Swansea, Coles Bay and Great Oyster Bay fishing spots

Great Oyster Bay is a big, sheltered sandy bay between Swansea and the Freycinet Peninsula, with the Swan River and Moulting Lagoon at its head. Sand flathead (eastern-zone limits), Australian salmon, calamari, garfish and silver trevally are the mainstays, with bream in the river and lagoons and kingfish around Coles Bay in summer. Sharks are protected and a spring squid closure applies.

Updated 9 Oct 2026

8 spots here: 7 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

8 spots: Swansea, Coles Bay and Great Oyster Bay
Spot	Type	Fished from	Water	Marine park
1. Little Swanport (Saltworks jetty)	Jetty	Land-based and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
2. Mayfield Bay	Beach	Land-based	Ocean coast	–
3. Swansea jetty	Jetty	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
4. Nine Mile Beach (Dolphin Sands)	Beach	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–
5. Swan River mouth & Moulting Lagoon	Estuary	Boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
6. Swanwick	Bay	Land-based, boat and kayak	Bay, estuary or river	–
7. Coles Bay jetty & foreshore	Jetty	Land-based and boat	Bay, estuary or river	–
8. Muirs Beach, Coles Bay	Beach	Land-based	Bay, estuary or river	–

1. Little Swanport (Saltworks jetty)

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and kayak. Small timber jetty with no handrails at the Saltworks; give way to boats.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream. Also in season: southern sand flathead, Australian salmon, southern garfish and yelloweye mullet.
Best tide: Higher tides: the jetty fishes better with more water (official site note).
Best wind: Best in westerlies; easterlies blow in from the bay.
Note: Small jetty near the Little Swanport estuary: flathead and salmon on the sand, bream up the estuary (a bream fishing area: no licence for bream).
Safety: No handrails on the jetty.
Zone: Great Oyster Bay Southern End Shark Refuge Area; the Little Swanport estuary is a bream fishing area with net bans. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -42.30800, 148.00030 · Open in Google Maps (position: Saltworks Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

2. Mayfield Bay

Type: Beach · ocean coast (beach or rocks)
Access: Land-based. Coastal reserve beside the Tasman Highway with beach and rocky points.
What's good here: In season in October: Australian salmon, southern sand flathead, bluethroat and purple wrasse and southern garfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in westerlies; easterlies blow straight in. Faces E.
Note: Beach and rock mix: salmon and flathead on the sand, wrasse off the rocky points.
Safety: Rocky points are slippery and catch easterly swell.
Zone: Great Oyster Bay Southern End Shark Refuge Area. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -42.24400, 148.01520 · Open in Google Maps (position: Mayfield Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

3. Swansea jetty

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Long jetty with handrails at the end of Jetty Road on the town foreshore; popular with families.
What's good here: In season in October: southern calamari, Australian salmon, southern sand flathead, southern garfish, silver trevally and yelloweye mullet. Closing soon: southern calamari (closes 15 Oct; closed 15 October to 14 November 2026).
Best tide: Higher tides; water is shallow at low tide (official site note).
Best wind: Sheltered in westerlies; easterlies blow onto it. Faces E.
Note: Town jetty for squid, garfish and trevally, with flathead on the sand around it (eastern zone: bag 5, 35-40 cm).
Safety: Shallow at low tide: no diving or jumping.
Zone: Great Oyster Bay Shark Refuge Area: sharks, skates and rays protected (elephantfish excepted). No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -42.12420, 148.07900 · Open in Google Maps (position: Waterloo Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

4. Nine Mile Beach (Dolphin Sands)

Type: Beach · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Long beach off Dolphin Sands Road with a gravel car park at the Yellow Sandbanks end.
What's good here: In season in October: Australian salmon, southern sand flathead, yelloweye mullet and silver trevally.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Best in northerlies; southerlies blow onshore. Faces S.
Note: Long beach on the bay side: walk to find salmon schools and gutters; flathead on baits and soft plastics.
Safety: Long walks in sun and wind; carry water.
Zone: Great Oyster Bay Shark Refuge Area: sharks, skates and rays protected (elephantfish excepted). No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -42.10170, 148.08710 · Open in Google Maps (position: Nine Mile Beach, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

5. Swan River mouth & Moulting Lagoon

Type: Estuary · bay, estuary or river
Access: Boat and kayak. Mostly fished by small boat or kayak; Moulting Lagoon is a game reserve and Ramsar wetland.
What's good here: Peak in October: black bream. Also in season: southern sand flathead, Australian salmon and southern garfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Shallow, exposed water: best in light winds.
Note: Bream in the Swan River and lagoon edges (a bream fishing area), flathead and salmon around the mouth.
Safety: Shallow sand flats and channels: easy to run aground on a falling tide.
Zone: Moulting Lagoon net restrictions; the Swan River is a bream fishing area. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -42.07420, 148.13220 · Open in Google Maps (position: Swan Cut, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

