Epic Port Stephens Fishing: Flathead, Bream, Jewfish & Tuna

Join us in Nelson Bay with local guide Paul Lennon for an estuary fishing trip packed with nonstop quality fish!

Fishing Nelson Bay & Port Stephens Estuaries

Nelson Bay in Port Stephens is a dream spot for anyone who loves estuary fishing. The mix of sandy flats, deep channels, and sheltered bays makes it perfect for chasing estuary species — and you never quite know what else might turn up. Flathead, bream, and whiting dominate the estuaries, but jewfish and the occasional pelagic ensure there’s always potential for something special.

For this trip, we joined local guide Paul Lennon from Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters, whose knowledge of the area is second to none. Flathead were our main target, and they came through in numbers, but the estuary also produced some unexpected highlights — quality bream, a solid jewfish, and even a mackerel tuna to top things off.

It was one of those days on the water where the action never slowed, the variety kept things exciting, and the scenery showed why so many people visit Nelson Bay.

Check out the full rundown of what we caught, where it happened, and the tricks that made it work — great tips for fishing the Bay.

Quick Facts

Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park covers 980 km² of estuaries, rivers, beaches, and offshore waters.
Oyster farming in Port Stephens dates back to the late 1800s and remains a vital local industry today.
The Port Stephens Fisheries Institute at Taylors Beach is one of Australia’s largest aquaculture R&D centres.
Port Stephens is home to one of the largest estuarine populations of dusky flathead in NSW
Port Stephens hosts the NSWGFA Interclub—Australia’s biggest and longest-running game fishing tournament

Paul Lennon from Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters

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Paul Lennon – Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters

Paul Lennon is the kind of guide every angler hopes to fish with — professional, approachable, and an expert at unlocking the secrets of Port Stephens’ estuaries. As the owner of Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters, Paul has an unrivalled knowledge of the waterways and a genuine passion for helping people enjoy them. Whether it’s guiding a first-timer onto their very first flathead or helping a seasoned angler land a personal best mulloway, Paul makes every trip fun, rewarding, and memorable. His easy going nature and deep experience ensure that a day on the water with him is more than just a fishing charter — it’s a first-class experience in one of Australia’s best estuary systems.

Paul also has multiple wins in the Port Stephens Trailer Boat competition, a NSW snapper record, and the rare feat of landing genuine metre-long flatheads.

Picking Our Location

Launch: We started our day from the Nelson Bay Weigh Station.

Location 1: We headed to Soldier Point where tuna were feeding hard on the surface over the last few days.

Location 2: After the tuna action, we pushed on towards Tea Gardens to target flathead and bream.

Location 3: We then headed back out into Port Stephens Bay to get back onto the tuna.

Location 4: To finish up, we worked the waters near Baromee Point for a few more flatties and bream.

Dusky Flathead

Platycephalus Fuscus

Top Target Species

The Dusky Flathead (Platycephalus fuscus) is one of Australia’s most iconic estuarine sportfish, prized for both its accessibility and impressive size. Recognised by its mottled brown body and broad, flat head, it’s a master ambush predator, lying camouflaged on sandy bottoms and seagrass beds before striking. Found throughout estuaries and river mouths, they offer explosive takes and powerful runs on light gear, and can be targeted with live bait, soft plastics, or hardbody lures — making them a versatile and rewarding catch for anglers of all skill levels.

Explore

Discover

Common Species In Port Stephens

Yellowfin Bream

Acanthopagrus Australis

Mulloway

Argyrosomus Japonicus

Yellowfin Whiting

Sillago Schomburgkii

Discover more fish profiles

Tackle we used for the day

Paul had us covered with a mix of light estuary gear and heavier setups, ready for anything from flathead to the bay’s bigger predators.

Rods: 7ft & 8ft light-medium power rods

Reels: 2500 & 5000 sized spinning reels (Shimano Sustain)

Line: 8lb braid with 10lb leader & 12lb braid with 15lb leader

Bait: 50mm soft plastics (Nuked Chicken), 4″ soft plastic prawns (Motor Oil), 15g metal lures (Gillies)

Fishing tackle with Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters

Paul Lennon from Fishing tackle with Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters providing fishing tips

Our techniques for the day

Location 1 – Soldier Point:
We started near Soldier Point, casting small metals and soft plastics into tuna bust-ups. Fast retrieves through the chaos offered the best chance of a hook-up, but despite plenty of action, we came away empty-handed during this 30-minute session.

Location 2 – Tea Gardens:
From there we pushed up to Tea Gardens to target flathead and bream. Soft plastics and prawn imitations worked along the flats and channel edges produced results, with a small mulloway, a bream, and a flathead coming aboard.

Location 3 – Port Stephens Bay:
Back in the bay, we found scattered tuna schools and fired long casts with small lures. Quick retrieves matched the bait, and we hooked two fish — landing one mackerel tuna on a metal and losing another on a soft plastic.

Location 4 – Baromee Point:
We finished the session at Baromee Point, working plastics along drop-offs and sandy patches. As the sun set, the bite came alive — we landed two bream and over ten flathead, with Motor Oil prawn imitations proving especially effective.

