Image courtesy Stephen Lowe

Chad and Kristy manage the Kingston Foreshore Caravan Park and are always happy to share local fishing tips. They love the outdoors lifestyle and will often take their two little boys who are 3 and 5 years old, on camping and fishing trips on Long Beach in Kingston.

When you get to Kingston, make the most of the fishing opportunities with Chad’s fishing tips, from the beach, jetty or your boat and bring back some fresh fish to cook on the BBQ. Read on…

What is the best time for fishing in Kingston?

“The best times are definitely during the warmer months from October to April/May. If you are an all weather fishermen who doesn’t mind harsher conditions, then you might also like to fish in the winter months on the Coorong, but you’ll need a 4WD along with the right gear.

If you have a decent sized boat during the winter months and the boat ramps are open, you can fish for gummy sharks, bronze whalers and chase tuna from Cape Jaffa and this depends on the conditions – we have caught tuna up to 20 kgs but you need to be ready for this type of fishing.”

What sort of fish is being caught this year in Kingston?

“At the moment, there is plenty of mulloway, gummy shark, bronze whaler and heaps of squid around. There is also flathead, mullet, tommy rough, and King George whiting depending on whether you are fishing off the beach or a boat.

There is also garfish for the fishing enthusiast who has quite a bit of patience and is happy to sit on the jetty for a few hours, waiting for them to come in – they’re harder to find and harder to catch. But people meet other people on the jetty and it can be social or quiet time just for you, you might even catch some squid and tommy ruffs, you can sit back and enjoy the time there and relax more.”

I remember a few years back we had a freak school of big tuna come through and we were catching them off the boat in Cape Jaffa, this has not happened since though, but you never know when it might happen again.”

Where are the best places for fishing in Kingston?

For general fishing

“Down on the jetty or Maria Creek boat ramp are both good, easy accessible fishing spots that also work if you have little kids with you.

Maria Creek – has a boat ramp for those with boats, but if you don’t have a boat, you can park on the grassy banks and it’s a well known fishing spot. There is mullet, salmon trout and the odd trevally.

Off the beach – you can fish right in front of the caravan park off the beach (Kingston Beach) right up to Butchers Gap and catch mullet, flathead and sometimes whiting.

Along the beach – from Butchers Gap up to Cape Jaffa, there is a good long stretch of beach that you can drive along, often a 2WD car is fine. You can park on the beach, the kids can run around and you can throw line in and see what happens – that’s a nice family activity especially if your kids are younger. The beach at Kingston is inside Lacapede Bay and it is safe and ideal for swimming and bathing.”

For the more serious angler

“Surf fishing – fishing in Kingston is renowned for excellent surf fishing and you can drive for many miles and still be on the beach. You can stay close to Kingston and travel 4-5 kms out along Long Beach toward the Granites, or further to 28 mile, 32 mile and 42 mile crossing which are all access points to the surf beaches along the Coorong.

Along these surf beaches you can catch Mulloway up to 30 kgs  – the fishing is spectacular. You can go for a day trip from the caravan park or camp out overnight with the kids and family which we often do with our 3 and 5 year old boys. They like to build sand castles and play in the shallows with their boogie boards.

Boat Fishing – from the Maria Creek boat ramp, head out to Cape Jaffa and stay close to the coast, you don’t need a big boat and there is plenty to catch.

Tommy ruffs, garfish, King George whiting, mullet, squid are all there and within one km of the beach. It is calm and protected so the waters won’t be too rough if you have people who might get a little seasick. The fish hang about in the white holes amongst the sea grass, and the squid are usually over the sea grass.

Bigger boats can go straight out from Kingston and head out for 5-20 kms where they catch crayfish (Southern Rock Lobster), gummy shark, and the King George whiting starts to get more abundant.

For tuna you need to get out past Cape Jaffa.”

Contact us to finds out if the boat ramps are open

“Boat fishing is not always available because boat ramps have been closed due to movement of the sand and there has been an influx of seagrass. Give us a call before you plan on visiting to find out if the boat ramps are open.

If the boat ramps are not open, our beaches have the right conditions to launch a boat from with the right gear and depending on the size of the boat. Bigger boats are better left for the boat ramps when they are open.”

What other fishing tips do you have for people visiting Kingston?

“This time of year around spring, beach fishing is excellent and the squid is abundant. We launch a little boat off the beach with my kids and they happily come out on the boat for a fish, but they prefer when I fish off the beach and they can run around.

Other tips would be:

• Let your tyres down for beach driving
• High and low tides are the best times for fishing
• Sunset is often an even better time for fishing
• Avoid high tide for beach driving
• Ask around and get some more tips from the locals, we have a friendly community who will share information

Go to Swampy’s Marine and Tackle where they have all sort of gear. They also hire out boats and are marine mechanics so can help you with boat problems. They have a large range of fishing gear and will give you local fishing tips.

We have some basic fishing gear here at the caravan park as well and will help you find some good spots for yourself or with your family if they are with you.”

Interested in fishing competitions in Kingston for a prize pool of $25K?

On January 20-21 in 2019, the Kingston SE Lions Club is hosting the 39th Annual Surf Fishing Contest which is 87km of fishing along the Coorong. The prize pool is up to $25,000.

Click here for more information.

Call Kingston Foreshore Caravan Park and book in for your next holiday

Take a break from your travels from Melbourne to Adelaide or just come up for fishing and a relaxing holiday.

Call us on (08) 8767 2050 or book online for accommodation at the Kingston Foreshore Caravan Park. We are right on the beautiful beach of Kingston in the calm waters of Lacapede Bay with one and two bedroom fully equipped cabins as well as powered and unpowered sites.