St Helens and Georges Bay fishing spots

St Helens sits on Georges Bay, a large recreational-only estuary with jetties all around its shores and one of Tasmania's trickiest bars at the mouth. Bream, silver trevally, King George whiting, garfish, calamari and flathead fill the bay, salmon run the surf beaches, and offshore boats chase tuna, striped trumpeter and tiger flathead.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

9 spots here: 8 fished from land and 1 reached only by boat or kayak. Seasons follow our East Coast species list for Tasmania. 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

9 spots: St Helens and Georges Bay
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Scamander River	River	Land-based and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
2. Maurouard Beach	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
3. Burns Bay breakwall	Breakwall	Land-based and boat	Ocean coast	–
4. Dora Point	Channel	Land-based and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
5. Stieglitz jetty & beach	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
6. Kirwans Beach & Parkside jetties	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
7. Beauty Bay jetty	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
8. Georges Bay (boat & kayak)	Bay	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
9. Binalong Bay jetty	Jetty	Land-based and boat	Ocean coast	–

1. Scamander River

Type: River · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and kayak. Banks and bridges around Scamander township, about 15 km south of St Helens.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream and sea-run brown trout. Also in season: Australian salmon and yelloweye mullet.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered water in most winds.
Note: A bream fishing area: soft plastics and baits along snags and rocky banks. Salmon visit the mouth; trout need an IFS licence.
Safety: River mouth bar and currents after rain.
Zone: Scamander River Bream Fishing Area: bream and sea fish need no licence (two rods); trout need an IFS licence. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.46250, 148.24830 · Open in Google Maps (position: Scamander, ABS suburbs and localities)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Maurouard Beach

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Ocean beach on the seaward side of St Helens Point; walk in on the access tracks.
What's good here: In season in October: Australian salmon, southern sand flathead and yelloweye mullet.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Best in westerlies; easterly swell makes it rough. Faces E.
Note: Ocean surf beach: read the gutters for salmon; flathead on the sand (eastern zone limits).
Safety: Surf beach with rips: stay out of the gutters.
Zone: Outside the Georges Bay refuge and away from any marine reserve. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.30400, 148.32950 · Open in Google Maps (position: Maurouard Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Burns Bay breakwall

Type: Breakwall · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based and boat. Concrete breakwall east of the boat ramp jetties off St Helens Point Road; the ramp sits outside the bar.
What's good here: In season in October: southern calamari, Australian salmon, bluethroat and purple wrasse, southern garfish and silver trevally.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in southerlies and westerlies; exposed to north-easterlies.
Note: Best fished from the breakwall, which reaches deep water and weed beds: squid, salmon, wrasse and trevally.
Safety: North-easterly swell can surge over the wall.
Zone: Georges Bay and Burns Bay Shark Refuge Area: sharks, skates and rays protected. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.27700, 148.34760 · Open in Google Maps (position: Burns Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Dora Point

Type: Channel · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and kayak. Point on the western side of the bay entrance in the Humbug Point Nature Recreation Area, near the Dora Point campground.
What's good here: In season in October: Australian salmon, silver trevally, King George whiting, southern sand flathead and southern garfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in southerlies; north-easterlies push swell through the bar.
Note: Channel water inside the bar: salmon and trevally on the tide, whiting and flathead on the sand edges.
Safety: Strong currents in the entrance channel.
Zone: Georges Bay Shark Refuge Area and recreational-only scalefish water: no sharks, skates or rays (elephantfish excepted) and no netting. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.27710, 148.32770 · Open in Google Maps (position: Dora Point, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Stieglitz jetty & beach

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Jetty and beach at Stieglitz on the south shore of Georges Bay, about 5 minutes from St Helens.
What's good here: In season in October: King George whiting, southern sand flathead, southern garfish, silver trevally and southern calamari.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in southerlies.
Note: Sandy bay water for whiting, garfish and flathead; trevally and squid around the jetty.
Safety: Shallow water at low tide.
Zone: Georges Bay Shark Refuge Area and recreational-only scalefish water: no sharks, skates or rays (elephantfish excepted) and no netting. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.32150, 148.30240 · Open in Google Maps (position: Stieglitz Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. Kirwans Beach & Parkside jetties