What’s on offer throughout the year

Catching Flathead on the Hawkesbury River

Spring

Flathead, Bream, Whiting, Luderick, Snapper

Summer

Whiting, Bream, Flathead, Kingfish, Bonito, Tuna (incl. Mackerel/Longtail)

Catching Jewfish (Mulloway) on the Hawkesbury River

Autumn

Longtail Tuna, Flathead, Bream, Whiting, Tailor, Snapper, Salmon, Kingfish, Mulloway

Catching Australian Salmon on the Hawkesbury River

Winter

Bream, Luderick, Salmon, Tailor, Snapper, Mulloway

Top tips from Paul on fishing Port Stephens

You’re known for delivering bream, flathead, and mulloway, but what about the tuna we saw busting up in the bay — how often does that happen, and when’s the best time to catch them?

Yep it happens very regularly with everything from small pelagics like Bonito and frigate mackerel right up to 20kg plus long tail tuna making their way into the estuary to feed on baitfish. While every year is different, spring and autumn are the best months.

The water was still a bit stirred up from the August rain — does that affect your choice of lure colours, and if so, how?

Yes it definitely does. As a general rule I try to use the most natural colored lure I can get that will still stand out so if it’s really badly discolored I like blacks whites oranges and pinks and I the less stirred up the water the less radical my colors. Scenting your lures is also a big benefit in the dirty water.

What’s your “can’t-leave-home-without-it” tackle combo for fishing the bay?

A 3-5lb Shimano Zodias with with a 2500 Shimano Stradic will catch you just about anything in Port Stephens from whiting and bream to Mac Tuna and Mulloway.

What size flathead do visiting anglers typically catch with you, and how common are those trophy metre fish?

Anything between 50 and 60cm is a typical Port Stephens flathead and anything over 70cm considered a trophy sized fish. While there are lots of stories about 1m flathead they are a very rare catch to see a genuine 1m fish on a brag mat. Fish Port Stephens has had 3 fish over 1m to 103cm come over the side in 10 years of guiding.

How much do tides and time of day influence the fishing in Port Stephens — or is the bay productive right through the day? Any tips on most productive periods.

Tides play a major influence but no tide is better than the other it just depends where you are fishing. Every spot is different. I have high tide spots, low tide spots, run out spots, run in spots, neap tide spots, spring tide spots, then you add in other contributing factors like environmental and seasonal conditions which also would influence what tide you fish. Nothing beats experience on the water and that’s the only way you can get your head around it all.

Do you have any must-follow local conservation or etiquette tips you wish more anglers knew?

Correcting fish handling tips is a big one. I see too many big flatheads held up by the gills or with big lip grippers… A glove and belly support is the best way to handle a big flathead for release.
Release weights for mulloway suffering barotrauma is another area that NSW anglers needs more education in as many mulloway end up dying as they simply cant get back down to depths to decompress and recover especially those captured in water over 15m in depth.

What local structure—or tributary—do you think most anglers overlook in Port Stephens

Probably the shallow water flathead and whiting are the most overlooked with many anglers looking at 20cm of water over flats and think no way quality fish would be in the shallower water. Truth is it’s often some of the best fishing areas.

What’s your advice for families or inexperienced anglers looking for a productive but fun day fishing in Port Stephens?

Keep it simple, fish the high tides with some live worms around the estuary beaches during the summer months and you’ll pick up good whiting bream and flathead. The Breakwalls are also fantastic spots for bream all year round.

For someone booking a trip, what’s the best time of year if they want the widest variety of species in a single day?

The cross over periods around April may offer a large variety as water is not to cold for fish like flathead whiting and pelagics but at the same time Bream and Mulloway are coming on.

What’s your most memorable session with clients — one that really captures what Port Stephens fishing is all about?

I’ve had a few beauties but the one that stands out was a charter in April a couple of years back when everything just worked with a bit of luck thrown in too.
Two guys caught 3 long tails over 20kg, 3 Mulloway around the same size, a bag of bream, a 75cm flathead, a Snapper and some bonito on fly all within 5 hours of fishing.

As a local who knows the area inside out, are there any safe and productive land-based spots you’d recommend for families and less experienced anglers?

Nelson Bay Marina and the soldiers point Jetties are great spots for families.

Finally, what’s the best way to book with you — and how far ahead should people plan, especially for peak season?

Im generally always booked out 2-3 months in advance – Phone on 0434370687,hit up my socials @fish _portstephens or email at paul.lennon.fishing@gmail.com

Photo gallery of our day on the water with Paul

Discover the Best of Port Stephens Fishing – With Paul Lennon!

Port Stephens is an estuary angler’s paradise, offering sandy flats, deep channels, and open bay fishing that delivers variety at every turn. One moment you’re casting into tuna bust-ups, the next you’re working soft plastics for flathead or bream — it’s a fishery that always keeps you on your toes.

On our trip with Paul Lennon from Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters, we experienced it all. From tuna at Soldier Point to flathead, bream, and a mulloway at Tea Gardens, then wrapping up at Baromee Point with a hot flathead bite, the action never slowed. Paul’s knowledge, relaxed approach, and well-prepared tackle made the day seamless and memorable.

Whether you’re chasing your first flathead or a trophy fish of a lifetime, a day with Paul is more than just fishing — it’s the ultimate Port Stephens experience.

Book your trip with Paul at Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters
and discover the best of this world-class fishery. The plus…its only a short drive from Sydney, the Hunter or Newcastle.