Bellambi Point & Reef Fishing Guide & Forecast

Bellambi Point is an exposed rock fishing spot on the northern Illawarra coast. Snapper, salmon, kingfish, tailor and luderick move through the area. No swell or wind forecast guarantees safety; check conditions and warnings before you go.

Bellambi Point sits on the northern Illawarra coast, about 10 minutes north of Wollongong. The rock platform reaches toward a reef that drops into deeper water close to shore. Pelagic fish move through the channel between the point and the reef, while the broader ledge holds fish around its structure on both tides.

There are a few ways to fish it. Anglers target salmon and yellowtail kingfish around the outer ledges, snapper over the reef, and tailor and luderick in the wash. Any part of the platform can become dangerous as conditions change.

Best Tides, Swell and Weather at Bellambi Point

The run-out and the first hour of the run-in can move bait through the reef gutters and channel. Check the tide, swell, wind and marine warnings before travelling. A forecast alone cannot tell you whether a ledge is safe.

Wind direction affects casting and the water around the rocks. A westerly or northwesterly can flatten the surface, but a calm appearance does not mean the platform is safe. Wind, swell and tide can change quickly.

Target Species off Bellambi Point

Snapper

Snapper hold over the reef and rubble ground off the point. A floating bait rig with a fresh squid strip or pilchard drifted over the reef edge on a run-in tide works well. The bigger fish tend to come in low light, so first light and dusk are the prime windows. A 12 to 20 pound leader is enough. Let the bait drift naturally with the current. The reef edge in 4 to 8 metres of water holds fish year round, but spring and early summer are the peak months.

Australian Salmon

Australian salmon school in the channel between Bellambi Point and the reef, chasing bait pushed through by the tide. Cast a 40 to 65 gram metal slug across the current and retrieve it quickly. Fish here average 1 to 2 kilograms, with larger salmon in winter. A 20 pound leader and smooth drag cover the runs. Bleed the fish straight away if you plan to eat it.

Yellowtail Kingfish

Yellowtail kingfish follow bait through the deeper water off the outer ledges and reef face. Fish a live yellowtail scad or slimy mackerel under a balloon, or throw poppers and stickbaits at first light when kings rise in the water column. They run straight for the reef, so use a firm drag and a rod that can turn them. Most fish sit in the 60 to 80 centimetre range, with the odd metre fish in summer.

Tailor

Tailor patrol the wash zone along the rock ledges and hit metal lures and pilchards with a fierce bite. A gang-hooked pilchard on a paternoster rig cast into the white water brings them in. Metal slugs retrieved fast also work. Tailor have sharp teeth so a short wire trace saves your rig. They bite best at dawn and dusk, and a rising tide pushes them closer into the wash. Fish them with a 15 pound mainline and a 20 centimetre wire trace. Bleed them straight away for the best eating.

Luderick

Luderick graze on the weed and cabbage growing on the rock ledges. A float rig with green weed or cabbage bait drifted along the rock edge is the standard method. Use a light quill float, a small size 8 hook, and a 6 to 8 pound leader. Luderick are shy biters so keep the float sensitive and strike on the first dip. The southern side of the platform holds good cabbage growth. Winter and early spring are the peak luderick months at Bellambi Point.

Reef Structure and Platform Access

Bellambi has two main zones. The inner platform runs along the southern side and works at most tides. The outer ledges reach toward Bellambi Reef and need a low swell and lower tide. The reef sits about 150 metres offshore, forming the channel that funnels baitfish. Rock bars and gutters across the platform add holding water on both tides.

Park off Morgan Place at Bellambi Point, then follow the formed track for about five minutes. Wear cleats or rock boots because weed and algae make the sandstone slippery. From a safe position, watch the wind and wave action for at least 30 minutes before choosing a spot.

Rock Fishing Safety at Bellambi Point

Bellambi Point is an exposed ocean platform. Swell can rise quickly, particularly with a rising tide and a south to south-east swell. From a safe position, watch the wind and wave action for at least 30 minutes before choosing a spot. Even then, conditions can change. Wear a rated personal flotation device (PFD) and cleats, fish with someone else, and leave your plan with someone ashore.

Check the Bureau of Meteorology marine forecast and warnings for the Illawarra coast before leaving. Long-period swell can have long calm gaps before large waves arrive. Neither the inner platform nor a particular swell height is guaranteed safe. If conditions look dangerous, do not fish from the rocks. Read the NSW Government rock fishing safety advice.

Check swell, tide, wind and warnings before leaving. Conditions can change, and no forecast guarantees safety on the rocks.