Wally’s Wharf (Dolan’s Bay) Fishing Guide & Forecast

Wally’s Wharf fishes best on a run-in tide around dawn or dusk, when clean water moves through Dolans Bay and puts squid, bream and flathead on the chew. Work the weed edge for squid, the pylons for bream and the sand channels for flathead, then keep every cast south or east of the Shiprock reserve.

Wally’s Wharf sits on Dolans Bay in Port Hacking, about 30 kilometres south of Sydney’s centre. The working jetty has a pontoon, boat ramp and fish-cleaning table beside a quiet residential bay. Around three metres of water at the end covers sand, weed beds and scattered ribbon weed.

This is a focused three-species spot rather than a deep-water harbour wharf. Squid hold along the weed and pontoon shadow, bream gather around the pylons and ramp, and flathead sit in the sand channels. Get the tide right and the simple setup works.

Best Tides and Times at Wally’s Wharf

The run-in tide pushes clean ocean water through Port Hacking and into Dolans Bay. Better visibility helps squid, the moving water fires bream around the structure, and flathead wait for bait crossing the sand channels.

Dawn and late afternoon are the main windows, with dusk strongest for squid. Flathead can bite through the day on moving water. Bream favour summer mornings and cooler-season afternoons. A strong afternoon sea breeze can hit the east-facing wharf in summer. Check the Wally’s Wharf conditions page before you go.

Target Species at Wally’s Wharf

Southern Calamari Squid

Cast a size 2.5 jig in natural green or pink foil along the weed line and pontoon shadow. Use sharp lifts with long pauses. Clear water on the rising tide suits squid, especially at dawn and dusk. One caught fresh also makes excellent flathead bait.

Yellowfin Bream

Bream sit around the pylons, pontoon and ramp walls from November to April. Fish chicken breast, peeled prawn or fresh squid close to the structure on light line and a size 2 to 4 hook. A steady trail of breadcrumbs or soaked chicken pellets can hold the school near the wharf.

Dusky Flathead

Flathead lie where sand meets weed. Work a live poddy mullet or squid strip slowly over the bottom on a running sinker rig, or hop a paddle-tail or grub-shaped soft plastic across the channel. Summer is the main season, but the right moving tide can produce year-round.

Ramp Access, Pontoon and Local Tips

The concrete ramp, floating pontoon and fish-cleaning table all share the site. Boat traffic builds on weekends, so fish before 8am or after the late-afternoon rush. Give way when boats need the pontoon.

Use the small car park off Port Hacking Road South or the surrounding streets. This is a residential bay. Keep the noise down, take your rubbish and leave the cleaning table ready for the next person.

Shiprock Aquatic Reserve Boundaries

Shiprock Aquatic Reserve begins immediately north of the wharf and continues around the neighbouring inlet. It is a no-take sanctuary. Direct every cast south or east into Dolans Bay and Port Hacking. The boundary is not obvious from the water, so use the wharf itself as the line and do not fish north.

Fish the rising tide, match each species to its piece of structure, and keep every cast south or east of the wharf.