also in season: silver trevally, yellowfin bream, luderick and tailor.
Best tide: Run-in tide (local reports favour the incoming).
Best wind: Westerlies; big south-east swell washes the wall. Faces E.
Note: Training walls at the river mouth: spin or bait for salmon and trevally, weed floats for luderick, and bream around the rocks. Give other anglers room on busy days.
Safety: Moruya bar: lifejackets on when crossing; check the TfNSW webcam. Waves can wash the wall end.
Zone: General use zone. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -35.91510, 150.15120 · Open in Google Maps (position: Moruya Heads, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Moruya River (Preddys Wharf)

Type: River · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Preddys Wharf and the 'hole in the wall' at Moruya Heads, plus the Brieleys and Moruya town ramps.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead, sand whiting and mulloway. Also in season: yellowfin bream, luderick and silver trevally.
Best tide: Incoming tide along the rock wall below Preddys Wharf (local reports).
Best wind: Sheltered from most winds.
Note: Coordinate is the gazetteer point for the lower river. Nippers and worms around the hole in the wall for bream, whiting and luderick; slow plastics along the rock walls for bream and flathead.
Safety: Preddys Wharf pontoon and ramp works were planned for September to November 2026: check access.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. Batemans Marine Park waters; the Malabar Creek sanctuary zone lies about 1.5 km north-west. Check the map. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -35.91510, 150.11790 · Open in Google Maps (position: Moruya River, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Congo Point

Type: Headland · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Congo campground in Eurobodalla National Park, then walk to the point and beaches.
What's good here: Peak in October: Australian salmon and sand whiting. Also in season: tailor, yellowfin bream, rock blackfish and luderick.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Westerlies. Faces E.
Note: Headland between Congo's beaches: salmon and tailor in the gutters, bream and whiting on worms, and drummer and luderick off the rocks.
Safety: Remote national park spot with no patrols. Lifejacket on the rocks.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. Habitat protection zone. Congo South Beach is restricted to shore-based line fishing, and the Mullimburra sanctuary zone starts about 1.5 km south. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -35.94840, 150.16790 · Open in Google Maps (position: Congo Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Coila Lake

Type: Lake · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and kayak. Foreshore reserves on Tuross Head's northern side.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead and sand whiting. Also in season: yellowfin bream and luderick.
Best tide: Usually closed to the sea, so tide has little effect while it is shut.
Best wind: Sheltered; most winds are fishable.
Note: Intermittently open lake: flathead and bream on plastics around weed edges and drop-offs, whiting on the sand.
Safety: Soft, shallow margins.
Zone: No-take zone nearby. General use zone; the Coila Lake and Creek sanctuary zone covers the north-western end, about 1.3 km away. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -36.02480, 150.12620 · Open in Google Maps (position: Coila Lake, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Tuross Lake

Type: Lake · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Ramps on Trafalgar Road (Tuross Head) and at the Tuross River bridge; foreshore walks.
What's good here: Peak in October: dusky flathead, sand whiting, mulloway and estuary perch. Also in season: yellowfin bream and luderick.
Best tide: Run-in tide over the entrance flats; low light for surface lures.
Best wind: Sheltered bays for most winds.
Note: Recreational fishing haven and trophy flathead water: surface lures and light plastics over shallow flats for flathead and whiting, bream around oyster leases and snags. Release flathead over 70 cm.
Safety: Shallow, shifting front section: easy to run aground. The entrance is regarded as unsafe for heading to sea.
Zone: Recreational fishing haven (habitat protection zone). Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -36.06510, 150.11790 · Open in Google Maps (position: Tuross Lake, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. Tuross Head rocks

Type: Headland · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Headland reserves and tracks around Tuross Head township.
What's good here: Peak in October: Australian salmon and snapper. Also in season: tailor, rock blackfish, luderick and yellowfin bream.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Westerlies. Faces E.
Note: Rocky headland between Coila and Tuross lakes: berley for drummer and luderick, spin for salmon and tailor, and bream on the reef edges at first light.
Safety: Lifejacket on the rocks; swell surges.
Zone: Habitat protection zone. Guide only, not for navigation: check dpird.nsw.gov.au map (PDF).
Map: -36.06510, 150.15120 · Open in Google Maps (position: Tuross Head, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

