Fishing in Lane Cove National Park

Lane Cove National Park sits inside metropolitan Sydney, about 10 kilometres north-west of the CBD. The park follows the Lane Cove River valley, with the river as its spine, and the surrounding bushland dropping steeply to the water on both sides.

Despite being surrounded by suburbs on all sides, the park holds a genuine bush corridor — tidal flats and mangroves in the lower reaches, freshwater further upstream. The Lane Cove River is the main fishing water.

The lower stretches run tidal and estuarine, where dusky flathead, bream, mulloway, whiting, luderick, mullet, and silver trevally are the common targets. Further upstream, where the river freshens, Australian bass and estuary perch come into play.

The transition between these two fishing environments is one of the more interesting things about this stretch of water — you can work lures for bass in the upper reaches and be targeting flathead on the tidal flats the same day.

Two rules matter here and both are firm: bait is not permitted inside the national park, and spearfishing in freshwater is prohibited. That means lures only for anyone fishing within the park boundary.

Check with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for current regulations before you go — rules in protected areas can be updated. Access is mostly shore-based, with picnic areas and paths along sections of the river.

Canoe hire has historically been available in the park, which opens up water that's harder to reach on foot. Buffalo Creek, Devlins Creek, Terrys Creek, and Blackbutt Creek all feed into the river system within the park.

This is urban fishing in a bush setting — the kind of place where you can hear the city and still find a decent fish. The lure-only rule keeps it honest.