Fishing Victoria Forum

Is there any boating access from merimbula lake to merimbula bay?
From what I can see on Google and Google earth there is a couple goat ramps in merimbula lake but nothing in the bay..? It looks like a very very shallow bar in between on satellite.. not sure it would be navigatable unless very very calm and high tide?

Booked in there for new years and just kinda assumed I could get to the blue water.. not a big fan of estuaries lol

I don't know about goat ramps, but there is a boat ramp on the lake just before the bridge, with access out to open water.

For what it's worth, it can be a hairy experience getting out under the bridge on rising tide - been a passenger on a boat that got stuck and lost the windshield/canopy, almost capsized after getting caught in the high flow and pushed aside...

Fishbref wrote:I don't know about goat ramps, but there is a boat ramp on the lake just before the bridge, with access out to open water.

For what it's worth, it can be a hairy experience getting out under the bridge on rising tide - been a passenger on a boat that got stuck and lost the windshield/canopy, almost capsized after getting caught in the high flow and pushed aside...

Lol awesome....

Bar too shallow low tide, bridge too low on high tide

Talk about a catch 22


Also LOL goat ramps..

:oops: Good day Kimtown,
I assume that Merimbula bay means the sea. Yes, there is reasonable access from the lake to the sea but the channel is fairly close to the rocks and can be shallow at low tide. You will see some quite large charter boats and yachts moored in the lake and they regularly negotiate the bar without incident, a lthough I have seen photos and videos of a couple of monumental wipeouts of game fishing cruisers attempting suicidal crossings.
Using common sense under normal conditions you should have no problems. If it is your first time, take a drive out towards the wharf. There are a couple of vantage points which will give you an excellent view over the entrance.

Cheers, Col.

Really appreciate it col, thanks mate!

How's the fishing generally in the bay around new years?

Sorry mate. Can't help you much. I lived in Merimbula over 20 years ago but fished mainly beach and estuary. Some other members might be able to help and nearby places like Eden should have similar indications.

Good luck, Col.

The boat ramp is near the bridge

colnick wrote:Sorry mate. Can't help you much. I lived in Merimbula over 20 years ago but fished mainly beach and estuary. Some other members might be able to help and nearby places like Eden should have similar indications.

Good luck, Col.

Caught toothies in two fold bay, and would think merimbula would be quite similar. Didn't get any snapper or king fish at Eden though and I've heard kingfish don't really frequent merimbula as much as Eden and narooma

I am still haunted by the big one that got away, I was trolling along Long Point from the jetty towards the point and something big hit one of the lures, I headed away from land, ( the wind often blows you towards it) I cleared all the other lines and settled in for the fight, it felt big but when I put the pressure on it dived into the reef and the line went limp, probably a big kingfish. I have seen marlin near long point, caught stripy tuna, bonito, salmon, once I was out in Merimbula bay and there were 4 schools of salmon busting up, each one as big as a football ground, and there was only one other boat out. The salmon were around 3 Kg and you just cast out and hook them, if they come off keep winding and another jumped on. There are flathead in the bay off the sticks (you will see all the dead trees on the Pambula side of the bay) and sometimes there are gummy & school sharks. There are Morwong and Snapper at horseshoe reef. The bridge is no problem for most trailer boats, the bar is fine unless there is a big swell which is very rare. In the lake there are dusky flathead, bream, whiting (I have got them on poppers), trevally. Every time I go there something different is happening, it is just a great place to wet a line.

The bar is pretty tame 90% of the time, it’s quite sheltered. Best bet is to watch/follow someone else out for the first time if you’re a bit unsure.

If you can’t fit under the bridge or the bar is a bit lumpy on a day you wanna go out, you can always drive the 20mins to Eden and launch there.

I’ve fished offshore Merimbula in a 4.5m quintrex and never had any issues with the bar, and I’ve also fished out of 6m boats and the bridge is usually not a problem, just need to take down the canopy (which can be a pain I guess).