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

Boat ramps: Moruya and Tuross Head
Ramp	Notes	Position
Brieleys Boat Ramp	2 lanes, 11-20 car/trailer spaces, water access: shallow at times, toilets, fish-cleaning table (TfNSW record). Lower Moruya River.	-35.90680, 150.13739 Google Maps
Preddys Wharf, Moruya River	2 lanes, 11-20 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times, pontoon, toilets, fish-cleaning table (TfNSW record). Closest ramp to the Moruya bar. Council planned a new pontoon and rebuilt ramp for September to November 2026.	-35.91159, 150.13207 Google Maps
Town Wharf, Moruya River	1 lane, 11-20 car/trailer spaces, water access: shallow at times, pontoon, toilets, fish-cleaning table (TfNSW record). Upper estuary at Moruya town.	-35.90819, 150.08366 Google Maps
Tuross Lake	2 lanes, 11-20 car/trailer spaces, water access: shallow at times, pontoon, toilets, fish-cleaning table (TfNSW record). Main Tuross Lake ramp; shallow flats nearby.	-36.06548, 150.12604 Google Maps
Tuross River Bridge Boat Ramp	1 lane, 0-10 car/trailer spaces, water access: all times (TfNSW record). Upper Tuross River at the highway bridge.	-36.06584, 150.05007 Google Maps

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at Moruya and Tuross Head in October: sand whiting, dusky flathead, mulloway, Australian salmon 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: sand whiting, dusky flathead, mulloway, Australian salmon, snapper, estuary perch, sand and tiger flathead and Australian bass.

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

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 Moruya and Tuross Head

Batemans Marine Park: no fishing in sanctuary zones (including Malabar Creek, Mullimburra, Coila Lake and Creek, Lake Tarourga, Brou and Brou Lake North). In Brou Lake South, DPIRD has allowed catch-and-release line fishing since December 2019 until further notice.
Congo South Beach, Bingie and Brou Beach habitat protection zones: shore-based line fishing only; Meringo to Mullimburra Point: no hand collecting of invertebrates.
Moruya River from Kiora Bridge upstream: no nets other than a landing net.
Dusky flathead over 70 cm must be released.

Marine parks and no-take zones

The zone notes here name Batemans Marine Park. A no-take zone starts close to Moruya River (Preddys Wharf), Congo Point and Coila Lake: each one's zone note says where. Zones are a guide only, not for navigation: check the official maps before you fish.

Safety at Moruya and Tuross Head

The Moruya River bar is watched by a TfNSW webcam: lifejackets on when crossing.
The Tuross entrance is shallow and generally regarded as unsafe for heading to sea.
Eurobodalla is not a declared rock-fishing area, but lifejackets are strongly advised on rock platforms.

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

Narooma and Wagonga Inlet (about 26 km south)
Batemans Bay and the Clyde (about 28 km north)
Bermagui and Wallaga Lake (about 48 km south)
Ulladulla and St Georges Basin (about 90 km north-east)

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: dpird.nsw.gov.au (DPIRD Go Fishing Tuross Head: haven, flathead, whiting on surface lures, bream, mulloway, luderick; unsafe entrance); batemansbaypost.com.au (Moruya breakwall salmon, trevally and bream; Preddys Wharf and hole in the wall (local report)); esc.nsw.gov.au (Preddys Wharf upgrade timing (Sep-Nov 2026)); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Moruya River upper reaches net closure); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Official zoning map and restricted zones); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Zone rules and recreational fishing havens); nsw.gov.au (Moruya coastal bar webcam and lifejacket rule); spatial.industry.nsw.gov.au (Zone polygons used to check every spot); opendata.transport.nsw.gov.au (Boat ramp locations and facilities); dpird.nsw.gov.au (Sanctuary zones where DPIRD allows some recreational fishing until further notice (incl. Brou Lake South, catch and release)).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.