Lake Hamp in Elliston: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Elliston, South Australia, sits Lake Hamp. It sits 2.1 km in from the sea. Surface area is around 23 hectares, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Shoreline comes to about 2.0 km, small enough to learn in a day. Our Elliston list holds plenty of bigger water. For supplies, Streaky Bay is 113 km out. Further out sit Tumby Bay (138 km) and Cleve (149 km). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Hamp

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Work the tide here — moving water feeds, slack water rests. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read Lake Hamp before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between July at about 12°C and February at about 22°C, the water has a wide range to work through. There is no dead season here at all. The shoulder seasons either side of summer are the ones to aim for. On Lake Hamp that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping flags this water as intermittent: it can be dry for part of the year, so check before travelling. The closest car park is 900 m away, so pack accordingly. Toilets show in mapping about 1.3 km away. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Three Lakes, 6.2 km away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Lake Hamp may have changed since it was mapped.