# Narooma Fishing Guide | Spots, Species & Charters on the NSW South Coast Canonical: https://bookfromowner.com.au/guides/nsw/south-coast/narooma/fishing/ Type: ActivityGuide Location: Narooma, Eurobodalla Coast, NSW Last updated: 2026-06-01 > A complete Narooma fishing guide — the best Narooma fishing spots in Wagonga Inlet, off the beaches and rocks, and offshore at Montague Island. Species, charters, boat hire, licences and local tips for fishing in Narooma. ## Quick Answer - Best for: Estuary, beach, reef & game anglers - Price range: Free shore fishing; charters & boat hire vary - Vibe: Versatile, productive, year-round - Distance: NSW Sapphire Coast ## Featured Properties - Amooran Oceanside Apartments and Motel: 4.4/5 (275 reviews) Book direct: http://www.amooran.com.au/ Amooran Oceanside Apartments and Motel — Narooma - Discovery Parks - Narooma Beach: 4.2/5 (330 reviews) Book direct: https://www.discoveryholidayparks.com.au/caravan-parks/new-south-wales/south-coast/narooma-beach?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gmb&utm_term=visit-website&utm_content=DHP-NSW-Narooma-Beach Discovery Parks - Narooma Beach — Narooma - BIG4 Narooma Easts Holiday Park: 4.4/5 (665 reviews) Book direct: http://www.eastsnarooma.com.au/ BIG4 Narooma Easts Holiday Park — Narooma ## FAQ Q: Do you need a fishing licence in Narooma? A: Yes. In NSW you must pay the recreational fishing fee and carry your licence receipt when fishing anywhere, including saltwater and shore-based fishing in Narooma. Licences are available online through NSW DPI Fisheries for periods ranging from three days to three years, and they’re inexpensive. Some exemptions apply — for example, anglers under 18 and certain pension categories — so check the current rules. Carrying a valid licence is a legal requirement and fisheries officers do check. Q: What fish can you catch in Narooma? A: Narooma offers exceptional variety. In the Wagonga Inlet estuary you’ll catch flathead (including big ‘crocodile’ flathead), bream, whiting, mulloway and luderick. Off the beaches and rocks, expect salmon, tailor, bream, drummer and blackfish. The offshore reefs around Montague Island produce snapper, yellowtail kingfish, morwong, trevally, leatherjacket and bonito year-round. Toward the continental shelf, game fishers target marlin, yellowfin and southern bluefin tuna, mahi mahi and wahoo. Q: Where are the best fishing spots in Narooma? A: For land-based and small-boat fishing, the Wagonga Inlet is the standout — try the sand boat ramp area early morning, west of the bridge near Quota Park, the sand flats and channels, the oyster racks for bream, and the Mill Bay Boardwalk. For beach and rock fishing, Wagonga Head, Narooma and Bar beaches, and the entrance rock walls all produce well. Offshore, Montague Island (around 20 minutes out) is the renowned hot-spot, especially for kingfish. Note that sanctuary zones in the Batemans Marine Park are off-limits to fishing. Q: Can you fish at Montague Island? A: Yes — the reefs around Montague Island are among the best fishing in the region, particularly for yellowtail kingfish, snapper and morwong — but with an important caveat. Montague Island sits within the Batemans Marine Park, which includes sanctuary (no-take) zones where fishing is prohibited. You must check the current marine park zoning maps before fishing, or go with a licensed charter operator who knows exactly where the boundaries lie. It’s about a 20-minute boat ride from Narooma harbour. Q: Can you fish in Narooma without a boat? A: Absolutely. Narooma offers excellent land-based fishing. The Wagonga Inlet has many accessible shore and jetty spots — the Mill Bay Boardwalk, the area around the bridge, and numerous fishable jetties around the lake. Beach fishing at Narooma Beach, Bar Beach and the beach by Surf Beach Holiday Park produces salmon, flathead and bream, while Wagonga Head and the rock walls offer rock-based options (with care — rock fishing is high-risk). You’ll still need a NSW fishing licence for shore-based fishing. Q: Do I need my own boat, or can I hire one or join a charter? A: You have all three options. You can launch your own boat at one of Narooma’s five all-weather boat ramps; hire a boat (Narooma Marina hires