Plantation Point (Vincentia)

Plantation Point is the low rocky point between Barfleur Beach and Nelson Beach at Vincentia, with a council reserve, toilets and a lawn running almost to the rocks. It looks out over the clear, weedy western shallows of Jervis Bay, renowned for squid, and it is the standard local answer to where to throw a jig from shore. The point sits in the Jervis Bay Marine Park's habitat protection zone, where recreational line fishing is allowed. Nearby Moona Moona Creek, by contrast, is sanctuary zone to its tidal limit and closed to all fishing.

Squid are the main game. Walk out onto the rocks at the tip and cast a 2.5–3.0 size jig over the weed and sand patches, letting it sink close to the bottom before a couple of sharp lifts and a long pause. Dawn, dusk and an overcast high tide are the times. Bream and trevally take peeled prawn or squid strips floated or lightly weighted along the rock edge, with a little bread berley. Salmon and tailor come through on the change of light in the cooler months and take a 20–30 g metal cast wide off the point. Whiting work the sand on Barfleur Beach and the northern half of Nelson Beach with nipper or worm — at the southern end of Nelson Beach the Hyams Beach Sanctuary Zone comes right to the shore.

Squid have no size limit and a combined bag of 20 with cuttlefish, but cuttlefish aren't on the marine park's take list, so release any you jig. Yellowfin bream are 25 cm minimum on a bag of 10 shared with tarwhine, sand whiting 27 cm on a bag of 20 across all whiting, and silver trevally 30 cm on a bag of 10 across all trevallies. Australian salmon have no size limit and a bag of 5, tailor are 30 cm with a bag of 10, and leatherjackets have a combined bag of 20. Taking octopus is prohibited throughout the Jervis Bay Marine Park. Eastern blue groper can't be taken by any method in NSW until the end of February 2028 — release any you hook.

Stay on the habitat protection side of the map: the Hyams Beach Sanctuary Zone begins a little over 500 m south-east of the point, reaching the shore at the southern end of Nelson Beach about 1 km away, while the Moona Moona Creek Sanctuary Zone lies more than 2 km north; no fishing of any kind is allowed in either. Clear water makes squid shy, so go to the darker jig colours under bright skies and natural ones in the evening. Ink on the rocks is the squid fisher's calling card — wash it off before you leave; the reserve is a family picnic spot. On a busy summer day boats and jet skis work the shallows off the point, so fish early.

Plantation Point Reserve is at the end of Plantation Point Parade, Vincentia, with a car park, toilets and grassed picnic areas a short walk from the rocks. The point itself is low, broken rock that gets slippery at the waterline, so it suits steady walkers rather than prams. Barfleur Beach runs west and Nelson Beach south, both reachable on foot. Vincentia's shops are a few minutes' drive away.

Inside Jervis Bay the point is sheltered from most ocean swell, but a big south-easterly swell does wrap into the bay and wash the low rocks. Westerlies blow offshore here and leave the water calm and clear, which suits squid. A fresh north-easter is the worst wind, pushing chop straight onto the point. Water clarity is usually excellent, so low light matters more than tide for most species.

The rocks at the tip are low, covered in weed and slick with squid ink, so wear grippy footwear and keep children back from the edge. A south-easterly swell can surge across the low rock without warning even inside the bay, so check the swell forecast, watch the tip for ten minutes before walking out, and never turn your back on the water. Shoalhaven is not one of the ten declared rock-fishing lifejacket areas, but a lifejacket is strongly recommended on any rock exposed to ocean swell, with light clothing you can swim in. Don't fish the tip alone in a swell; if you go in, swim away from the rocks, float, signal and have your mate call 000, and know your way back to the lawn. The sanctuary zones to the south-east and north are the legal hazard — fishing of any kind is banned in them, including from shore. Boats and jet skis come close to the point in summer, so watch your line when one passes.

Yes. Plantation Point is in the Jervis Bay Marine Park's habitat protection zone, where recreational line fishing is allowed within bag and size limits. The Hyams Beach Sanctuary Zone starts about 500 m to the south-east and reaches the shore at the southern end of Nelson Beach, and the Moona Moona Creek Sanctuary Zone is more than 2 km north; no fishing is allowed in either.

Plantation Point at Vincentia is the classic shore spot — cast a 2.5–3.0 size jig over the weed and sand off the tip at dawn, dusk or on an overcast high tide. Squid have no size limit and a bag of 20; cuttlefish aren't on the marine park's take list, so release any you jig.

No. The taking of octopus is prohibited throughout the Jervis Bay Marine Park, and octopus also cannot be taken from ocean rock platforms anywhere in NSW.

No. The Moona Moona Creek Sanctuary Zone extends to the tidal limit of the creek, so all fishing is prohibited there. Plantation Point, a short drive south, is the legal alternative.