Cape Horn Bay in East Gippsland: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Cape Horn Bay belongs to East Gippsland, Victoria. Elevation runs to 12 metres. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Victoria listings. The closest town, Mallacoota, is 9.9 km away. Further out sit Eden (52 km) and Merimbula (70 km). More in the same country: 3.1 km away is Mangan Lake, Eight Foot Bank 7.5 km away, 17 km away is Lake Barracuta, Lake Wau Wauka 22 km away and 32 km away is Wingan Inlet. Rules here are straightforward: one set of state rules.

• Where to Fish on Cape Horn Bay

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Salt or brackish and tidal: fish the flow, rest at slack, and watch the mud on a falling tide. The mouth fishes hardest when the run is at its strongest. Tide runs this water, so time the session to the flow. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. On Cape Horn Bay the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 20°C in February and bottoms out near 10°C in July. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. Spring runs September to November and autumn March to May, and both fish well. Summer, December to February, brings heat, so fish early and late. Expect Cape Horn Bay to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping shows a jetty some 550 m off. There are picnic tables 560 m away. Toilets are 590 m away, which matters on a long session. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Mangan Lake at 3.1 km is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Cape Horn Bay.