Hot spot - North-east coast

Tasmania's north-east is one of the premium locations around the state. The real bonus for many are the shore-based opportunities. This combined with good camping creates an area that is treasured by many.

Best time to fish; All year
Getting there; 3 ½ hours from Hobart, 2 hours from Launceston.
Major species; Australian salmon, flathead, bream, snook, pike, luderick, couta, stripey trumpeter, albacore, yellowfin tuna, striped tuna, mako sharks and striped marlin.
Other attractions; Swimming, sight seeing, camping, surfing, National Parks.

The north east coast boasts Tasmania's mildest weather. It has long, white beaches alternating with rocky outcrops and deep water is often close to shore. It is quiet and largely uninhabited and provides some of the best camping spots in Tasmania.
The Bay of Fires area stretches from Binalong Bay to Eddystone Point and provides great beach fishing, like most of the East Coast. Camping is first class, with camping grounds scattered all up the east coast and across the north.
Ansons Bay and Ansons River and has some huge bream, although they are often not easy to catch. Rarely, an estuary perch may also be caught in the Ansons River. Off shore gamefishing can be fantastic.
Eddystone Point can, in the summer months, provide gamefishing from the shore. Deep water runs up to the rocks and kingfish and sometimes tuna come close enough to be taken. Australian salmon are eagerly sought though and lure casting silver slices from the rocks will often bring excellent results.
Land based game fishing is under-developed in Tasmania, so if you think you can do it, you will be pioneering the fishery.
Stumpy Bay is a wonderful camping and fishing area with many great camping spots available. Three or four main camping areas can be found and small boats can be launched across the beach. This central part of Stumpys Bay is primarily a beach fishing area with the water dropping off quickly. There can be some great Australian salmon fishing here as well as gummy shark and flathead. The southern part of Stumpys Bay has better gutters and a gentler sloping shore. You can be fishing here within fifty metres of leaving camp.
Poole, or Musselroe as it is more commonly called, is situated on Great Musselroe Bay. Great Musselroe River provides some top fishing, with bream being popular in the river. Big bream to over two kilograms are reasonably regular. Musselroe Point does offer some opportunities, but access is difficult.
The area between Musselroe Bay (Poole) and Little Musselroe (Lyme Regis) to the north has difficult access and is hardly worth the effort.   
Lyme Regis, or Little Musselroe as it is more commonly called has some great fishing. The cove has some excellent bream fishing, and like Ansons Bay the barway should be negotiated with great caution. There are lots of reefs and rocks in this area and whilst this creates good fishing great care should be taken. Strong currents are evident from Banks Strait and this can create challenging conditions when current and wind are running in opposite directions. Swan Island is about four kilometres offshore and this area is popular for pike, flathead, Australian salmon and those chasing kingfish.
Cape Portland has some good fishing from the rocks with spinning the preferred method as strong currents make float and bottom fishing difficult. Foster Inlet has some excellent garfish and flathead, but access is really only possible by boat from a boat ramp at Petal Point.
Petal Point has some good rock platforms with deep water adjacent. Pike, flathead and gummy sharks can be expected.
From Petal Point around to Tomahawk there is some good beach fishing but access is very difficult. You can walk from Petal Point. It is really boat only access. Walking access is available from Tomahawk, but the beach is generally shallow. The best area is a kilometre from the end of the road. Better still walk across to Tomahawk Island and fish from the rocks. You can cast baits into deep sandy bottom for flathead and gummy shark, or rubble and rock bottom for reef fish. Australian salmon and snook are always worth casting a lure for as well.   
Ransons Beach is shallow and not regarded as good beach fishing. Better to skip this area and concentrate further around on Croppies and Waterhouse Beach.
Croppies Point, Croppies Bay, Croppies Beach, South Croppies Point and Waterhouse Beach are all sensational areas for land based fishing. The variety of fish available from this area is outstanding. Anything from gummy shark to monster flathead, snook, pike, Australian salmon and much more can be taken here. One fish that is common, but rarely fished for is luderick. These are common, but as with many fish they are rarely caught if not targeted. Look for green cabbage weed on the rocks and this is where to start looking. Specialist rigs and tackle will give you the best results. Limited space here precludes us going into specific tackle, but it is worth your effort to investigate this little known fishery.
This whole area has numerous rocky points and platforms dropping into both rubble and very productive sandy bottom. It is possible to fish baits under balloons, live baits, lure fish for pelagics and bottom fish for flathead - all at the same time if you want. You will usually find a few locals here who know the area well. They will always help if you are congenial.
Waterhouse Beach has some great gutters at times and is well worth your effort if you favour some beach fishing. You can access the beach from either South Croppies of via the track that goes past Blackmans Lagoon.
The whole area around Waterhouse Point to Croppies and Waterhouse Beach is fished by most in an uncomplicated manner. If you are game to try some different techniques, or methods that work well elsewhere you may be surprised by what you catch. Snapper, kingfish and sharks are all possible.

