Imagine waking up one morning faced with this scenario: You are in beautiful fish-rich South Australia and you are forced to take a fishing trip for 1 week anywhere within the state with no responsibilities, unlimited budget and unlimited fishing tackle. Where would you go and make your home for a week?

You could choose just about anywhere with fishy water in SA and it is a great answer. South Australian’s are so lucky to have impeccable fishing holiday locations just a figurative stone’s throw away. We could not think of too many places on the water in South Australia where we could not have an enjoyable, productive week of fishing.

When it comes to South Australia’s best fishing spots there are many locations across the state that have substantial reason to be number 1. From our Far West Coast, down and around to Port MacDonnell, and even inland to our mighty Murray River.

Our list was compiled collectively by our staff at Tackle World Adelaide. The selected locations were chosen with consideration of each location’s proximity to sport fishing, bread & butter fishing, accessibility, and weather versatility; oh! And of course, our personal preferences. So, without further delay, let us get into South Australia’s 7 best fishing spots!

1. Kangaroo Island

(Image: Vaughn Virgo)

Our top spot goes to none other than the magnificent Kangaroo Island. KI is close to Adelaide too. Just 1 hour and 50 minutes from the Adelaide CBD to Cape Jervis, followed by a 50-minute ferry ride to the island. If you own a large trailer boat capable of crossing Backstairs Passage, you could go fishing around the northern and eastern sides of Kangaroo Island without the need to board the ferry, providing your boat is capable.

Being an island, Kangaroo Island has 360-degree fishability, which means you can always find productive and protected fishing spots in all weather conditions. This attribute is handy for booking trips well in advance as you will always have options, regardless of mother nature.

We will start with land-based fishing. When it comes to the debate of which jetty is South Australia’s best, Kingscote Jetty is right up there with the head of the pack. King George Whiting off the planks is normal, Squid, Snook and Tommies are available year-round, and Kingfish and Salmon are seasonal visitors. Not to mention the recent revelation of their huge Blue Swimmer Crabs!

Penneshaw Jetty and Vivonne Bay Jetty too are up there with the best and produce similar species to Kingscote Jetty, although you are more likely to encounter Sharks and Silver Trevally at Vivonne Bay.

Kangaroo Island possesses some incredible surf beaches which are regularly visited by Salmon and Sharks. Pennington Bay, Hanson Bay and Snelling’s Beach are worth a cast.

The many creeks and rivers on the island have good populations of Black Bream which can be accessed land-based but are best explored by kayak.

Offshore fishing is great, and it is possible to access some areas from the mainland as explained earlier. Southern Bluefin Tuna are a most popular target, particularly in summer and early autumn when they pass through on their annual migration from the west. Big Gummy Sharks, Kingfish, Mako Sharks, Nannygai, Blue Morwong, Salmon and even the occasional Samson Fish can be caught throughout the various offshore spots around Kangaroo Island.

2. Coffin Bay

Coffin Bay was a close 2nd. There are a few ways to travel to Coffin Bay from the state’s capital including an 8-hour drive, flights to Port Lincoln (plus hire car), or a shorten road trip by taking the Wallaroo to Cowell Ferry (when in order). To get the most out of everything fishing Coffin Bay has to offer, we recommend taking the road trip option. A 4x4, a boat or both increase your options drastically.

The fishing opportunities are seemingly endless at Coffin Bay. We will kick off with land-based fishing first.

Fishing within the township can be a blast. You are likely to encounter Tommies, King George Whiting, Garfish, Silver Trevally, Flathead and even the odd Kingfish from the Town Jetty.

Most of the sheltered spots within the National Park fish similarly to the township, except there are even more fish! Flathead and King George Whiting are common along the rock ledges and beaches facing the north, particularly around the 7 Mile Beach area.

It would be mad to leave out the famous Salmon Beaches of Gunyah and Almonta from this article. The schools of Salmon here can be the size of football fields and they are generally good size or big! Up to 5kg occasionally, but more commonly around 3kg.

Moving on to small boat surprises, Kingfish are an annual visitor to the bay during spring. There are not too many places in Australia where you can wrestle Kings up to 40kg in water less than 6ft deep, but Coffin Bay is one of those places.

Farm Beach is a well-known spot for King George Whiting. You will need to beach launch at Farm Beach or make the trip from the Coffin Bay Boat Ramp to get there, but the quality of fishing is well worth the inconvenience.

The offshore fishing scene at Coffin Bay is just incredible. The deep-water reef systems wide of Coffin Bay are teaming with Samson Fish, Nannygai, Blue Groper, Blue Morwong, Kingfish, huge King George Whiting, and many other weird and wonderful reef dwellers. Tuna are abundant out here in summer.

Coffin Bay also provides access to Rocky and Greenly Island which are well known for their huge Kingfish and Samson Fish.