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. 30 m timber jetty with light, ladder, handrail and cleaning table; two dedicated fishing jetties at Parkside nearby on St Helens Point Road.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream. Also in season: southern calamari, silver trevally, southern garfish, King George whiting and southern sand flathead.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in southerlies and westerlies.
Note: Family-friendly purpose-built jetties over weed beds: squid jigs, berley for trevally and bream, floats for garfish.
Safety: Supervise children on the jetties.
Zone: Georges Bay Shark Refuge Area and recreational-only scalefish water: no sharks, skates or rays (elephantfish excepted) and no netting. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.33830, 148.26070 · Open in Google Maps (position: Kirwans Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

7. Beauty Bay jetty

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Newer 10-15 m timber jetty with handrail, light, cleaning table and seat; BBQ and toilets nearby.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream. Also in season: southern calamari, silver trevally, southern garfish and yelloweye mullet.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in most winds.
Note: Close to town: light berley and small baits for trevally, bream and mullet; squid jigs at dusk.
Safety: Short jetty: keep children back from the edge.
Zone: Georges Bay Shark Refuge Area and recreational-only scalefish water: no sharks, skates or rays (elephantfish excepted) and no netting. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.33220, 148.25750 · Open in Google Maps (position: Beauty Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

8. Georges Bay (boat & kayak)

Type: Bay · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Ramps around St Helens; the bay is recreational-only for scalefish.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream. Also in season: King George whiting, silver trevally, Australian salmon, southern calamari, southern garfish and southern sand flathead.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered bay; strong north-easterlies and westerlies chop it up.
Note: Drift channel edges and weed for whiting, trevally and flathead; troll or cast for salmon; squid over the weed.
Safety: Do not cross the bar without local knowledge: ask St Helens Marine Rescue on VHF 16.
Zone: Georges Bay Shark Refuge Area and recreational-only scalefish water: no sharks, skates or rays (elephantfish excepted) and no netting. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.32290, 148.27520 · Open in Google Maps (position: Georges Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

9. Binalong Bay jetty

Type: Jetty · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based and boat. Concrete jetties around the Binalong Bay boat ramp; give way to boats.
What's good here: In season in October: Australian salmon, southern calamari, bluethroat and purple wrasse and southern garfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in westerlies; easterly swell surges in. Faces ENE.
Note: Clear ocean water at the southern Bay of Fires: squid, salmon and wrasse from the jetties, and a direct launch to offshore grounds.
Safety: Ocean launch: check swell and log on before heading out.
Zone: Outside the Georges Bay refuge. The Elephant Rock research area off Grants Point bans taking fish by diving. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -41.24450, 148.29890 · Open in Google Maps (position: Binalong Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

Boat ramps

No Tasmanian boat ramp dataset with an open licence was found, so we don't list ramps here yet; the spots' access notes say where a ramp sits beside a jetty.

What's biting here in October?

In peak season at St Helens and Georges Bay in October: black bream, sea-run brown trout and gummy shark. Of the 27 species our East Coast list has for this part of the coast, 3 peak in October 2026 and 15 more are in season.

Peak in October: black bream, sea-run brown trout and gummy shark.

Also in season: southern garfish, Australian salmon, silver trevally, southern calamari, southern sand flathead, King George whiting, yelloweye mullet, bluethroat and purple wrasse, tiger flathead, southern bluespotted flathead, jackass morwong, greenback flounder, snapper, barracouta and bearded rock cod.

In closed season now (no take): striped trumpeter (1 September to 31 October).

Out of season in October: Gould's squid (best Feb–May); yellowtail kingfish (best Dec–Apr); southern bluefin tuna (best Mar–Jun); albacore (best Jan–Apr); blue warehou (best Dec–May); shortfin mako shark (best Dec–Mar).

