Ask a local

How to Make the most of your fishing experience on KI

If you are coming to Kangaroo Island or KI as the locals call it

then there are over 100  options of places to fish and catch a range of fish. 

Surf, Jetty, Rock, Sheltered or Exposed.  

Fresh and Salt water fishing spots.

Depending on your choice of fishing there are many options ---

be it surf, jetty, rock, sheltered or exposed ocean spots, fresh and

salt water river fishing, charter boats for deep sea or sheltered bays,

kayaks, hire dinghy's, or even bring your own boat over on the ferry.

Seafood

And if you like the idea of just eating the seafood then there are places

to purchase fresh locally caught seafood

Local knowledge

We find the best way to get the most fun with your fishing is to find a local

who can explain the tides, weather patterns and seasons plus what is happening

with the ocean when you arrive.  It is also best to do this before you visit

as you can then time your trip depending on what type of fish and fishing is your choice.    

Charter boats/ Boat & equipment hire

If wanting to enjoy a charter boat trip it is especially important to book before you visit.   

We find guests just keep coming back for their fishing fix!  

For boat and equipment hire ring Rob at KIboathire.com.au on 0414303424

Winds and Tides

Part of what makes fishing on KI so interesting and what makes the Island

so special is that the Island has many climate zones and depending on your

preferred choice of fishing you can select a location where the weather,

winds and tides suit what you wish to do.  

A special note 

our tides vary in times and even flow depending on your location.  

We also have what is called 'dodge' tides which is really a result

of the 2 gulfs nearby on the mainland - St Vincent and Spencer gulf

'reacting' their flows with the ocean flows from the Southern Ocean

to produce approx. every 2 weeks a 'wobble' or slowdown in water movement.   

This 'dodge' tide phenomenon is only found in 2 locations in the world

so is a unique part of fishing in our location in South Australia.

A dodge tide can help when fishing for snapper in the Investigator straight

as tide flows slow down and baits can reach the bottom of the sea there

and allow deep water fishing.    It can mean though that whiting slow down

their feeding as the water flow reduces in shallow spots so

we fish deeper to get better water movement for that species.       

The one point we know is there are a lot of fish in the waters around KI

and using the tides, wind and other seasonal patterns to your advantage

helps to locate where the fish may be schooling at any particular time.

It's not an exact science of course but part of the fun of the hunt for dinner

that mankind has played for thousands of years.  

Plenty of Fish

The Island has not been overfished and has a very good fisheries management plan in place. 

That and a level of difficulty getting to KI in the past helped keep its pristine ocean environment.

There are specific fishing size and bag limits plus 'off limit' zones and spacial closures

at certain times of the year.   It all makes for good fishing but minimises the 'fished out'

problems lots of other locations in the world experience.  

American River fishing 

Now our special spot is American River as within 10 minutes of the township you can fish surf beaches, rock zones, protected bays, wharf/jetty locations, lagoons and even walk the bays for flathead, use a Kayak in protected waters, boat (new boat ramp with pontoons) or even book local charter boats that tie in at our jetty/wharf area.   Too easy!  It's not about catching bags and bags of fish to take home to fill a freezer but enjoying catching your dinner and being out in nature.  Fresh fish caught the same day and properly filleted has a taste you will never beat even in a top end restaurant anywhere in the world.    Our fisheries officers are really on the job to keep those who would just 'rape and pillage' away from our pristine location. 

American River is really a tidal ocean flow inlet into and out of a very large conservation lagoon called Pelican Lagoon.    This Lagoon is a massive breeding ground approx. 20 km long and with many small islands for all manner of fish, shellfish, sharks, stingrays, birds, seals, dolphins etc.  There is a no fishing zone inside this Pelican Lagoon itself but still plenty of places to fish outside the Lagoon in the tidal inlet bay adjoining the lagoon or just a bit further away in the Eastern Cove Bay which is approx. 15 km long by 10 km wide and then out into Investigator straight or around into Nepean Bay and Western Cove of similar size.    So, depending on the winds and tides we can find a sheltered place to fish either from a boat or from the shore.   The advantage of this location is the fish tap into and feed from the large food supply and feeding zones that the bigger fish come in to enjoy.  We have very pristine water flows and a local oyster farm taps into this to provide fresh oysters and other seafood in the tidal zone.  These seafood delicacies can be purchased at their shop near the wharf.

Pennington Bay, Flourcask Bay

Within 10 minutes' drive from American River on the opposite side of the Island there are a number of bays (Pennington Bay, Flourcask bay) that are pure Southern Ocean joy to fish.   In another direction and again a 10-minute drive is a 20-km patch of bays and rock fishing that is sheltered from Southern Ocean weather but provides excellent picnic and fishing spots.  You will be able to find places all to yourself as well.   We don't have crowds or traffic lights on KI.

The hook that keeps me here.

If you want a pleasant afternoon out on a charter boat for a reasonable price with catch and keep whiting we can't beat American River as a location. I am biased of course but its why I initially came to KI and then surprise, surprise-- just fell in love with American River and its community.  Call it the hook that got me here and keeps me here.

Kevin Matthews Sunrise on Falie Boutique accomodation