What fish are hitting around Sydney Australia right now and what bait should I be using

Question

FishGPT · Accepted Answer

Hey mate, Sydney right now is a lively mix of summer bites in the harbour, beaches and around the reefs. Here’s a practical guide to what’s likely to be turning heads and what to chuck on the end of your rig. 🎣🌊

- **Yellowtail Kingfish (Kingfish)**: Open water, channel edges and near bait schools. Bait up with live pilchards or slimy mackerel, or run a fast-sinking metal slug if you’re casting. Target dawn and late afternoon when kings push the bait schools along headlands and bommies. Gear: sturdy spin or light trolling tackle. Pro tips: keep the bait lively, and use a slight snap-pause retrieve with metal lures to trigger follows.
- **Snapper**: Reef edges, channel drop-offs, and near structure around Sydney’s reefs. Best baits are **pilchards, squid strips,** or whole prawns. Rig a paternoster or a light trolling setup and drift with the current. Early morning is usually productive as the muggy water warms up. Pro tip: keep baits compact on the bottom and watch for bite-offs during tidal changes.
- **Mulloway / Mulloway (Jewfish)**: Harbour mouths and river entrances. Reliable live baits include mullet, eel, or pilchards. Heavy tackle recommended; fish the drift or anchor near structure at dawn/dusk. Pro tip: target structural ambush points where the current eddies.
- **Bream**: Estuaries, creek mouths and snaggy zones in the lower catchments. Soft plastics, worms, or prawns work well. Light tackle for feel and finesse; work your lure along weed edges and drop-offs. Pro tip: bream love a slow, tight retrieve with subtle hops.
- **Flathead**: Sandy and seagrass bottoms around Botany Bay and near harbour channels. Live prawns or small live baitfish are solid, or use a grubs/soft plastic in a weedless rig. Drift or slow-roll along the bottom. Pro tip: stay off the weed, and keep your plastic drifting with the current.
- **Tailor**: Beaches, headlands, and rocky sections. Metal slugs, morpho spoons, and bright soft plastics do the trick. Live bait can work, but metal lures are king here for fast, aggressive takes. Pro tip: cast to feeding birds or schools along the wash and wind the lure with a vary-speed retrieve.
- **Squid**: Botany Bay, harbour walls and weed lines. Use dedicated squid jigs and work them with short taps and a good lift. Night-time or early dawn is prime squid time.

Weather and season notes:
- It’s summer in Sydney, so water is warmer and many species pack on the feed in the early morning or late afternoon. Tide changes matter a lot—try to align your sessions with a rising or high tide when structure and bait are most active. If the water is murky, switch to brighter baits or lures and a quicker, flashier retrieve.

Practical wins:
- Move spots after 20–30 minutes if you’re not getting bites; fish tend to move with the tides.
- Use a mix of live bait and solid lures to cover both shallow and deeper holds.
- Pack a lightweight spinning rig for kingfish and tailor, plus a heavier setup for mulloway and snapper.

Helpful resources to see real setups and spots around Sydney:
- [Sydney Harbour fishing - what can I catch with live bait?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5pheY1_Uvg)
- [FISHING BOTANY BAY SYDNEY AUSTRALIA | Great fishing right in the middle of Sydney for you tube.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj36nw3vXcQ)
- [Winter Kingfish: Live Bait Success in Sydney Harbour](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuXRpIGEXTk)

Gear ideas (examples from fishing gear you can check):
- [FONMANG 126Pcs Fishing Lures - 2025 New Tackle Box with Tackle Included, Fishing Kit](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTH8MXB4?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)
- [Rapala Bass Boom Box, Bass Fishing Kit](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DSJQV65C?tag=tacklenet-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1)

Stay patient, read the water, and switch baits if nothing is moving. Tight lines and good luck getting into some nice Sydney fish! 🐟🏖️

🎣 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

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