Fishing around cities can be highly productive and great fun.
Despite Australia’s vast land mass, we’re one of the most urban countries in the world. Almost 90 per cent of Aussies live in urban areas and within 50km of the coast. With stats like that, it’s surprising we don’t hear more about urban fishing. Most magazines and fishing TV shows focus on the “exotic” destinations; places such as the Top End, Cape York and the Kimberley. Sure, these places are prolific fisheries, but for the average Australian fisho, they’re nothing more than a dream. Instead, the places most of us fish are the urban waterways, the places close to home. I recall a trend from the US where fly fishos coined the term “brown lining”. You know those little “blue lines” you see on a map? They are the clean rivers and creeks you come
across when researching a faraway fishing destination in an unspoilt environment. Well, the “brown lines” are in reference to the dirtier rivers and creeks within our cities. Yes, they’re not crystal clear or full of exotic fish. In fact, some of these rivers may feature noxious weed and introduced pest fish. But urban dwellers don’t care. They flock to the rivers close to home and make the most of a fun fishery right on their doorstep. We all know such a river and most people would be very surprised to hear they hold fish. I’ve caught some incredible fish in urban waterways. So how does fishing an urban waterway differ from fishing in more remote destinations? Let’s look at some tactics and some destinations to try your luck.
Urban tactics
Successful fishing in an urban environment requires a different approach. Think like an urban fish for a minute. You know more about lures, baits and boats than the average fisho. You know about ferries and waterskiing and regular weekend chaos. As a fish, you’re not easily fooled. You’re a “street smart” fish. Seeing it from the point of view of a fish allows you to change things up. My advice is to fish out of hours. If possible, fish mid-week or really early in the morning or late at night.
Think outside the square and avoid the crowds. You can also change up your gear, lures and baits to suit the environment. I prefer to go light. It all depends on what species you’re chasing and it’s all relative, but the general rule is to fish as light as you can while still giving yourself a reasonable chance of landing the fish. Luring a fish into eating a bait or lure will always be easier with light line.
It’s less visible and you can feel more bites. Likewise, a light rod will feel more subtle bites and this is a real advantage hooking certain species. I’ve often hooked big fish on light gear meant for smaller fish and it’s no coincidence. I probably wouldn’t have hooked them if I was targeting them using heavier line and rods and reels. It also pays to try something new when it comes to lures and bait. For bait, use live bait or fresh bait. Avoid the cheaper bait that you find in service stations unless you’re desperate.
Catching your own bait is a great option and it’s amazing how much bait is available in urban areas. Find a sand flat and pump some nippers or worms or look for weed along the slimy rocks and catch luderick. You can also find beach worms and pippies on most urban beaches. But it’s important to only take what you need and be sure to check your local rules around bait collection. Each state and region is different.
Where to fish?
The first thing to remember is that fish can be almost anywhere, including urban rivers and little creeks that run through parks. Most of these will be saltwater creeks but there are freshwater streams that also hold fish, particularly in the western suburbs of most East Coast cities and also some New Zealand urban areas.
It also goes without saying that the larger waterways close to big cities also hold plenty of fish. Every capital city in Australia sits on a waterway and they all have fantastic fishing. I’ve caught big kingfish in the shadow of the Opera House in Sydney and directly under the flight path in Botany Bay. Brisbane is renowned for having good quality fishing in the Brisbane River and nearby in Moreton Bay. Further south on the Gold Coast, the canals are full of fish and some exotic species are mixed in!
Melbourne’s Yarra River has fish in the shadow of the city’s skyline and Perth’s Swan River also has some excellent fishing. So, as you can see, you really don’t need to travel far to experience some fantastic fishing. Another area to focus on is the nearby beaches. I know this is a boating magazine, but sometimes fishing off the beach can be great fun! I’ve caught some incredible fish on Manly Beach, one of Sydney’s most popular and crowded beaches. I’ve even seen schools of fish at Bondi!
Finding spots
How do you find where to fish in an urban environment? I often look at Google Maps and Google Earth to find spots. It’s amazing how many access points and areas to fish are easy to identify on these maps. Look for areas where there’s structure. Places such as wharves, channel markers and drop-offs in water depth. If you’re looking for fish such as whiting and flathead, try looking for shallow sand flats. These spots are all easy to identify on simple apps or Google. Another tip is to simply drive around your city and look for spots. A day spent exploring is well worth it. Then you can map out a plan and return with your boat or find some shore access to find fish.
Where can’t you fish?
Unfortunately, being in an urban environment comes with its negatives. One of these is that there are some places you can’t fish. Most urban waterways have naval zones, shipping zones and ports and other areas where boating isn’t allowed for security or safety reasons. Sydney Harbour also has different speed limits and no drift zones. This came about after several tragic accidents in the area.
Boat choice
If you’re a city dweller, chances are you don’t have much space for storing a boat. Thankfully, most cities now have options for dry storage and this a great idea for larger trailer boats. If you own a larger boat, you could get a mooring. But for the most part, we’re focusing on trailer boats. Small trailer boats are a great idea around a city. They’re easy to store and easy to tow and most urban waterways are calm and well suited to small boats. Even those of us with larger boats often dream about a little tinny that can be towed around the city and launched in minutes.
Are fish safe to eat?
Are urban fish safe to eat? It really depends on a few factors. It depends on your location, and it depends on the type of fish. Pelagic fish are transient fish and will move in and out of a harbour or estuary regularly. They’re eating small baitfish along the surface and would mostly be safe to eat. On the flip side, a fish such as a bream or a flathead are bottom dwellers and feed in among the sediment. They’re also local fish and chances are they’ve lived in the urban waterway for a length of time.
In Sydney Harbour, for example, the advice is to avoid fish caught west of the Harbour Bridge. Years of industry has left heavy metals in the sediment and unfortunately it has been found in the fish. For this reason, I only keep pelagic fish in Sydney Harbour and catch and release the rest. Check with your state’s fisheries department if you’re unsure.
Stay home
Fishing urban waterways is a highly productive way of catching fish. You may not be fishing in a pristine environment, but that’s all part of the fun. The appeal for me is finding fish in places others ignore. I find it fascinating how resilient fish are and more than anything, I enjoy making the most from my local area.
By Scott Thomas.
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