Bermagui. Close to the shelf. Far from ordinary.
Why Bermagui Should Be Your Next (or Only) Fishing DestinationIf you’re chasing that once-in-a-lifetime fish — the one you’ll talk about for decades — stop scrolling and just head to Bermagui, New South Wales. Here’s why serious anglers keep coming back (and why first-timers never want to leave):
- The Continental Shelf Drop Off is only 25 Minutes from the Harbour
Most coastal towns make you steam for hours to reach deep water. In Bermagui you’re on the edge of the shelf in under 25 minutes. 50 m to 500 m in the blink of an eye. That means more time fishing, and way more shots at big blue, black and striped marlin, yellowfin tuna up to 100 kg+, southern bluefin (when they run), and monster albacore. - The Famous Bermagui Bluewater Triangle
The canyons and pinnacles off Bermagui – Montague Island, Twelve Mile, Bunga Canyons, are legendary for a reason. Warm currents from the East Australian Current slam into cold upwellings, creating a feeding frenzy almost year-round. Marlin numbers here regularly beat everwhere else on the east coast combined. - Game Fishing History That Still Delivers Today
This is where Zane Grey came in the 1930s and basically invented big-game fishing in Australia. The records he set here stood for decades. Modern anglers are still smashing PB striped marlin over 150 kg, blue marlin pushing 400 kg, and yellowfin that look like barrels. Bermagui’s annual tournaments (like the Bermagui Big Game Anglers Club event the Bluewater Classic) consistently tag and release more billfish than most ports combined. - Close to major centres : 5 hour drive from Sydney ( or 40 minute flight and hour in a shuttle ), Melbourne 8 hour drive ( or 1 hour flight and hour in a shuttle ), Canberra 3.5 Hour drive .
- Facilities Built for Fishermen, Not Tourists
- Safe bar crossing (one of the best on the NSW coast)
- Ice, fuel, quality bait, tackle shops and charter fleet right on the harbour
- Motels, houses and caravan parks that actually understand early departures
Bottom line: If you want postcard beaches and cafés, go somewhere else. If you want to come home with sore arms and a story that starts with “This one time off Bermagui…”, get down here.Bermagui isn’t just a fishing spot.
It’s where Australian fishing dreams still come true.