Castaway articles: Fishing the Macleay River, South West Rocks

The Macleay River is one of New South Wales' most dynamic and diverse river systems. Stretching 298 kilometres from the highlands of Uralla to the Pacific Ocean at South West Rocks, this river system boasts an incredible variety of fish species and habitats. The tidal estuaries produce good numbers of flathead, bream and mulloway and the freshwater stretches can produce some trophy Australian bass.

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DOWN RIVER

The two breakwalls at the mouth of the river at South West Rocks are iconic for big mulloway. Every year there's a few bonus captures of cobia, kingfish and even longtail tuna off these walls, too. The walls also consistently produce tailor, bream and flathead, with trevally and mangrove jack action common over the warmer months, too. These rocky structures provide great ambush points for predators. Lure anglers will find consistent success using soft plastics, especially near the rockwall edges and submerged structure.

The Macleay Arm, towards Stuarts Point, is ideal for surface fishing — poppers and shallow diving hardbodies around the oyster racks and shallow flats can produce quality whiting and bream. Spencers Creek also offers decent shallow water fishing, no less productive. Lightly weighted plastics and surface poppers work well in this area, especially during summer. Bream and flathead patrol the creek mouth and nearby weed beds, making it perfect for finesse fishing. It’s also a great spot to try your luck for mud crabs between casts.

The mid-river section of the Macleay River, around Jerseyville Bridge, is another productive lure-fishing zone. Jerseyville is well-known for its night-time mulloway and bream action, with bait schools attracting all kinds of predators under the bridge lights. Consistent action can be found using soft plastics and vibes close to structure. Further up, around Kinchella Creek, nearby sandbanks provide prime territory for whiting. Shallow weed beds here can be pretty productive for flathead and bream, too.

UP RIVER

Moving upstream beyond Smithtown, the Macleay River transforms into a more tranquil, freshwater environment — prime habitat for Australian bass. Vibration blades are a go-to lure, able to reach the deeper stretches where bass often hold. Soft plastics also work well in deeper water and flathead can be a regular bycatch at times. The 3.2km-long Macleay River Bridge marks the beginning of one of the best bass fisheries on the NSW Mid North Coast. Blades, deep-diving hardbodies, and soft plastics all shine here, with catches of bass over 50cm common some years.

Beyond the bridge, the upper reaches toward Kempsey and Sherwood feature extensive weed beds, snags, and undercut banks — ideal for surface lures. Early mornings are prime time. Lures like poppers, fizzers, cicada imitations, and "walk-the-dog" style topwaters excel, particularly when there's surface bait activity. The “match the hatch” rule is critical here — in cicada-heavy years, black or green surface lures outperform, while baitfish imitation walkers shine when schools of small baitfish are present. Surface strikes from bass are explosive, especially when fishing during low-light periods. When the surface bite slows, spinnerbaits become indispensable. They allow anglers to work weed beds thoroughly, slow rolling the lure just above submerged vegetation.

While the focus in these freshwater areas is often bass, you’ll still find bream and even the occasional flathead pushing upstream. The diverse ecology of the Macleay River means you can encounter multiple species in a single session — a rare treat for any estuarine or freshwater angler.

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The key to success lies in reading the water, adapting to seasonal and tidal changes, and experimenting with lure selection. Each section of the river behaves differently, and what works downstream may not apply upstream. But with patience, observation, and a bit of persistence, the Macleay River will reward you with memorable fishing experiences and, if you’re lucky, that fish-of-a-lifetime.

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MACLEAY RIVER TACKLE

It’s always a good idea to use a few different outfits and lure styles to get the most out of the Macleay River. Generally, a light 6lb spinning outfit and a slightly heavier 15lb spinning outfit covers most lure fishing in this productive estuary. Natural lure colours work well, with 50-100mm plastics and soft vibes some of the most used lures on Castaway. Surface lures work well for whiting, bream and bass in the warmer months.

There’s no question the Macleay River is one of Australia’s most dynamic and diverse estuaries – book your spot on Castaway and see for yourself!