boats for up to five people that don’t require a boat licence, ideal for the inlet); or join a fishing charter such as Charter Fish Narooma or Narooma Charters for reef, estuary or game fishing with gear and local expertise provided. For offshore fishing, a charter is the easiest and safest option, especially given Narooma Bar can be hazardous to cross. ## At a Glance - Estuary: Wagonga Inlet — flathead, bream, whiting, mulloway, luderick - Beaches & rocks: Salmon, tailor, bream, drummer, blackfish - Offshore reefs: Snapper, kingfish, morwong, trevally, leatherjacket, bonito - Game fishing: Yellowfin tuna, marlin, mahi mahi, wahoo near the shelf - Star location: Montague Island — ~20 min offshore, renowned for kingfish - Boat ramps: Five all-weather boat ramps in town - Licence: NSW recreational fishing licence required (limited exemptions) - Marine park: Batemans Marine Park — sanctuary (no-fishing) zones apply ## Featured - 1. Wagonga Inlet — the estuary fishing jewel — All levels · land-based & small boat · the reliable option - Why people love it: It’s a calm, clear, year-round fishery that produces trophy flathead and suits everyone from a kid on the boardwalk to a lure angler chasing a ‘croc’. - Don't miss: A dawn session on the sand flats with soft plastics — and a ‘croc’ flathead photographed and released. - Good to know: The big breeding flathead (‘matrons’) should be released, not kept — they’re vital to stocks. Midweek mornings beat busy weekends for boat traffic. - 2. Beach and rock fishing — Land-based · salmon, tailor & bream · a moving tide - Why people love it: It’s free, accessible and productive — a sunrise session in a beach gutter for salmon and tailor needs nothing more than a rod and a moving tide. - Don't miss: A moving-tide session at dawn in a beach gutter for salmon, tailor and bream. - Good to know: The entrance rock walls are high-risk — strong tidal rips, big rocks, real danger. Never fish them alone or in swell; wear a life jacket, or stick to the beaches. - 3. Offshore reefs & Montague Island — Boat & charter · kingfish, snapper & morwong · year-round - Why people love it: World-class reef fishing just twenty minutes offshore — hard-fighting kingfish and reliable snapper and morwong, all year, from a small-town harbour. - Don't miss: Casting jigs or live-baiting yakkas for yellowtail kingfish off Montague Island. - Good to know: Montague Island has Batemans Marine Park sanctuary zones where fishing is banned — check the current zoning maps, or go with a charter that knows the boundaries. - 4. Game fishing toward the continental shelf — Serious game fishers · marlin & tuna · charter territory - Why people love it: A genuine shot at marlin and big tuna with the shelf only ~20km out — internationally regarded game fishing within reach of a small harbour town. - Don't miss: A full-day game charter to the shelf — cubing for southern bluefin or trolling for marlin. - Good to know: It’s a long open-water day for experienced anglers — not for beginners, young kids or the seasickness-prone. Go with a capable charter, not your own small boat. - 5. Charters, boat hire and the ramps — Every option · own boat, hire or charter - Why people love it: It covers every angler — licence-free hire boats for the inlet, five all-weather ramps for your own tinny, and expert charters for the reefs and the shelf. - Don't miss: A licence-free hire boat on the inlet one day, a reef or game charter the next. - Good to know: Narooma Bar can be dangerous — only cross in good conditions and with bar experience. If in doubt, fish the inlet or take a charter offshore. ## What travellers say - [positive] Range and reliability in one town: The recurring praise is the variety — estuary, beach, reef and shelf all from one small harbour — and that something is always fishing: when it’s rough offshore, the inlet still produces. - [mixed] Respect the rules and the conditions: Anglers note the Batemans Marine Park sanctuary zones, the hazardous bar crossing and the high-risk rock walls — those who check the maps, watch the weather and release the big breeders have the best, safest trips. - [positive] What a recent visitor said: - [positive] What a recent visitor said: - [positive] What a recent visitor said: