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The Tubes – Jervis Bay, New South Wales

Jervis Bay is an oceanic bay with several seaside villages and towns including the township of Jervis Bay. Located on the South Coast of New South Wales it is approximately 3 hour drive south of Sydney. The natural beauty of the area and the abundance wildlife that call it home make it a popular holiday destination and a must visit.

Pristine Waters of Jervis Bay on the South Coast of New South Wales.

The beautiful white sands and pristine water make it the perfect destination for people that love the water. There are beaches that are perfect for kayaking and paddle boarding and those that are well known for their surf breaks. There are also some excellent dive sites scattered throughout the bay including a a submerged Fairey Firefly a WWII aeroplane .

For us there was a different reason that we made the almost 13 hour trip from Brisbane to Jervis Bay…. The Black Marlin.

For many rock fishos ‘The Tubes’ in Jervis Bay is considered the birth place of land based game fishing in Australia. Land based game fishing takes fishing off the rocks to a whole new level targeting pelagic fish that most people considered as target species on game fishing boats. It is the Jervis Bay headland that protrudes into the Tasman Sea that makes it the perfect spot for land based game fishing. The area is known for pelagic fish like king fish, snapper, tuna and black marlin.

Stairway to ‘The Tubes’ a Land Based Game Fishing Hot Spot. Jervis Bay, NSW.

‘The Tubes’ are located on the Beecroft Peninsula the northern headland of Jervis Bay.  To access the tubes you need to go through the Department of Defence’s Beecroft Weapons Range, access to the area is restricted by a boom gate you are required to provide identification to obtain access. The area is closed to public visitors, other than authorised campers, from 9 pm till 2 am everyday.

The Beecroft Weapons Range is still in use for live firings by the Australian Navy so may be closed at certain times. This information is available on the Beecroft Weapons Range and Peninsula Facebook page. The area is also marked with red flags and signage during closures.

As tempting as it sounds to head down there and hook yourself a big one the tubes are not for the average fishing rig or casual fisho.  For starters you will need some heavy duty gear something that will handle the fish  you are targeting, Brendon uses his Shimano  Tiagra 50wlrsa or 80wlrsa with 130lb braid,  heavy leader and some special hook set ups that we make in arts and craft time. You will also need a kiddie pool to store your large live bait, an aerator to keep them happy, an extendable gaff for when you hook that big one and all the other bits and pieces you normally take.

Walking Track Down to ‘The Tubes’ Land Based Game Fishing Hot Spot. Jervis Bay, NSW

You will need to carry all your gear and enough food and water for the day along a bush track, down some steep metal stairs and across the rocky ledges to secure a place. The walk takes approximately 30-40 mins and not an easy stroll so you don’t want to be forgetting anything when you head down. Oh and you will also need to get there well before the sunrises to even have a chance of getting a spot.

So is it worth all the effort? If you are a mad fisher and looking for a challenge or to tick a large pelagic off your bucket list, Yes it is. It is one of the best places to go land based game fishing and all the people that return every season is proof of that. Sadly, we were there it was the very start of the marlin season and Brendon wasn’t able to tick a black marlin off the bucket list so we will be going back to Jervis Bay for another longer stay in the marlin season.

Brendon with a just legal yellowtail kingfish caught at ‘The Tubes’ that was put out as a live bait.

Jervis Bay is definitely somewhere that you should have on your list of places to visit. With the natural beauty of the bay and surrounding national parks, quaint seaside towns and villages, markets and great seafood it really has something for everyone.

More information on fishing ‘The Tubes’ visit: