Coila Lake

Saltwater
Estuary

Coila Lake

Saltwater
Estuary

Sq. miles: 3.6
Boat Ramps: 0
Access Points: 0
Species: 9

Coila Lake is a massive, shallow coastal estuary located in the Eurobodalla Shire on the New South Wales South Coast. It is classified as an intermittently closed and open lake and lagoon (ICOLL), meaning its entrance to the sea at Tuross Heads naturally closes with sand buildup and is periodically reopened, either naturally by floodwaters or artificially by council intervention. The lake is a significant commercial fishery, particularly for its famous prawn industry, and supports extensive areas of seagrass beds vital for marine life. Fringing vegetation consists mainly of casuarinas and saltmarsh. Water quality in the estuary is generally fair.

New South Wales licenses and regulations4 to check before you go

Species & education

Learn what type of fish are at Coila Lake and what's needed to catch them.

Find which waters have the species you want to catch

Black Bream

Acanthopagrus butcheri

Eastern Blue Groper

Achoerodus viridis

Luderick

Girella tricuspidata

Mulloway

Argyrosomus japonicus

Rock Blackfish

Girella elevata

Snapper

Pagrus auratus

Tailor

Pomatomus saltatrix

Tarwhine

Rhabdosargus sarba

Yellowfin Bream

Acanthopagrus australis

Fishing spots, boat ramps & amenities

Learn how to get on Coila Lake. Uncover great fishing access points, boat ramps, and all the facilities you need for an unforgettable day on the water. Some locations shown may border or include private property. Always check property boundaries and applicable regulations before visiting. onWater's Public & Private Land layer can help you plan your access with confidence.

The most dynamic spot is the ocean beach immediately adjacent to the lake's entrance at Tuross Heads when it is open, as it concentrates feeding salmon, tailor, and mulloway. Within the lake itself, the extensive seagrass beds and the channels leading to the entrance are prime areas. The deeper holes and drop-offs within the generally shallow lake system hold fish. The western sections and Coila Creek provide habitat influenced by freshwater inflows.

Know where you can legally fish on Coila Lake

See public and private land boundaries along the water, turn on private parcels with owner details to know where permission is required, and find land-trust parcels that offer permitted fishing access.

New South Wales licenses and regulations

New South Wales Boating Regulations

Official Transport for NSW (NSW Maritime) hub for safety and rules on NSW waterways, including the Boating Handbook, lifejacket and safety-equipment requirements, and navigation and speed rules.

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New South Wales Fishing License

Official Service NSW page for the NSW recreational fishing fee/licence. Anyone fishing NSW waters (fresh or salt) must pay the recreational fishing fee and carry the receipt unless exempt. See the page for current fees and exemptions.

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New South Wales Fishing Regulations

Official NSW DPIRD Fisheries hub for recreational fishing rules, covering saltwater and freshwater bag and size limits, possession limits, gear rules and closures.

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New South Wales Stream Access Laws

Official NSW DPIRD Fisheries Angler Access page - NSW's closest equivalent to a stream-access page. Explains the public right to fish tidal waters, legal stream access via public land, and that crossing private land needs the owner's permission.

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Take Coila Lake with you

The onWater Fish app keeps this water's access points, species and conditions in your pocket, with the tools you use once you're there.

Use the map without signal
Download the map around Coila Lake to use it offline when coverage drops.
Log your catches here
Keep a private fishing journal for Coila Lake to find where and when fish are biting for you.

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