3. Port Lincoln

On the way to Coffin Bay is our #3; the proclaimed seafood capital of Australia: Port Lincoln.

Although you could hit the road for 7-hours from Adelaide, you can fly to Port Lincoln, or you could opt for or a shorten road trip by taking the Wallaroo to Cowell Ferry (when in order). Vehicles restricted by 2wd capability are adequate for most land-based fishing spots in Port Lincoln. A boat and/or a 4x4 provide access to a few more fishing options, however they are not completely essential for fishing in Port Lincoln.

Again, starting with land-based fishing, the Port Lincoln Town Jetty is another one of SA’s best jetties. You would have a hard time trying to find a more productive jetty for catching Squid. Tommies, Snook, Yellowfin Whiting, Blue Swimmer Crabs and Garfish are also commonly caught at the Port Lincoln Jetty.

Port Lincoln has Yellowfin Whiting year-round and can be caught from the beach by the Town Jetty and up to North Shields.

If you want to find Flathead in South Australia, North Shields, and the sheltered beaches further north towards Tumby Bay are among some of the best spots in South Australia for Flathead.

The Todd River is another land-based gem. The main species you are likely to encounter are Black Bream, Salmon, and the occasional Mulloway at certain times of the year. Overall, the Todd is a great spot for light-tackle fishing.

The Lincoln National Park has some great coastline with plenty of beach and rock fishing spots that can produce anything from King George Whiting to School Shark. Salmon are often targeted at Millers Hole and Wanna Beach. Both of which can have schools of Salmon up to 4kg!

Port Lincoln is well known for its Southern Bluefin Tuna fishery, both commercially and recreationally. Rightfully so, in season they are thick out here! Samson Fish are a realistic target in Port Lincoln’s offshore waters and are becoming an increasingly popular sportfishing target. Kingfish, Nannygai, Blue Morwong, Gummy Shark, School Shark and big King George Whiting round out the smorgasbord of fish available offshore of Port Lincoln.

Inside the bay, King George Whiting are a popular target. Squid, Blue Swimmer Crabs, Snook, Garfish and Tommies are also commonly caught by boat inside Boston Bay.

4. Marion Bay

A comfortable 3-hour drive from Adelaide will get you to our number 4 – Marion Bay.

Land based options are extensive, but we will start with the Town Jetty. Regular to SA Jetty fishing; Garfish and Tommies are quite abundant and of good size often. Squid here can be huge in winter and are worth the drive if you are a bit of a Squid addict. Snook show up after dark and can be seen harassing baitfish schools on the surface. Occasionally, schools of Salmon, Kingfish, Mulloway, and various species of Shark visit the jetty.

The annual Lower Yorke Peninsula Mullet Run occurs in autumn. Huge schools of big Mullet can be attracted with berley on the nearby beaches, including the town beach, and the fun can last hours!

Innes National Park is not big by any stretch of the imagination, but it does have some diverse and quality fishing spots.

Browns Beach is one of SA’s best known Salmon Beaches. The Stenhouse Bay Jetty is well known for its Shark fishing. Pondalowie Bay can produce King George Whiting, Salmon, Mullet and Flathead from the Beach. West Cape often goes under the radar as a fishing spot, but it has schools of Salmon and Mullet often in the surf gutter closest to the headland.

The beaches to the north (Gleesons Landing, Daly Head, Gym Beach) and the east (Butler’s Beach) of the town are well known for their Salmon fishing, but they also get Mulloway and Sharks moving through the gutters at certain times of the year.

Many of the regular SA offshore species are found out from Marion Bay. Tuna are in-season during Summer and late Autumn. Samson Fish, Nannygai, School Shark, Gummy Shark, Blue Morwong and the occasional Kingfish are found on the offshore lumps, reefs, and pinnacles.

5. Fowlers Bay

It is a fair hike to our number 5, but Fowlers Bay is an angler’s paradise. It will take approximately 10 hours to drive to Fowlers Bay from Adelaide. Despite the option to fly to Ceduna and hire a car, a reliable 4x4 and experience is required for majority of the land-based fishing at Fowlers Bay. Resources are limited due to the remoteness of Fowlers Bay, so it pays to do your homework and prepare thoroughly before trekking into god’s country.

The Town Jetty is again up there with Port Lincoln and Kingscote in contention for SA’s best fishing jetty. There are not many places in South Australia where Tommies average 25cm and can be caught up to 40cm. Garfish, Squid and King George Whiting round out the other main bread and butter species from the Jetty. From a sports fishing perspective, the options are extensive. Kingfish, Silver Trevally, school Mulloway, Sharks, big Snook, and Salmon are frequent visitors to the Fowlers Bay Jetty.

