FLEURIEU PENINSULA

Encounter Bay Fishing

Encounter Bay, South Australia

Overview

Encounter Bay's open beaches produce Australian salmon, mullet and mulloway, with bronzie sharks on big baits after dark and whiting in the quieter margins.

Local Rules & Closures

SOUTHERN ROCK LOBSTER CLOSED SEASON — SOUTHERN ZONE

Rock Lobster must not be taken from the Southern Zone from 6:00 pm 31 May to 6:00 am 1 October.

Quick Info

BEST FOR

Mullet, Australian Salmon, Mulloway

FISHING TYPES

Shore, Surf, Boat

ENVIRONMENT

Open-ocean bay with long sandy beaches

DIFFICULTY

Mixed

BEST SEASON

Autumn - Winter

ACCESS

Easy

What Can I Catch?

Mullet

COMMON

Mullet are the reliable South Australian everyday fish — found in bays, estuaries, beaches and rivers throughout the state. They school in shallow water, are easy to catch on light gear with fresh baits, and make a great first fish for kids, especially yellow-eye mullet that run up SA estuaries in numbers.

Australian Salmon

COMMON

Best: Autumn - Winter

Mulloway

SEASONAL

Best: Summer - Autumn

King George Whiting

OCCASIONAL

Best: Spring - Autumn

Bronze Whaler Shark

OCCASIONAL

Best: Summer - Autumn

How to Fish Here — Rigs

Gang Hook Pilchard Rig

A whole pilchard threaded onto a string of ganged hooks — the classic rig for presenting a natural, fish-shaped bait that hooks salmon, mulloway and sharks wherever they strike the bait along its length.

Surf Paternoster Rig

A heavy-duty paternoster built for the surf — a star or grapnel sinker holds the bottom in the wash while one or two baits sit up off the sand in the gutter. The standard rig for salmon, mulloway and gummy sharks off South Australian beaches.

Best Baits & Lures

Pilchard

The classic saltwater baitfish - a staple for salmon, mulloway, snapper and gummy sharks, fished whole or in strips.

Pipi / Goolwa Cockle

The number one King George Whiting bait in South Australia.

Fishing Environments

ShoreSurfBoat

Best Seasons

Salmon peak autumn to spring; mulloway at dawn and dusk in summer.

Local Notices

THE PAGES SANCTUARY ZONE

The Pages islands in Encounter Bay include a marine park sanctuary zone - a no-take area where fishing is prohibited. Check the sanctuary zone maps to confirm boundaries.

Official source: Marine Parks SA

Fishing Rules

Size, bag and possession limits apply to every species here — each species page carries the current verified SA rules from PIRSA. Marine park sanctuary zones are no-take areas. Always check current regulations before fishing.

View SA Fishing Rules

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