Camping
Eddystone Point: Camping is available at Deep Creek.
Stumpys Bay: There are four campsites in this area. Number one and three are probably the best with the camping virtually on the beach. Number one has caravan access as well as camping and is ranger patrolled. Number three has a boat launching across the beach but is only suitable for small boats. Only those experienced in beach launching should attempt launching and retrieving here. A snatchem strap is recommended.
There is no refuse disposal, power, wood or reliable fresh drinking water available at this camp. Please take your own drinking water and firewood (available for sale in Gladstone, as is water). Fuel stoves are recommended. Park entry fees apply, but there is no camping fee. Picnic tables, fireplaces, pit toilets at all sites. There is a gas BBQ at Stumpys Bay No. 4.
Musselroe Bay: Excellent camping spots back on to the estuary. Pit toilets and fire places, but no other facilities.
Little Musselroe Bay: Vehicle access from Christmas to Easter. At other times the site is foot access only (300 metres) Pit toilets and fireplaces.
Ringarooma Coastal Reserve: The coastal reserve stretches from Petal Point around to Tomahawk. The formal camping area is at Petal Point. Caravans and tents are catered for with pit toilets and camp fire sites.
Tomahawk: A fully serviced caravan park with shop and all facilities.
Waterhouse Conservation Area: Covers the coast from Tomahawk to the east of Bridport.
Ransons Beach: A small camping area with virtually no facilities.
Casuarina Hill: Just north-west of Ransons Beach has four sites along a sandy track with pit toilet.
Waterhouse Point: Suitable for small vans. Pit toilets.
Mathers and Village Green have pit toilets.
Herbies Landing is small with no facilities.
Blizzards Landing: This site is exposed and windy and no facilities are offered. It is however often used for caravan camping during the summer.
South Croppys: Camp sites are dispersed around the northern side of the point, the junction of South Croppys Road, and the track to the southern side of the point. No facilities are provided.
North Croppys: The overgrown condition of the track to the point discourages most users, so this area receives only occasional use.
Big Waterhouse Lake: On the northern shore of the lake is a small camping area used mainly by duck shooters, but also sometimes by fishermen. No facilities are provided.
Blackmans Lagoon: Established at the southern end of the lagoon, under the cover of a pine plantation, this camping area is particularly popular at the opening of the trout season. A long drop toilet and barbecue have been provided.

Boat Launching
A good boat ramp exists at Ansons Bay and many use this to access both the river, bay and offshore waters. Great care should be taken crossing the Ansons Bay barway and local advice should be sought. A large rock, known as "prop" rock has brought many boats undone.
A boat ramp also provides sea access at Eddystone Point, although not a formed ramp there is access provided to the water by way of concrete flex mat, it is recommended 4 wheel drive only. Further North beach access is available at Stumpys Bay however the beach is reasonably flat. Musselroe Bay has a well formed boat access point however 4 wheel drive is again recommended. Access to Great Musselroe Bay requires crossing a barway and again local knowledge should be gained. The launching area here is not concrete.
There is a small concrete ramp into a picturesque lagoon at Little Musselroe Bay however the ramp and access to the sea makes it only suitable for smaller boats.
Access can be gained to the west of Cape Portland via a 4 wheel drive only rocky ramp at Petal Pt near Foster Inlet. Tomahawk boat ramp is the next available facility however the concrete can really only be used between half and full tide and is exposed in conditions from the north west to easterly weather.
Ransoms Beach, Waterhouse Pt and South Croppies Pt all provide access onto the beach but are flat and require a 4 wheel drive.
Between Waterhouse and South Croppies there is an access point called Blizzards Landing, this is a rocky ramp which requires care especially in North East to North Westerly conditions. It is essentially 4WD only, for small boats and at low tide very difficult.
The beach launching sites are generally suited to smaller boats and many locals use extendable draw bars on their trailers.
Fishers should note; most boat launching facilities in this area are restricted at low tide.

Gladstone, in the far north-east has everything you will need as far as supplies in this area, as well as helpful information.