Around the corner from the township is Scotts Beach and The Ledge. Scotts Beach is well known for its monster Australian Salmon, but it also attracts Mulloway, Gummy Shark, School Shark, and Bronze Whaler Sharks on the main beach. The western and eastern ends of Scotts Beach have King George Whiting, Silver Trevally, Tommies and Salmon Trout.

The Ledge is known for its sport fishing capabilities. Salmon schools are common and are a ton of fun to catch on lures. Kingfish turn up at times and take a lot of stopping if you manage to convince one to bite!

We could not talk about Fowlers Bay without mentioning the famous surf beaches to the west. Yalata and Dog Fence Beach are well documented as the places where big Mulloway dreams are fulfilled. You can expect big Salmon and various Shark Species to share these gutters with the monster Mulloway of the Far West Coast.

A small boat at Fowlers is another exciting option. Beach launching only, but if you can manage to get out on the bay, the fishing is on another level. King George Whiting, Snook, Squid, Kingfish, Trevally, and tons of other species can be encountered within sight of the town in shallow water.

You probably guessed it; offshore fishing here is also ludicrous. Kingfish, Samson Fish and Tuna are the main sports fishing targets. Nannygai, Gummy Shark, School Shark, Blue Morwong, Silver Trevally, Blue Groper, and King George Whiting are also regularly encountered.

6. Victor Harbor/Goolwa

Closest to the state capital on our list is the Victor Harbor/Goolwa region; only a 1-hour and 20-minute commute by car from Adelaide!

Land based opportunities start at the Bluff and Granite Island. The Bluff Jetty is well known for huge Southern Calamari, some pulling the scales down beyond 4kg! Tommies and Snook are also regulars to the Jetty, along with Salmon and the odd Kingfish if you are lucky. The rocks between the boat ramp and The Bluff Jetty is another good Squid spot.

Over the years, the Screwpile Jetty on Granite island has had a reputation for big fish and sharks. Bronze Whalers Sharks, 7-Gill Sharks, Gummy Sharks, Mulloway and even Kingfish have been caught on this small Jetty. These days, you are more likely to encounter bread and butter species including Squid, Snook, Tommies, the occasional King George Whiting, and Garfish.

Beach fishing in the region is also popular. To the west you will stumble across Waitpinga Beach and Parsons Beach. Both are well known for their Salmon fishing. Mullet are also a regular catch, with the occasional Gummy Shark and Mulloway caught from these beaches as well.

To the east is Goolwa Beach and the Murray Mouth. Mulloway are the popular target here which are caught at the Murray Mouth or in the gutters along the beach, which are accessed via 4x4. Salmon and Gummy Sharks are also frequently encountered.

The Coorong is popular with small boat anglers. School Mulloway are the popular target in the warmer months and fishing can be exceptional with up to 30 Mulloway caught in a day not out of the question. Salmon Trout, Mullet and Bream are also caught in the Coorong.

In the last 10 years or so Tuna fishing has boomed off the coast of Victor Harbor. They usually arrive at the start of summer and taper off through autumn.

Bottom bashing off Victor can be great too with Gummy Sharks, Nannygai, Blue Morwong and big King George Whiting caught commonly.

7. Copper Coast

(Image: Sam Hall)

Lastly, number 7 is Yorke Peninsula’s Copper Coast, which includes the townships of Wallaroo, Moonta Bay and Port Hughes. It is approximately a comfortable 1 hour and 45-minute drive to all 3 towns from Adelaide.

Each town has great jetty fishing. Although at the time of writing, the Port Hughes Jetty was closed due to storm damage. Anyhow, Squid and Blue Swimmer Crabs are the most targeted species from the Copper Coast planks. They are reliable targets in summer, especially when the water is clear. Snook, Garfish, Tommies and the occasional King George Whiting are also caught from the jetties.

The beach between Bird Island and Cape Elizabeth (Moonta and Port Hughes Beaches) is great for Crab raking on low tide and Yellowfin Whiting on High Tide. The best season to try is Summer.

Cape Elizabeth to the south of Port Hughes is accessed via 4x4 but it does offer good light-tackle fishing. King George Whiting, Garfish, Flathead, Yellowfin Whiting and Salmon can be caught from the land here.

Point Riley to the north of Wallaroo is a great place to catch Squid. Salmon frequently come within casting range in winter. King George Whiting are caught by locals off the rocks.

Taking a boat to the Copper Coast is well worth doing. Whiting are often easy to find over broken bottom in 2m – 10m of water. It is best to fish in deeper water in summer to avoid puffer fish and trumpeter. Squid are plentiful as well and can be caught by drifting squid jigs over the weed patches. Garfish, Tommies and Snook are also caught often.

We may have missed some awesome SA fishing locations, we know, South Australia is a cool place to go fishing! The diversity of fish species, fisheries and locations is quite incredible. When it comes to fishing in this great country, South Australia is potentially underrated.