Lake Illawarra Fishing near Mount Warrigal, New South Wales

• Overview

  Lake Illawarra is listed under Shellharbour, New South Wales. The coast is 1.1 km away. At 35.22 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. Head to Mount Warrigal, 2.7 km away, for anything you forgot. The big place round here is Wollongong, 12 km distant. If this one is busy: Port Kembla a shade over 8.8 km, Lake Alexandra after 37 km, Lake Woronora a shade over 45 km, Lake Wollumboola after 48 km and Lake Yarrunga a shade over 53 km. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Lake Illawarra

  This is salt or soda water, not a conventional fishery: do not expect the usual freshwater species here. Work the tide here — moving water feeds, slack water rests. If you are set on fishing this area, look to the rivers and fresh waters nearby instead. Salt and fresh mix here, and the mixing line is worth finding. Oyster and old piling give the only hard structure in sight. Fish Lake Illawarra where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 22°C in February and bottoms out near 12°C in July. Fish feed through every month here. The shoulder seasons either side of summer are the ones to aim for. October and November fish well as the water warms. Lake Illawarra runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  State or federal ownership covers this water. Records flag the water as saline. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Port Kembla, 8.8 km away. Nothing here settles the position at Lake Illawarra for certain.