Seen now and then, so not rated: tailor and elephantfish.

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: Tasmania's own size and bag limits are on the official rules page.

Can you fish here? Rules and safety

Rod and line (incl. squid jigs) in marine waters: no licence. Licence for rock lobster pot/ring/dive, abalone, scallop, set line and graball, mullet or beach seine nets: 1 Nov 2026-31 Oct 2027 $68.60 first licence, $9.80 each extra; concession $39.20 (Rules Update, 21 Sep 2026). Until 31 Oct 2026 the 2025-26 fees apply ($66.85 first licence, $9.55 each extra, concession $38.20); a rock lobster licence bought before 12 Oct 2026 expires 31 Oct 2026. Licence details. Size and bag limits and closed seasons apply: Tasmania's limits (checked 9 Oct 2026).

Rules at St Helens and Georges Bay

Georges Bay is recreational-only for scalefish and a Shark Refuge Area: no netting and no taking sharks, skates or rays (elephantfish excepted).
Sand flathead: eastern zone, bag 5, 35-40 cm.
Scamander River and The Arm (St Helens) are bream fishing areas: trout need an IFS licence.
Garfish closed 15 Nov-14 Dec 2026 in southern waters (south of Cape Naturaliste).
Bay of Fires abalone research area (Eddystone Point to Taylors Beach): no abalone.

Marine parks and no-take zones

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

Safety at St Helens and Georges Bay

Tasmanian water is cold all year: a fall in quickly brings on cold shock, so wear a lifejacket on rocks, breakwalls and in small boats.
The St Helens bar is very dangerous in easterly and north-easterly swell and has capsized boats; local volunteers can escort crossings (VHF 16).
Offshore trips need an EPIRB, a good forecast and a log-on with Tas Maritime Radio.

Tasmania: official links

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

Boating: Tasmania boating safety, crossing coastal bars and lifejacket rules. Lifejackets: Must wear in a recreational motor boat or tender under 6m while under power; under-12s in any motor boat under power (not in a cabin); and in kayaks, canoes, SUPs and dinghies.

Heading out on the water? Log on and off with Tas Maritime Radio (volunteer coast station network). Log in with Tas Maritime Radio: give your location and intentions and advise when you're back. Radio room staffed 0700-1900 daily; after hours for urgent/emergency calls.

Marine parks and closed areas: Tasmanian marine reserves (state waters), Fishing Tas app / area restrictions and Australian Marine Parks (six around Tasmania).

Cold water: Sea temperatures are 8-18 C, and a fall into cold water makes drowning much more likely. Wear a lifejacket. More.

Tasmania's 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

Swansea, Coles Bay and Great Oyster Bay (about 93 km south)
Tamar River and George Town (about 124 km west)
Devonport and Port Sorell (about 156 km west)
Pittwater and Frederick Henry Bay (about 183 km south)

Distances are between the middle of each area. Every area in Tasmania · 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 and ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3 (2021) (Australian Bureau of Statistics), 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: fishing.tas.gov.au (Spots (Beauty Bay, Kirwans Beach, Stieglitz Jetty, Burns Bay, Maurouard Beach, Dora Point, Binalong Bay), species, recreational-only and refuge rules); fishing.tas.gov.au (Elephant Rock and Bay of Fires research areas); fishing.tas.gov.au (Bream fishing areas (Scamander River, The Arm)); cruiserswiki.org (Bar hazard, Marine Rescue escort, VHF 16, shallow channel near Pelican Point); police.tas.gov.au (Fatal capsize on the St Helens barway); fishingmad.com.au (Georges Bay species and moving-tide tip); mast.tas.gov.au (MAST barway crossing advice); services.thelist.tas.gov.au (LIST WildFisheries layers used for the zone check and jetty descriptions (Beauty Bay, Kirwans Beach, Parkside, Burns Bay, Binalong Bay)); tasmaritime.au (Logging on with Tas Maritime Radio (VHF 16)); mast.tas.gov.au (MAST lifejacket rules and advice).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.