6. Swanwick

Type: Bay · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based, boat and kayak. Shoreline and small-boat access around Swanwick near Coles Bay.
What's good here: In season in October: southern sand flathead, Australian salmon, southern garfish and southern calamari. Closing soon: southern calamari (closes 15 Oct; closed 15 October to 14 November 2026).
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in easterlies; westerlies cross the bay.
Note: Shallow sandy bay water for flathead and garfish; salmon cruise the edges.
Safety: Shallow flats: watch the tide in a boat.
Zone: Near the Great Oyster Bay Northern End Shark Refuge Area; Moulting Lagoon net rules apply. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -42.09260, 148.23690 · Open in Google Maps (position: Swanwick Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

7. Coles Bay jetty & foreshore

Type: Jetty · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based and boat. Town jetty and foreshore at Coles Bay; boat ramp in town.
What's good here: In season in October: southern calamari, Australian salmon, southern sand flathead, southern garfish and bluethroat and purple wrasse. Closing soon: southern calamari (closes 15 Oct; closed 15 October to 14 November 2026). Out of season now: yellowtail kingfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in easterlies; westerlies blow across Great Oyster Bay onto it. Faces W.
Note: A popular calamari jetty; yellowtail kingfish are an east-coast boat catch in summer, often under salmon schools. Flathead on the sand (eastern zone).
Safety: Freycinet waters beyond the bay are exposed: check the forecast before heading out.
Zone: Coles Bay Shark Refuge Area. Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Park is far offshore. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -42.13340, 148.29290 · Open in Google Maps (position: Coles Bay, Composite Gazetteer of Australia)
Forecast: Forecast for this spot

8. Muirs Beach, Coles Bay

Type: Beach · bay, estuary or river
Access: Land-based. Beach at the northern end of Coles Bay township.
What's good here: In season in October: Australian salmon, southern sand flathead and southern garfish.
Best tide: Not confirmed for this spot yet.
Best wind: Sheltered in easterlies. Faces W.
Note: Easy beach casting for salmon and flathead with Freycinet views; garfish under floats on calm evenings.
Safety: Westerlies blow straight onshore.
Zone: Coles Bay Shark Refuge Area. No marine reserve nearby. Guide only, not for navigation: check fishing.tas.gov.au.
Map: -42.11750, 148.27810 · Open in Google Maps (position: Muirs Beach, 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 Swansea, Coles Bay and Great Oyster Bay in October: black bream, gummy shark and sea-run brown trout. 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, gummy shark and sea-run brown trout.

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

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

Closing soon: southern calamari (closes 15 Oct; closed 15 October to 14 November 2026).

Out of season in October: yellowtail kingfish (best Dec–Apr); Gould's squid (best Feb–May); 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 Swansea, Coles Bay and Great Oyster Bay

Sand flathead: eastern zone, bag 5, legal size 35-40 cm.
Calamari and squid closed 15 Oct-14 Nov 2026 here (south-east closure): no squid jig on a line.
Garfish closed 15 Nov-14 Dec 2026 in southern waters.
Great Oyster Bay and Coles Bay are Shark Refuge Areas: no taking sharks, skates or rays (elephantfish excepted).
Little Swanport and the Swan River are bream fishing areas: no licence for bream (two rods), but trout need an IFS licence.

Marine parks and no-take zones

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

Safety at Swansea, Coles Bay and Great Oyster 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.
Great Oyster Bay is shallow and chops up quickly in westerlies; the Freycinet coast outside is exposed to easterly swell.

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

St Helens and Georges Bay (about 93 km north)
Pittwater and Frederick Henry Bay (about 94 km south-west)
Tasman Peninsula and Dunalley (about 99 km south)
Hobart and the Derwent (about 105 km south-west)

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 (Popular spots (Swanwick, Swansea Pier, Coles Bay Jetty, Little Swanport), shore and boat species, refuges, calamari closure); fishing.tas.gov.au (Calamari: Coles Bay listed among popular spots; closure dates); fishing.tas.gov.au (Kingfish habits: often under Australian salmon schools); fishing.tas.gov.au (Eastern zone sand flathead limits); fishing.tas.gov.au (Bream fishing areas (Little Swanport, Swan River)); fishing.tas.gov.au (Shark Refuge Areas); services.thelist.tas.gov.au (LIST WildFisheries layers used for the zone check and jetty descriptions (Swansea jetty, Saltworks, Dolphin Sands)); mast.tas.gov.au (MAST lifejacket rules and advice).
Every source and licence: Sources and disclaimers.